Wynnewood [TN]

Description

Wynnewood is the largest extant log structure in Tennessee. It was built in 1828 by A. R. Wynne, William Cage, and Stephen Roberts as a stagecoach inn on the Nashville-Knoxville Road. In 1834, Wynne purchased his partners' interests and moved his family into the inn, where he resided until his death in 1893. Throughout Wynne's lifetime, guests were received at the house, attracted partially by the reputed medicinal powers of the mineral waters and the scenic beauty of the area. Today the spring waters still flow and visitors may see the site where Thomas Sharp ("Big Foot") Spencer spent the winter of 1778–79 in a hollow sycamore tree.

The site offers tours.

Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame [NY]

Description

The Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving the past and aiding the present of Buffalo, NY, sports. The Hall of Fame has been in operation since 1991 and, in addition to serving as a Hall of Fame, works with local sports leagues to promote athletics in the Buffalo area.

The Hall of Fame offers an exhibit. The website offers brief biographies of all Hall of Fame inductees, visitor information, and a history of the Hall of Fame.

Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum [OR]

Description

The Mt. Hood Cultural Center and Museum presents the history of Mt. Hood, an active volcano. Exhibits address Mt. Hood's natural history, as well as that of skiing, exploring, and the forest service on Mt. Hood. The center also devotes space to an exhibit of fine arts. Collections include sporting equipment and clothing, as well as artifacts related to natural history, the forest service, local history, and Barlow Road.

The center offers exhibits. During June through August the center also offers talks and daily guided walks.

Acadian Village [LA]

Description

The Acadian Village presents daily life and society within 19th-century Acadian Southern Louisiana. Seven of the 11 site structures are restored historic residences containing local period furnishings. Exhibit topics include Cajun music; spinning; weaving; medicine; and Senator Dudley J. LeBlanc (1894-1971), who strove to preserve Cajun culture. Replica period settings include a blacksmith shop, chapel, home, and schoolhouse; while the LeBlanc exhibit is located within the senator's birth home.

The village offers exhibits, period rooms, and self-guided tours. Reservations are appreciated for group visits. Picnics are encouraged. Tour brochures are available in English and French. The village is open January through October.

Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame [IN]

Description

The Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame presents the history of basketball within Indiana. Artifacts honor acclaimed high school, college, and professional basketball players and those who have influenced the game. The hall's museum emphasizes male and female high school coaches and players. Exhibit topics include basketball and the media, sports officials, basketball history from 1894 to present day, and the sport histories of individual Indiana high schools.

The museum offers exhibits, films, and research library access. Library access is by appointment only.

Elgin Area Historical Society [IL]

Description

The Elgin Area Historical Society supports its own museum dedicated to local history. Exhibit topics include Early Elgin, Elgin Road Races, Elgin Architecture, the Hiawatha Pageant, and the Elgin Watch Factory and Industry. The Museum is housed in a historical 1856 building known as the Old Main.

School groups of all ages can take an educational tour of the museum while completing a scavenger hunt. Groups can also upgrade to the Grand Tour which includes hand-on educational activities for each of the museum's five exhibits. The museum also offers programs with specific topics including cooking, architecture, Native Americans, pocket watches, and pioneers. Travelling trunks can also be reserved.

This is the Place Heritage Park [UT]

Description

Visitors can journey back in time at Old Deseret Village, a collection of more than 40 historic homes and buildings brought to life by historical interpreters. This is the Place Monument, located in the park, marks the end of the 1,300-mile Mormon trail.

The park offers exhibits, tours, educational programs, demonstrations, and educational and recreational events (including living history events).

National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame [OK]

Description

The National Rod & Custom Car Hall of Fame is the brainchild of Daryll Starbird, famed custom car designer. The hall of fame serves as both a museum of custom car construction and style as well as a hall of fame for the leaders of the custom car construction and design industry.

The museum offers exhibits and guided tours. The website offers visitor information, a virtual tour of the museum, and a brief biography of Darryl Starbird.

Astors' Beechwood Mansion [RI]

Description

This Italianate house was built in 1857 to the designs of Alexander Jackson Downing and Calvert Vaux. Purchased by the Astor family in 1881, the house was the social center for New York society during the Gilded Age. The Beechwood Theatre Company portrays Mrs. Astor's family, friends, and domestic staff at the height of the Victorian Era at the mansion. They welcome visitors to the mansion, offering a spirited interpretation of Victorian society not found elsewhere.

The site offers tours, living history performances, and educational and recreational events (including living history events).