Jamesville Community Museum [NY]

Description

The Jamesville Community Museum presents history and geology relevant to Jamesville, New York. Permanent exhibits topics include local and state minerals and the Solvay Process, the production of soda ash. Soda ash is used for water treatment and making glass, cleaning agents, and paper, among other purposes.

The museum offers exhibits.

Historic Cherry Hill [NY]

Description

Historic Cherry Hill is a 1787 residence, occupied by the Van Rensselaer family until 1963. The site presents the changing culture, decorative arts, economic climate, and social classes of the 176 years in which the home was in use. The structure exists in its 1963 state in order to render social and architectural evolution visible to visitors. The Van Rensselaers were originally considered Hudson River manor lords, members of a group of wealthy local Dutch settlers. However, as early as the 1820s, the family began to face economic pressure which would increase with the formation of the millionaire class and the large numbers of immigrants entering the U.S. Collections include more than 20,000 artifacts—from the most mundane household items to rare examples of decorative arts styles—and 30,000 archival documents.

Cherry Hill offers period rooms; tours; interactive educational programs for students; and educational outreach programs for students. Reservations are required for groups of 10 or more. Listening assistance devices are available. The website offers two teaching units for purchase. Both won awards from the American Association for State and Local History.

Tours and on site educational programs are currently unavailable, as the site undergoes restoration. Outreach programming is still available.

Napa Firefighters Museum [CA]

Description

The Napa Firefighters Museum presents the history of the Napa, California firefighting department. Collections include hydrants, extinguishers, firefighting toys, global firehouse images, an 1859 hand pumper, and early 1900s fire engines.

The museum offers exhibits. School tours are encouraged, and can be scheduled outside of normal admission hours.

March Field Air Museum [CA]

Description

The March Field Air Museum presents the history of air and space technology between 1918 to present, aviation accomplishments, and the March Field Air Base. The site displays over 70 historic aircraft and 2,000 artifacts. March Field was first used as a training field for World War I pilots, and the field functioned as a command base during World War II. Aircraft of note include a significant collection of World War II aircraft and the P-59, the first jet to be used by the U.S. Air Force.

The museum offers films, exhibits, a flight simulator, tours, mp3 audio tours, and a weekends-only food vendor. Tours can be arranged, given advance notice, for Spanish speaking or hearing impaired visitors. Advance notice is required for all group tours. Wheelchairs are available for use on site.

James J. Hill House [MN]

Description

The 1891 Gilded Age James J. Hill House served as the residence of James J. Hill (1838-1916), chief executive officer of several Great Northern Railway lines; his family; and their servants. The interpretive focuses include family life and the life of the home's domestic servants. Other topics covered include Hill's career; architecture; interior design; and period heating, power, communication, and lighting systems. Hill's original gallery now displays art exhibits.

The house offers residence tours, exhibits, 75-minute tours of the residence for students, video or slide show introductory programs for students, late 19th-century skill workshops for children, 90-minute walking tours and 45-minute bus tours of the Summit Avenue neighborhood, lectures, concerts, and dramatic performances. Reservations are required for field trips. The website offers a word search.

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.

McFaddin-Ward House [TX]

Description

The 1906 Beaux Arts Colonial McFaddin-Ward House presents the history of its residents and that of the Beaumont, TX area between 1906 and 1950. The McFaddins were involved in real estate, trapping, rice farming, rice milling, cattle, and oil. The grounds contain historic gardens. The carriage house contains period rooms and exhibits addressing the McFaddin's business interests and automobiles.

The house offers a 10-minute introductory film, period rooms, exhibits, guided tours, gardens, self-guided carriage house tours, and seventh grade tours. Guided tours consist of no more than eight visitors, and children under eight are not permitted. Spike heels cannot be worn in the residence. The home is not wheelchair accessible. The website offers pre-tour information and post-visit suggestions for educators.

Pultneyville Historical Society and Museum [NY]

Description

The Pultneyville Historical Society seeks to preserve and present the history of Williamson Township, New York. To this end, the society offers exhibits within a circa 1858 home. Exhibits address the life and work of Horatio Nelson Throop, the 1898 loss of the schooner St. Peter, and local history as depicted through photography. Throop was a boat builder and captain. In the 1830s, he conducted experiments with wind and screw propeller propulsion systems. He was also active in the Underground Railroad. The society owns a collection of artifacts recovered from the wreck of the St. Peter.

The society offers exhibits and archival access. Appointments are required for archival access.

The Snyder Estate [NY]

Description

The Century House, also known as the Snyder Estate, is the former home of Andrew Snyder, and was a small family farm until the discovery of natural cement in the region in 1825. The area experienced impressive industrial growth up to the 1970s, and was the United State's largest producer of cement during that time.

The estate offers guided tours of the Century House, Widow Jane Mine, and Cement Industry Museum. The estate also offers field trip programs, outreach programs, and special events. The website offers visitor information, a history of the estate, and information regarding upcoming events.