Pittock Mansion [OR]

Description

The Pittock Mansion was home to Portland pioneers Henry and Georgiana Pittock from 1914 to 1919. During the late 1800s and the early 1900s, their lives and work paralleled the growth of Portland from a small Northwest town site to a thriving city with a quarter million population. With its eclectic architectural design and richly decorated interior, including family artifacts, the Pittock Mansion stands today as a living memorial of this family's contributions to the blossoming of Portland and its people.

The mansion offers exhibits, tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and historical events.

Fox Island Historical Society and Museum [WA]

Description

The Society's Museum displays artifacts used by people here on the Island to illustrate the changes in lifestyles through the years. There are more than 3,000 artifacts on display in dioramas, showcases, and freestanding exhibits. Among them is a display describing the life of Dr. Dixy Lee Ray, former Governor; the largest collection of pulley blocks in the State; and several antique gasoline engines in working order.

The Society offers tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events; the museum offers exhibits.

Railtown 1897 State Historic Park [CA]

Description

Located in Jamestown, in the heart of California's Gold Country about 100 miles southeast of Sacramento, Railtown 1897 State Historic Park is home to the Historic Jamestown Shops and Roundhouse—an intact and still-functioning steam locomotive repair and maintenance facility, portions of which date back to 1897. This one-of-a-kind attraction combines industrial heritage and railroad history with the lore of Hollywood’s film industry. The Railtown 1897 Interpretive Center and the authentic roundhouse are among the Park's unique year-round offerings.

A second, individual website for the park can be found here.

The park offers train rides, exhibits, tours, and educational and recreational events.

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park [CA]

Description

Old Town San Diego State Historic Park presents the opportunity to experience the history of early San Diego by providing a connection to the past. Visitors can learn about life in the Mexican and early American periods of 1821 to 1872, as converging cultures transformed San Diego from a Mexican pueblo to an American settlement. The core of restored original historic buildings from the interpretive period are complemented by reconstructed sites, along with early 20th-century buildings designed in the same mode. The Historic Plaza remains a gathering place for community events and historic activity. Five original adobe buildings are part of the historic park, which includes museums, unique retail shops, and several restaurants. La Casa de Estudillo is a mansion built around a garden courtyard. La Casa de Machado y Stewart is full of artifacts that reflect ordinary life of the period. Some of the other historic buildings include the Mason Street School (California's first public schoolhouse), La Casa de Machado y Silvas, the San Diego Union Printing Office (site of the city's oldest surviving newspaper office), and the first brick courthouse. The Seeley Stables Museum, with newly rehabilitated exhibits on overland transportation, houses one of the finest wagon and carriage collections. Visitors can experience a working blacksmith shop, enjoy music, see or touch the park's burros, and engage in activities that represent early San Diego.

The park offers exhibits, tours, living history events and programs, and other recreational and educational events.

Fort Simcoe State Park

Description

The Park is a 200-acre, day-use heritage park in south central Washington on the Yakama Indian Nation Reservation. The park is primarily an interpretive effort, telling the story of mid-19th-century army life and providing insights into the lifeways of local Native American culture. Located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains in an old oak grove watered by natural springs, Fort Simcoe was an 1850s-era military installation established to keep peace between the settlers and the Indians. Due to its historic significance, the park was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in June, 1974. Before the fort era, the site was an Indian campground where many trails crossed. Five original buildings are still standing at the fort: the commander's house, three captain's houses and a blockhouse. Various other buildings have been recreated to appear original. Houses are filled with period furnishings.

The park offers exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events.