The Santa Barbara Historical Museum presents the history of Santa Barbara, California, beginning with the days of the Chumash. The museum focuses on the rich international heritage of the area.
The museum offers exhibits, group programs and tours, and outreach programs.
Benicia Capitol State Historic Park is the site of California's third seat of government (185354). It is the only pre-Sacramento capitol that survives. The original building has been restored with reconstructed period furnishings and exhibits. The interior includes a board-for-board reconstruction of the building's original floor with ponderosa pine. The desks, three of which are originals from the Benicia period or earlier, are furnished with a candlestick, a 19th-century newspaper, a quill pen, and a top hat.
The park offers exhibits and tours.
The Museum reveals the history of the San Joaquin region, from the Yokuts and Miwok through Captain Charles Weber (founder of Stockton and first farmer in the area) and the development of modern agriculture. The Museum has eight exhibition buildings, four historic buildings—including the Charles Weber cottage (1847) and Calaveras School (1866)—and features room dioramas of Weber family furnishings, a children's gallery, and large displays of hand tools and agricultural equipment.
The museum offers exhibits, research library access, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).
The Vacaville Heritage Council is an archival organization focused on the history of Solano County, California.
The council offers public access to archive materials.
The USS Potomac was built in 1934, and is best known as Franklin Delano Roosevelt's presidential yacht. It served this purpose between 1936 and 1945, the year of Roosevelt's death (1882-1945). Today, the vessel serves as an interpretive center focusing on the years of Roosevelt's presidency (1933-1945).
The vessel offers exhibits, a 15-minute film, student educational cruises, two-hour history cruises, guided tours, self-guided tours, and a library with circulating materials. The website offers a gallery of historic photographs. Reservations are required for student cruises.
The Antioch Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Antioch, California. To this end, the society operates a museum.
The museum offers period rooms and group tours. Reservations are required for school groups.
The Chula Vista Heritage Museum presents the history of Chula Vista, California. Primary historical industries of the area include aircraft and citrus.
The museum offers exhibits and a self-guided area walking tour.
The Alpine Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Alpine, California. To this end, the society operates two museums: the 1896 Dr. Nichol's House and the 1899 Adam and Caroline Beaty House. The former housed Alpine's first doctor, who was female. A small schoolhouse was later attached to this structure. Exhibits focus on a different topic each year.
The society offers exhibits, access to historical newspapers, and a local essay contest for students. The website offers historical photographs.
This remote military post was established in 1853 to assist in conflict resolution between Native Americans and gold-seekers and settlers who had begun flooding into the area after the discovery of gold in the northern mines. Fort Humboldt was formally abandoned in 1870 and rapidly fell into decay. Today, only the hospital building remains out of the original fourteen structures. It is now a historical museum dedicated to telling the story of the Fort and the Native American groups, including the Wiyot, Hoopa and Yurok of this region. In the 1980s the Surgeon's Quarters was reconstructed and there are plans for its establishment as a period house museum. In 2001 an historic herb and vegetable garden was recreated adjacent to the Hospital. The park also includes a Logging Museum and open air displays of historic 19th- through mid-20th-century logging equipment including the Dolbeer Steam Donkey, "Lucy"; the Bear Harbor Lumber Company's Gypsy Locomotive #1; and the Elk River Mill and Lumber Company's #1 "Falk" locomotive.
The park offers exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events and programs.
The Whaley House Museum is an 1857 century Greek Revival residence, theater, county courthouse, and general store. The building's owner, Thomas Whaley, had originally traveled from New York to California with the Gold Rush before setting up operation of joint venture general store. The execution of Yankee Jim Robinson, who attempted grand larceny, took place on the grounds in 1852. The site interpretation targets 1868 to 1871.
The museum offers orientation presentations with question and answer sessions, self-guided tours, guided tours, ghost tours, and docents to address questions. Reservations are required for group and guided tours. The site is partially wheelchair accessible. The website offers transcriptions of historical documentation.