Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park [CA]

Description

Antelope Valley Indian Museum State Historic Park is California's State Regional Indian Museum representing Great Basin Indian cultures. The exhibits and interpretive emphasis are on American Indian groups (both aboriginal and contemporary) of the Southwest, Great Basin, and California culture regions, since Antelope Valley was a major prehistoric trade corridor linking all three of these culture regions. The museum contains the combined collections of founder Howard Arden Edwards and subsequent owner Grace Oliver. A number of the cultural materials on display are rare or one-of-a-kind objects.

PLEASE NOTE: At present, the museum is closed indefinitely for stabilization. During the interim, a small collection and information can be found nearby at the Saddleback Butte State Park visitor center, located 4 miles north at 170th Street East and East Avenue J.

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

John Brown Museum

Description

Reverend Samuel Adair and his wife, Florella, were peaceful abolitionists who came to Kansas and settled near Osawatomie, an abolitionist community and a center of conflict during "Bleeding Kansas." The Adair cabin was a station on the Underground Railroad and Florella's half brother, John Brown, used this cabin as his headquarters. The cabin survived the Battle of Osawatomie where John Brown and 30 free-state defenders fought 250 proslavery militia in 1856, and stands on the battle site today. Visitors to the Museum can learn more about the Adairs, John Brown, and others who struggled to survive the border war.

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

The Milton House Museum

Description

"Pioneer, Joseph Goodrich, came to Prairie du Lac, as Milton was called then, in 1838, looking for a better place for his family to live. He chose prairie land at the intersection of two Indian trails and built a small frame home. In the years to come, this prairie crossroads became heavily traveled and this seemed a good place for an inn. All were welcome under Joseph's roof, but not all of his guests traveled by stagecoach or train. Some were spirited into his care by the Underground Railroad.

Visit us--have a look back into the past."

The Black Archives [FL]

Description

The Black Archives collects manuscripts, photographs, and oral histories pertinent to African American history in southern Florida between 1896 and present day. Particular emphasis is placed on the 20th-century urban South.

The archives offers a photograph and manuscript research center. The website offers children's activity pages.

Oberlin Heritage Center [OH]

Description

The Oberlin Heritage Center consists of three historic sites—the 1866 Monroe House, 1884 Jewett House, and 1836 School House. The center's goal is to preserve and share the history of Oberlin, OH, including its role in abolitionism, the Underground Railroad, women's rights movements, temperance, education, and the aluminum industry. The Italianate Monroe House was home to General Giles W. Shurtleff, leader of the first African American Civil War regiment from Ohio. The School House has been restored to a pioneer era appearance. The school offered lessons to all students, regardless of wide-spread segregation, as early as 1836. The Jewett House was owned by chemistry professor Frank Fanning Jewett and his wife Frances Gulick Jewett. The couple published works on public health, and rented living space to Oberlin College students.

The center offers guided house tours, group tours, guided history walks, step-on guides for bus tours, and research center access. The research center is open by appointment only, and it offers oral histories in addition to archival materials. Tours are approximately 75 minutes long. Reservations must be made at least one month in advance for groups of 10 or more. History walks are available by reservation only. Audio amplifiers are available. The historic homes are partially wheelchair accessible. The website offers historical photographs; historic games, crafts, and recipes; 1800s children's stories; information on the intersection of the heritage center and state educational standards; and suggested class activities.

Tennessee State Library and Archives

Description

The Tennessee State Library and Archives collects publications and archival materials relevant to the history of Tennessee. Collections include manuscript materials, birth and death records, census records, county records, governors' papers, military records, Native-American and African-American records, newspapers, maps, photographs, postcards, state records, and Tennessee legislative records.

The website offers research library and archives access as well as virtual exhibits, lesson plans, primary sources, and an archive of digitized primary sources.

Amistad Research Center [LA]

Description

The Amistad Research Center is the largest independent archives within the U.S., focusing on African American history, as well as the histories of other ethnic groups. Collections include 250,000 photographs from 1859 onward, manuscripts, and 800 African and African American artworks.

The center offers archive access, 45-minute guided tours, and art exhibits. Reservations are required for all groups, and must be made at least two weeks in advance. The website offers digital collection access.

Alex Haley House and Museum [TN]

Description

Originally known as the Palmer House, this 10-room, turn-of-the-century bungalow home was built in 1919 by Will E. Palmer, the maternal grandfather of Alex Haley (1921–1992). From 1921 to 1929, and during some subsequent summers, Haley lived here with his grandparents. The front porch was often the place where young Haley heard the oral accounts of family history, including stories of Kunta Kinte, the young Mandingo man captured near his West African home. These stories inspired Haley to write about his ancestry in a book called Roots. This 1976 Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel has been translated into over 30 languages and has had great influence in stimulating the study of genealogy. Roots was adapted for an eight-part television series, which became one of the most popular programs in television history. On December 14, 1978, the Alex Haley House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It has attracted scholars and other visitors from around the world. Haley is buried on the grounds.

The house offers exhibits and tours.

New-York Historical Society and Museum [NY]

Description

The New-York Historical Society presents American and U.S. history through artifacts and documents relevant to the history of New York City and state. Permanent exhibits include slavery in New York and visible open storage. Collection highlights include George Washington's inaugural chair, Benjamin Franklin's cane, watercolors by John James Audubon, Hudson River School landscapes, Tiffany lamps, and Abraham Lincoln's life mask.

The society offers exhibits, guided tours, customizable group tours, school visits, guided student workshops, outreach programs for students, interactive stations, audio tours, teen audio tours, written gallery guides, research library access, educator professional development opportunities, and a cafe. An appointment is required to access prints, photographs, or architectural records. No appointment is necessary to access manuscripts and general collections. Wheelchairs are available for use on site. American Sign Language interpreters are available for tours with at least three weeks advance notice. The website offers digital collections access.

Kentucky Derby Museum [KY]

Description

The Kentucky Derby Museums presents the significance and history of Thoroughbred racing; Churchill Downs; and the Kentucky Derby, a world-renowned annual horse race. The grounds include the graves of several favorite Derby horses—Carry Back, Swaps, Brokers Tip, and Sunny's Halo. Permanent exhibits address Kentucky Derby hats; races from 1918 to present day; the jockey stance; winning horses, owners, and trainers; jockey and stable life; handicapping; and African Americans in Thoroughbred racing.

The museum offers interactive and traditional exhibits, films, trivia tests, guided walking tours of Churchill Downs, barn and backside van tours, behind the scenes tours, legends and lore tours, student tours, curriculum-based programs, curriculum-based outreach programs, hands-on activities, scavenger hunts, summer camps, and a cafe. Social studies program topics range from economics to urbanization. The website offers a suggested reading list for students and relevant vocabulary.