Historic Edenton [NC]

Description

Featuring 18th- and early 19th-century history, North Carolina's second oldest town Edenton was one of the fledgling nation's chief political, cultural, and commercial centers. The state's first colonial capital, it was established in the late 17th century and incorporated in 1722. Once its second largest port, Edenton provided slaves with a means of escape via the Maritime Underground Railroad before Emancipation. Today it features an extensive historic district with architectural styles spanning 250 years, such as the 1767 Chowan County Courthouse National Historic Landmark. Tours include historic sites such as the 1736 St. Paul's Church; the 1758 Cupola House; the 1782 Barker House; the Courthouse; and the 1773 James Iredell House.

The site offers a short film, exhibits, tours, educational programs, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).

YMI Cultural Center [NC]

Description

The YMI Cultural Center presents African American culture and history. The center is located within the 1892 Tudor-style Young Men's Institute, constructed at the request of James Vanderbilt for the African American men who had built Vanderbilt's Biltmore House. The building held a drugstore, doctor's office, public library, funeral parlor, gym, kindergarten, and church services for the local African American population. Permanent exhibits showcase the history of the Vanderbilts and the YMI Cultural Center, as well as the drawings of artist Charles W. White, a noted Social Realist.

The center offers exhibts; a traveling exhibit of stamps depicting African Americans of historical note; and art workshops. The traveling exhibit is available to area schools. The website offers a virtual exhibit, An Unmarked Trail: Stories of African Americans in Buncombe County from 1850-1900.

Olustee Battlefield Historic State Park [FL]

Description

This park commemorates the site of Florida's largest Civil War battle, which took place February 20, 1864. More than 10,000 cavalry, infantry, and artillery troops fought a five-hour battle in a pine forest near Olustee. Three U.S. Colored Troops took part in the battle, including the now famous 54th Massachusetts. The battle ended with 2,807 casualties and the retreat of Union troops to Jacksonville until the war's end just 14 months later. Olustee Battlefield has a visitor center with historical information and artifacts. A reenactment is held every February and a Civil War Expo takes place in late summer. Scenes for Civil War movies, including the 1989 movie Glory, have been filmed during the reenactments.

The park offers a short film, exhibits, and occasional recreational and educational events (including living history events).

Port Hudson State Historic Site [LA]

Description

The Port Hudson State Historic Site was the location of a Confederate Battery defending the Mississippi River. After the fall of New Orleans, the Confederacy needed to establish a new line of defense for the Mississippi River below its intersection with the Red River, an important supply route. The high bluffs next to the town of Port Hudson were an ideal spot. A Union siege was successful, marking the beginning of the end of Confederate control of the Mississippi River. After the siege, Port Hudson became a recruitment center for African American soldiers.

The historic site offers re-enactments, guided tours, and exhibits in the park visitor center. The website offers a history of the historic site and visitor information.

Gore Place [MA]

Description

Gore Place consists of the 1806 Federal-style home, estate, and farm of Massachusetts Governor and U.S. Senator Christopher Gore (1758-1827). Significant guests of the Gores included Secretary of State Daniel Webster and President James Monroe. The Gores' African American butler Robert Roberts wrote and published the The House Servant's Directory, a type of domestic servant's advice compilation, in 1827.

The site offers period rooms, guided mansion tours, self-guided tours of the grounds, sheep, goats, poultry, a 40-minute living history outreach presentation by "Robert Roberts," a 2-hour elementary school education program, student group tours of the mansion, 11 Girl Scout programs, activity backpacks for use on site, full moon tours, and Jane Austen tours. Full moon tours are not intended for children under six years of age. The Jane Austen tours interpret period rural life through the words of author, Jane Austen. The website offers a free curriculum program, descriptions of the ways in which various programs meet curriculum standards, and a list of suggested reading and viewing materials.

The Heritage Society [TX]

Description

The Heritage Society is a 10-acre museum consisting of nine historic structures. These structures date from 1823 to 1905, and were selected to present the history of Houston settlement and daily life. The 1847 Kellum-Noble House; circa 1850 Greek Revival Nichols-Rice-Cherry House; the 1868 San Felipe Cottage, built by German immigrants; 1868 mid-Victorian Pillot House; 1891 St. John Church, an Evangelical Lutheran place of worship; circa 1823 cabin, known as The Old Place; 1905 Staiti House; 1870 Yates House; and the circa 1860 Fourth Ward Cottage, a working class home, are located on site. The Yates House was built by Reverend Jack Yates, a freed African American man, religious leader, and advocate for African American education, only five years after emancipation.

The museum offers exhibits, 75-minute guided house tours, cell phone tours, group-rate guided tours for six or more students and/or Scouts, hands-on activities, outreach presentations, and library and archives access. School tours are curriculum-based. Access to the library and archival materials is by appointment only.

Penn Center National Historic Landmark District [SC]

Description

The Penn Center is one of the nation's first schools for freed slaves and remains one of the most significant African American historical and cultural insitutions in existence today. The Penn Center also seeks to promote and preserve the culture of the Sea Islands of southern South Carolina.

The Penn Center offers exhibits, guided tours of the museum, the Program for Academic and Cultural Enrichment (PACE), and special events. PACE offers after school sessions, a summer enrichment program, a teen leadership institute, and the Child Development Center. The website offers visitor information, a history of the site, and an events calendar.

Soldiers and Sailors Military Museum and Memorial [PA]

Description

The Soldiers and Sailors Military Museum and Memorial presents the military history of Pennsylvanians from the Civil War to the War on Terrorism, and commemorates the veterans and fallen of past and present military action. Exhibits include a wide range of wartime artifacts and artwork, including a comprehensive range of prosthetic limbs and military headgear. All military branches are represented.

The museum offers exhibits, one-hour or 270-minute guided educational tours, 150-minute guided educational tours with hands-on activities, outreach presentations, camps, and Scout programs. Tour topics include both World Wars, the Homefront, the Civil War, women and war, African Americans and war, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The website offers veteran and fallen solider listings.

Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center [NY]

Description

The Onondaga Historical Association Museum and Research Center presents the history of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York. Museum permanent exhibits cover the Franklin Automobile; historic brewing; pottery manufacturing; the Underground Railroad; and county trades, transportation, architecture, settlement, and immigration. Collections include textiles, artwork, decorative arts, Native American artifacts, toys, and locally made commercial products.

The museum offers exhibits, research center access, research assistance, outreach presentations, and educational programs. Note that both research center usage and research assistance require payment. The website offers featured artifact information, a research library catalog, videos on topics of historical interest, children's activities, and an image database. The society also offers educator workshops.

Historic Stagville State Historic Site [NC]

Description

This site comprises the remains of North Carolina's largest pre-Civil War plantation and one of the South's largest. It once belonged to the Bennehan-Cameron family, whose combined holdings totaled approximately 900 slaves and almost 30,000 acres by 1860. Today, Stagville consists of 71 acres, on three tracts. On this land stand the late 18th-century Bennehan House, four rare slave houses, a pre-Revolutionary War farmer's house, a huge timber framed barn built by skilled slave craftsmen, and the Bennehan Family cemetery.

The site offers tours and occasional recreational and educational events.