In the 1800s, steamboats made Jacksonport a thriving river port. During the Civil War, the town was occupied by both Confederate and Union forces because of its crucial locale. Jacksonport became county seat in 1854, and construction of a stately, two-story brick courthouse began in 1869. The town began to decline in the 1880s when bypassed by the railroad. The county seat was moved in 1891 to nearby Newport, and Jacksonport's stores, wharves, and saloons soon vanished. Today the park's museums, the 1872 courthouse, the nearby Mary Woods No. 2 sternwheel paddleboat, and interpretive programs share the story of this historic river port.

The site offers tours, exhibits, and recreational and educational events.

An all-African-American town settled by former slaves fleeing the south in 1877 after Reconstruction had ended following the Civil War, Nicodemus is located in the Northwest corner of Kansas. This living community is the only remaining all-African-American town west of the Mississippi River that was settled in the 1800s on the western plains by former slaves. Five historic buildings represent this community.

The site offers exhibits, a short film, research library access, and tours.

Battle of Athens State Historic Site interprets the northernmost Civil War battle fought west of the Mississippi River. Some of the land and buildings included in the site were part of the once-thriving town of Athens. Located on the Des Moines River, 19th-century Athens boasted about 50 businesses before the Civil War, including a large mill that produced flour, cornmeal, lumber, cotton, and woolen goods. A large brick hotel, the St. Louis Hotel, was one of many other buildings on the Athens waterfront. Today, only a few structures remain. The historic site administers the remaining buildings in the town of Athens, including the Thome-Benning House, which was pierced by a cannonball during the battle. Exhibits and tours interpret the battle and the history of the town.

The site offers exhibits, tours, occasional living history events, and occasional educational and recreational events.

Arrow Rock State Historic Site is an integral part of the town of Arrow Rock. The site's visitor center museum features exhibits that tell about Arrow Rock and the historic "Boone's Lick Country." The Bingham Home, built by Missouri's preeminent artist of the 1800s, George Caleb Bingham, has been restored and furnished as it might have been when he lived there. The Huston Tavern, dating back to 1834, stands ready to serve you its traditional hearty fare. The old courthouse, a town doctor's home, a stone jail and other historic buildings are part of a walking tour offered at the site.

The site offers exhibits, tours, demonstrations, educational programs, and occasional educational and recreational events.

New Harmony, IN, located on the banks of the Wabash River, preserves the history of a community that began almost 200 years ahead of its time, evolving from a spiritual sanctuary into a haven for international scientists, scholars, and educators who sought equality in communal living.

The site offers tours, exhibits, a short film, and educational and recreational programs.

The Museum preserves the history of Dodge City and the Old West. Its Front Street buildings are reconstructions, representing Dodge City in 1876 and exhibiting hundreds of original artifacts. The various exhibits throughout the museum depict life in early Dodge City, and include a collection of over 200 original guns, a working print shop, and an extensive collection of drugstore items.

The museum offers exhibits, living history demonstrations, historically-inspired variety show entertainment, stagecoach rides, and chuckwagon-style dinners.