Gary Historical and Cultural Society

Description

The Society seeks to uplift and enrich Gary, Indiana, and surrounding communities by preserving, developing, and sponsoring cultural, historical, and educational programs for citizens of all ages. The Socieety was a catalyst behind the preservation and national historic landmark status of Gary's first building—the 1906 Gary Land Company Building. The Society maintains the buildings as an historical museum and visitor's bureau for school tour groups and visitors to Gary.

The Society offers exhibits and tours.

Turtle Mountain Chippewa Indian Historical Society

Description

The Society operates a museum filled with items reflecting Chippewa traditions. These include sculptures created by talented local stone carvers and paintings by both young and old artists. The traditional history collection includes many objects that show the unique culture of the Chippewa, as well as three dioramas, showing the Chippewa transition from the woodlands to the plains, and a recreated Red River ox cart represents the Metis culture also found among the Native regional cultures.

The museums offers exhibits and research library access.

Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum

Description

With 16 historic buildings in its main complex, which occupies most of a square block in downtown Decorah, Iowa, and two National Register sites just outside the city, Vesterheim houses over 24,000 artifacts, which include large samplings from the fine, decorative, and folk arts, and the tools and machinery of early agriculture, lumbering, and other immigrant industries. Vesterheim also acts as a cultural center dedicated to preserving living traditions by offering classes in Norwegian folk art and culture, Elderhostels, and special programs for preschool, elementary, secondary, and college students.

The museums offers exhibits, classes, tours, research library access, and other educational and recreational programs.

Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum [MD]

Description

Founded in 1990, the Glenn L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum is a private, nonprofit corporation. The Museum's purpose is to maintain an educational institution dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and documentation of aviation and space history in Maryland—namely, the contributions of Glenn L. Martin and his successful company. On display are many items of Maryland historical significance, including industrial models of aircraft and rockets, wind tunnel models, restored and partly-restored aircraft, and many original photographs outlining the growth of the Martin Company. An effort has been made to chronologically depict this growth from its beginnings in Santa Ana, California, to its current standing as the Lockheed Martin Corporation. The Museum also spotlights aviation history in Maryland. Unknown to most, the United State's earliest manned flight took place in Maryland.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, and lectures.

Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer [NE]

Description

The mission of Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer is to preserve and portray the era of the pioneer town builders who created the first communities in Nebraska, offering a hands-on living history experience that tells the story of that early town building in Nebraska. Stuhr Museum preserves over 150,000 historical artifacts in its collections, including 60 historic buildings and various railroad equipment.

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

Sunnyvale Historical Museum

Description

The Sunnyvale Historical Society operates a museum in the restored 1950 Murphy House. The Society's primary mission is to expand the education program offered by the society for third and fourth graders studying local and California history. This program is the only hands-on learning program in the area and is beyond capacity and demand from local schools. The Society's intent is to expand the program to educate 3,000 area students per year.

The museum offers exhibits, tours, demonstrations, a film, and educational programs.

Highland Park Historical Society and Museum (IL)

Description

The Society's mission is to preserve the past and present for viewing in the future. The museum, housed in an 1871 Italianate Victorian house, displays several Victorian-era decorated rooms, including a parlor and a kitchen. The Society also has a collection of clothing, toys, pictures, and maps, as well as artifacts and memorabilia on high school teacher Walter Duhrban of Walt's Workshop, a 1950s TV show. The history of Ravinia Park is also preserved here.

The museum offers exhibits.

Rivers of Steel Heritage Area and Bost Building

Description

Created by Congress in 1996, the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area is committed to preserving, interpreting, and managing the historic, cultural, and natural resources related to Big Steel and its related industries. Encompassing over 5,000 square miles in the seven counties of Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Westmoreland, Greene, Fayette, and Washington, Rivers of Steel is building on this area's remarkable transition from heavy industry to high technology and diversified services as well as bolstering the new regional economy by promoting tourism and economic development based on this region's historic industrial saga.

A multifaceted program, the Rivers of Steel National Heritage Area's mission includes: historic preservation, cultural conservation, education, recreation, and resource development. Currently, the Heritage Area has bills in Congress to create the Homestead Works National Park. The proposed park would be located on 38 acres surrounding the Carrie Furnaces, the last of the giant blast furnaces from the Homestead Works, and the Pump House, site of the bloody 1892 Homestead Steel Strike.

River of Steel also maintains the Bost Building, an 1892 hotel, in which it presents exhibits.

The Bost Building offers exhibits and educational programs.

Deerfield Area Historical Society

Description

The Deerfield Area Historical Society is dedicated to preserving and interpreting local history and architecture in Deerfield, Bannockburn, Riverwoods, and Lincolnshire. It also created and maintains the Deerfield Historic Village, made up of five buildings dating from 1837 to 1905 that offer a look at a typical prairie community.

The village offers tours, exhibits, and educational programs.

Lakewood Historical Society and the Oldest Stone House Museum

Description

The Lakewood Historical Society maintains Lakewood's Oldest Stone House, built in 1838. The house continues memorabilia revealing the pioneer past of the city, including spinning wheels, furniture, household items, clothing, tools, books, dolls, and toys.

The museum offers tours, exhibits, demonstrations, and education and recreational programs.