Pender County Museum [NC]

Description

The Pender County Museum presents the history of Pender County, North Carolina. Collection highlights include a whiskey still, historical farming equipment, decorative arts pieces, World War II artifacts, and medical artifacts.

The museum offers exhibits, 41 oral history transcriptions from World War II veterans, and library access.

Van Buren County Historical Society and Museums [IA]

Description

The Van Buren County Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Van Buren County, Iowa. To this end, the society operates 1845 Pearson House, a residence and Underground Railroad site, the second floor of which served as a Methodist Church; the 1847 Ellis School; the Keosauqua Log Cabin; the Selma Cabin; and the Historical Society Museum. The museum is housed in the circa 1875 Twombly Building, which previously served as a post office, bakery, grocery store, newspaper headquarters, and clothing store.

The society offers period rooms and exhibits.

New Milford Historical Society and Museum [CT]

Description

The New Milford Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of New Milford, CT. To that end, the society operates a local history museum with collections including antique toys, an 18th-century cooking hearth, paintings by Woldemar Neufeld (born 1909), and the 1815 Knapp House and its furnishings. The museum is located within four historic structures—a residence, bank, store, and schoolhouse.

The society offers exhibits, period rooms, and learning boxes (traveling trunks) for rental. Admission to the historic schoolhouse is by appointment only.

Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station [MD]

Description

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Station located in Silver Spring, Maryland, is one of the few carefully preserved railroad station in the state of Maryland. The station was designed in the Colonial Revival style of architecture, and today stands much as it did during its service in the mid 20th century.

The station offers guided tours, special events, and is available for rent. The website offers a history of the station and visitor information.

Lukens National Historic District [PA]

Description

The Lukens National Historic District chronicles the history of the iron and steel works industry in the town of Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The Lukens mill started as a small mill, but grew to become an industrial complex that held the world's largest plate mill. Today, the mill is open to visitors and stands much as it did when it finally closed down.

The historic district offers guided tours, a lecture program, house tours, and field trip programs. The website offers visitor information, a brief history of the Lukens mill, and an events calendar.

Franklin Inn [NJ]

Description

The Franklin Inn is located in Somerset, New Jersey. The inn had its inauspicious beginnings as a small dutch home, but was converted to an inn in the 1920s, when owner John Wycoff anticipated a business opportunity with the impending completion of the Delaware & Raritan Canal. The inn was closed in 1916 due to prohibition.

The inn offers a used bookstore, special events including presentations and workshops, and guided tours. The website offers visitor information and a detailed history of the building.

San Juan Bautista State Historic Park [CA]

Description

This park is part of a nationally recognized historic landmark and can be found adjacent to the extant portion of one of California's 21 Spanish-era mission church sites. The park and its Plaza represent what was once the "town square" of the largest town in central California and a vital crossroad for travel between northern and southern California. In the park visitors can gain an appreciation of California peoples, from Native Americans, through the Spanish and Mexican cultural influences, right up to the American period in the late 19th century. The park site includes several structures built in the 1800s. These include the four main historic structures of the Plaza Hotel, the Zanetta House/Plaza Hall as well as Plaza Stables, and the newly reopened Castro-Breen Adobe with colorful and informative exhibits to help create a learning environment for people of all ages. Many of the interiors are arranged as furnished vignettes. The park also features a blacksmith shop, the historic jail, and an early American settler's cabin.

The park offers exhibits, tours, and occasional living history events.

Bayside Historical Society, Lawrence Cemetery, and Museum [NY]

Description

The Bayside Historical Society seeks to preserve and share the history of Bayside and Queens, New York, as well as neighboring communities. To this end, the society operates a number of exhibits within the 1887 Gothic Revival Army Officer's Club. The society also maintains the Lawrence Cemetery, a family plot with burials dating between 1832 and 1939. Individuals of note interred on site include Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence, Mayor of the New York City between 1834 and 1837; County Judge Effingham Lawrence and his Native American servant Lawrence Moccasin; and Colonel Frederick Newbold Lawrence, president of the New York Stock Exchange between 1882 and 1883.

The society offers exhibits, tours of the Officer's Club, educational programs, and archival access. Lawrence Cemetery is open by appointment only. The second floor of the Officer's Club is not wheelchair accessible. The website offers virtual exhibits.