National Portal to Historic Collections

Why do we need a national nonprofit membership society for American history?

“Save America’s Treasures” has been totally eliminated—the largest Federal program supporting preservation of such treasures as the original Star Spangled Banner and George Washington’s tent.
65% of Americans don’t know what happened at the Constitutional Convention, according to a recent survey by Newsweek.
The “Teaching American History” grants—the largest Federal program supporting history education—have been completely eliminated.
Visits to the Top 20 Civil War battlefields have dropped in half from 1970 to 2009 according to official National Park Service statistics.
40% of Americans can’t identify whom we fought in World War II, according to a recent survey by Newsweek.
A quarter of Americans believe Congress shares power over U.S. foreign policy with the United Nations, according to a recent Annenberg survey.
“There is little that is more important for an American citizen to know than the history and traditions of his country,” John F. Kennedy wrote in American Heritage.
The “We the People Program,” which touched some 30 million students and 90,000 teachers over 25 years, has been completely eliminated.
Two-thirds of Americans could not correctly name Yorktown as the last major military action of the American Revolution, according to a recent national Gallup survey.
The National Heritage Areas and Scenic Byways program, the only major Federal program encouraging visits to historic places, has been completely eliminated in Congressional committee.

		Image: Andirons Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Andirons American (Massachusetts), c. 1800, Brass and iron. A pair of finely-executed andirons with claw-and-ball feet; beaded plinth and double-urn...
		Image: Andirons Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Andirons American, (New England), c. 1790, Federal, Iron and brass. A Pair of "Knife Blade" andirons with bulbous plinths with urn-form finials and...
		Image: Andirons Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Andirons American (New England or New York), Federal, c. 1770, Brass. Pair of columnar andirons, each with urn-form finial and trestle cabriole legs...
		Image: Andirons Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Andirons American, in the style of R. Whittingham, New York, c. 1810, Brass and Iron. Brass Andirons with hexagonal stems with ball-and-steeple...
		Image: Andirons Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Andirons American, c. 1800, Steel, brass, and iron. Steel and brass andirons with iron feet; simply treated with steel uprights in an elongated pear-...
		Image: Andirons Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Andirons English, George III, c. 1775-1800, Brass and iron. Column-form andirons with columnar standards/stems surmounted by urn-shaped finials, and...
		Image: Barometer Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Barometer English (London), George III, by W.J. Gilbert and Company, c. 1810, Mahogany, Ebonized Walnut Inlay, Glass, Silver, Ivory, Mercury. Cistern...
		Image: Basin Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Basin Origin unknown, 19th century, Creamware. Slip-decorated creamware basin; Brown, White, Blue Marbleized Bowl with Molded Rim.
		Image: Basket Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Reticulated basket Canton, Fitzhugh pattern - see multimedia link to 2010.6.1 for details blue, white
		Image: Basket Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Basket Chinese, Canton, Late 18th century, Porcelain. Blue and White Reticulated Canton Basket with Landscape and Pagoda Scene. Xx Form Border. Shows...
		Image: Basket Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Basket English, c.1820, Pottery. Pottery Basket with Plate. Reticulated Blue and White Basket with Oval Shaped Plate. Blue Corn Flower in Center of...
		Image: Basket, Cake Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Cake Basket, English; Late Neo-Classical; c. 1790; Sheffield Plate (Silver plating on copper). Oval Sheffield Plated Cake Basket (in the Adam Taste...
		Image: Bed, Trundle Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Trundle Bed, probably Virginia, 19th century, pine. Trundle bed made of a rope bed with wooden frame. Probably a married piece with some original...
		Image: Bedkey Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedkey American, Wood. T Shaped Bed Key with Notch For Tightening Ropes on a Bed. Unknown age or origin. Color brown.
		Image: Bedpan Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedpan English, c. 1800, Pewter. Pewter Bedpan with Twist Handle That Reveals a Spout For Emptying. Deep Lip and Hammered Sides. Color pewter.
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread English, c. 1815, Cotton. White Bolton Coverlet Woven in One Piece with an Uncut Loop Pile. Narrow Loop Fringe. Color White.
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread French or English, c. 1825-1835, Cotton. White Marseilles Coverlet with Center Star Surrounded by flowers and circular field of geometric...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread Origin unknown, Late 18th century, Cotton. Loomed Cream Colored Marseilles-Type Coverlet with Sunburst in Center, Surrounded By Phoenixes...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (probably Pennsylvania), Late18th-early 19th century, Cotton. All white cotton Trapunto Bedspread, also known as quilted stuffed...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (Northern), Early 19th century, Wool and linen. Overshot Coverlet with Wool Fringe on 4 Sides. Woven in Three Strips and Joined....
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (Maryland), Early 19th century, Cotton. Red and White Nine Patch Pieced & Quilted "Friendship" Coverlet. Signed By Makers: B....
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American, Late 19th-early 20th century, Cotton. Cream Coverlet Knitted in Squares To Form Diamonds and Four Leaf Plants; Scalloped Knitted...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American, c. 1800, Cotton. White Loom Coverlet with 9" Hand Knotted Fringe. Color White.
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American, c. 1800, Cotton and wool. Over-Shot Coverlet in Sea Star Pattern; Woven in 3 Pieces and Sewn Together. Color Black, White.
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread Origin unknown, 19th century, Wool and Cotton or Linen. Reversible Blue and White Overshot Coverlet.; Woven in 3 Pieces; Overall Geometric...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American, Late 18th-early 19th century, Linen or Cotton and Wool. Double Weave Coverlet Woven in 2 Pieces; Reversible; Knotted Fringe on...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American, Late 18th-early 19th century, Cotton and Wool. Double Weave Completely Reversible Coverlet; Geometric Pattern of 4 Snowballs in...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (Southern), c. 1800, Cotton. Coverlet with Overall Honey Comb Pattern in Repeating Blocks; Woven in three pieces; Marked with a...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread/Bassinet Coverlet American (Virginia), possibly made by Mary Randolph of Curles, c. 1754, Satin. A Bassinet Cover with Center of Trapunto...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread English or American, c. 1780, Cotton. White Marseilles Coverlet with Medallion Surrounded By 16 Points. Royal British Coat of Arms, Lion...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread Origin unknown, Late 18th Century, Cotton. Coverlet made with India Print Quilted Fabric with Appliqued Cream Colored Diamonds; Notched At...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American or English, Late 18th-early 19th century, Cotton and Linen. Late Roller Print Chintz Fabric Coverlet in White, Brown, Red, Blue,...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (Virginia), Early 19th century, Cotton. Handwoven White Cotton Dimity Coverlet; Woven in 3 Sections; Hand Embroidered and Drawn...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (probably southern), c. 1780-1800, Cotton twill. White Twill Woven Cotton Background Coverlet; Hand Embroidered. Woven in 3 Panels...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (Pennsylvania Dutch), Late 18th-early 19th century, Wool and cotton. Blue and White Reversible Double Woven Coverlet with Pine...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (Albemarle, Virginia), c. 1780-1790, Linen and cotton pique. White-Work Counterpane, Hand-woven in four panels; Huckabuck weave;...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread English, c. 1800, Cotton. Handwoven White Bolton Coverlet with Design Woven in Star Pattern. 3" Loop Fringe On three Sides. GG 12 Woven...
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (North Carolina), c. 1789-1795, Cotton. White Work Coverlet with Asymmetrical Flowering Tree Growing From a Basket in Center....
		Image: Bedspread Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedspread American (probably Virginia or North Carolina), c. 1790-1820, Cotton. Cut-Down White-Work coverlet. Divided Into Squares Filled with...
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead American, New England, Birch Press Bed (folding bed), c. 1810. with red stain.
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead American, probably Connecticut, Blue-Painted Pine Low Post Bedstead, c. 1780-1820. with matching serpentine head and foot boards joined by...
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead American Grain Painted Oak and Maple Low Post Rope Bed, c. 1820. with planked headboard on octagonal supports; foot posts turned with ball...
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead English George III Mahogany Bedstead, c. 1775-1800. with reeded and leaf carved front post ending in block feet, turned head posts and...
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead American, Newport, Rhode Island, Chippendale Mahogany Bedstead, c. 1775-1855. attributed to John Townsend, with flat-top tester, reeded and...
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead English George III, Mahogany Four Poster Bedstead, c. 1780-1800. with reeded and foliate (bell flowers and palmettes) carved front posts on...
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead American Walnut Doll's Lowpost Bedstead, 19th century. with walnut veneered head and foot boards, turned posts, rope support.
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead American, New England Federal Cherry Bedstead, c. 1790-1810. with arched tester on reeded front posts and square tapered head posts, tapered...
		Image: Bedstead Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bedstead American, (Rhode Island),Chippendale Mahogany, Maple and Birch Bedstead, c. 1760-1780. with fluted front posts ending in block feet, square...
		Image: Bench Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Bench American, Philadelphia, Hickory, Maple,and White Pine Hoop Back Windsor Bench, c. 1770-1780. with arched back with spindle supports, saddle...
		Image: Block, Gavel Collection: Wilton House Museum, Richmond, Virginia Description: Gavel Origin unknown Rough-hewn wooden gavel with flat polished sirface sides, unfinished surfaces elsewhere. Knot at tope, nail head poking out of...

American Heritage

Collections, Travel, and Great Writing On History

Why do we need a national nonprofit membership society for American history?