November 2010

Montgomery Place, a serene reflection of nearly 200 years of continuous family stewardship, is best known as a landscape influenced by the great Andrew Jackson Downing and an architectural landmark designed by Alexander Jackson Davis. But the totality of the estate - house, gardens, arboretum, woodlands, orchards, hamlet, and natural features - makes it a unique American treasure. The 434-acre property is an intact example of Hudson Valley estate life. Each of the estate's features has a story to tell about changing American attitudes toward nature, landscape, and home design over time. Visitors will see the beautiful classical revival exteriors of the mansion designed by Davis. From the mansion's terrace and north pavilion visitors can enjoy inspiring vistas of the Hudson River and Catskill Mountains and understand why the Hudson Valley was the cradle of American artistic expression in the mid-19th century. Lush perennial, annual, and herb gardens, designed in the early 20th century, give visitors a delightful view into the colors, fragrances, and designs popular during America's estate garden era.

The Brick Store Museum houses the largest collection of World War I and II posters in all of Maine. There are more than 70,000 items in the museum's collections, dating from the region's earliest settlements to the present day. These collection highlights include many different mediums including artifacts and papers pertaining to the maritime heritage of the Kennebunks, items from the estates of renowned authors, Kenneth Roberts and Booth Tarkington Paintings by Thomas Badger, and much more. Extensive primary source materials in the museum range from diaries and family papers to commercial records, maps and architectural drawings to attract visitors of all ages. The museum also has over 3,000 historical photographs and vintage postcards, plus indexes for Kennebunk-built ships, local history subjects and genealogical collections. 

This museum is a civil war memorial and a cultural center in Peaks Island, Maine.

The Fifth Maine Regiment Memorial Hall is a National Register property built by Civil War veterans in 1888. The collections include Civil War artifacts as well as and Peaks Island memorabilia. Regimental history and Peaks Island history are the center's unique features. The museum provides special programs such as the The Peaks Island Military Reservation Historic Trail, video viewings, and other outreach programs.

WCHS sponsors a number of programs including tours to regional historic sites, lectures, presentations and films, Publications concentrating on materials of local historical interest, and special exhibitions. The society maintains three historic sites which include The Winona County History Museum, The Bunnell House, and The Arches Museum of Pioneer Life. The archives for the society are located in the Laird Lucas Library.

At Van Cortlandt Manor, explore the stone manor house and brick ferry house, wander through the heritage gardens, and stroll down a quiet country road along the Croton River. There, visitors can experience the domestic life of a patriot family living in the years just after the American Revolution - the New Nation period. Costumed guides demonstrate and invite visitors to try their own hands at blacksmithing, brick making, open-hearth cooking, spinning, weaving, and other crafts and tasks of the period. These activities and a lively program of special events help bring the past to life.

The Van Cortlandts were one of New York's most prominent families, who faced and influenced pressing political issues of the time, including Federalist and Anti-Federalist debates over the drafting of the constitution. The family also grappled with religious change following the rise of evangelical religions and had to confront the controversy over emancipation, since they were slaveholders. These issues, along with everyday life and social activities of the period, are explored at Van Cortlandt Manor.

The Stearman biplane has a rich history. In the 1920s, the planes were used primarily to transport mail. When World War II began, the Stearman took on a new role as a training plane for fighter pilots. More pilots were trained in the Stearman than in any other plane in the history of the world. The Red Baron® Pizza Squadron used these versatile Stearman planes to introduce Red Baron® Premium Pizza. The Squadron was originally intended to be a six-month venture, but the planes’ success as a marketing tool kept the fleet running for nearly three decades.

The museum opened in 2004 to celebrate the Red Baron® brand and the 25th anniversary of the Red Baron® Pizza Squadron, an aerobatic team of WWII-era biplanes used to market Red Baron® products. The museum was added to the Red Baron® Pizza Squadron hangar at the airport in Marshall, Minnesota. 

Kykuit is a preeminent Hudson Valley landmark. For architecture, remarkable gardens, art, history, and spectacular scenery, a trip to Kykuit is essential.

This hilltop estate was home to four generations of the Rockefeller family, beginning with the philanthropist John D. Rockefeller, founder of Standard Oil. His business acumen made him, in his day, the richest man in America. Now a historic site of the National Trust, this landmark has been continuously and meticulously maintained for almost 100 years.

On each tour, your guide will share many stories that highlight the lives of Rockefeller family members and their contributions to philanthropy, conservation, business, government, and the arts.

Your choice of several tour options allows you to tailor a visit that appeals to your interests and your available time. Each tour begins at the Visitor Center at Philipsburg Manor, where you'll board a shuttle bus for a short ride to the estate,

In the aftermath of the Civil War, the country turned its attention to rebuilding and westward expansion. Lumber prospects in the St. Croix Valley promised wealth and success for Washington County. In 1867, ground was broken for a new courthouse high on the bluff overlooking the bustling commerce of downtown Stillwater and the St. Croix River.

Designed by Augustus Knight of St. Paul, the courthouse favored the Italianate style of architecture. The Limestone foundation and brick facade were capped with an imposing dome, cupola and flagpole; which soared as a landmark above the river city. The building was designed with a small two-story jail and a Sheriff's residence as part of the complex. Jutting skyward were eleven chimneys, necessities for the pot-bellied stoves that provided heat for the building.

Today, the building has been restored and is part of the Washington County Parks Division.

The museum offers superb exhibits, an historic mansion setting, and archival collections of priceless scholarly value. HHM has evolved from the Hennepin County Territorial Pioneers Association in 1858 to the County Historical Society in 1938 to an award-winning history museum embracing a diverse range of cultures and social histories. Our exhibition and education programs have grown from a focus on original Hennepin County settlers to documenting the wide range of people who make up the county today. As one of Minnesota's most rapidly growing and diverse counties, Hennepin includes urban, suburban, and rural communities. You can find all of these stories in the exhibits, library, and outreach programs at the museum.

William and Mary LeDuc produced a stunningly landscaped architectural gem on the Minnesota prairie in 1866. The house survives virtually unaltered from its original appearance. Visitors are encouraged to tour through the remarkable home and surrounding grounds. The LeDuc home is a part of the Dakota County Historical Society.