November 2010

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is host to almost three million visitors a year from across the country and around the world. They come to marvel at the majestic beauty of the Black Hills of South Dakota and to learn about the birth, growth, development and the preservation of our country. Over the decades, Mount Rushmore has grown in fame as a symbol of America-a symbol of freedom and a hope for people from all cultures and backgrounds.

All the cultures that make up the fabric of this country are represented by the memorial and surrounding Black Hills. One of the most important gifts we can give our visitors at Mount Rushmore National Memorial is an understanding and love for our nation's history and cultures and an appreciation of the importance of caring for that legacy.

Here you will find remnants of the Cold War, including an underground launch control center and a missile silo. Minuteman missiles held the power to destroy civilization. Yet the same destructive force acted as a deterrent which kept the peace for three decades. At Minuteman Missile it is possible to revisit the Cold War and learn how nuclear war came to haunt the world.

Using a multi-media approach, this museum presents the most comprehensive display of Virginia artifacts as they fit into the larger American story.

At the museum's center is "The Story of Virginia, an American Experience," the state's only exhibition covering all of Virginia history from prehistoric times to the present. Throughout this 10,000 square-foot exhibition of more than a thousand objects--including a 17th-century dugout canoe, a Conestoga wagon, an 18th-century smokehouse and kitchen, and 1918 streetcar--Virginia's past is delightfully portrayed using a multi-media approach of videos, storyphones, computer games, and other interactive components.

The scenic drive is open year-round. This paved, nine-mile loop provides access to all the bridges. Each may be viewed by walking a short distance to an overlook. An archeological site may also be viewed from an overlook along the scenic drive. While many park features are visible from overlooks along the scenic drive, the true beauty of Natural Bridges lays just a short walk away from the pavement. Moderate hiking trails lead from overlooks to the base of each natural bridge. All are less than 1.5 miles round-trip, with the trail to Owachomo being the shortest and easiest (.5 mile round-trip). The trails to Kachina and Sipapu require climbing steep sections of rock with handrails and ladders. The Natural Bridges interpretive staff offers a variety of ranger-led activities spring through fall. Evening programs are presented nightly in the campground amphitheater. Guided walks and patio talks at the visitor center are given throughout the week with different times and topics.

In the spring of 1814, General Andrew Jackson and an army of 3,300 men attacked 1,000 Upper Creek warriors on the Tallapoosa River. Over 800 Upper Creeks died defending their homeland. Today, visitors can enjoy living history exhibitions, guided tours, and self-guided trails.

Near the monument, visitors can study two signs that provide information about the battle. Beyond the one-acre memorial site though, there are other areas worth exploring to learn more about this significant landscape.

Bethany Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church - Today visitors can see the church on the south side of Rt. 370. During the battle, Bethany Church was across the street from its present location and served as a field hospital following the June 10, 1864, battle.

Bethany A.R.P. Church Cemetery - This cemetery is the final resting place for many people that have called this area home for more than 150 years. This cemetery is also the burial site for 96 Confederates that fought and died as a result of the battle.

Interpretive Trails - There are two trails that take visitors off the road and over the terrain of the battlefield. There are signs along these trails that explain the significance of where one is standing relative to where the fighting took place.

Built in 1870 of hand-cut sandstone and in use until 1973, the Old Idaho Penitentiary is now on the National Register of Historic Places. Built by prisoners, this fascinating Boise attraction offers one of the West's most informative prison tours. Visitors can walk through the historic rose gardens, cell houses, and the gallows. It housed more than 13,000 desperados whose stories are told in a video presentation and a self-guided tour within the former prison walls. Scheduled interpretive programs are offered in summer months. Within the walls of the Old Idaho Penitentiary is the J. Curtis Earl Arms Collection. This exhibit, featuring Bronze Age artifacts to modern automatic weapons, shares the story of arms and their relationship throughout history.

Visitors can see the homes, shops and mills where Mainers have lived and worked for centuries, and are also encouraged to explore the factories, ships and farms that are an integral part of the state’s rich history. Permanent exhibits within the museum travel through the history of Maine's people. The museum offers a variety of educational programs, including seminars on prehistory, maritime and fishing history, and military history.

The T.C. Steele State Historic Site includes the last home and studio of Indiana artist Theodore Clement Steele (1847-1926) and his second wife Selma Neubacher Steele (1870-1945). Steele, a member of the noted "Hoosier Group" of American Impressionist painters, was attracted to Brown County by the scenery he encountered while hiking in the area. The site's 211 acres of wooded hills and ravines inspired the artist to paint some of his most famous works. As Indiana's premier portraitist of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Steele also painted many of Indiana's "rich and famous." These industrialists, philanthropists, educators, and political figures are the people whose stories fill our history books.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, hostility and suspicion towards people of Japanese descent in the United States intensified. On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing the placement of Japanese Americans and Japanese resident aliens in internment camps. It was the single largest forced relocation in U. S. history. One such camp was established in South Central Idaho near the town of Jerome. Today, the remains of the camp is a newly-authorized National Historic Site without visitor facilities as yet.