One can almost hear the thundering of horse hooves and the creak of wagons as Pony Express riders and hundreds of pioneers made a stop at historic Hollenberg Station. In 1857 Gerat H. and Sophia Hollenberg established a way station for travelers on the Oregon and California Trails, and from 1860 to 1861 they operated a Pony Express station.
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The Kincaid site likely served as a trade link between native settlements in the Cumberland-Tennessee river valleys and the metropolis at Cahokia. Artifacts found at the Kincaid site indicate that while the mounds were built relatively shortly before the appearance of Europeans in Illinois, Native Americans had occupied the area at different periods over hundreds of years. The property is located within what is known as the Kincaid Site, designated in 1964 as a National Historic Landmark and listed in 1966 on the National Register of Historic Places.
Pu‘ukohola Heiau is one of the most famous heiau (temple) in the Hawaiian Islands. This heiau is an integral component of the traditional Hawaiian social, political, and religious systems, and a significant place in the history of King Kamehameha I, who brought the Hawaiian Islands together under one rule.
Founded in 1703, the town was for more than a century the region’s principal commercial center, also serving from 1818 to 1820 as the first capital of Illinois. The small fort, containing only a three-room barrack and a kitchen, was apparently never fully completed. The fort was periodically occupied by French or U.S. troops until 1807 and sheltered local settlers during Indian scares rising from the War of 1812.
The remnants of Fort Kaskaskia include long earthworks forming a rough square, with bastions at the corners. Garrison Hill Cemetery was established in 1891 by the General Assembly for the remains of early settlers whose graves were threatened by the flooding of Kaskaskia. A large monument erected in 1892 and commemorating the early settlers is also located in the cemetery.
The grassy bluff overlooking the Mississippi provides a sweeping view of the river and Kaskaskia Island. Panels describe the rich history of Kaskaskia village, including its destruction in the 1880s-1890s by the Mississippi River.
Exhibits of traditional artifacts and contemporary art depict the Native American cultures of the past and present. Works by Native American artists, a Gallery of Nations, and a recreated village are all on display.
This site marks the location of the last of three successive forts named “de Chartres” built by the French during their eighteenth-century colonial occupation of what is today Illinois.
This fort served as the French seat of government and its chief military installation in the Illinois Country. In 1763 France ceded much of its territory in North America, including Illinois, to Great Britain. British troops occupied the fort from 1765 until 1772, when encroachment by the Mississippi River caused a collapse of the south wall. Subsequently, the remaining walls and buildings fell into ruin. The site features an imaginative reconstruction of portions of the third Fort de Chartres. The fort gate, built in the 1920s, has been remodeled several times. Portions of the fort's walls were reconstructed on original foundations in 1989. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
In an 1882 bird's-eye view of Dodge City, the Mueller-Schmidt House is proudly perched atop a hill northeast of town, alone in its new splendor and surrounded by a yard planted with trees. Built to be one of the most splendid homes in Dodge City, Ford County's "Home of Stone" lives up to this, even today. It remains the lone stone house in Dodge City, elegant in its simplicity of line. It can also claim the distinction of being the oldest building in Dodge City that is still on its original site.
Visitors can tour the inside of a Delaware and Hudson Railway baggage car, or view the restoration of a 19th-century locomotive, Engine 23. The station is the northwest terminus of Catskill Mountain Railroad’s Kingston-Phoenicia line, which offers scenic rides of the region in vintage coach cars. The museum is dedicated to bringing alive the history of these railroads, their people and the towns they served, to the residents and visitors of the Catskill Mountains and the greater Hudson Valley.
Visitors can see Hawaii as it once was. Walk the Royal Grounds, observe a cultural demonstration, or simply relax and enjoy a sunset at the picnic area. In addition to the indoor visitor’s center, there are outdoor activities such as: fishing, hiking, snorkeling, wildlife watching, and more.