November 2010

On September 6, 1622, two Spanish ships, the galleon Nuestra Senora de Atocha and its sister ship, sank off of Florida's coast, and went unfound for nearly 360 years. The contents are now housed at this exhibit in Delaware, and almost $4,000,000 worth of artifacts are permanently displayed there, telling the story of the 17th century, Spain and its colonies, and the Atocha. Visitors can also view videos about the search for the ship at the exhibit.

Henry Sheldon devoted thirty years of his life to collecting, documenting, and preserving objects, photographs and written records of Vermont, and more particularly of everyday life in Middlebury and Addison County. Although at the time of his death in 1907 the Museum was crowded with objects and documents, he was meticulous in labeling the origins of objects, maintaining inventories and descriptions, and recording stories about many of the artifacts.

Three hundred year old artifacts, working waterwheels, and mill machinery help to tell the story of a business failure destined to be a National Park. See photos of the original blast furnace, forge, slitting mill, and other resources as they are uncovered during the archeological work of Roland W. Robbins in the late 1940s and early 1950s. The park contains a visitor’s center, a museum, and several outlets for guided tours.

The area was home to several groups of native peoples, including the Ojibwe, Dacotah, Assiniboine, and Cree. With their families, they lived, hunted buffalo, and gathered wild berries here. The region also played an important role in the fur trade business. From this a new nation of people were born, the Métis, who were descendants of European traders and Indian women. Early fur trade posts and colonies led to the establishment of a river town named Pembina. The scene of international politics and major transportation routes, the region has served as a gateway of commerce between Canada and the United States since the early 1800s.

The museum features two exhibit galleries and observation tower that offers a grand view of the Red River Valley.

Visitors are able to inspect and observe a number of aircraft, including one of the four 1924 Douglas World Cruiser "Seattle" planes to attempt the first circumnavigation of the globe. While two of the aircraft on that historic journey completed their goal, this plane crashed in Alaska. The wreckage was later retrieved, and it is now on display, alongside various other planes from all throughout the 20th century, at the museum.

Wilson Castle was built in the middle of the 19th Century in the heart of the Green Mountains. The Castle stands as a monument to the heritage of the past.

The Castle has been the home of five generations of the Wilson family. It's design is a blend of European styles. Part of the estate is presently in the Wilson Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization, to preserve its longevity.

The facade of the Castle is set with English brick and marble, and is dominated by nineteen open proscenium arches and shadowed by a towering turret, parapet, and balcony.

The residence of the 115 acre estate has three floors spaciously divided into 32 rooms. The interior features are highlighted with 84 stained-glass windows and 13 fireplaces finished with imported tiles and bronze. The Castle's furnishings include Far Eastern and European antiques and museum pieces, complemented by statuary, Chinese scrolls, and Oriental rugs. The various rooms with their distinctive features provide an elegant and richly gracious interior.

On the grounds are cattle barns, stables, the carriage house, and the glass house.

On September 3, 1863, General Alfred Sully's troops attacked a tipi camp of Yanktonai, some Dakota, Hunkpapa Lakota, and Blackfeet (Sihasapa Lakota), as part of a military mission to punish participants of the Dakota Conflict of 1862. In the ensuing battle, many Indian men, women, and children died or were captured. Military casualties were comparatively light. The Indians also suffered the destruction of virtually all of their property, leaving them nearly destitute for the coming winter.

Today, Whitestone Battlefield State Historic Site includes a portion of the battlefield and a small museum with exhibits explaining the 1863 Sibley and Sully expeditions and the Battle of Whitestone Hill. There are two monuments, one honoring the Indian dead and a second commemorating the soldiers who died in the battle. A marker also recognizes two early settlers, Tom and Mary Shimmin. A fieldstone shelter beside the trail provides a resting point overlooking part of the battlefield and a freshwater lake. Nearby is a picnic area with a shelter, table, horseshoe pits, pit toilets, and a parking lot.

The building is a Georgian Revival colonial structure of handmade brick and it has an 18th century style interior. It was designed by Architect E. William Martin under the direction of the State Buildings and Grounds Commission created by Governor Buck in 1931. Guided tours of the Legislative Hall are available (302-739-9194), with the times based on whether the General Assembly meets that day. There is a Hall of Governors in the building, as well as military portraits and portraits of other historical figures important to Delaware history throughout the Capitol.

Fort Clark Trading Post State Historic Site is one of the most important archeological sites in the state because of its well-preserved record of the fur trade and of personal tragedy. The archaeological remains of the large earthlodge village, cemetery, and two fur trade posts (Fort Clark Trading Post and Primeau's Post) are protected at the site, located one and one-quarter mile west of the town of Fort Clark, Mercer County.

Born in Sharon, Vermont, on 23 December 1805, Joseph Smith Jr. was destined for a life of greatness and hardship. As a young boy, he received a vision of God the Father and Jesus Christ. That event changed his life and the lives of millions of others. As a result of that experience, Joseph Smith was given other divine communications. He also received an ancient record and was commanded to translate it. The translation of that record is now called the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ. Joseph was called as a prophet and was instrumental in the restoration of priesthood authority and the organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. From the time of his first vision, Joseph was persecuted for his beliefs. At age 38, Joseph Smith gave his life for the cause he believed in.