November 2010

The Wilson's Creek Civil War Museum (formerly the General Sweeny Museum) contains an outstanding collection of artifacts relating to the war west of the Mississippi, including the sword belt and sash of Arkansas Confederate General Patrick Cleburne, the telescope of abolitionist John Brown, and the flag of the Confederate "Cherokee Braves."

This art gallery possesses more than 2500 objects, including 800 paintings estimated to be worth more than $2 billion.

The Barnes Foundation was established in 1922 to "promote the advancement of education and the appreciation of fine arts." Located in a twelve-acre arboretum, the Foundation is home to one of the world's largest Impressionist, Post-Imprressionist, and Early Modernist paintings, with extensive holdings by Picasso, Matisse, Cezanne, Renoir, and Modigliani.

This living showcase of the grandeur of the Rocky Mountains, with elevations ranging from 8,000 feet in the wet, grassy valleys to 14,259 feet at the weather-ravaged top of Longs Peak, provides visitors with opportunities for countless breathtaking experiences and adventures.

With five drive-in campgrounds Rocky Mountain National Park provides a variety of camping experiences. Two campgrounds, Moraine Park and Glacier Basin, are on the reservation system. 359 miles of trail offer endless opportunities to hikers, backpackers and horseback riders.

Canyon de Chelly also sustains a living community of Navajo people, who are connected to a landscape of great historical and spiritual significance. Canyon de Chelly is unique among National Park service units, as it is comprised entirely of Navajo Tribal Trust Land that remains home to the canyon community. NPS works in partnership with the Navajo Nation to manage park resources and sustain the living Navajo community. Auto tours, hiking, rock art viewing, interpretive exhibits and talks, horseback riding (by prior arrangement), picnicking and photography are all available.

As a unique educational resource, the museum provides children with the opportunity to learn while playing-to create, discover, solve, and experience, within non-traditional, interactive exhibit galleries. It brings teachers, parents, caregivers, and children together in an educational environment where classroom learning is supplemented, imaginations are kindled, and learning opportunities in the arts, sciences, and history abound.

The museum is also a dynamic cultural center that features innovative exhibitions, programs and workshops for all ages. Science, art and history are emphasized in hands-on learning opportunities that encourage young people to understand their cultural heritage, environment and the world around them. Educators are encouraged to utilize the Museum's numerous resources -over 20,000 objects, archival holdings, audio/video tapes, books and magazines.

From the time of his birth in 1857 until he embarked on a political career that would win him the two highest offices in the nation, William Howard Taft lived here, surrounded by family and what his mother called "inspiration to everything that was good."

This is the only American foundation dedicated to the preservation and history of Rolls-Royce and Bentley, the other residing in the UK. The museum showcases over twenty extremeley rare and expensive automobiles ranging in production year from 1929 to 1989. The research library is divided into several sections that allows visitors to explore the history and technical aspect of Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars.

The 1847 Whitman “Massacre” horrified Americans and impacted the lives of the peoples of the Columbia Plateau for decades afterwards. Was killing the Whitmans justified legal retribution, an act of revenge, or some combination of both? The circumstances that surround this tragic event resonate with modern issues of cultural interaction and differing perspectives. Today, the site provides a look into this historic and culturally tense time period. The site contains interactive displays and activities.

The Cape Florida lighthouse is one of the most celebrated landmarks owned by the State of Florida. The historic compound in Bill Baggs State Park and Recreation Area includes the newly restored, 95-foot white-brick tower and a replica of the lighthouse keeper's 1825 cottage, delighting visitors as well as residents of this subtropical island of Key Biscayne. Graceful coconut palms line the walkway toward the ocean and grand historic monument.

A climb to the lantern room affords a vast panorama of the lush island with its long stretch of sandy beaches and the ever-changing tropical seas. Against a background of aquamarine waters, leaping dolphins and giant rays, schools of colorful fishes, occasional sharks, diving pelicans, and other tropical birds may be seen. You will view ships from international ports plying the deep blue of the powerful Gulf Stream, enormous cruise ships on the horizon, and luxury yachts, deep-sea fishing boats, and bobbing sailboats riding the waves.

In 18th century Louisiana, Creole referred to locally born Spaniards, French and enslaved people. After the Louisiana Purchase, Creole was used to differentiate between those native to Louisiana and those who were Anglo-American. Consequently, French-speaking white residents of Louisiana were also considered Creole. Today, the term Creole commonly refers to a mixture of predominantly French, African and Spanish traits with traces of American Indian culture. It is the intense pride in and attachment to one's ancestry and culture that is key to understanding what it means to be Creole. This manifests itself in architecture, religious practices, foodways, and language.

The French Prud'homme family began farming the land at Oakland in 1785. Magnolia traces its mid-18th century origin to the French LeComte family, and also to the German Hertzog family.