November 2010

Visitors come here to catch a glimpse into the formative years of Abraham Lincoln, the nation's 16th President, at his boyhood home in Kentucky.

The Site focuses on Lincoln’s life in Kentucky. The Birthplace Unit demonstrates his humble beginnings with a symbolic birth cabin enshrined within a neo-classic Memorial Building. The Boyhood Home Unit at Knob Creek Farm was home to Lincoln during his formative years. Events in Kentucky helped mold a young boy into the man who became the nation’s sixteenth President.

In 1925, the Rhea County Courthouse was the scene of the famous Scopes Evolution Trial, in which John Thomas Scopes, a Dayton high school teacher, was tried for teaching that human beings evolved from a lower order of animals. The trial (July 10–July 21, 1925) was covered by H. L. Mencken, world famous journalist, and was reported in newspapers all over the country. William Jennings Bryan, a fundamentalist, served as prosecutor, and Clarence Darrow, well known agnostic, served for the defense. Scopes was convicted and fined $100. On appeal, the decision was reversed by the Tennessee Supreme Court in 1927. The trial raised issues debated for many years: the right of taxpayers to control curriculum, separation of church and state, academic freedom, and the relationship between science and religion. Built in the 1890s, the courthouse has been restored to its 1925 appearance and houses the Scopes Trial Museum.

The center of the estate is the Keith House, which has remained largely intact since the late 18th century. Also surrounding the house are a series of outbuildings constructed in the early 1800s and natural wetlands and nature trails.

Fannin Battleground State Historic Site encompasses more than 13 acres in Goliad County. On March 20, 1836, at this site, Col. J. W. Fannin and 284 of his men surrendered after the Battle of Coleto to Mexican Gen. Jose Urrea and were told they would be treated as prisoners of war. Seven days after the capture, Gen. Santa Anna had Fannin and the men with him, plus other prisoners captured in the area, executed as traitors. Twenty-eight prisoners escaped but 342 men were massacred near what is now Goliad State Park.

General Lew Wallace’s study is a separate standing building that was constructed fifty yards north of his residence in Crawfordsville, Indiana. The study was built between 1895 and 1898 and cost the then remarkable sum of $30,000. The limestone frieze that wreaths the study contains four faces, one on each side of the building. The faces represent characters from Wallace’s novels Ben-Hur and The Prince of India, with the face Wallace approved for Judah Ben-Hur carved over the entrance to the study.

Today, Wallace’s study sits on 3.5 acres, which is entirely enclosed within a brick wall, which was an addition after Wallace’s lifetime. The General Lew Wallace Study is now a museum containing artifacts that chronicle every aspect of his varied life. However, the study grounds are an idyllic location for a picnic, stroll, or to relax with a good book.

Constructed in 1848, this modest wooden-framed structure built in Greek-revival style was the only home ever owned by Walt Whitman. Here is where Whitman grew to international fame as the author of Leaves of Grass, hosted visitors from around the world and completed his last comprehensive volume of poetry before his death in 1892. Today, as a New Jersey State Historic Site and a National Historic Landmark, the restored Whitman House welcomes visitors from around the world who come to experience the last worldly surroundings of America's great "Poet of Democracy."

From chemistry’s origins to today, the museum brings to life the unexpected beauty of science outside the lab. Visitors can trace scientific progress from the laboratory, to the factory, to their homes and learn how chemistry created and continues to improve the modern world.

Drawn from CHF’s world-class collections, the exhibition ranges from cosmetics to computers and includes scientific instruments and apparatus, rare books, fine art, and the personal papers of prominent scientists. Rotating exhibits examine science, art, and everyday life.

This museum is a premier site for understanding Alaska's natural and human history, but also for exploring the history of the Norther region and engaging in cutting edge research.

The museum’s research collections – 1.4 million artifacts and specimens – represent millions of years of biological diversity and thousands of years of cultural traditions in the North. The museum serves as a valuable resource for research on climate change, genetics, contaminants and other issues facing Alaska and the circumpolar North. The museum is also the premier repository for artifacts and specimens collected on public lands in Alaska and a leader in northern natural and cultural history research.

This guided walking tour stops at the six Eagle Museums housed in historic buildings with their exhibits and collections.

Nestled in the river valley with a close view of the Ogilvie mountains, Eagle is often called the 'Jewel on the Yukon.' Established in 1897 during the Klondike Gold Rush, the community still provides visitors with the nostalgic atmosphere of the early days when Eagle was the judicial, commercial, mining and military center for the Upper Yukon. The Eagle Historic Society & Museums work to preserve the legacy of this rich community.

With a glimpse into one of the richest natural landscapes in the country, this museum displays varied exhibits that show the dynamic natural beauty of America's largest state--Alaska.

The museum energetically pursues its mission to study and exhibit natural history materials relating to Alaska's natural history and to promote and develop educational programs which benefit Alaska visitors and residents alike. In addition to its commitment to the display of Alaska's natural history, the museum offers a wide range of educational programs, which work to promote an appreciation for the land and its history.