November 2010

The Chattanooga African American Museum boasts a unique collection of multi-media presentations, rare artifacts, African Art, original sculptures, paintings, musical recordings and local Black newspapers. Explore the unique history that Africans in Chattanooga have experienced.

Unlike other parts of the south, there were few plantations in this city. Most Africans were bought to be personal servants or laborers, rather than field hands. The Africans also used the winding river in this city as a source of life and inspiration much like our Egyptian ancestors used the Nile River. Visitors are encouraged to find out about the many African businesses such as a Dairy Farm, Insurance Company and Retail outlets that thrived in the 1800's. This was a world full of energetic African American doctors, lawyers, and movers and shakers rarely explored in current day history books. Discover towns surrounding Chattanooga that were founded and run by Africans.

The museum is located in the Crawford Center – one of several activities in the former Crawford Memorial School Building. Current displays include memorabilia from the early oil fields in western Pennsylvania and the Emlenton refinery. In addition, documents, and personal effects capture the local vitality of the community through its evolution. The displays provide insight into a typical American rural river community that had the pleasure of hosting some of the earliest formations of the oil industry, while yet maintaining an active farming community.

Four museum showcases in the hallway outside the museum hold changing exhibits. There also the Oil Region Alliance has established one of several Tourist Welcome Centers, which includes a comprehensive display of the Oil & Gas history of Venango County and particularly the southern part of the county and Emlenton. On occasion, historical talks and local films are presented at the Crawford Center.

Visit the Casey Jones Home and Railroad Museum located in Casey Jones Village and relive the life, legend and song that is Casey Jones. Climb aboard the 130 ton replica of engine #382 and ring the bell just like Casey did. Take a tour of the original 1890's home of Casey Jones that has been restored the way it was at the time of Casey's untimely death on April 30, 1900 and since 1956 has been a train museum dedicated to Casey Jones and railroad men and women everywhere. Don't miss the model train exhibit in a restored G. M. & O. railcar.

Within the living history museum is the Seibert Library and Resource Center, which collects and preserves oral histories, artifacts, documents, writings, photographs, and videos of the people and the history of the greater Elizabethtown area. There are also two restored log cabins and walking tours of the area.

The present Carnegie Center for Arts and History, located in downtown Jackson, opened in 1903 as the Jackson Free Library, the town's first library, financed by Jackson City Council funds and a matching $30,000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. In 1968, the Carnegie was replaced by the newer larger Jackson-Madison County Library and was allowed to fall into disrepair from 1968 to 1987.

Today, the Carnegie Center for Arts and History stands as proof that Jacksonians value their heritage and choose to preserve it for future generations. The facility serves as a gathering place for many groups and individuals including weddings, receptions, teas, luncheons, fashion shows, recitals, musical programs, art showings, collectors' exhibits, business meetings, class reunions and many other events. The Carnegie is one of the most popular places for special events and is available for rental. For more information, contact The Jackson Centre at (731) 425-8580.

What began as an extension of David Howe's family home in 1716, the Inn has thrived through years of growth and expansion and survived because of its important history and beautiful setting.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow visited the Howe Tavern in 1862. Inspired by the coziness of the Inn’s atmosphere and pastoral landscape, Longfellow wrote a series of poems focused on a group of fictitious characters that regularly gathered at the old Sudbury tavern. The poems were published in 1863 as the Tales of a Wayside Inn.

In 1923, automobile manufacturer Henry Ford bought the Inn from Cora Lemon. Ford used his vast resources to acquire acreage, buildings, and antiquities. With the intention of creating a living museum of Americana, he expanded the property to 3,000 acres in the towns of Sudbury and Marlboro. He added buildings to the property including the one-room Redstone School (relocated onto the property in 1925), a fully functioning Grist Mill (built in 1929), and the Martha-Mary Chapel (built in 1940 from trees felled in the historic Hurricane of 1938).

The property where the house stands was purchased by John B. Clark before 1850 as part of tract 428 on the then "new road" running from Culbertson's Mill to French Creek and on to Meadville. By 1867, with the completion of the Route 99 road, it became a quiet side street. Lewis Culbertson built this house in the typically Italianate style in 1861. In the 1876 Atlas of Erie County is is described as one of Edinboro's finest homes and identified as the residence of M. M. McClaughry who had purchased the property in 1867.

As one of Edinboro's earlier settlers and a local business man, McClaughry and his first wife raised six children in the home. It stayed with various family members until 1921 when the house was deeded to J. Morrison Reeder. When Mr. Reeder moved from the area, the house was rented to a number of individuals and began to deteriorate. Aimee Doucette purchase the house in 1933. He and his wife Edith raised their seven children, followed by their daughter Aimee and her husband Richard Rodak. They occupied the house with their five children through the 1970's.

A living history museum, Cannonsburgh Village boasts a gristmill, one-room schoolhouse, town hall, log home, little white country church, large collection of antique farm equipment, general store, museum, and blacksmith's shop.

This charming two-story log house was begun in 1800. It has evolved through the years into a unique historic property which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The house is built of chestnut logs with poplar floors. Original limestone fireplaces provide focal points for the parlor and bride's room.

Guests enjoy the ambiance of days past melded with today's modern facilities. The Buchanan Log House is the property of the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities and is operated by the Donelson-Hermitage Chapter.

On a quiet, county road five miles southeast of Denmark, Tennessee, a fierce struggle between opposing armies took place on September 1, 1862. Only half-dozen historical markers dot the site, and there are no massive battlefield maps or push-button audio tapes to guide the curious observer. Britton's Lane boasts no cannons lining the road as does Shiloh or Stone's River; in fact, the countryside is so calm and pastoral that it's hard to believe the land has witnessed anything more than an occasional disagreement between neighbors. Yet thousands of brave soldiers from Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Illinois, and Ohio fought and died there in a feverish, four-hour battle.