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[Administration]

1492: An Ongoing Voyage

1492. Columbus. The date and the name provoke many questions related to the linking of very different parts of the world, the Western Hemisphere and the Mediterranean. What was life like in those areas before 1492? What spurred European expansion? How did European, African and American peoples react to each other? What were some of the immediate results of these contacts?

1492: AN ONGOING VOYAGE addresses such questions by examining the rich mixture of societies coexisting in five areas of this hemisphere before European arrival. It then surveys the polyglot Mediterranean world at a dynamic turning point in its development.

[Administration]

Alice Williamson Diary

This small, leather-bound volume is the 36-page diary kept by schoolgirl Alice Williamson at Gallatin, Tennessee from February to September 1864. The main topic of the diary is the occupation of Gallatin and the surrounding region by Union forces under General Eleazer A. Paine. The diary relates many atrocities attributed to Paine. Frequently mentioned is presence of black contrabands in and around Gallatin, attempts to give them formal schooling, and their abuse by Union Eastern Tennessee troops.

Alice Williamson is bitterly resentful of the Union occupation. The diarist mirrors the abandonment felt by many Confederate sympathizers in Gallatin. She notes the presense of rebel troops in the region, mentions the massacre at Fort Pillow, the death of Confederate raider John Hunt Morgan, and Atlanta's surrender to Sherman. The diary lacks details of daily life. The schoolroom and occasional visits are the only other major concerns of the diarist.

The original diary is housed in the Special Collections Library at Duke University. This diary was purchased in 1976 with funds from the Flowers Endowment which was created to build the Library's holdings of Southern Americana.

[Administration]

American Museum of Natural History
"One of the world's preeminent scientific and educational institutions," the American Museum of Natural History offers here exhibits and information on many aspects of natural history, as well as museum information, news, and current research.

The Education Department creates learning opportunities for learners of all ages, from preschoolers to seniors, at the Museum, at home, in school and in the community.

Teachers and students can take advantage of the exciting programs and offerings throughout the year. Plan a visit to the Museum. Parents can explore resources at home and in the community. And you can find out how to become a volunteer.

[Administration]

American Treasures of the Library of Congress

Of the more than 130 million items in the Library of Congress, which are considered "treasures"? Of course Thomas Jefferson's handwritten draft of the Declaration of Independence is a treasure, not only because of its association with Jefferson but also because of what it reveals about how one of the founding documents of America was written and rewritten and finally agreed upon by dozens of men in the midst of a political crisis.

But what about Jelly Roll Morton's early compositions? Or Maya Lin's original drawing for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial? Or one of the earliest known baseball cards? Or the first motion picture deposited for copyright? The Library holds all these and more.

Thomas Jefferson, whose personal library became the core of the Library of Congress, arranged his books into three types of knowledge, corresponding to Francis Bacon's three faculties of the mind: Memory (History), Reason (Philosophy), and Imagination (Fine Arts).

Although the Library organizes its immense collections according to a system created at the end of the1800s, the treasures in this exhibition have been placed in the same categories that Jefferson would have used, had he been deciding where to put Alexander Graham Bell's lab notebook or George Gershwin's full orchestral score for Porgy and Bess.

Connecting Kids

You can continue to enjoy the richness of the Library's collections by going to these suggested links that will be of special interest to kids and families!

    * Science and Invention
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_science.php
    * Summertime
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_summertime.php
    * We the People
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_wethepeople.php
    * Holidays
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_holidays.php
    * Labor in America
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_labor.php
    * Her Story
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_herstory.php
    * Branding in America
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_advertising.php
    * Baseball
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_baseball.php
    * America the Beautiful
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/community/cc_maps.php
    * Women Pioneers
      http://memory.loc.gov/learn/features/women/women.html
    * Inventing Entertainment
      http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edhome.html
    * Alexander Graham Bell Family Papers
      http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/bellhtml/bellhome.html
    * America's First Look into the Camera
      http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/daghtml/daghome.html
    * "Votes for Women"
      http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/vfwhtml/vfwhome.html
    * History of the America West
      http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/award97/codhtml/hawphome.html
    * Flutes
      http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/dcmhtml/dmhome.html

[Administration]

The American West

From the Frontier and Pioneer days of the Wild West, to today's Modern West.

Featuring: Pioneers, MountainMen, Native Americans, Explorers, Trappers, Westward Expansion, Oregon Trail, Cowboys, Indians, Scouts, Gunslingers (the whole dang blang shootin' match is heah, bucko!), Outlaws, Gunbattles, Ghost Towns, Gold & Silver Mining, Saloons, Virginia City, Dodge City, Tombstone, O.K. Corral, Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, Kit Carson, John C. Fremont, John Wesley Powell, Wild Bill Hickok, Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone, Billy the Kid, Jesse James, Buffalo Bill, Sitting Bull, Roy Rogers, Western Theme Parks, Museums and Exhibitions, the Great Plains Prairie, Buffalo, Horses, Rodeos, Stage Coaches, Frontier Railroads, River Steam Boats, America's Freedom Documents, and anything of interest or of significance west of the Mississippi River. We carry a lot of links to other major high quality western-type web sites.

Contents
Archaeology
Cowboys
Critters
Emigration
Events
Expansion
Films
"Indians"
Mining
Outlaws
Pioneers
Places
Research
Trading Post
Transportation

[Administration]

Archiving Early America

Here at Archiving Early America, you will discover a wealth of resources � a unique array of primary source material from 18th Century America. Scenes and portraits from original newspapers, maps and writings come to life on your screen just as they appeared to this country's forebears more than two centuries ago.

As you browse through these pages, you will find it easier to understand the people, places and events of this significant time in the American experience.

You can test your knowledge of early American history with our interactive crossword puzzle and Quiz Game at Games, or learn more about the music of America's early years by visiting our Music of Early America section.

Going back in time you can re-live Major George Washington's historic trip to the Ohio Valley when he was 21 years old. Read his personal account as it appears in the two issues of The Maryland Gazette originally published in March of 1754. One of early America's Greatest Secrets (many historians are unaware of its existence), and because of its historic significance and rarity, the March 21 and 28, 1754 issues of The Gazette can be viewed here in their entirety � exactly as Washington wrote it, down to the last comma, apostrophe and period.

[Administration]

The Field Museum
The Field Museum was incorporated in the State of Illinois on September 16, 1893 as the Columbian Museum of Chicago with its purpose the "accumulation and dissemination of knowledge, and the preservation and exhibition of objects illustrating art, archaeology, science and history." In 1905, the Museum's name was changed to Field Museum of Natural History to honor the Museum's first major benefactor, Marshall Field, and to better reflect its focus on the natural sciences. In 1921 the Museum moved from its original location in Jackson Park to its present site on Chicago Park District property near downtown where it is part of a lakefront Museum Campus that includes the John G. Shedd Aquarium and the Adler Planetarium. These three institutions are regarded as among the finest of their kind in the world and together attract more visits annually than any comparable site in Chicago.

Collections
The Field Museum was founded to house the biological and anthropological collections assembled for the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893. These objects form the core of the Museum's collections which have grown through world-wide expeditions, exchange, purchase, and gifts to more than twenty million specimens. The collections form the foundation of the Museum's exhibition, research and education programs, which are further informed by a world-class natural history library of more than 250,000 volumes.

Public Learning
As an educational institution the Field Museum offers multiple opportunities for both informal and more structured public learning. Exhibits remain the primary means of informal education, but throughout its history the Museum has supplemented this approach with innovative educational programs. The Harris Loan Program, for example, begun in 1912, provides educational outreach to children, bringing artifacts, specimens, audiovisual materials, and activity kits to Chicago area schools. The Department of Education, begun in 1922, offers a changing program of classes, lectures, field trips, museum overnights and special events for families, adults and children. Professional symposia and lectures, such as the annual A. Watson Armour III Spring Symposium, presents the latest scientific results to the international scientific community as well as the public at large.

Research
The Museum's curatorial and scientific staff in the departments of Anthropology, Biology, Geology, and Zoology conducts basic research in the fields of systematic biology and anthropology, and also has responsibility for collections management, and collaboration in public programs with the Departments of Education and Exhibits. Since its founding the Field Museum has been an international leader in evolutionary biology and paleontology, and archaeology and ethnography, and has long maintained close links, including joint teaching, students, seminars, with local universities - particularly the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.


The Field Museum
1400 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60605-2496

(312) 922-9410

Hours
      Regular hours are 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily. Last admission at 4 p.m.

      Open every day except Christmas.

Parking Notice
      Vehicle access to the Museum Campus is not available during the Chicago Bears home game on Sunday, September 16th. Please make alternate arrangements for transportation or parking. More information is available here.

Early Closings
    The museum will close at 3:00pm on the following dates in 2007:

    April 4th
    April 5th
    October 27th
    December 6th
    December 12th

    Last admission to the Museum will be at 2:00pm.

    The Museum will close early on March 6th at 4:30 p.m. Last admission to the Museum will be at 3:30 p.m.

    The Museum will close early on December 24th at 2:00 p.m. Last admission to the Museum will be at 1:00 p.m.

Getting Here
      The Field Museum is located on Chicago's Museum Campus, at 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive, just south of Roosevelt Rd.

      How to get here by car or public transit or free trolley.

Tourist Information
      Visiting from out of town or spending an exciting weekend in the city? More information on hotel packages.

Parking
      Visitor parking in all lots on the Museum Campus is $15.00 per day.  This includes the Adler Lot, the North Garage, the Waldron Garage and the East Museum Lot.
      Hours for the North Garage and Adler Planetarium lot are 5:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m. Mon-Fri and 6:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Weekends; East Museum lot 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.. Designated handicapped parking is available in every lot.

      When all other lots are full, parking will be made available in the remote South Lot for $8.00 per day.

      From Memorial Day to Labor day, the parking lot will only accept cash payments, which will need to be paid upon entering the Garage.

      The Field Museum is located near Soldier Field (home of the NFL's Chicago Bears), the Charter One Pavilion, and Grant Park, a major event venue in the city. Events at one or more of these locations can impact traffic to and from the Campus. Please click on the above links (links will open in new window) to view the websites and schedules for these locations for your desired visit date.

      Please note:  these hours and rates are for daytime only and do not apply when special events are scheduled at the museums or Soldier Field.

Getting Here During Chicago Bears Home Games
      During Bears home games and other major special events at Soldier Field, access to the Museum Campus can be challenging. No museum visitor parking is available on the Museum Campus during Bears home games. However, public transit remains a great way to get to the Campus every day of the year. For more information, call the Regional Transportation Authority at (312) 836-7000 or visit www.rtachicago.com.

      Additional parking is available at the Monroe Street garage, located at 350 East Monroe Street.

Chicago Bears Home Game Schedule
    The Chicago Bears will be playing at Soldier Field on the following dates:

    Thursday, August 30th
    Sunday, September 16th
    Sunday, September 23rd
    Sunday, October 14th
    Sunday, October 28th
    Sunday, November 25th
    Sunday, December 2nd
    Sunday, December 23rd
    Sunday, December 30th

Free Highlights Tours
      Get the inside stories on some of the fascinating objects on display at the Museum.

      Monday � Friday: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

      Harris Educational Loan Program
      While you�re at the museum, check out our hands-on materials available for families to use at home!

Accessibility
    * Guests with wheelchairs, strollers, or limited mobility can be dropped off at the East Entrance.
    * The East Entrance is the main handicapped parking lot. Parking is $15/day. Rates may change based on events occurring at Soldier Field.
    * Manual wheelchairs are available free of charge on a first come, first served basis.
    * Strollers may be rented.
    * The Campus is served by CTA bus routes #12 and #146, and the closest CTA stop is Roosevelt (Red, Orange, and Green Lines). The Roosevelt station offers elevator access to all levels.
    * There is no wheelchair access to the Roosevelt Metra station. For further details, please call the RTA at (312) 836-7000.
    * All exhibitions are accessible. Elevators are located at the center east and center west of the Museum.
    * Guests needing a quiet place to rest or perform basic medical procedures can ask any Guest Relations Representative for access to the Customer Care Center, located on the north side of the Main level.
    * The Museum's daytime telephone operator is equipped with a TDD device.
    * Depending on availability, docents can be arranged with advance notice to accompany sight-impaired guests around the Museum. Please call 312-665-7521 for details.
    * The pay phone near the Siragusa Center on the Ground level is at wheelchair height. The Siragusa Center offers tables that accommodate wheelchairs.

Taking Pictures
      Unless otherwise posted, you are welcome to take pictures of Museum exhibitions for personal use with hand-held cameras. To use a tripod or standing lights, please obtain a permit from the Information Desk in the Museum�s main hall.

What Else Is Nearby?
      There�s plenty to see. Chicago�s beautiful Museum Campus is a 57-acre lakefront park that connects The Field Museum with the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum and the John G. Shedd Aquarium.

[Administration]

Newspaper Collectors' Society

About The Newspaper Collectors Society of America

In February, 1984, the Newspaper Collectors Society of America was formed and Rick Brown began publishing Collectible Newspapers, a magazine for newspaper collectors. The magazine averaged 24-30 pages per issue and was professionally typeset. Issues were filled with journalism history articles, many of which were researched specifically for Collectible Newspapers. In addition to newspaper collectors, several national institutions subscribed to it. Auctions of historic newspapers were also held by mail and telephone bids. In April, 1997, the last print edition of Collectible Newspapers was produced. The articles in the History Buff Reference Library were originally published in Collectible Newspapers.

A major work produced by Rick Brown and the Newspaper Collectors Society of America was an index of all known newspaper editions printed on wallpaper. In 1933, the head librarian and the New York Public Library was able to come up with a list of 33 known wallpaper editions. In 1991, the NCSA was able to expand this list to 144 editions.

In 1992, the NCSA undertook another major research work. The Library of Congress, American Antiquarian Society, Wisconsin Historical Society, New York Historical Society and Public Libary, as well as many other repositories of historic newspapers, cooperated with the research. With their help, Rick Brown was able to document over 500 different newspaper editions that have been reprinted in the past. Most were produced in the 1800's. The result was a self-published monograph based on my research. It has been referred to as the "Bible" of newspaper reprints and is used by hundreds of institutions and collectors around the country.

[Administration]

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.

The Library's mission is to make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations. The Office of the Librarian is tasked to set policy and to direct and support programs and activities to accomplish the Library's mission.

As Librarian of Congress, I oversee the many thousands of dedicated staff who acquire, catalog, preserve, and make available library collections within our three buildings on Capitol Hill and over the Internet. I am pleased that you are visiting our Web site today, and I invite you to bookmark our URL and return to it often.

Sincerely,

James H. Billington
The Librarian of Congress


Resources for...

    * Kids, Families
    * Librarians
    * Publishers
    * Researchers
    * Teachers
    * Visitors

[Administration]

LITHICS-Net

The Center of the Web for Information on North American Aborigine Projectile Points and Lithics

[Administration]

Mariners� Museum

You�ll find one of the largest international maritime history museums filled to the crow�s nest with prized artifacts that celebrate the spirit of seafaring adventure. Explore over 60,000 square feet of gallery space with rare figureheads, handcrafted ship models, Civil War ironclad USS Monitor artifacts, paintings, small craft from around the world, and much more.

Visit the International Small Craft Center, which features nearly 150 boats from 36 countries.

The Miniature Ships of August F. Crabtree highlight exquisitely detailed miniature ships in an unparalleled display of craftsmanship.

The Age of Exploration chronicles the developments in shipbuilding, ocean navigation, and cartography that made the voyages of the fifteenth through eighteenth centuries possible.

And there are almost always great, new Special Exhibitions for you and your family to enjoy that are at the museum for a limited time.

The much-anticipated USS Monitor Center opened to the public on March 9, 2007. This $30 million addition to the Mariners' Museum truly represents one of the nation's premier Civil War attractions.

Experience the action up close in our high-definition battle theater.

Walk on a full-scale replica of the Monitor.

Enjoy exciting interactive exhibits and hands-on conservation.

Experience a wide array of educational programs for school children, adults, families and scholars.

Walk down a mock dock between a wooden sailing frigate and CSS Virginia.

Learn more about this state-of-the-art exhibit.

The Museum is set on a 550-acre woodland park with the five-mile Noland Trail around tranquil Lake Maury. Take a backpack to explore the plant and animal life, enjoy a picnic, or climb on wooden playships.

Take part in our annual 10K run every October to proceed park upkeep and maintenance.

Enjoy the famous Lion�s Bridge, a dam that provides a breathtaking view of the James River.

[Administration]

Monticello, The Home of Thomas Jefferson

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation (formerly the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation) owns and operates Monticello, the mountaintop home of Thomas Jefferson and the only home in America on the elite World Heritage List of the United Nations.

Incorporated in 1923, after the federal government waived its third opportunity to acquire Monticello for the nation, the Foundation purchased the house and land from the Levy family, stewards of the estate for 89 years. As a private, nonprofit organization, the Foundation receives no regular federal or state budget support for its twofold mission of preservation and education.

Since 1923, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation has steadily expanded its role as a museum and educational institution. Its facilities now include the house and gardens on nearly 2,000 of Jefferson's original 5,000 acres; the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies next door at Kenwood, a headquarters for Jeffersonian research and teaching and home to the new Jefferson Library; a museum shop; and the Thomas Jefferson Center for Historic Plants, which propagates heirloom varieties and makes them available to institutions and individuals. The Monticello Visitors Center houses a permanent exhibition, a theater, a second museum shop, and the Foundation's Department of Education. In 1993, the Foundation led a global commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Jefferson's birth with a special loan exhibition, "The Worlds of Thomas Jefferson at Monticello," and other programs. And in 2003, the Foundation hosted the commencement of the national Lewis and Clark bicentennial commemoration.

About a half a million people visit Monticello each year.


Location

Monticello is located in Albemarle County in the Piedmont region of Central Virginia. Monticello is on Va. Route 53 near the intersection of Interstate 64 and Va. Route 20, approximately two miles southeast of Charlottesville, seven miles from the University of Virginia, 70 miles from Richmond, 110 miles from Williamsburg, and 125 miles from Washington, D.C. Monticello�s street address (for mapping purposes only) is 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville.
Directions to Monticello

    * Address for online mapping programs �
    * Latitude and longitude (GPS) readings for various Monticello locations �

From Washington, D.C. and Points North

Take Interstate 66 West to U.S. 29 South at Gainesville. Follow U.S. 29 South into Charlottesville and look for the signs for the U.S. 250 West/U.S. 29 South Bypass. Follow this bypass to Interstate 64 East (direction Richmond). Take Interstate 64 East and get off at Exit 121A onto Va. Route 20 South (direction Scottsville). At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway) Follow Route 53 East for about 1.75 miles. Immediately after passing under the stone-arch Saunders Bridge, exit right onto the roadway that leads over the bridge and onto the grounds of Monticello.
From Richmond and Points East

Take Interstate 64 West to Exit 121 at Charlottesville. At the end of the exit ramp turn left onto Va. Route 20 South. At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway). Follow Route 53 East for about 1.75 miles. Immediately after passing under the stone-arch Saunders Bridge, exit right onto the roadway that leads over the bridge and onto the grounds of Monticello.
From Lynchburg and Points South

Take U.S. 29 North to Charlottesville. Take Interstate 64 East (direction Richmond) and get off at Exit 121A onto Va. Route 20 South (direction Scottsville). At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway). Follow Route 53 East for about 1.75 miles. Immediately after passing under the stone-arch Saunders Bridge, exit right onto the roadway that leads over the bridge and onto the grounds of Monticello.
From Staunton and Points West

Take Interstate 64 East to Charlottesville and get off at Exit 121A onto Va. Route 20 South (direction Scottsville). At the second stoplight, turn left onto Route 53 (Thomas Jefferson Parkway). Follow Route 53 East for about 1.75 miles. Immediately after passing under the stone-arch Saunders Bridge, exit right onto the roadway that leads over the bridge and onto the grounds of Monticello.
** To The Monticello Visitors Center

To visit the Monticello Visitors Center on your way to Monticello, turn right at the first stoplight on Route 20S after exiting Interstate 64.

**Note: Tickets to Monticello (excluding the President's Pass) cannot be purchased at the Monticello Visitors Center. See Getting Tickets for more information on how to purchase tickets to Monticello.

[Administration]

Portrait of George Washington by Rembrandt Peale

Mount Vernon Educational Resources
Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington from the time of their marriage in 1759 until General Washington's death in 1799. He worked tirelessly to expand his plantation from 2,000 acres to 8,000 and the mansion house from six rooms to twenty one.

About Mount Vernon
   
Mount Vernon is owned and maintained in trust for the people of the United States by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, a private, non-profit organization founded in 1853 by Ann Pamela Cunningham. The Association is the oldest national historic preservation organization in the country, and it has always been in the forefront of the restoration field. It is directed by a Board of Regents, comprised solely of women, who represent over 30 states. A Board of Advisors of prominent citizens from across the country meets twice a year to provide additional input on Mount Vernon's governance. The estate, gift shops and dining facilities are operated by about 450 paid employees and over 400 volunteers.

Mount Vernon is the most popular historic estate in America and is open 365 days a year.  Mount Vernon does not accept grants from federal, state or local governments, and no tax dollars are expended to support its purposes. Primary sources of income are revenue from the retail and dining facilities, ticket sales, and donations from foundations, corporations, and individuals.   
   
The estate, gardens and farm of Mount Vernon totaled some 8,000 acres in the 18th century. Today, roughly 500 acres of this historic estate have been preserved 16 miles south of Washington, D.C., on the banks of the Potomac River. Visitors can see 20 structures and 50 acres of gardens as they existed in 1799. The estate also includes a museum, the tombs of George and Martha Washington, Washington's greenhouse, an outdoor exhibit devoted to American agriculture as practiced by Washington, the nation's most important memorial to the accomplishments of 18th-century slaves, and a collection which features numerous decorative and domestic artifacts.  Mount Vernon welcomes an average of 1,000,000 visitors each year.

Mount Vernon is open every day including Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

A visit to Mount Vernon begins at the Ford Orientation Center. A 20-minute action-adventure movie, We Fight to be Free, is shown in a pair of luxury theaters. The film depicts a heroic and charismatic Washington at pivotal moments in his life.

The centerpiece of a visit is seeing George Washington's home; an original building filled with 18th-century treasures, many of them owned by Washington. The Mansion house sits high above the Potomac River with a stunning view of the Maryland shore.

Forty-five acres of the estate are open to the public. A spectacular view of the Potomac River from the Mansion's piazza transports visitors back in time. Four gardens showcase heirloom plants known to have been at Mount Vernon in the late 1700s. Washington himself designed the landscape which includes 13 trees that stand today as the last living witnesses of Washington's lifetime.

Children love the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer exhibition, a four-acre demonstration farm that features a recreation of Washington's 16-sided treading barn. The "Hands-on History Exhibit," presented May 29 - September 6 is full of interactive games and activities for children of all ages. Be sure to visit our Calendar of Events to see many other special events and seasonal activities.

The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center opened on October 27, 2006. Twenty-three theater and gallery experiences -- many of them with interactive technology -- illuminste the detailed story of Washington's life, including his military and political careers.

Washington's Distillery
George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill is located on Route 235, three miles south of the Estate and requires separate admission. The water-powered mill is operated by millers in colonial attire who explain how the mill works and the role it played in Washington's entrepreneurial farming operation. The Distillery demonstrates 18th-century techniques and includes five copper stills. Open March 31 through October 31, 2007. Additional fee.

[Administration]

Stratford Hall Plantation
Stratford Hall is the birthplace of Robert E. Lee, and of earlier Lee family members important in US history. This site details the history, archaeological finds, and current educational offerings of this unique property and offers help in planning a trip to this historic region.

Stratford Hall Plantation is located just off State Route 3 on State Route 214, six miles northwest of Montross, Virginia in Westmoreland County and 42 miles southeast of Fredericksburg, Virgina.

Directions from Washington:
    * From Eastern half of the Beltway: Take Maryland Route 5 South to U.S. Route 301 South. About 10 miles after crossing the Potomac River toll bridge, turn left onto Virginia Route 3 East. Follow Route 3 for 20 miles, then take a left onto Route 214 at Lerty, Virginia. Follow Route 214 for 2 miles. Stratford's gate is on the left.

    * From the Western half of the Beltway: Take I-95 South to Virginia Route 3 East (exit 130A on I-95) in Fredericksburg. Follow Route 3 for about 45 miles, then take a left onto Route 214 at Lerty, Virginia. Follow Route 214 for 2 miles. Stratford's gate is on the left.

Directions from Richmond:
    * Take Route 360 East to Warsaw, Virginia. In Warsaw, take Route 3 West to Montross, Virginia. From Montross, continue on Route 3 to Route 214 at Lerty Virginia. (It is 5 miles past the town of Montross.) Turn right and follow Route 214 for 2 miles. Stratford's gate is on the left.

Distance in Time:
    * From Washington: 2 hours
    * From Richmond: 1 1/2 hours
    * From Fredericksburg: 50 minutes
    * From Charlottesville: 2 1/2 hours
    * From Williamsburg: 2 hours

Distance in Miles:
    * Richmond to Stratford: 75
    * Washington to Stratford: 98
    * Charlottsville to Stratford: 120
    * Fredericksburg to Stratford: 42

[Administration]

US Civil War Center

The mission of the United States Civil War Center is to promote interdisciplinary study of the American Civil War. It was founded in 1993 by novelist David Madden, Professor of English at Louisiana State University, and is supported in part by a donation from the late Frank Magill, founder of Salem Press.

The Center publishes the Civil War Book Review online and promotes use of research materials at LSU and elsewhere to further study of the Civil War. The Center is not a museum or library, but facilitates preservation of Civil War documents and artifacts by putting potential donors in touch with libraries, archives, and museums dedicated to preserving America's cultural heritage.