We created this book to provide a new kind of travel guide -
one that not only showcases premier historic destinations, but also
uses their histories to tell the story of early America.

Our goal is to excite your imagination, stimulate your curiosity and
encourage you to journey into a very remarkable past.
 

An American Passion
While history is an inevitable part of childhood education in America, classroom learning tends to center on major events and famous people. For a more personal connection, many of us page through old family photo albums and ask about handed-down memories, but the information is typically skimpy. Eager to know more, we turn to historical novels, non-fiction literature, movies, docudramas, documentaries, museums, history-oriented websites and whatever else can provide a window into the past.

One could say “that is enough,” except many Americans clearly are hungry for more. Tens of thousands research their family genealogy, searching for clues on the Internet and in public records. Countless more bring history into their lives by furnishing their home with antiques, building hobbies around old collectibles, and purchasing history-inspired clothing and crafts. Just as noteworthy, thousands of Americans also participate in re-enactments, donning period clothing and immersing themselves in past times for a weekend, a week or longer.

Our own passion for history did not come through any of these routes. It came through traveling. In fact, it grew out of a cross-country vacation back in 1993.

Our Journey
There was a time when we were totally involved in the modern world, consumed by family and job responsibilities, focused on today and tomorrow. Any interest we had in history had been shoved into the background. When we wanted a break, we traveled - usually to scenic spots and theme parks. For a high school graduation gift, however, we decided to take a month-long trip across America. We skipped the theme parks and included historic farms, forts and villages. Our intent was simply to have a different and fun family vacation. We didn't expect it to be life-altering, too.

Traveling with two teenagers, we rented a motorhome - primarily because it provided space to stretch out, nap, read and play games along the way. Little did we realize how much the entire family would enjoy the freedom and ease of motorhome travel. Except for one special hotel and some restaurant stops, we all preferred “the road warrior.” That was our first surprise.

As the trip unfolded, we followed a carefully planned itinerary so that we could see as much as possible in the time available. On the list were a number of historic destinations. They did not include the Williamsburg, Jamestown and Plimoth historical parks - those did not fit into our itinerary. Instead, this trip included lesser-known sites. They were highly diverse; so we expected them to be interesting. But they offered far more than we had realized, and we were all captivated. That was our second, even bigger, surprise.

• In the Colonial Spanish Quarter of St. Augustine, Florida, we visited an authentically re-created 1700s village, where people in period attire were working “in character.” Here, an animated blacksmith set aside his tools to talk with us. “I spit on the Industrial Revolution,” he exclaimed. “Life is harder now. Machine-made goods are destroying my business. Before long, handmade crafts will be obsolete!” Hmmm...

• A few days later, at the Agrirama in Tifton, Georgia, we met families “working” on an historical farm and “living” in faithfully restored buildings typical of rural Georgia in the late 1800s. Not only did these people show us the life of American ancestors, they also let us try some of the old tasks ourselves - the gals assembled a barrel in the cooper's shed while the guys learned how to convert pine sap into turpentine.

• At Oconaluftee Indian Village, adjacent to the Great Smokies in North Carolina, we learned about the old Cherokee ways. A man knapped flint to make arrowheads; a woman wove a complex and lovely basket from strips of wood; another woman created a fancy beadwork belt. We asked many questions and learned much first-hand - all of it new and interesting.

• Then at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill northeast of Harrodsburg, Kentucky, we walked into an early 1800s religious community. Here we were able to explore dozens of restored buildings, experience the peaceful beauty of their environment, and enjoy a traditional meal of home-grown foods served family-style. We could even have stayed overnight, had time permitted.

And so the trip went...repeatedly bringing us face-to-face with a history that is distinctively American. At the end, we found ourselves drawn to discover more. So that fall, we flew to the Northeast, rented another motorhome and visited several more Living History parks.

• At Strawbery Banke in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, we were captivated by the 250+ years of urban change depicted in a restored historic area. Actors who had adopted the persona of original inhabitants invited visitors into homes and businesses, talked about their “memories” and showed us a life gone by - difficult, challenging, funny, intriguing.

• A few days later, we enjoyed the harmony and ingenuity of the early 1800s religious community at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It was a remarkable find, filled with Shaker inventions, well-preserved buildings and fascinating stories.

• The day after that, we were in Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Massachusetts, talking with its “inhabitants” and traditional artisans, surrounding ourselves with the spirit of an 1830s community of farmers and business people.

• Following a break to see colorful fall foliage, we traveled further back in time - at Salem 1630: Pioneer Village (currently closed for renovation) in Salem, Massachusetts. This Living History attraction provided a marvelous opportunity to see how many of the earliest Euro-American settlers lived - initially in dug-out hovels, then in bundled-reed houses patterned after Native American wigwams, and finally in wooden buildings with thatched roofs reminiscent of England or with shingled roofs more appropriate to America. We had the good fortune to meet a university professor who served as our guide. Offering a wealth of knowledge, he told us how he lived many of the old ways in his private life so that he could better understand the early colonists. This included sleeping on a rope bed with a straw-stuffed mattress, raising and shearing heritage sheep, spinning wool, and knitting himself a sweater each year. One doesn't meet people like that every day!

• We finished off our trip at the Boston National Historical Park, where we took an inspiring all-day walk to Revolution-era sites along the Freedom Trail.

All of this was, for us, just the beginning. The next summer, we purchased our own motorhome. In subsequent years, we not only continued to pursue our nation's history, we also began following the westward odyssey of Suzanne's ancestors (including Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620 and their descendants who traveled on the Oregon and California Trails in 1846). Most startling was our visit to Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts, a re-creation of the Pilgrim village. Once inside this fenced Living History park, we felt like we had entered a foreign country. The interpreters were dressed in 1627 attire and talked in the language of 1627 about things relevant only to that period. We visited the re-created home of Suzanne's ancestors, met her “great-great-great-great-great...grandmother” and chatted about life in the New World. The woman she portrayed was just 13 years old when she arrived in 1620 America, and she lost both of her parents the first winter. The man she eventually married also came on the Mayflower, as an indentured servant to the first governor of the colony (who died in the spring of 1621). Being at Plimoth Plantation, talking with her and seeing how she lived...that was the closest thing to time travel!

In the years since then, we have continued our adventures. Fortunate to be able to manage our jobs via the Internet, we have crisscrossed America many times, driving to all of the states (including Alaska) and flying to Hawai'i. Ultimately, we sold our house and became fulltime RVers for a couple of years. When practical matters caused us to settle down, we chose to live in the historic Mother Lode region of central California, where the Forty Niners prospected for gold and the downtown buildings date from the mid-1800s. And yes, we continue to travel extensively, not just in America but elsewhere as well.

The Book
Our decision to create America's Living History-The Early Years goes back about three years. We were frustrated by missing great places - learning about them after we had passed them by - and discovering other major attractions purely by accident. (Many sites either don't have a sufficient advertising budget, or they fail to get on the radar screen of travel guide publishers.) A prime example was North West Company Fur Post near Pine City, Minnesota. We saw its modest sign while driving the Interstate. Was it a store selling furs, we wondered, or an historic site? We stopped to look. It was closed for the day and beyond view down a forest road. The only clue we had to its significance was a sign mentioning the Minnesota Historical Society. But that was enough for us. We had seen the state's exceptional Fort Snelling and knew the potential was very good. So we stayed overnight nearby and visited the park the next morning. It had an Ojibwe dwelling and an authentically reconstructed fort/fur post, plus a very good museum. While there, we learned about another extraordinary site unknown to us - Forts Folle Avoine near Danbury, Wisconsin. It would have been a great shame to miss these attractions!

The lack of a good guidebook had become a problem. We needed help to find such great attractions, but nothing served our needs. So we decided to create our own history-oriented travel guide. Extensive research enabled us to identify close to 2,000 historical parks, specialty museums and heritage sites scattered throughout America. That number was too great to put into one book and do them justice. So we divided the list into two periods of history: before the mid-1840s and after. We then focused on the earliest period - the time before Manifest Destiny, before America believed it had a right (by Divine Providence) to expand across the entire continent. Our first edit reduced the list to about 750 sites. Further research reduced it to about 450, most of which we have visited.

The best 300 became recommended destinations in America's Living History-The Early Years. We selected these attractions based on historic authenticity, completeness of the visitor experience, significance to our national heritage and, wherever possible, interpretive programs. Most have Living History activities. Some are restorations; others are reconstructions. All make the past come alive. We hope you find them to be as engaging and enlightening as we do.