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10 Patriotic Destinations To Visit in America

Go beyond Gettysburg. Delve into American history with a trip to one of these lesser-known (and thus far less crowded) historic sites this summer.

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Pennsylvania
Peter J. McGovern Little League Museum
The Peter. J. McGovern Little League Museum charts the evolution of one of the most influential parts of American culture from its development in 1936 to the present-day organization of over 7,000 teams. Named after the first president of Little League, the museum features hands on exhibits where baseball and softball fans of all ages can test their skills. Displays showcase photos of current major league players who began as Little Leaguers and 38 Little League graduates who have been recognized as outstanding American citizens. Right outside the museum is Lamade Stadium where the annual Little League World Series is played.

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New York
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in Red Hook, New York brings the golden years of flying to life. This museum features a large collection of vintage aircraft, vehicles, and memorabilia from the years of 1900 to 1935. Each weekend, visitors relive the golden years of flying as the Wright brothers, Charles Lindbergh, and the Red Baron are brought back to life in two different air shows. Those wanting to experience the feel and sounds of these classic machines up close can tour the flight line in a vintage automobile or take a 15-minute ride in an open-cockpit biplane over the scenic Hudson River.

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Idaho
The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center
The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Education Center explores the life of Sacajawea, a Lemhi-Shoshone woman who accompanied Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their famous journey through the West. The center celebrates the life of this remarkable woman, including the less documented years before and after the expedition. Its School of Discovery teaches visitors the skills and knowledge that were used by pioneers and the Shoshone people of Sacajawea’s time. The facilities also feature a visitors center, a monument to Sacajawea, gardens, trails, low-ropes course, and an outdoor amphitheatre.

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Kentucky
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site
Abraham Lincoln was born on February 12, 1809, in a simple one-room cabin at Sinking Spring Farm, Kentucky. Between the years of 1860 and 1905, the property changed hands many times before the Lincoln Farm Association was formed by a group of prominent Americans to preserve this piece of the nation’s heritage. While the cabin’s authenticity is controversial, the stout oak dwelling decorated with only clay chimney and a single square window captures the spirit of the times. It is enshrined and protected by an imposing memorial building built of marble and granite.

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Virginia
George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill
Before becoming our nation’s first president, George Washington was the owner of the largest distillery in America. His clever entrepreneurship led him to produce 11,000 gallons of corn and rye whiskey annually. This site in Mount Vernon, Virginia features detailed reconstructions of George Washington’s distillery and the gristmill on which he began his success. The reconstructions were built based on archaeological investigations and plans and papers found among Washington’s effects. Visitors tour these buildings daily, witnessing demonstrations of 18th-century milling and spirit-making on equipment ranging from a 16-foot waterwheel to copper stills and mash tubs.

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Alabama
U.S. Army Aviation Museum
The self-declared “Heart of Air Assault,” the U.S. Army Aviation Museum puts on display over 160 military aircraft. The exhibit includes not only attack aircraft but also planes that were used for such key support activities as observing the enemy, taking aerial military photographs, moving troops, delivering supplies, and evacuating the wounded. It showcases aircraft from many eras, ranging from World War II scout planes to the highly technologically sophisticated AH-64 Apache used in Desert Storm in 1991. Its predominant feature, however, is its tribute to helicopters, displaying aircraft including those used in Korea in 1950, the helicopter used to transport presidents Eisenhower and Kennedy, and even a one-man backpack helicopter.

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Georgia
Fort McAllister Historic Park
Fort McAllister was built at the mouth of the Great Ogeechee River in 1861 to protect Savannah, Georgia during the Civil War. The earthen fort withstood eight battles with Union gunboats before it was finally taken from the landward side by the troops of General Sherman. The historic site is now part of a 1,724-acre park where visitors can take walking tours along the fortification, with its central parade ground, reconstructed magazine, and reproduction canons. A new museum helps visitors become immersed in the drama of the epic final battle, displaying dioramas, photographs, uniforms, and artifacts.

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Kentucky
William Clark Market House Museum
The present Market House, built in 1905, is the third to exist here and is now a cultural center featuring the William Clark Market House Museum, with more than 4,800 square feet of exhibits. Treasures include, a Civil War exhibit, which features a quilt made by Mrs. Robert E. Lee, furniture used by the Lincolns in the White House, and a parlor set used by Gen. Ulysses S. Grant when he occupied Paducah.

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Maryland
Historic St. Mary's City
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, St. Mary's comes to life via historical interpreters, archaeological excavations, and re-created village buildings. While at St. Mary's be sure to visit St. John's Museum, which preserves the remains of the home of the first Provincial Secretary of Maryland. Experience life in the early colony through its interactive exhibits, such as its Print House or its Godiah Spray Tobacco Plantation with livestock. Learn about how this colony was the first to have all freemen in its government, and see where a woman first asked for the right to vote in British America.

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South Carolina
Sumter County Museum
The Sumter County Museum is represented by structures dating from an 1812 one-room cabin to the new Heritage Education Center. Relocated from the Pinewood area, the Weeks Cabin was lived in for more than 150 years by several families, including slaves, freedmen, and tenant farmers. Other structures include exhibits on farming life, the railroads, and transportation. The turn-of-the-century barn holds a carriage and a classic surrey, complete with fringe on top. A pole barn contains an array of farm equipment used when mules were the primary mode of power in the South.

Comments :
By Sassymay386, 06/30/2009, 12:50 PM EDT

Wow!! Beautiful places to visit.

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