Field Trips for Social Studies

These experiences, when carefully aligned to Illinois Learning Standards and District curriculum, provide valuable experiences for the enrichment of Social Studies lessons taught within the classroom. Perhaps a family trip might include one or more of these sites! And... if you don't have time for an out-of-the-classroom field trip, several of these locations offer outreach programs.

Recommmended Field Trips for Grades K-5
From District 205
Students will have the opportunity to experience the major resources in Rockford and the surrounding area. This list was compiled by the district in May 2009.

Midway Village Museum
In Rockford, Illinois
"The museum is a Victorian Village (1890 to 1910) of 24 historical buildings filled with artifacts of the era as well as several beautiful 19th century gardens. Interpreters in authentic period dress are available seasonally for guided tours. The main museum building holds a number of permanent exhibits reflecting Rockford's history and culture that include The Girls of Summer: Rockford Peaches of the AAGPBL, Queen City of the Prairies: Rockford's First 20 Years and The Missing Link: Socks, Monkeys and Rockford's Industrial Past." Be sure to check out their Outreach/Traveling History Programs which include:
� Queen City of the Prairie
� School Days
� Etiquette/Parlor Games
� Civil War - For Lincoln and Liberty
� Vintage Base Ball
� Transcontinental Railroad
� James Henry Breasted, Archeology and the Tomb of King Tut
� Primary Source Documents
� Sock Monkey History
� The Remarkable Bessica Medlar Raiche
� The History of the Pledge of Allegiance
And, just for third graders, the "Making Rockford History Come Alive" program, designed specifically to meet the curricular needs of Grade 3!

Isle a la Cache Museum
In Joliet, Illinois
"�Island of the Hiding Place� - this title is the translation of the French phrase �Isle a la Cache.� It refers to a time when the French voyageurs traveled down rivers deep into the wild unknowns; a time when the native Potawatomi lived off the land for food, shelter, clothing, and medicine; a time when it was stylish in Europe to wear hats from beaver fur found plentiful in the new land, the Illinois Country. The 18th century was a time of change and the creation of a �Middle Ground� between Europeans and Native Americans. Learn all about this period in history at Isle a la Cache Museum.�

First Division Museum at Cantigny
In Wheaton, Illinois
"The 1st Infantry Division is the quintessential organization of the United States Army during the 20th century. Organized on June 8, 1917, for duty on the Western Front in World War I, this first permanent division in the regular Army has seen action in all American wars since 1917, except the Korean, and has performed magnificently in all of its service. Often the first unit of the Army to deploy and engage the enemy, the division has been characterized by an ability to learn systematically from experience and to distill this learning into techniques and methods to improve battlefield performance. Central to this learning has been the training of soldiers and the development of competent leaders at all levels. In the process the �Big Red One� (so called for the red numeral that has adorned its shoulder patch since 1918) has also been characterized by a remarkable esprit that has remained with the veterans long after their active service has ended. That human experience is an important part of the American national experience. The 1st Division�s contributions to this nation�s defense offer insights into the history of the Army and the United States." Lesson plans are available on the website. Download a teacher�s guide with complete information on the museum by going to this address: http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/education/Pdfs/TeachersGuide.pdf.

The Ellwood House and Museum
In DeKalb,Illinois
Ellwood House, a grand Victorian mansion, is located in a lovely park in the heart of DeKalb, Illinois. Inside, crystal chandeliers sparkle, gilt mirrors shine, and antique woodwork gleams. A visit to this elegant home brings the past to life! Built by barbed wire millionaire Isaac L. Ellwood in 1879, the mansion remains with its original furnishings just as when the Ellwood family lived there decades ago. Experience a by-gone era as you tour the great English living room with its vast stone fireplace, the mahogany-paneled dining room, and the magnificent rotunda with a three-story spiral staircase. The many restored bedrooms, servants� rooms, and service areas provide a glimpse of a complete household at the turn of the twentieth century.�

John Deere Historic Site
In Grand Detour, Illiinois
�In 1836, John Deere, a blacksmith recently transplanted from Vermont, set up shop in the small Rock River town of Grand Detour, Illinois. Deere, who was enterprising and innovative, met many disheartened farmers who were discouraged by their efforts to cultivate the sticky Midwestern soil. Deere was convinced that the soil would shed itself from a plow that was highly polished and properly shaped. In 1837, using a discarded saw blade, he forged such a plow. His �self-polishing� plow grew in popularity, and as it did, so did the company that bears his name.�

The Milton House
In Milton, Wisconsin
Documented as being a stop on the Underground Railroad, the Milton House was built by Joseph Goodrich, founder of the town of Milton. The Milton House Museum is a unique and important historic site:
� The first grout building in the United States.
� Hexagonal traveler's inn from the 1840's
� Stop on the Underground Railroad with a unique tunnel hid the slaves.

The Owen-Lovejoy House
In Princeton, Illinois
"A Former Station on the Underground Railroad, the Lovejoy Homestead is located at the eastern edge of Princeton, Illinois, and was the home of the Denham and Lovejoy families for nearly 100 years."

Stephen Mack Home & Whitman Trading Post-Museum
In Rockton, Illinois
"On a forested bluff overlooking the Rock and Pecatonica Rivers in Rockton are the remnants of Winnebago County's earliest settlement. It was founded in mid-1830's by Stephen Andrew Mack, Jr., and his wife, Hononegah. Macktown, then known as Pekatonic, represents a time and place of change on the Illinois frontier when the fur trade collided with a progressive world."

Tinker Swiss Cottage
In Rockford, Illinois
�Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum is a treasure trove of a time gone by. Rockford, Illinois businessman Robert Hall Tinker built the home in 1865, perching it high on a limestone bluff overlooking Kent Creek. His inspiration came from an 1862 tour of Europe where he fell in love with the architecture of Switzerland. Today the Cottage is one of only a handful of Swiss-style homes remaining in the United States from the 1800s.�

U.S. Grant Home
In Galena, Illinois
"On August 18, 1865, Galena celebrated the return of its Civil War hero General Ulysses S. Grant. Following a jubilant procession with much flag waving and speeches, a group of Galena citizens presented the General with a handsome furnished house on Bouthillier Street. The house is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency as the U.S. Grant Home State Historic Site."

Apple River Fort State Historic Site
In Elizabeth, Illinois
"The Apple River Fort was the site of an important battle during the Black Hawk War. It was the only fort attacked by Black Hawk during the turbulent summer of 1832. On June 24, 1832, the settlers at the fort turned back an attack by some 200 Sauk and Fox warriors led by Black Hawk. The war which lasted only 16 weeks, ended the threat of Indian attacks in the area and opened the region to further settlement. Many notable men participated in the Black Hawk War including a young Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis and General Winfield Scott. Abraham Lincoln and his militia company arrived at the fort the day after the battle. Today, the fort has been reconstructed and is open for self-guided tours. Special events throughout the year highlight many aspects of life in Jo Daviess County in 1832. Exhibits at the Interpretive Center, on the trail, and at the fort tell the story of the Sauk and Fox, the early settlers and the conflict that became known as the Black Hawk War."

Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum
In Springfield, Illinois
"The ALPLM not only preserves history � it makes history by enabling millions of visitors from around the world to experience the Lincoln story in its entirety, as nowhere else."

Tour the Ronald Reagan Trail
Throughout Ilinois
�A self-guided driving tour that celebrates the hometown values and heritage of our 40th President."

The DuSable Museum of African American History
In Chicago, Illinois
"The DuSable Museum of African American History, the first and oldest institution of its kind in the country, has been dedicated to the collection, preservation, interpretation and dissemination of the history and culture of Africans and Americans of African descent for more than 46 years."

Stephenson County Historical Society Museum
In Freeport, Illinois
"Visitors in Freeport can visit one of the city's oldest homes, the Taylor Home from 1857, as well as many exhibits at the Stephenson County Historical Society Museum. The grounds of the home include several areas of interest, including a schoolhouse, a farm museum, a log cabin and an arboretum."

Union Depot Railroad Museum
In Mendota, Illinois
"Through a combination of outdoor exhibits and indoor displays, the Union Depot Railroad Museum is able to show guests how the railroad affected Mendota. On the grounds sits a connected train with a steam engine, dining car and caboose. Inside there are railway displays, including a map of the lines running through Mendota in the early 1900s."

Midwest Museum of Natural History
In Sycamore, Illinois
"The Midwest Museum of Natural History provides visitors with a look at the evolution of animals over thousands of years. A variety of mammals, reptiles and birds from North America, Africa are on display. An interactive section of the museum allows children to learn by doing. Other facilities include a library, a theater and traveling exhibits."

Galena - Jo Daviess County Historical Society
In Galena, Illinois
"This private, non-profit organization runs a museum to preserve the history of the Galena area and Jo Daviess County. The mansion which houses the museum was built in 1858 as a private residence. They offer selfguided museum tours, as well as guided walking tours of Galena, a cemetery walk, with costumed actors portraying historical figures, and historic home tours."

Little White School Museum
In Oswego, Illinois
"The Little White School Museum has had several purposes since it was built in 1850. Originally a church, this building acted as a school until 1960 and today houses a museum with an extensive archive collection."

The Pecatonica Heritage Museum
In Pecatonica, Illinois
"Located inside a historic grain elevator, the Pecatonica Heritage Museum was established to preserve the town and agriculture history. The elevator is three stories tall and was constructed in the late 19th century."

LaSalle County Historical Society & Museum
In Utica, Illinois
"Located inside a former warehouse, visitors can witness displays of Utica and area history. Native artifacts, Lincoln-related items and significant pieces of the I&M Canal history are just a few of the exhibits housed in the museum."

Poplar Grove Vintage Wings & Wheels Museum
In Poplar Grove, Illinois
"The Poplar Grove Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum is housed in the Crites Hangar at the Poplar Grove Airport. Inside. Inside visitors will find a variety of automotive and airplane displays, explaining the changes in these vehicles throughout the years."

Silver Creek Museum
In Freeport, Illinois
"The Silver Creek Museum of Freeport, Illinois is a not-for-profit educational organization, preserving Freeport's and America's historical heritage. Come visit our wonderful 28 room Museum filled with memories from yesteryear."

Boone County Historical Museum
In Belvidere, Illinois
"From 160-year-old pioneer structures to Civil War memorabilia, the Boone County Historical Museum in Belvidere has preserved its past for visitors to experience. Natural history displays and old-day transportation vehicles can be viewed as well."

Ottawa Scouting Museum
In Ottawa, Illinois
"Filled with Boy Scout, Girl Guide and Fire Camp memorabilia, the Ottawa Scouting Museum takes visitors through the history of these popular groups. Photographs, artifacts, life-sized displays and biographies on key figures help people can learn about the community groups and how they have grown and changed over the years. Various programs and events are also sponsered by the museum."

The Hume-Carnegie Museum
In Mendota, Illinois
Did you know that Wild Bill Hickock was born in Troy Grove, Illinois, just southeast of Mendota? "The Hume-Carnegie Museum is located in a restored library, once a Carnegie library. Inside guests will find more than 100 years of local history told through photos, memorabilia, medical equipment and musical instruments. There is also a collection of Wild Bill Hickok artifacts."

A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum
In Chicago, Illinois
�The A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum�s is to promote, honor and celebrate the legacy of A. Philip Randolph and contributions made by African-Americans to America's labor history. The museum exists for the purpose of providing educational and cultural enrichment for all of mankind. All activities, past, present and future, are for the purpose of objectives that are inexorably intertwined - the study, preservation, interpretation, and enjoyment of African-American history and culture. The permanent collection displays exhibits which are pertinent to the study of the Pullman Historic District, the Great Migration, American Labor History, A. Philip Randolph, the Pullman Porters, and the American Civil Rights Movement.�

Camp Grant Museum
In Rockford, Illinois
"The Command Post Restaurant houses the Camp Grant Museum. The Museum strives to preserve some of Rockford's local history. The Building was the first of three fire stations at the camp and later the Induction and muster out center for Camp Grant during the World War II."

Cedarville Area Historical Society
In Cedarville, Illinois
Cedarville is the birthplace of Jane Addams, Nobel Peace Prize winner. Her birthplace is a private residence and NOT open to the public. At this link you can experience a virtual tour of Jane Addams's home.

Ethnic Heritage Museum
In Rockford, Illinois
"Local history lives on in a quaint home built in 1850 and known today as The Ethnic Heritage Museum . Here, you will find six fascinating galleries devoted to the primary immigrant groups that settled in southwest Rockford, IL. African-American, Hispanic, Irish, Italian, Lithuanian and Polish. Through displays of early Rockford's maps, everyday artifacts, vintage clothing and more, visitors of all ages can learn about Old Worldcustoms and traditions. Historical photographs tell the stories of the earliest settlers who established factories near the old 'waterpower district' and built their homes nearby. By comparing early with current lifestyles, the museum strives to bridge the gap between yesterday and today ... encouraging visitors to relive the past with a clear focus on Rockford's bright future."

Swedish Historical Society's Erlander Home
In Rockford, Illinois
"The Erlander Home Museum is a cultural centerpiece of Rockford's Swedish ancestry community,and a major asset of the Society. The Museum is located within the home which was built for John Erlander and his family in 1871, within the historic Haight Village of Rockford."

The Joseph F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center
In DeKalb, Illinois
"Joseph Farwell Glidden's invention of one of the most widely-used types of barbed wire in 1873, helped change the history of the American West and had far-reaching impact throughout the world. Glidden invented 'The Winner' (patented Nov. 24, 1874) at the DeKalb, IL, home he built in the 1860s."

Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
In Collinsville, Illinois
�One of the greatest cities of the world, Cahokia was larger than London was in AD 1250. The Mississippians who lived here were accomplished builders who erected a wide variety of structures from practical homes for everyday living to monumental public works that have maintained their grandeur for centuries.�

Pullman State Historic Site
In Chicago, Illinois
"Fifteen miles south of the Chicago loop, at the center of the historic planned industrial Pullman community, Pullman State Historic Site uses historic structures and public programs to showcase 19th and 20th Century industrial society. The signature Clock Tower Administration Building and Assembly Shops and the grand four story Hotel Florence give tangible evidence to the national and international influences of Pullman � on transportation, industrial design, architecture, labor, urban and town planning and landscape design � in the contemporary context of America�s post-industrial economy, where much of the evidence of the industrial age has already disappeared.�

Fort de Chartres
In Prairie du Rocher, Illinois
"Fort de Chartres is the last of three eighteenth-century forts by that name erected near the Mississippi River by France's colonial government. From 1720 to 1763 French administration of the Illinois Country was centered at the forts, built successively over a 40-year period on or near the same site. The stone fort, built in the 1750s and abandoned in 1771, has been partially reconstructed to provide a glimpse of life in Illinois under the French regime. Fort de Chartres State Historic Site, which also preserves the archaeological remains of the earlier wooden forts, is managed by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency."

Vandalia State House
In Vandalia, Illionis
"The Vandalia State House, the fourth Illinois statehouse, served as the capitol from 1836 until 1839 and is the oldest surviving capitol building in the state. The first (1818-1820) was at Kaskaskia, the state�s first capital. The second (1820-1823), third (1824-1836), and fourth (1836-1839) were at Vandalia. The fifth (1839-1876) is in Springfield and is preserved as the Old State Capitol State Historic Site. The sixth is the current capitol (1876-present) in Springfield. The Vandalia State House is significant for its association with Abraham Lincoln, who served in the House of Representatives. In 1974 the State House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places."

Camp River DuBois
In Hartford, Illinois
"The Lewis and Clark site commemorates Camp Dubois, the 1803-1804 winter camp of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. It was at the camp on Wood River that members of the Corps of Discovery prepared their expedition to the Pacific Ocean."

Outreach/Traveling History Programs
From Midway Village Museum
"Bring History into your classroom or activity center! Our traveling Trunks offer you the opportunity to bring hands-on artifacts right to your group. One of our interpreters in authentic period clothing will make the presentation come alive with additional information and stories. Presentations are 45-minutes to 1 hour long." Presentations include:
� Queen City of the Prairie
� School Days
� Etiquette/Parlor Games
� Civil War - For Lincoln and Liberty
� Vintage Base Ball
� Transcontinental Railroad
� James Henry Breasted, Archeology and the Tomb of King Tut
� Primary Source Documents
� Sock Monkey History
� The Remarkable Bessica Medlar Raiche
� The History of the Pledge of Allegiance
Please contact Midway Village Museum at 815-397-9112 for all the details!

Amboy Depot Museum
In Amboy, Illinois
"The Amboy Depot Museum is located in a former depot and division headquarters of the Illinois Central Railroad located in Amboy, Illinois. The building is an architecturally unique two-story building built of brick and cut Joliet limestone and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has been completely restored both inside and out, and includes the original brick tarmac surrounding the depot and the grounds of the former rail-yard, now preserved as a city park. Also reconstructed were the distinctive chimney caps on the building's eight chimneys, fully restoring the building to its original exterior configuration. Within the museum are artifacts of both the history of Amboy and the Illinois Central Railroad."

Chaplin Creek Village
In Franklin Grove, Illinois
�Chaplin Creek Village is an evolving, full-scale historical restoration project depicting a prairie settlement typical of the middle 19th century. The village is being developed around a crossroads as many small communities did at that time. The name for the village, �Chaplin,� comes from the first settlement in the area, which was just north of the historic site at the intersection of Lahman and State streets in the Village of Franklin Grove.� "The Third Annual Battle of Chaplin Creek - Civil War Reenactment & Living History Weekend sponsored by the Franklin Grove Area Historical Society and hosted by Battery G, 2nd Illinois Light Artillery Civil War Reenactment Unit" will be held June 26-27, 2010.

Illinois Railway Museum
In Union, Illinois
The Illinois Railway Museum was "founded to demonstrate the importance of railways in the founding of the Chicago area and the United States, and to preserve early railroad cars." All about trains and more!

Ronald Reagan Boyhood Home
In Dixon, Illinois
�All of us have to have a place we go back to. Dixon is that place for me. There was the life that has shaped my body and mind for all the years to come.� - Ronald Reagan

Burpee Natural History Museum
In Rockford, Illinois
"See a 39 foot long Tyrannosaurus Rex skeletal, explore the relationships between predators and prey in the natural world. Visit the Dean and Nancy Olson Specimen Viewing Lab to see how specimens are prepared for the museum's collections and exhibits."

The Newberry Library
In Chicago, Illinois
�The Newberry Library provides a home to a world-class collection of books, manuscripts, and maps, and also to a growing community of readers. [Their] collections, spanning many centuries, feature a wide range of materials, from illuminated medieval manuscripts to rich genealogical resources, and from early printed books to the personal papers of Midwest authors. The Newberry offers highly acclaimed programs for serious readers: fellowships for scholars, seminars for undergraduates, professional development activities for teachers, and a variety of seminars, lectures, and workshops.�

McCormick Freedom Project
In Chicago, Illinois
"The McCormick Freedom Project was established to help citizens, especially students, recognize the value of the freedoms we enjoy in this country, with particular emphasis on their First Amendment rights. We present information that is balanced and unbiased, and invite people to make up their own mind about issues. We encourage dialogue from different viewpoints and provide a safe place for various perspectives to be shared without judgment." Th MFP can provide Discovery Trunks for grades 6-8 and Speakers in Schools for grades 9-12.

Illinois Labor Trail
An Online Experience!
"The Labor Trail is the product of a joint effort to showcase the many generations of dramatic struggles and working-class life in the Chicago area's rich and turbulent past. The Trail's neighborhood tours invite you to get acquainted with the events, places, and people -- often unsung -- who have made the city what it is today." This is an outstanding interactive experience that examines "significant locations in the history of labor, migration, and working-class culture in Chicago and Illinois." No need to leave home!

Chicago History Museum
In Chicago, Illinois
"The Chicago History Museum stands at the crossroads of America�s past and its future. The Chicago History Museum cares for, showcases, and interprets millions of authentic pieces of Chicago and U.S. history. Our ability to illuminate the past is a reminder of what really happened once upon a time, sheds light on the present, and compellingly informs the future."

Naper Settlement
In Naper, Illinois
�Joseph Naper is credited with founding Naperville along the DuPage River in 1831. He drew the first plat in 1842 and was elected the president of the board when the village of Naperville was incorporated in 1857. Early families like the Napers, Scotts, Hobsons, and Paines came primarily from the Northeast; by the 1840s they were joined by Pennsylvanians, Germans, English, and Scots. They built at least seven churches, four of which held most services in German. Naperville became an important stop at the crossroads of two main stage routes that ran from Chicago to Galena and to Ottawa. By 1832, 180 residents had built sawmills, gristmills, stores, and the Pre-Emption House hotel. The town became the county seat when DuPage County was established in 1839.�

Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center
In Skokie, IL
This museum "examines historical events of the Holocaust and WWII period, as well as exhibiting modern student reflection in the form of art and poetry."

History Around Town!
From the Chicago History Museum
A plethora of museum links from the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum to the Zion Historical Society! Very helpful if you are planning to visit the Chicago area!

The Logan Museum of Anthropology
At Beloit College, in Beloit, Wisconsin
"Since its founding in 1893, the Logan Museum has been a teaching museum of Beloit College, promoting hands-on, interdisciplinary, and international approaches to anthropological learning."

Old World Wisconsin
In Eagle, Wisconsin
"It is appropriate that Old World Wisconsin was opened in 1976. There could no better way to commemorate 200 years of American history than by vividly re-creating the sights, sounds and spirit of this country at its birth. The museum's more than 60 historic structures range from ethnic farmsteads with furnished houses and rural outbuildings, to a crossroads village with its traditional small-town institutions. The efforts of countless historians have preserved an amazing slice of true Americana � one that will be enjoyed for generations to come."

Milwaukee Public Museum
In Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"Founded in 1882 and opened to the public in 1884, the MPM has three floors of exhibits that encompass life-size dioramas, walk-through villages, world cultures, dinosaurs, a rain forest and a live butterfly garden, as well as the Humphrey IMAX Dome Theater and the Daniel M. Soref Planetarium. The museum houses more than 4.5 million objects and hosts nearly half a million visitors each year." In the Streets of Old Milwaukee exhibit, you can "visit Milwaukee around the turn-of-the-century - roughly the 1880s to just prior to World War I. Buildings are represented at about three-quarters size or less. The streets are constructed from three different styles of paving: granite blocks originally from Buffalo Street, red bricks, and cedar blocks."


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