Search Results for: Boston

kids in front of American flag at Fraunces Tavern in NY

10 Places to Learn About George Washington in the Northeast

ByJennRecord

America’s first president, George Washington, has hundreds of schools, buildings, institutions, and memorials dedicated in his honor. There are also dozens of historical sites associated with Washington  preserved all  throughout America. We recently realized that we’ve explored many historical spots connected to Washington and thought it would make a good “trail” of sorts to share with our readers. So this week, we’re sharing 11 locations throughout the Northeast dedicated to George Washington- all of which are kid friendly and offer lots of hands-on learning about our nation’s first president and the creation of America. 

kids dressed up at Saratoga National Historical Park in new York
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21 National Historic Parks in the Northeast to Enjoy This Summer

ByJennRecord

Happy National Parks Week! We personally think EVERY week should be a celebration of our National Parks and ALL of the national historical sites that the National Park Service works so hard to maintain, preserve, and protect for future generations of people to enjoy. But, we’re especially glad to join in the celebration this week.

We’ve written about the 14 National Parks we’ve visited over the past decade (find all the links here), but this week, we’d like to highlight ten National Historical Parks (NHPs) in the Northeast (from Maine down to Maryland) that we have visited, along with our travel tips and recommendations for nearby fun. Plus, to be thorough and inclusive, we’re including links to the remaining eleven historical parks that are on our bucket list.

inside the Weave Room at Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Massachusetts
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Lowell National Historical Park in Lowell, Massachusetts

ByJennRecord

The city of Lowell, Massachusetts, located just 30 miles north of Boston, was built as a factory city (because of its location next to the Merrimack River and Pawtucket Falls) and became synonymous with the American Industrial Revolution. Named for Francis Cabot Lowell, who is partially credited for creating the power loom, city locals began funding and building water-powered mills in the area in the early 1800s. By 1880 Lowell had over 100 mill buildings, 18 textile corporations, 2 machine shops, and a booming population (it was the second largest city in Massachusetts in the mid 1800s), employing over 10,000 workers in the mills. 

However, newer technological advances in more northern cotton mills took away from the businesses in Lowell and production started to decline. By the 1950s, all of the original mills and most of the textile companies closed and the buildings fell into disrepair until local citizens and businesses worked together to form the Lowell Heritage State Park in 1974. Four years later, Congress designated the space as Lowell National Historical Park and the park has continued to expand its historical exhibits, research, tours and programs for the public.

aboard the replica spooner at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA
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13 Ways to Explore the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA

ByJennRecord

In the winter of 2018 we spent a wonderful long weekend exploring the many historic sites in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. One of the museums we enjoyed was the Museum of the American Revolution, which had recently opened in 2017. When we returned to Philly this past week for a family event, we stopped by the Museum of the American Revolution for another visit. 

Great Mammal Hall at the Harvard Museum of Natural History in Cambridge, MA

Playing “I Spy” at the Harvard Museum of Natural History in Cambridge, MA

ByJennRecord

The Harvard Museums of Science and Culture are a collection of four renowned museums on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The museum showcase the wide variety of collections of its members and donors and the ongoing research and work of Harvard educators, students, and curators. The largest museum, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, has 16 galleries spread across three floors (and the adjacent Peabody Museum) dedicated to dinosaurs, meteorites, gemstones, animals and insects in addition to several rotating exhibits. There are also several family programs and special events offered throughout the year that the whole family will enjoy.