Primary Sources > Historic Sites

Although not often considered a primary source, historic homes, buildings, landscapes, and sites can reveal much about the past. Architectural designs, period furnishings, heirloom plantings, and other property features have much to tell about the people who created them and the times in which they lived. The Ohio Historical Society maintains historic sites throughout the state. Noteworthy examples may be used, along with their more familiar primary sources, to enhance classroom teaching.

The following links will load in new windows.

Ohio Historical Society Sites
A good starting place for teachers looking for information about historic properties around the state, this OHS web site provides an overview of all of the Society's sites throughout Ohio. Teachers can browse by topics ranging from Canals to Religion.

Ohio Historic Preservation Office
This Ohio Historical Society office identifies buildings, sites, structures, and objects in the state that are worthy of being preserved, as well as nominates eligible properties to the National Register of Historic Places. Of special interest to third grade teachers are the "Historic Places in Ohio," and "Preservation in Your Town" pages.

Links To The Past
This excellent National Park Service web site explores America's cultural resources, including buildings, landscapes, archaeological sites and ethnographic resources by categories that include "People," "Places," "Objects," and "Events." Topics within those categories range from "Our Shared History: African-American Heritage" to "We Shall Overcome: Historic Places of the Civil Rights Movement." Of special interest is the "Treasures of the Nation," which features a database of 76 million museum objects, specimens and objects found in 300 National Park Service facilities.

Adena Restoration
Created with the re-opening of this significant statehood property, this web site provides details about the restoration process. For teachers looking for assistance for how historians conduct research for the "Social Studies Skills and Methods" Content Standard, this is a good one to check out!