As someone with an intense interest in technology, as are obviously most members of this Forum, I'm also interested in the area of industrial archaeology which deals with the preserving, interpreting and documenting of our industrial and technological past and its development. The field of industrial archaeology is increasingly supported by both academic institutions and interest groups in various areas. For those of you who might have some interest in this study, I'll list a number of institutions committed to historical preservation of this nature, that unless otherwise noted, my family and I have actually visited.
Starting with the Southern Tier region of New York State, the Wings of Eagles (National Warplane Museum) located at the Elmira-Corning Regional Airport, 17 Aviation Drive, Horseheads, NY, 14845. Website: www.warplane.org/windex.cfm
An exhibit of military aircraft from World War II to the present, both piston engine and jet in addition to engines and auxiliary equipment.
Covering an even earlier era is the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome located in Rhinebeck, NY. Website: www.oldrhinebeck.org
The Aerodrome features aircraft, automobiles, motorcycles, early engines and memorabilia from 1900-1930. Weekend airshows run from mid-June to mid-October. Saturday shows feature a variety of antique aircraft from the pioneer, World War I and Lindbergh era that take to the skies and the Sunday show features a World War I dogfight and barnstorming aircraft. This is the only site that I know of in this area where you can see planes flying with rotary (not radial) engines. The airshows are kind of hokey but they're a lot of fun and the kids love them.
Moving east to Connecticut, there is of course the Connecticut Antique Machinery Museum located just north of Kent and south of Kent Falls state park on Rt. US 7. Website: www.ctamachinery.com
I recently learned of The Golden Age Truck Museum located at 1101 Southford Road, Middlebury, CT, 06762. I haven't visited it yet so I can't vouch for it but check out the website: http://www.goldenagetruckmuseum.com
According to the site, they have trucks on display from 1912-1985.
Also in Connecticut is located the New England Air Museum at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, CT. This is one of the finest air museums with three exhibit hangars containing planes from all periods of aviation history including an excellent warbird collection.
Turning now to Massachusetts, there is a really impressive display of the history of America's Industrial Revolution located at Lowell, MA. This is the Boott Cotton Mills Museum with its operating weave room of 88 power looms, the "mill girl" boardinghouses and the Suffolk Mill Turbine Exhibit. The museum also includes textile mills, worker housing, over 5 miles of canals and 19th century commercial buildings. This museum holds particular interest for our wives and girlfrinds because of the large number of women employees who worked for the Mill and because it illustrates the tremendous cultural upheavals that women were forced to undergo because of the Industrial Revolution. It also demonstrates New England's great industrial past as an important manufacturing center that for the most part, for a variety of reasons, has long since disappeared. This museum is operated by the National Park Service and you can find the website at: http://www.nps.gov/lowe
On to Vermont for a visit to The American Precision Museum located at 196 Main Street, Windsor, VT, 05089. Website: www.americanprecision.org
Included in the exhibits are machine tools, measuring devices, sewing machines, typewriters, firearms, precision hand tools and scale models. Here you can trace the evolution of machine tools from their crude early beginnings to the precision instruments they have become today. The collection of early turret lathes on display I found especially interesting. This area of New England was once an important machine tool manufacturing center and the museum stands as another example of the regions past manufacturing preemminence.
In New Hampshire, you train buffs might want to visit the Conway Scenic Railroad located in N. Conway, NH. Here, you'll find a collection of railroad equipment from the turn of the century to the 1950's. Even if you're not that interested in trains, you might want to consider taking one of the scenic train rides, especially the one to Crawford Notch, as the scenery is breathtaking.
Website: www.conwayscenic.com
Finally, Maine has the Seashore Trolley Museum located in Kennebunkport. Website: http://www.trolleymuseum.org
An extensive collection of trolley cars and trolley car rides are available. Trolley cars were once an important part of America's transportation network and its interesting to look at their historical development especially in light of the renewed interest in contempoary light rail projects.
Obviously, I've only scratched the surface here as there are many other interesting sites to explore in search of America's past. Please feel free to post any other sites that you think might be of interest in this area.
Happy Motoring!
Starting with the Southern Tier region of New York State, the Wings of Eagles (National Warplane Museum) located at the Elmira-Corning Regional Airport, 17 Aviation Drive, Horseheads, NY, 14845. Website: www.warplane.org/windex.cfm
An exhibit of military aircraft from World War II to the present, both piston engine and jet in addition to engines and auxiliary equipment.
Covering an even earlier era is the Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome located in Rhinebeck, NY. Website: www.oldrhinebeck.org
The Aerodrome features aircraft, automobiles, motorcycles, early engines and memorabilia from 1900-1930. Weekend airshows run from mid-June to mid-October. Saturday shows feature a variety of antique aircraft from the pioneer, World War I and Lindbergh era that take to the skies and the Sunday show features a World War I dogfight and barnstorming aircraft. This is the only site that I know of in this area where you can see planes flying with rotary (not radial) engines. The airshows are kind of hokey but they're a lot of fun and the kids love them.
Moving east to Connecticut, there is of course the Connecticut Antique Machinery Museum located just north of Kent and south of Kent Falls state park on Rt. US 7. Website: www.ctamachinery.com
I recently learned of The Golden Age Truck Museum located at 1101 Southford Road, Middlebury, CT, 06762. I haven't visited it yet so I can't vouch for it but check out the website: http://www.goldenagetruckmuseum.com
According to the site, they have trucks on display from 1912-1985.
Also in Connecticut is located the New England Air Museum at Bradley International Airport, Windsor Locks, CT. This is one of the finest air museums with three exhibit hangars containing planes from all periods of aviation history including an excellent warbird collection.
Turning now to Massachusetts, there is a really impressive display of the history of America's Industrial Revolution located at Lowell, MA. This is the Boott Cotton Mills Museum with its operating weave room of 88 power looms, the "mill girl" boardinghouses and the Suffolk Mill Turbine Exhibit. The museum also includes textile mills, worker housing, over 5 miles of canals and 19th century commercial buildings. This museum holds particular interest for our wives and girlfrinds because of the large number of women employees who worked for the Mill and because it illustrates the tremendous cultural upheavals that women were forced to undergo because of the Industrial Revolution. It also demonstrates New England's great industrial past as an important manufacturing center that for the most part, for a variety of reasons, has long since disappeared. This museum is operated by the National Park Service and you can find the website at: http://www.nps.gov/lowe
On to Vermont for a visit to The American Precision Museum located at 196 Main Street, Windsor, VT, 05089. Website: www.americanprecision.org
Included in the exhibits are machine tools, measuring devices, sewing machines, typewriters, firearms, precision hand tools and scale models. Here you can trace the evolution of machine tools from their crude early beginnings to the precision instruments they have become today. The collection of early turret lathes on display I found especially interesting. This area of New England was once an important machine tool manufacturing center and the museum stands as another example of the regions past manufacturing preemminence.
In New Hampshire, you train buffs might want to visit the Conway Scenic Railroad located in N. Conway, NH. Here, you'll find a collection of railroad equipment from the turn of the century to the 1950's. Even if you're not that interested in trains, you might want to consider taking one of the scenic train rides, especially the one to Crawford Notch, as the scenery is breathtaking.
Website: www.conwayscenic.com
Finally, Maine has the Seashore Trolley Museum located in Kennebunkport. Website: http://www.trolleymuseum.org
An extensive collection of trolley cars and trolley car rides are available. Trolley cars were once an important part of America's transportation network and its interesting to look at their historical development especially in light of the renewed interest in contempoary light rail projects.
Obviously, I've only scratched the surface here as there are many other interesting sites to explore in search of America's past. Please feel free to post any other sites that you think might be of interest in this area.
Happy Motoring!
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