Pennsylvania Germans near the Conestoga River first made Conestoga wagons around 1750 to haul freight. By the 1810s, improved roads to Pittsburgh and Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia) stimulated trade between Philadelphia, Baltimore, and settlers near the Ohio River. Wagoners with horse-drawn C

This "Solar System" quilt was made by Ellen Harding Baker of Cedar County, Iowa, in 1876. The wool top of this applique quilt is embellished with wool-fabric applique, wool braid, and wool and silk embroidery. Included in the design is the appliqued inscription, "Solar System," and the embroidere

During the Civil War, officers wore many types of hats, more often non-regulation than regulation. This example of a regulation army hat was worn by General William T. Sherman.  Although a native of Ohio, William Tecumseh Sherman remains inextricably linked with Georgia and the burning of At

This buckskin coat was worn by Custer when he was Lieutenant Colonel with the 7th U. S. Cavalry in the Dakotas. It was one of several owned and worn by Custer, who prefered to dress like a frontiersman while out West. In 1912, Custer's widow, Elizabeth, donated this buckskin coat t

Students will learn how commerce on the Great Lakes, canals and rivers played an important role in the development of the country in this section of On the Water: Stories from Maritime America, an online exhibition. The country's vast system of rivers and lakes has helped

This interactive collection search contains objects that are featured in the exhibition On the Water: Stories from Maritime America. Representing a broad sweep of American maritime history, these objects were collected over more than a century and reflect broad patterns of technological,

Students will understand the importance of maritime activity throughout the United States' history. Objects from the Museum's collections, audio and video clips, oral histories and narrative accounts provide a unique look into the maritime history of the United States. An interactive collections

The Association of Midwest Museums was founded in 1927. It is a non-profit membership organization that provides resources to museums and cultural institutions and services to museum professionals in an eight-state region in the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Mis