In honor of America's 250th anniversary as a nation, The National Archives and Records Administration is hosting a traveling exhibit called FREEDOM PLANE: NATIONAL TOUR being flown around the country this year to be displayed at a select number of museums. THE HENRY FORD in Dearborn, Michigan will be hosting this exhibit which includes historic documents relevant to the founding of the country from July 9 through the 26th. Being a history geek, I made sure to stop by and check it out!
Here is what is on display:
ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION (1774)
Signed by al 53 delegates, the Articles of Association urged colonists to boycott British goods and was the Continental Congress's first major unified act of resistance.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, ALEXANDER HAMILTON & AARON BURR'S OATHS OF ALLEGIANCE (1778)
Loyalty pledges accepting military commissions that all officers of the Continental Army signed during the Revolutionary War.
TREATY OF PARIS (1783)
Signed by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay this Treaty with Great Britain formally recognized the United States as an independent nation.
DRAFT COPY OF THE CONSTITUTION (1787)
A rare copy of the U.S. Constitution in draft form with the delegates' handwritten notes made during the Constitutional Convention.
TALLY OF VOTES APPROVING THE CONSTITUTION (1787)
The voting records of the Constitutional Convention reflecting the debates, resolutions and eventual vote on the final text that would become the Constitution.
ORIGINAL GRAVING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (1823)
One of 50 known engraved copies of the Declaration of Independence printed from a copperplate of the original document. Commissioned by President John Quincy Adams the engraving captures the size, text, lettering and signatures of the original document.
I always get a sense of awe getting a firsthand glimpse of authentic autographs of noteworthy people in history. Being close up to documents that literally were in the hands of these people and document the moment with their signatures provides a sense of being in the presence of real people expanding a sense of recognition of them being more than just references in history books. Attending this exhibit was a nice way to commemorate America's 250th birthday and I'm glad to have been able to celebrate this milestone year by stopping by The Henry Ford's Freedom Plane tour stop.
There is a lot more to see than this temporary exhibit at The Henry Ford. Step into more than 300 years of American ingenuity at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan—the nation's premier indoor-outdoor history destination. Spanning a sprawling 250-acre campus, this iconic attraction lets you walk through history by boarding the actual Rosa Parks bus, seeing Abraham Lincoln’s theater chair, and exploring Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park Laboratory. Whether you are riding a vintage Model T through the living-history streets of Greenfield Village, marveling at groundbreaking presidential limousines in The Henry Ford Museum, or witnessing modern manufacturing live on the Ford Rouge Factory Tour, every corner sparks curiosity and celebrates the spirit of human progress.
The author received complimentary admission to the attractions featured in this post
Who says you can’t travel back in time?! A road trip to Virginia’s historic triangle is like taking a time machine back in history to the era of colonial America. In what can be both an educational and entertaining trip, visitors can explore Jamestown (the first permanent American colony by the British established in 1607), Williamsburg (the colonial capital of Virginia from 1699 – 1780 during the peak and decline of English rule) and Yorktown (where a decisive battle in the Revolutionary War helped secure the independence of what would become the United States). History is fun when exploring the living history museums now situated at these historic spots.
Situated a short distance from the original colony’s site is a living history museum that has reproductions of the boats the first Jamestown settlers sailed over to Virginia in from England. You’ll also find the fort they built and a village where the local Native Americans would have lived. Informative docents dressed in period garb share tips about how to survive in the wilderness of 17th century Virginia. These tour guides on your trip back in time, combined with your surroundings, provide great context to what life would have been like when the first British colonists arrived in 1607.
Explore a Fort
Walking around the inside the barricades of a reproduction of the Jamestown Settlement's original fort provides a lot of insight into what life was like for the British colonists at that time. Costumed historical interpreters help guide you through the place giving insight into the lives of the colony's residents. See living quarters, work spaces and defensive structures as you walk around. Take some time to talk with docents who provide demonstrations such as firing a musket or may encourage you to touch and hold items from the time period including furs that were sold back to England, European manufactured goods which were traded with the local Native Americans, Fools Gold which the colonist mistakenly thought would make them rich, and tobacco which turned out to be the saving grace for the settlement's prosperity.
Climb Aboard the Replica Sailing Ships
How would you have liked spending months aboard one of these ships, traveling across the sea? Take a look at the James River from the deck. The river was deep enough for big masted ships to dock at the colony but the location was far enough away from the ocean to avoid the settlers catching the attention of the Spanish Navy, or pirates that may be making their way along the Virginia coast. These boats were the settlers lifeline to civilization as they established the Jamestown colony.
Learn About Native American History
Find out about the Native American way of life that Jamestown disrupted, through a recreation of Powhatan tribe reed-covered houses. Learn how they got around in canoes, cooked their meals, and made clothing. This provides a nice perspective of what life was like in Virginia for the people who were already living there before the Europeans arrived. Letting people step into the world like it was in the past makes living history museums great attractions to add on a family vacation to-do list.
Immerse yourself in what life was like in the 18th century with a visit to the Colonial Williamsburg living history museum. When it was decided to move Virginia’s capital away from the malaria-filled swampland of Jamestown to a more pastural landscape a few miles away, Williamsburg became the first planned town in America to be mapped out before being built up. A mile-long main street ran east to west connecting the colony’s hub of learning, the College of William and Mary, to its seat of law, the Capitol, on the opposite side of town. The two were connected along this street by Market Square, the town’s center of commerce and the Church of England’s Bruton Parish Church. Branching off to the north was a grand promenade leading to the Governor’s Palace which was at one time considered the grandest residence in North America. The rest of Williamsburg was filled in with homes and farms around this master plan creating a place that was described during the heyday of British rule as “a very handsome city.”
Now you can take a stroll through the streets and buildings of Williamsburg preserved to appear as the colonial capital did in the mid-1700s when Virginia was considered the grandest of Great Britain’s colonies. Walk in the shadows of the likes of Alexander Hamilton, Patrick Henry, James Madison, James Monroe, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and George Wythe who were in this town for personal, professional and political purposes during their lives as you make your way around the grounds of Colonial Williamsburg. Non-conforming structures were removed from the 300 acre living history museum when the Colonial Williamsburg historic district was created in the 1920s. Original buildings such as George Wythe’s home where Thomas Jefferson was tutored as a boy and George Washington stayed as he planned the Battle of Yorktown have bee refurbished and replicas of buildings that had been destroyed such as the Capitol and Governor’s Palace have been replicated on the sites of their original archeologically discovered foundations.
A nice touch to these preservation efforts is that the foundation that operates Colonial Williamsburg purchased line of sight conservation easements along the roadways leading to the historic district so as you approach the place it is like taking a ride through the woods of 18th century Virginia. It is a very scenic ride to the visitor center where you can then take a short walk or brief bus ride from there to the living history museum. It really is like taking a time tunnel to go back in history.
Once you arrive in Colonial Williamsburg not only are you surrounded by historic buildings but reenactors dressed in period garb and staying in character put you in the spirit of the times. See a fife and drum band march through the streets to the parade grounds, witness cannon and musket firing demonstrations, and observe demonstrations on how people lived out their lives in British colonial America. There aren’t cars rolling down these streets since you’ve gone back in time to before the automobile was invented; but you can take a horse-drawn carriage or ox-pulled wagon ride around town. Stop by one of the four taverns to eat a meal like they would have had in 1750.
Unplug yourself from modern times and enjoy experiencing what life was like before the invention of many of the conveniences we now take for granted in the 21st century. It can be adventurous, romantic and even a bit scary thinking about living in a world without the medical, technological and transportation advancements we often take for granted. My kids discovered history is fun during this very fun family road trip.
Complete your trek through Virginia’s historic triangle with a visit to the American Revolutionary War Museum at Yorktown. This museum is filled with artifacts and antiques from the Revolutionary War period of American history. It is also full of artwork and informative displays that highlight various aspects of the Revolutionary War. This 22,000 square foot exhibit space also utilizes high tech touches like holograms and a 180-degree surround screen movie that utilized dramatic special effects to bring to life details of the Battle of Yorktown. Also don’t miss out on the living history museum aspect of this place which is outside the exhibit gallery space. There is a recreation of a Continental Army encampment and the type of farm that would have been prevalent around Yorktown during the American Revolution.
American Revolution Museum
Continental Army Encampment
Get a close up look at the tents soldiers would have slept in, the earthen kitchen their meals would have been cooked on, the laundry for their uniforms, and an armory where you can see artillery and flintlock rifle firing demonstrations. Discuss military drills, medical procedures and supplying the troops with historical interpreters. Could you have hacked it as a soldier in General Washington’s army?
Revolutionary War Era Farm
Finish your visit with a walk through a 1780s era farmstead. It isn’t just a house and barn like you might imagine. This farm is made up of a number of different buildings including a kitchen, living quarters, workshops, storage spaces, and places to hold livestock. It really opens ones eyes to the rugged lifestyle of farming in 18th century Virginia.
People fear the Bermuda Triangle mysteriously making people disappear to unknown places, but the Virginia Triangle really can transport you away from modern civilization to another time. Go back in time to visit Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg in another era. Disconnect from TV, telephones and the Internet to spend some quality family time delving into the history that shaped the future of this country.
My kids initially griped when they discovered we were going to take a trip to Virginia’s historic triangle, but they had a great experience and really enjoyed themselves. They actually have asked since returning home if we can go back again. History really can be fun if you make an adventure out of learning.
Plus, as a bonus there is a Busch Gardens amusement park nearby these three historic sites to add some extra excitement to a family vacation. Adding that to your itinerary is surefire way to have kids not mind being taken to a bunch of museums!
For more information on planning your own trip to Virginia’s historic triangle, head over to visitwilliamsburg.com
I'm a history buff who read Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton for some leisurely reading and went out of my way during a New York City trip to visit the memorial in New Jersey marking the spot of the infamous duel where this Founding Father was killed by his political rival, who also happened to the Vice President of the United States at the time, Aaron Burr. So obviously, I've been wanting to see the musical HAMILTON which has become a theatrical sensation. Unfortunately, haven't had a chance to attend its New York City or Chicago engagements; but am hoping to go when Broadway in Detroit brings the national touring company performance of HAMILTON to the Motor City's Fisher Theatre from March 12 – April 21, 2019.
HAMILTON shares the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the Caribbean who became George Washington's right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the country's first Treasury Secretary. This musical features a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B, and Broadway tunes. HAMILTON is the story of America then, as told by America now.
Knowing that seats for these Detroit performances will be a hot commodity, the producers of the show are using a new technology feature from Ticketmaster called Verified Fan that allows pre-registered fans to unlock access to tickets without competing against scalpers and bots. To utilize Verified Fan you need to register yourself online at verifiedfan.ticketmaster.com/hamiltondet before Wednesday, January 23 at 10:00 PM ET. Those who have registered will be notified by Ticketmaster via SMS text message on Thursday, January 24 if they have been selected to purchase tickets when they become available to buy online beginning Friday, January 25, 2019 at 10am. Verified Fan tickets can only be purchased online.
There is a maximum purchase limit of four (4) tickets per household for the engagement. Tickets range from $80 - $185, with a select number of $485 premium seats available. Ticket prices include facility fees and parking.
A limited number of tickets will also be available for purchase through a wristband lottery at the Fisher Theatre Box Office (3011 W Grand Blvd. in Detroit). From 7:30 AM – 9:30 AM on Friday, January 25, numbered wristbands will be distributed. Starting at 10:00 AM, groups of wristband numbers will randomly be called to purchase tickets at the box office windows.
Additionally, there will be a lottery for forty (40) $10 seats for all performances. Details will be announced closer to the actual show dates.
