Director's Note
Throughout our state and country are buildings, battlefields, historic homes, and landscapes where the past unfolded to shape our identity and define us as a people and a nation. These locations connect us to those days by providing tangible evidence of our history. These settings might have been witnesses to noteworthy events or simply provided a glimpse into life from times past. My days of working at the historic Old Capitol as well as visiting other historic sites across this nation have convinced me that places do matter and deserve acknowledgement and recognition.
Summertime provides the perfect opportunity to visit these places with which we have a special bond. Vacation destinations such as the beach and theme parks are always popular, but I hope when families plan their getaways this year they include stops at important historic sites. Visiting these places and standing on the same spaces where significant events took place strengthens our connection to the past in ways that reading a book simply cannot do. Spending time at these locations not only enhances our knowledge of our past but provides quality entertainment as well. Surveys show that citizens' basic knowledge of our shared heritage is at an all-time low, making these trips to historic sites a must if we are to maintain any understanding of the history of our nation and how we got to where we are today.
Please check out our calendar of events for our traditional summer camps and gatherings. We hope you will take some time this summer to visit historic sites, like the Old Capitol, and reconnect with the past and see for yourselves why places do matter.
