U.S. History

Discover how the building and use of railroads declined due to the popularity of automobiles and trucks. One effect was the development of regional and short line railroads that served smaller communities. Several larger cities used local electric streetcars until the automobiles took over.

Discover how transportation has affected every step of North Dakota history. North Dakota’s position in the center of North America has always made transportation a challenge with even the earliest peoples seeking ways to cover large distances of land. The arrival of horses to the Northern Plains had a radical effect on the Native American culture and way of life.

Learn about the history of steamboats on the Red River. Although its course meandered like a lost and homesick pig, the Red River of the North was a major artery for steamboats, which coordinated with stagecoaches from St. Paul to Fort Abercrombie.

Learn about the Red River oxcarts that were the primary means of transporting goods from the Red River Valley to St. Paul.

Droughts claim more victims each year than any other natural disaster. Depending on where it occurs and how long it persists, the cost of a drought can run into the billions of dollars. Droughts cause more than economic hardship, however. As this video segment adapted from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center demonstrates, droughts have a complex web of impacts that also affect us socially and environmentally.

This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.

In addition to the space industry at Cape Canaveral, is the now growing cruise and cargo industry at Port Canaveral. To many it may seem like the Port has only been around for a few years, but in fact it is now over 60 years old.

Interstate I-4 stretches from Tampa to Daytona Beach, and cuts right through the heart of downtown Orlando and completed back in 1967. That I-4 completion was very timely, because In the mid-1960s, a man named Disney changed Orlando’s future forever.

Cocoa Beach was known as “Missiletown USA” in the 50’s and 60’s because of its proximity to the space center. In the mid-20the century, Cocoa Beach was built around one industry, the American space program, but settlers have actually lived there since the late 1500’s.

This video from Dutch New York explores the diverse ecosystem that Henry Hudson encountered when he arrived at “Mannahatta,” the name given by the native Lenape people to the island now known as Manhattan. Dr. Eric Sanderson, Director of the Mannahatta Project, explains that Manahatta's ecosystem was more diverse than Yosemite or Yellowstone National Parks and describes the landscape, flora and fauna of the island in Henry Hudson's day.

Explore the West Virginia State Museum and learn about the role of a museum director.

Learn about the work of an archivist and explore the types of artifacts, documents, and other methods they use to preserve West Virginia history.