Zoos have existed ever since ancient peoples kept exotic animals as private collections called menageries.
Natural World Heritage sites protect over one fifth of Earth’s species diversity; however, these areas are under pressure from climate change, invasive species and tourism infrastructure projects.
Lehigh Canal State Park
Northeast Pennsylvania is home to one of America’s largest canal heritage museums: Lehigh Canal in Northeastern Pennsylvania is an intriguing throwback to an era when mules pulled canal boats along narrow towpaths. Hugh Moore Park in Easton offers one such section in Easton; only this park encases such an historic canal section!
Visits to the reconstructed canal will give visitors an understanding of what life was like for canal boat operators who needed to live aboard and were encouraged to bring their families on board in order to reduce homesickness and socialize more with wives and children. At Lumberville Locktender House Restoration Project we have restored their house so it can be visited.
This park forms part of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor in eastern Pennsylvania, which spans Bucks, Carbon, Northampton, and Luzerne counties. This corridor works to preserve historic buildings as well as green space while highlighting its role as an incubator of industrialization during this era.
Ridley Creek State Park
Ridley Creek State Park, about 16 miles outside Philadelphia, provides an escape into nature and history. Boasting an 18th century colonial plantation with stone mansion and gardens as well as paved trails suitable for walking, running, jogging and biking, horseback riding trails are available and there is trailer parking. In addition to that old growth forests of oak, beech, walnut maple sycamore tulip poplar and dogwood provide shelter at Ridley Creek State Park.
As a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, the park is open year-round. Summer visitors can experience educational programming at Colonial Pennsylvania Plantation which recreates pre-Revolutionary farm life; winter brings cross country skiing trails for cross country skiing or sledding and plenty of wildlife sightings such as white-tailed deer, foxes and raccoons!
Wade House State Historic Site
Learn what life was like on the frontier when you visit Wade House, an historic stagecoach inn built by Greenbush’s first European settlers Sylvanus and Betsey Wade. Conveniently situated along a plank road between Fond du Lac and Sheboygan, it became an indispensable rest stop. Enjoy hearing blacksmith anvil strikes as sparks fly at its forge; witness milling techniques from 1800s in its reconstructed sawmill; or admire Wisconsin’s largest collection of carriages and wagons at its Wesley W Jung Carriage Museum!
General admission includes a horse-drawn wagon ride and engaging activities. Additional experiences and ticketed events cover various historical themes such as vintage baseball, foodways and the Civil War. Sheboygan and Fond du Lac residents qualify for discounted admission on the first Saturday of every month while children four years or younger always gain free admission. Wade House is just one of 12 historic sites and museums operated by Wisconsin Historical Society.
Taliesin
Taliesin West, designated both a National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage Site by both organizations, was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for use as his winter home, studio, and desert laboratory in 1937. Carefully handcrafted over many years to achieve an organic style representative of his later designs beyond his Prairie School roots.
Taliesin (Welsh for “shining brow”) was selected by Wright to pay homage to both his family heritage and his belief that good architecture should appear organic to its surroundings. Situated in Wisconsin’s Driftless Region, this 800-acre estate includes buildings designed by him during all decades of his career.
Taliesin Preservation oversees this historic site with a comprehensive preservation policy designed to balance remedial measures with Wright’s philosophy and commitment to nature preservation. Visitors are invited to take advantage of its various learning and engagement opportunities available here.
