A local history course offered as a semester elective to seniors has as its purpose the study of the local community as a microcosm of the United States. The basic principle is to reinforce what the student has already learned in previous history courses. The course proceeds through a chronological sequence of units about various periods of the town's development. Each unit contains a core of information and activities shared by the whole class, but also requires creative and independent work by each individual. While many traditional social studies techniques are employed, this course differs in the use of primary sources and community resources. Extensive onsite observations and investigations give students an opportunity to form and text hypotheses from raw data. While no formal evaluation has been made on the results of the program in terms of its cognitive objectives, students have indicated the success of their experience in informal written evaluations. (Relevant ERIC documents and other resources on the program conclude the profile.) (Author/KSM)