Academics debate the veracity of historic sites and what they represent, but no one that has visited historic places as a student, or traveled with students to historic places, can deny their power to teach. Every community has historic sites. Historic sites are, by definition, primary sources. They are artifacts of the past that often contain a host of smaller, related objects. A class field trip to a historic site can have a tremendous impact on students. In this article, the author shows how teachers can get the most out of a field trip. He describes how an on-site visit can be a wonderful opportunity for students to hone their analytical skills.