This estate of George Washington, the first president of the United States, is where he died on December 14, 1799, and where he and his wife Martha are buried. It was purchased by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association in 1858, then restored and renovated. A National Historic Landmark, it consists of the twenty-room, two-and-a-half-story mansion […]
Virginia: Mount Vernon
Virginia: Monticello
The house and grounds of Thomas Jefferson’s estate were designed by Jefferson himself as his main residence. Construction of the main house began in 1770 and was completed in 1782; reconstruction of the main house began in 1793 and was largely completed by 1809. The construction of additional buildings continued for twenty years. The estate […]
Virginia: Manassas
This park commemorates two important Civil War battles fought at different times in the same location. The 1861 First Battle of Manassas (also called First Bull Run) was the Civil War’s first major engagement. The 1862 Second Battle of Manassas (or Second Bull Run) was a Southern victory and a springboard for Confederate general Robert […]
Virginia: Jamestown
James Fort was the first permanent English settlement in North America. The first Anglican congregation in North America met here in 1607. The settlement grew to become Jamestown, the first capital of the Virginia colony. In 1619, America’s oldest legislative body, the House of Burgesses (later the General Assembly), held its first session in Jamestown. […]
Virginia: Fredericksburg
Part of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park, this site includes the battlefields of Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Spotsylvania Court House, and the Wilderness. Site Offices: Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park 120 Chatham Lane Fredericksburg, VA 22405 Web site: www.nps.gov/frsp/ Fredericksburg Battlefield Visitor Center 706 Caroline Street Fredericksburg, VA 22401 ph.: (800) 678-4748; (540) 373-6122 Although […]
Virginia: Booker T. Washington National Monument
Born into slavery on this 207-acre former tobacco farm, Booker T. Washington (1856-1915) rose to become a famous educator and African American spokesman during the trying period following the end of Reconstruction in the South. From 1895 to 1915, he was the most famous and influential African American in the United States. Visitors to this […]
Virginia: Arlington National Cemetery
Of the more than one hundred national cemeteries in the United States, Arlington is one of only two administered by the U.S. Army and has the second largest number of people buried within its boundaries, over 260,000 persons. Veterans from all the nation’s wars, from the American Revolution onward, are buried there. The remains of […]
Virginia: Appomattox Court House
The tiny village of Appomattox Courthouse, where Confederate general Robert E. Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia to federal general Ulysses S. Grant, has been restored to its 1865 appearance. Thirteen of the original buildings remain and have been restored by the National Park Service, while nine other structures have been rebuilt on their […]
Virginia
One of the most historic of all the fifty United States, Virginia played pivotal roles during the colonial period, the American Revolution, and the Civil War. History of Virginia One of the most historic of all the fifty United States, Virginia played pivotal roles during the colonial period, the American Revolution, and the Civil War. […]
Vermont: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Vermont. Coolidge Homestead District Location: Plymouth Notch, Windsor County Relevant issues: Political history Web site: www.cit.state.vt.us/dca/hp_sites.htm Statement of significance: Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) was born in Plymouth Notch in the house attached to his father’s general store. In 1876, the family moved across the street and it was there […]
Vermont: SS
The Ticonderoga is the last surviving example of the hundreds of walking-beam- powered steamboats that plied the nation’s waters from the nineteenth century into the early decades of the twentieth. It played a significant role in both trade and tourism throughout its long working life. Site Office Shelburne Museum U.S. Route 7 P.O. Box 10 […]
Vermont: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is the only site in the National Park System of the United States that is dedicated to an idea: that of the evolving conception of the conservation of natural resources. Site Offices: Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park P.O. Box 178 54 Elm Street Woodstock, VT 05091 ph: (802) 457-3368 Web site: www.nps.gov/mabi/ […]
Vermont
Vermont is the seventh smallest state. The only New England state not bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Vermont is bordered by New Hampshire in the east, New York on the west, Massachusetts in the south, and Quebec, Canada, in the north. History of Vermont Vermont is the seventh smallest state. The only New England state […]
Utah: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Utah. Alkali Ridge Location: Monticello, San Juan County Relevant issues: American Indian history Statement of significance: This is a series of thirteen habitation sites along Alkali Mesa. Excavations helped clarify the development of Anasazi culture in the San Juan drainage, by defining the Pueblo II period (c. 900-1100). […]
Utah: Temple Square, Salt Lake City
On this ten-acre city block stand three historic buildings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: the Temple, the Tabernacle, and the Assemble Hall. A much-visited tourist attraction, Temple Square is also home to two visitors’ centers. Site Office Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 50 East North Temple Street Salt Lake […]
Utah: Golden Spike
This is where the transcontinental railway line was completed. The line was disassembled and contributed as scrap for the metal drives of World War II. The site is now a National Historic Site. Site Office Golden Spike National Historic Site P.O. Box 897 Brigham City, UT 84302-0923 ph.: (435) 471-2209 Web site: www.nps.gov/gosp When the […]
Utah
As attested by archaeological evidence, Utah’s territory has been continuously inhabited for the past eleven thousand years. History of Utah As attested by archaeological evidence, Utah’s territory has been continuously inhabited for the past eleven thousand years. The earliest indigenous peoples hunted with spears, used baskets to gather wild foods, and made stone tools. Later […]
Texas: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Texas. Apollo Mission Control Center Location: Houston, Harris County Relevant issues: Aviation history, science and technology Statement of significance: This site represents the importance of the Johnson Space Center in the U.S. manned spaceflight program. This control center was used to monitor nine Gemini and all Apollo flights, […]
Texas: San Jacinto
This is the site of the battle in which General Sam Houston defeated the Mexicans under President Antonio López de Santa Anna and won independence for the Republic of Texas. Today the site is a one thousand-acre State Historic Park marked by the San Jacinto Monument, a 570-foot reinforced concrete tower constructed between 1936 and […]
Texas: San Antonio Missions
This site consists of four Spanish missions: Mission Concepción, Mission San José, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. All four are prime examples of Spanish Mission architecture as adapted for use in the New World. The construction of these historic missions was a joint effort of skilled craftsmen from Spain and Mexico and the local […]
Texas: Presidio La Bahia
Presidio La Bahia is the only fully reconstructed Spanish colonial fort in the Western Hemisphere. Strategically situated on the route connecting the province of Texas with Mexico, this Spanish frontier fort was established to protect nearby missions. It subsequently played a key role in the history of the area and was the site of the […]
Texas: La Villita
The twenty-seven restored buildings in the National Historic District of La Villita chronicle settlement over a period of two hundred years. From private homes to churches to commercial buildings, this area is rich in the history of San Antonio. The area was restored beginning in 1939. Site Office La Villita Tourist Information Center 418 Villita […]
Texas: King Ranch
Developed by Henrietta M. King and her son-in-law Robert Justus Kleberg along a railroad right-of-way, King Ranch covers some 825,000 acres and is engaged in cattle ranching and oil producing. Site Office King Ranch Visitor Center P.O. Box 1090 W. Highway 141 Kingsville, TX 78363 ph.: (512) 592-8055 An agricultural and oil-producing town in southeast […]
Texas: Galveston
Galveston Island is about twenty-seven miles long and three miles wide at its widest point. The city of Galveston lies at the extreme eastern end of the island. A major port in the nineteenth century, the wealth of which allowed its citizens to create luxurious and often highly unusual residences and public buildings, Galveston declined […]
Texas: Dealey Plaza, Dallas
This National Landmark District was the site of the assassination of U.S. president John Fitzgerald Kennedy. In addition to 3.07-acre Dealey Plaza, the district includes the Dallas County Administration Building (formerly the Texas School Book Depository) from which Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired the fatal shots; the triple underpass created by the convergence of Commerce, […]
Texas: Beaumont
This town is the site of the Lucas Gusher at Spindletop on January 10, 1901, making Beaumont the birthplace of the Texas oil industry. It features the Lucas Gusher Monument, dedicated on January 10, 1951, and now designated a National Historic Landmark. Site Office Beaumont Convention and Visitors’ Bureau 801 Main Street #100 Beaumont, TX […]
Texas: The Alamo
First founded as a Franciscan mission in 1718, the Alamo was destroyed by a hurricane in 1744. By 1756, the mission church was reconstructed at its present location. In 1836, 180 Texans defended the Alamo for two weeks against a Mexican army numbering 5,000. The three-acre compound was surrounded by stone walls, approximately eleven feet […]
Texas
Until Alaska was admitted as the forty-ninth state in 1959, Texas was the largest of the United States and still is the largest of the contiguous forty-eight states, occupying one-twelfth of the entire American land mass. History of Texas Until Alaska was admitted as the forty-ninth state in 1959, Texas was the largest of the […]
Tennessee: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Tennessee. Blount Mansion Location: Knoxville, Knox County Relevant issues: Political history Statement of significance: From 1792 until his death, this impressive structure was the residence of William Blount (1749-1800), who had already represented North Carolina in the Continental Congress (1782-1783, 1786-1787) and signed the U.S. Constitution when he […]
Tennessee: Shiloh
Shiloh is the site of one of the earliest and most decisive full-scale battles in the western theater of operations during the Civil War. On April 6 and 7, 1862, Union and Confederate forces numbering almost 110,000 men fought on the west bank of the Tennessee River between Shiloh Church and Pittsburg Landing. The battle, […]
Tennessee: The Hermitage
This is the completely restored plantation home of Andrew Jackson, a legendary general and the seventh president of the United States. Site Office The Hermitage 4580 Rachel’s Lane Hermitage, TN 37076 ph.: (615) 889-2941 Web site: www.thehermitage.com e-mail: information@thehermitage.com The Hermitage historical site consists of the mansion and related buildings that Andrew Jackson built as […]
Tennessee: Grand Ole Opry House, Nashville
The Grand Ole Opry House, occupied since 1974, succeeded the historic Ryman Auditorium as the sixth home of the long-running country music show The Grand Ole Opry. Site Office Grand Ole Opry House 2804 Opryland Drive Nashville, TN 37214 ph.: 615-889-3060 Web site: www.grandoleopry.com The most famous country music show in American history is The […]
Tennessee: Graceland
Graceland was the home of legendary pop singer Elvis Presley (1935-1977), the “King of Rock and Roll” and arguably one of the twentieth century’s greatest entertainers. Site Office Graceland 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard Memphis, TN 38116 ph.: (901) 332-3322 Web site: www.elvis-presley.com/HTML/home .html Admired by millions, Elvis Presley became a cultural icon whose mystique extended […]
Tennessee: Beale Street, Memphis
Beale Street is referred to as the “home of the blues” because musicians from the region came to Memphis before making their way to Chicago or New York. For African American residents of Memphis, Beale Street was, for nearly a century, the center of commerce, politics, and culture. Site Office Memphis Chamber of Commerce 119 […]
Tennessee
Tennessee is one of the south central states, strategically located along the Mississippi River on the west and the Unaka range of the Appalachian Mountains on the east. History of Tennessee Tennessee is one of the south central states, strategically located along the Mississippi River on the west and the Unaka range of the Appalachian […]
South Dakota: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in South Dakota. Bear Butte Location: Sturgis, Meade County Relevant issues: American Indian history Statement of significance: Sacred to the Cheyenne, Bear Butte is the place where Maheo imparted to Sweet Medicine (a mythical hero) the knowledge from which the Cheyenne derive their religious, political, social, and economic customs. […]
South Dakota: Mount Rushmore
This monument memorializes critical events in the shaping of United States history: the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the preservation of the Union, and the building of the Panama Canal. Site Office Mount Rushmore National Memorial P.O. Box 268 Keystone, SD 57751 ph.: (605) 574-2523 Web sites: www.nps.gov/moru; www.travelsd.com/rushmore/index.htm The Black Hills’ popularity as […]
South Dakota
One of the plains states in America’s Midwest, South Dakota is bounded on the north by North Dakota, on the east by Iowa and Minnesota, on the south by Nebraska, and on the west by Montana and Wyoming. History of South Dakota One of the plains states in America’s Midwest, South Dakota is bounded on […]
South Carolina: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in South Carolina. Aiken House and Associated Railroad Structures Location: Charleston, Charleston County Relevant issues: Business and industry Statement of significance: These structures are associated with William Aiken, Sr. (1779-1831), who in 1827 founded the South Carolina Canal and Railroad Company. Aiken’s Charleston-to-Hamburg railroad was the first to use […]
South Carolina: Ninety Six
The site sits astride an ancient American Indian trade route known as the Cherokee Path. When Cherokee power was broken during the French and Indian Wars, European settlers flooded the South Carolina backcountry. During the American Revolution, a fort was built by the British army near Ninety Six as part of a defensive network for […]
South Carolina: Charleston
South Carolina’s oldest city and one of the most historic cities in the country. Its elegant homes, magnificent parks, and beautiful waterfront make the city one of the most visited in the United States. Site Office Historic Charleston Foundation 40 E. Bay Street Charleston, SC 29401-2547 ph.: (803) 723-1623 Since its founding more than three […]
South Carolina: Camden
The first official English town established in the interior of South Carolina, Camden was the site of a major American defeat in the Revolutionary War. It has become a major center for horse breeding and racing, with many fine homes and buildings from the colonial and antebellum periods. Site Office Kershaw County Chamber of Commerce […]
South Carolina
South Carolina, known as the Palmetto State, is the smallest of the southeastern states and is one of the richest in history and enduring influence on national events and development. History of South Carolina South Carolina, known as the Palmetto State, is the smallest of the southeastern states and is one of the richest in […]
Rhode Island: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Rhode Island. Aldrich House Location: Providence, Providence County Relevant issues: Political history Statement of significance: From 1878 until his death, this three-story clapboard house was the residence of Nelson W. Aldrich (1841-1915), who, as Republican Senate “boss,” maintained virtual veto power over legislation, pressing his view that business […]
Rhode Island: Roger Williams National Memorial
Roger Williams founded the settlement he called Providence on Narragansett Bay in 1636 after he was expelled from Massachusetts Bay Colony for insisting that magistrates had no authority to punish people for certain religious violations. Site Office Roger Williams National Memorial 282 North Main Street Providence, RI 02903 ph.: (401) 521-7266 Web site: www.nps.gov/rowi/ Roger […]
Rhode Island: Providence
Providence, Rhode Island’s state capital, was founded by noted colonial politician Roger Williams. It is the site of Brown University, the nation’s seventh-oldest college, and the first Baptist church in America, as well as many original colonial homes and buildings. Site Office Providence Chamber of Commerce 30 Exchange Terrace Providence, RI 02903 ph.: (401) 521-5000 […]
Rhode Island: Newport
Newport is fifteen miles long and four miles across, with a population of thirty thousand. Founded by William Coddington, Newport became a colonial center of trade. It was occupied by the British between December, 1776, and October, 1779. Starting in the early 1800’s, the town became a summer retreat for wealthy socialites. Initially, it attracted […]
Rhode Island
Though the smallest state in the Union in area, Rhode Island has the longest name: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. History of Rhode Island Though the smallest state in the Union in area, Rhode Island has the longest name: Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Rhode Island, though it is only 48 miles long and 37 […]
Pennsylvania: Johnstown Flood National Memorial
The Johnstown Flood of 1889 was a combination of natural disaster and the effects of human greed, neglect, error, and complacency. Site Office Johnstown Flood National Memorial 733 Lake Road South Fork, PA 15956 ph.: (814) 495-4643 Web site: www.nps.gov/jofl/ A death toll of over 2,200 people, destruction of 1,600 homes and 280 businesses, and […]
Pennsylvania: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Pennsylvania. Acheson House Location: Monongahela, Washington County Relevant issues: Science and technology Statement of significance: From 1890 to 1895, this was the home of Edward G. Acheson (1856-1931), inventor. This is also the site where in 1891 he invented carborundum, at the time the hardest known artificial substance, […]
Pennsylvania: Valley Forge
This is the site of the historic encampment of General George Washington’s Continental army during the winter of 1777-1778. The park today covers about three thousand acres on both sides of the Schuylkill River. Site Office Valley Forge National Historical Park P.O. Box 953 Valley Forge, PA 19482 ph.: (610) 783-1077 Web site: www.nps.gov/vafo/ Valley […]
Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania Dutch Country
The city and county of Lancaster attracted many German immigrants, especially members of minority religions, beginning in the eighteenth century. Known overall as the “Pennsylvania Dutch,” these settlers have had a great impact on the agricultural and industrial development of the area. Many persons of the Amish faith still farm in Lancaster County, using traditional, […]
Pennsylvania: Independence National Historical Park
This National Historical Park is the original area of Philadelphia, the first capital of the United States of America and the site of the writing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. Site Office Independence National Historical Park 313 Walnut Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 ph.: (215) 597-8974 Web […]
Pennsylvania: Hopewell Furnace
Part of the Hopewell Village National Historic Site, this is a restoration of a typical iron plantation of eighteenth and nineteenth century American ironmaking communities. Such communities were the foundation of the country’s later Industrial Revolution. Site Office Hopewell Furnace 2 Mark Bird Lane Elverson, PA 19520 ph.: (610) 582-8773 fax: (610) 582-2768 Web site: […]
Pennsylvania: Gettysburg
Gettysburg National Military Park is a 3,802-acre site that includes the entire U.S. Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg. Site Office Gettysburg National Military Park 97 Taneytown Road Gettysburg, PA 17325 ph.: (717) 334-1124 Web site: www.nps.gov/gett/ Gettysburg sits at a geographical crossroads, unspectacular to the casual observer passing through. Even so, the quiet town has […]
Pennsylvania: Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site
This was the home of Edgar Allan Poe, his wife Virginia, and her mother during part of their stay in Philadelphia. It has been preserved as a memorial to a great American literary genius. It gives visitors a vivid impression of residential architecture and domestic lifestyle in a northern American city in the 1800’s. Site […]
Pennsylvania: Broad Street, Philadelphia
First built as a prestigious residential area, Broad Street is now home to several famous cultural and historical institutions, including the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts (the oldest art museum and school in the country) and the Academy of Music (the oldest musical auditorium still in use in the country). Site Offices: Academy of Music […]
Pennsylvania
Even though Pennsylvania is located in the northeastern part of the United States and is called a mid-Atlantic state, it is not on the Atlantic Ocean, as are Delaware, New Jersey, and New York. History of Pennsylvania Even though Pennsylvania is located in the northeastern part of the United States and is called a mid-Atlantic […]
Oregon: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Oregon. Bonneville Dam Historic District Location: Columbia River, Bonneville, Multnomah County (also in Washington) Relevant issues: Science and technology Statement of significance: Built in the 1930’s by the federal government to raise and divert the Columbia River to generate hydroelectric power, the dam represented a unique engineering challenge […]
Oregon: Fort Clatsop
This unit of the National Park System is the site of the final encampment of the westbound Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804-1806. Fort Clatsop is a 1955 reconstruction of the original fifty-foot-square log stockade, in which two rows of cabins are separated by a parade ground. Near the compound are a freshwater spring probably […]
Oregon: Fort Astoria
A fur trading post, Fort Astoria was the first permanent settlement in the Northwest by citizens of the United States and came to symbolize the young nation’s desire for westward expansion and a commercial empire. Site Office City of Astoria 1095 Duane Street Astoria, OR 97103 ph.: (503) 325-5821 fax: (503) 325-2017 Web site: www.el.com/To/Astoria […]
Oregon
Oregon’s special character, like that of every state, was formed from its geography and geographical position in the nation combined with the formative events of its history. History of Oregon Oregon’s special character, like that of every state, was formed from its geography and geographical position in the nation combined with the formative events of […]
Oklahoma: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Oklahoma. Boley Historic District Location: Boley, Okfuskee County Relevant issues: African American history Statement of significance: Begun as a camp for African American railroad construction hands, this is the largest of the towns established in Oklahoma to provide African Americans with the opportunity for self-government in an era […]
Oklahoma: Tahlequah
This is the site where the Eastern and Western branches of the Cherokees came together to sign the Cherokee Constitution. Tahlequah functioned as the Cherokee national capital until the Curtis Act of 1898 abolished tribal authority in the Indian Territory. Following Oklahoma’s admission as a state, Tahlequah became the seat of Cherokee County. The town […]
Oklahoma: Sod House Museum
This museum is found in the only extant original sod house in Oklahoma. Built by a homesteader, it gives a glimpse of what Plains living was like in the late nineteenth century. The Sod House Museum contains a display of contemporary implements and furniture typical of 1907, the year that Oklahoma achieved statehood. Site Office […]
Oklahoma: Oklahoma City National Memorial
The bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building was the worst act of domestic terrorism to its time in the United States. Site Office Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation Leadership Square 211 N. Robinson Avenue, Suite 150 Oklahoma City, OK 73102 Mailing address: P.O. Box 323 Oklahoma City, OK 73101 ph.: (888) 542-HOPE [542-4673]; […]
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is almost square except for its northwestern extreme, called the Panhandle, a strip about forty miles wide and one hundred twenty miles long that reaches to Colorado, which, with Kansas, forms the state’s northern border. History of Oklahoma Oklahoma is almost square except for its northwestern extreme, called the Panhandle, a strip about forty […]
Ohio: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in Ohio. Cincinnati Observatory Location: Cincinnati, Hamilton County Relevant issues: Science and technology Statement of significance: In the late nineteenth century, the Cincinnati Observatory was known worldwide for its endeavors in the fields of proper motions, gravitational studies, and sidereal astronomy, including double stars, nebulas, and clusters. It is […]
Ohio: Kent State University
The killing and wounding of students at Kent State University called the world’s attention to vehement objections to the Vietnam War. It also revealed the split in opinion over the war and over war protest, as Americans took opposing sides in the aftermath of the shootings. Some saw the killings as justified; others perceived the […]
Ohio
Located between previously settled eastern states and newer territories in the Midwest, Ohio was one of the first states to be established after the creation of the United States. Ease of transportation, supplied by Lake Erie along the northern border and the Ohio River along the southern border, quickly made Ohio one of the most […]
North Dakota: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in North Dakota. Fort Union Trading Post Location: Williston, Williams County Relevant issues: Business and industry, western expansion Statement of significance: This was the principal fur-trading depot in the upper Missouri River region from 1829 to 1867. Huff Archaeological Site Location: Huff, Morton County Relevant issues: American Indian history […]
North Dakota: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Consisting of two geographically separate units and founded initially as a memorial to the twenty-sixth president of the United States, the park is home to several species of plants and animals that characterize the Great Plains glorified in writings about the Old West. The North Unit represents the natural beauty and remoteness of the Badlands […]
North Dakota: Knife River Indian Villages
An important hub of intertribal and later international trade, the Knife River Indian Villages also played an important role in Plains Indian agricultural and cultural development. Many archaeological sites are preserved at the site. A reconstructed earth lodge re-creates aboriginal life. In addition, the site preserves important native prairie and riverine habitats. Site Office Knife […]
North Dakota
With a 1997 population of approximately 641,000, North Dakota ranked forty-eighth among the fifty states in population. History of North Dakota With a 1997 population of approximately 641,000, North Dakota ranked forty-eighth among the fifty states in population. Its total area of 71,000 square miles makes it the seventeenth largest state in land mass. Its […]
North Carolina: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in North Carolina. Bentonville Battlefield Location: Along state routes 1008 and 1009, Newton Grove and Bentonville, Johnston County Relevant issues: Civil War, military history Web site: www.ah.dcr.state.nc.us/sections/hs/bentonvi/bentonvi.htm Statement of significance: The Battle of Bentonville, where two military titans of the Civil War–Generals William Tecumseh Sherman and Joseph E. Johnston–faced […]
North Carolina: Roanoke Island
Roanoke Island was the site of the first English colony in the Americas. It was first visited by English explorers in 1584 and settled by two English colonizing expeditions, in 1585 and 1587. The latter colony vanished mysteriously. In 1941, one hundred fifty acres in the area were named a National Historic Site. Site Office […]
North Carolina: Kitty Hawk
From 1900 to 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright traveled several times from their home in Dayton, Ohio, to the Outer Banks to experiment with gliders and finally a machine-powered aircraft. The National Park Service administers the site and has reconstructed the camp, which includes a hangar and workshop with living quarters. Also on display are […]
North Carolina: Carl Sandburg Home
Sandburg chose this site as the place where he could find both solitude and inspiration for his multifaceted examination of American life. The Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site preserves Connemara, the 245-acre farm where Carl Sandburg and his family lived the last twenty-two years of his life. The farm consists of a twenty-two-room house, […]
North Carolina
Although sometimes historically overshadowed by its neighbors Virginia and South Carolina, North Carolina has contributed much to the development of the United States. History of North Carolina Although sometimes historically overshadowed by its neighbors Virginia and South Carolina, North Carolina has contributed much to the development of the United States. A relatively narrow state, it […]
New York: Other Historic Sites
A list of important historic sites in New York. African Burial Ground Location: New York City, New York County Relevant issues: African American history Statement of significance: The area of the African Burial Ground was known and used as part of New York’s common land until the late eighteenth century; the site is currently characterized […]
New York: Woodstock Festival Site
In the summer of 1969, the town of Bethel was the site of Woodstock, the largest outdoor rock-and-roll concert in American history. Site Office Woodstock Nation Foundation ph.: (914) 557-0086 Web site: woodstocknation.org e-mail: liberty@woodstocknation.org The 1969 gathering called Woodstock represented one of the final events for the counterculture during the contentious 1960’s. In an […]
New York: Wall Street
Wall Street and its immediate area form one of the world’s great financial centers. The New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, major banks and insurance companies are to be found there, and the World Trade Center is a few blocks away. New York City was the capital of the United States from 1789 […]
New York: Vanderbilt Mansion
The Vanderbilt Mansion was designed by Stanford White, one of America’s premier Gilded Age architects, and provides an outstanding example of the Beaux Arts style of building popular in the late nineteenth century. In addition, it was owned by Frederick William Vanderbilt, a grandson of Cornelius “Commodore” Vanderbilt, and a successful businessman in his own […]
New York: United Nations
The United Nations is a voluntary organization of nations that have joined forces to work for world peace. The chief architect for its headquarters was Wallace K. Harrison. The Secretariat Building, General Assembly Building, and Conference Building were completed in August, 1950, and the Dag Hammarskjöld Library was added in 1961. Site Office Public Inquiries […]
New York: Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
Presented to the people of the United States by the people of France, the Statue of Liberty recognizes the friendship between the two nations. The statue, on Liberty Island, rises more than three hundred feet from its tip to the bottom of its pedestal. It was established as a national monument in 1924, placed under […]
New York: Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls is the home of the Women’s Rights National Historical Park, established in 1980 as a tribute to the women’s rights movement. The park includes the home of activist Elizabeth Cady Stanton; the Wesleyan Chapel, where the Women’s Rights Convention of 1848 was held; Declaration Park, honoring women’s rights and the convention with a […]
New York: Saratoga
Site of two Revolutionary War battles in which the Continental forces under Major General Horatio Gates defeated the British under General John Burgoyne. The victory was crucial for the colonies, for it led to their formal alliance with France. On the centennial of Burgoyne’s October 17, 1777, surrender, the cornerstone of Saratoga Monument was laid […]
New York: Sagamore Hill
Sagamore Hill was the permanent home of President Theodore Roosevelt from 1886 until his death in 1919. After the death of his widow, Edith Roosevelt, the home was presented to the American people as a site to commemorate President Roosevelt and his ideals. The home and nearby museum contain artifacts and displays relating to the […]
New York: Rockefeller Center
New York’s “city within a city,” named for its founder and developer, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., eldest son and heir of John D. Rockefeller, Sr., the billionaire founder of the Standard Oil Company. The fourteen-building complex was widely criticized during its construction but quickly became the working model for urban developments around the world. Today, […]
New York: Mount Lebanon Shaker Village
Mount Lebanon was the spiritual center of the Shaker community. It was inhabited by Shakers continuously until 1947. At its peak in the mid-nineteenth century, it encompassed over one hundred thirty buildings and six thousand acres of land. In 1880, 283 Shakers lived there. Mount Lebanon Shaker Village is listed on the National Register of […]
New York: Harlem
The area of central Harlem, a residential neighborhood of Manhattan, is approximately two and a half square miles. Its historic landmarks include St. Nicholas Historic District (“Striver’s Row”), West 138th and 139th Streets between 7th and 8th Avenues; Hamilton Heights Historic District, Convent Avenue between West 141st and 145th; Alexander Hamilton’s country home (Hamilton Grange), […]
New York: Hamilton Grange
Built in 1802-1803 in upper Manhattan, then scenic farmland, the Grange is the only home ever owned by Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers. The Grange was designed by the famous American architect John McComb, Jr., and is of significance as a structural work of the Federal period. Hamilton spent nearly two years at […]
New York: Greenwich Village
This National Historic District, the legendary site of American Bohemia, has been home to numerous important writers, artists, and political activists. It is currently a shopping, nightlife, and residential district noted for its low-rise architecture and its maze of quiet, tree-lined streets. Site Office The Museum of the City of New York 1220 Fifth Avenue […]
New York: Grant’s Tomb
The General Grant National Memorial, commonly called Grant’s Tomb, is the largest mausoleum in the United States. It honors the memory of Ulysses S. Grant, head of the Union armies in 1864 and 1865 and president of the United States from 1869 to 1877. Site Office General Grant National Memorial Riverside Drive and 122d Street […]
New York: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Home of
The village of Hyde Park was the birthplace of Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR), the thirty-second president of the United States. His home, now a National Historic Site, reflects the culture of his formative years that shaped his personality and political beliefs and substantially accounted for his presidential leadership. Site Office Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt […]
New York: Fort Ticonderoga
Present-day Fort Ticonderoga is a restored eighteenth century military post that guarded the portage between Lake Champlain and Lake George. Between 1755 and 1781, French, British, and American soldiers garrisoned the fort, which was of great strategic significance in the French and Indian War (1754-1760) and the American Revolution (1775-1783). Since 1909, the Fort Ticonderoga […]
New York: Fort Stanwix and Erie Canal Village
Fort Stanwix National Monument is a replica of an eighteenth century post that supervised military affairs and Indian relations in this region between 1758 and 1784. British soldiers built and manned the post during the French and Indian War, and American soldiers occupied it during the War for Independence. It is managed by the National […]
New York: Empire State Building
A grandiose monument to unregulated private capitalism, the building represented an expression of faith in American business enterprise in the 1920’s. Site Office Empire State Building Information Desk 350 Fifth Avenue New York City, NY 10118 ph.: (212) 736-3100 fax: (212) 967-6167 Web site: www.esbnyc.com e-mail: info@esbnyc.com The site of the Empire State Building was […]
New York: Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site
This site was the retreat of Eleanor Roosevelt from 1925 to 1945. From the time of her husband’s death in 1945, it was her home until her death in 1962. As a retreat and home, it sustained her and provided her with a nurturing environment for personal and intellectual development. Site Office Eleanor Roosevelt National […]
New York: Cooperstown
A graceful, well-kept village in the northern Catskill Mountains, Cooperstown was the home of writer James Fenimore Cooper, and the town and surrounding area provided the setting for two of his novels. Cooperstown also is the site of the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, which draws about 400,000 visitors a year. Within the […]