Calling all history buffs! Step back in time at one of these significant sites in each state, from Revolutionary War battlefields to famous presidential homes.
Alabama: Ivy Green
Located in the town of Tuscumbia and built in 1820, just one year after Alabama became the 22nd state in the U.S., Ivy Green is the birthplace and childhood home of Helen Keller. Born in 1880, “America’s First Lady of Courage” overcame her infancy’s blindness and deafness and went on to become an activist, public speaker and author. Visitors can tour the house, and during the week-long Helen Keller Festival in June, they can watch a live production of the award-winning play Miracle Worker, based on her life.
Alaska: Baranof Castle
On Alaska Day, trek to the top of Baranof Castle in Sitka, more commonly known as Castle Hill, to experience a reenactment of the day Russia handed the territory over to the United States on Oct. 18, 1867. You’ll be standing in the exact spot where the transaction took place, also where the first 49-star U.S. flag was raised.
Arizona: Lowell Observatory
For an out-of-this-world experience, check out Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, the spot where Pluto was first discovered in 1930. Built in 1894, this iconic landmark in Arizona is now one of “The World’s 100 Most Important Places,” according to Time magazine. It’s open for tours and nightly stargazing.
Arkansas: Little Rock Central High School
Maybe you haven’t heard of Little Rock Central High School, but you’ve likely heard of Brown v. Board of Education, the famous 1954 Supreme Court case that changed race relations in the United States by overturning the principle of “separate but equal.” And it all started with the Little Rock Nine, the nine Black students who defied segregation and entered the halls of this Arkansas high school. This U.S. landmark is now part of the National Park Service.
California: Alcatraz Island
What did Al Capone, “Machine Gun” Kelly and Alvin Karpis (aka “Public Enemy No. 1”) have in common? They were prisoners at Alcatraz, a former federal penitentiary that’s now one of the must-see landmarks in the U.S. Take a ferry across the San Francisco Bay to “the Rock” to spend a day exploring the abandoned cells, which housed infamous criminals in the 1930s. You can even go on a chilling after-dark tour—no “get out of jail free” card required.
Colorado: Mesa Verde National Park
While Mesa Verde National Park is full of striking sandstone structures and breathtaking views, the real highlight is the more than 600 cliff dwellings nestled in the canyon walls, known as Cliff Palace. You can take a guided tour of 150 of the rooms, which were built more than 700 years ago by the Puebloans. This Durango site is the largest archaeological preserve in the country and the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Colorado.
Connecticut: The Charles W. Morgan
All aboard! This wooden whaling boat, anchored in Mystic Seaport, is America’s oldest commercial ship still afloat. It may not be heading out to the high seas anytime soon, but the Charles W. Morgan, which set sail on its maiden voyage all the way back in 1841, is still open for tours. Visitors can walk through the port’s museum afterward to learn more about maritime history.
Delaware: Old Swedes Church
Built in the 1600s by the first European settlers, Old Swedes Church in Wilmington is now the longest continuously running place of worship in the United States. Visitors can tour the cemetery where some of the original Swedish settlers are still buried, admire the 400-year-old colonial architecture or head to the chapel to ring the old church bell.
Florida: Venetian Pool
The next time you find yourself in Coral Gables, take a dip in the country’s oldest and largest freshwater pool. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Venetian Pool started as a coral rock quarry in the 1920s and was later filled with 820,000 gallons of spring water and opened as a public pool. There are even waterfalls and hidden grottos to explore.
Georgia: Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site
We have a dream … of visiting the spot where one of the country’s biggest dreams began. This national historic site, located in Atlanta, includes the home where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived for the first 12 years of his life, along with Ebenezer Baptist Church, where he gave many speeches and sermons. Before you leave, stroll down the International Civil Rights Walk of Fame.
Hawaii: Iolani Palace
Did you know the United States has its own official royal residence? Flanked by palm trees, Iolani Palace in Honolulu is a testament to Hawaiian history. Built in 1882 by King Kalakaua, the palace was inspired by the beautiful castles he had seen in Europe. Kalakaua outfitted the palace with fine furnishings and hosted grand balls there. But it is also the site of the final days of the Hawaiian monarchy. The king was succeeded by his sister, Queen Liliuokalani, who was imprisoned there before the monarchy was overthrown in 1893. The palace then served as the capital but was restored and made into a museum during the 1970s.
Idaho: Cataldo Mission
Step inside Idaho’s oldest building and you’ll instantly be transported to medieval Europe. That’s because while the Jesuits built the Cataldo Mission in Coeur d’Alene in the mid-1800s, it was designed by Antonio Ravalli to look like an ancient European cathedral. Also known as the Mission of the Sacred Heart, this iconic landmark in Idaho is open to the public for tours, and Catholic masses are still held there regularly.
Illinois: Abraham Lincoln Home
Spend a day in the shoes of our 16th president at his home in downtown Springfield. Wander through the rooms—including the formal parlor, sitting room and primary bedroom—where Abraham Lincoln and his family lived for 17 years. One of the most historic landmarks in the U.S., it has been restored to its original 1860s appearance, so visitors will feel like they stepped back in time. In fact, you can almost imagine the Lincoln children running down the halls …
Indiana: Soldiers & Sailors Monument
You can skip the gym after you climb the 331 steps to the top of the Soldiers & Sailors Monument in the heart of downtown Indianapolis. The 285-foot-tall limestone structure, topped with a statue of Victory herself, was built to honor the Indiana soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War and more.
Iowa: Amana Colonies
There’s no need to book a flight to Germany for an authentic Oktoberfest experience—you can find it in the middle of Iowa, in the Amana Colonies. The seven villages were originally settled by a group of German Pietists seeking religious freedom back in 1855. For more than 80 years, the community thrived completely independently of the rest of the United States. See what a day in the life was like in the colonies by visiting the old woodworking shop or enjoying beer and brats at the brauhaus.
Kansas: Hollenberg Pony Express Station
Snail mail? Before the postal service, there was the Pony Express, a cross-country mail service where horse riders delivered letters and newspapers. And in Hanover, Kansas, you’ll find the only surviving Pony Express stop at the Hollenberg Station. Inside the historic building, not only will you see what a frontier “post office” looked like, you’ll also get to try on replica clothing from the period.
Kentucky: Churchill Downs
We say “Kentucky,” you say “Derby.” The annual horse race in Louisville is one of the things the Bluegrass State is best known for, and there’s also a lot of history associated with those recognizable Twin Spires: Churchill Downs was started in 1875 by the grandson of famous explorer William Clark (of Lewis and Clark fame).
Louisiana: Cabildo
Nestled in the historic French Quarter of New Orleans, you’ll find the Cabildo, a stunning Spanish structure built in the late 1700s. Spanish for “town hall,” the Cabildo is where many significant events took place over the years, from the signing of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 to the decision in the controversial Plessy v. Ferguson Supreme Court case (the Cabildo was once the site of the Louisiana Supreme Court). Now a museum, the Cabildo contains three floors of artifacts and exhibits on the state’s colorful history.
Maine: Portland Head Light
Perched dramatically on the cliffs of Cape Elizabeth, Portland Head Light is one of America’s oldest lighthouses—and one of its most enduring symbols of maritime life. Commissioned by George Washington and first lit on Jan. 10, 1791, it has guided countless ships through the rough, rocky coast of southern Maine. Standing 80 feet tall and still active today, the lighthouse has inspired generations of artists and writers—including painter Edward Hopper, who famously captured its rugged beauty in 1927.
Maryland: Fort McHenry
Oh, say can you see the walls of Fort McHenry? If not, add it to your history buff bucket list—it’s the spot where Francis Scott Key was inspired to write the “Star Spangled Banner” in 1814, which later became the U.S. national anthem. The Baltimore fort also played a major role in defending America from the British during the War of 1812. Visit the historic cannons overlooking the harbor, watch a flag-changing ceremony or see the “bombs bursting” (aka the fireworks) at night.
Massachusetts: Plymouth Rock
Good things come in small packages. Or rather, small parks. Plymouth Rock Memorial State Park may be the tiniest state park in Massachusetts, but it boasts some pretty big history. Namely, Plymouth Rock, in what is now the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts. The famous boulder is where it’s said that the first pilgrims stepped off the Mayflower onto American soil in 1620.
Michigan: Fort Mackinac
At Michigan’s Mackinac Island, you’ll come for the fudge but stay for the fort—Fort Mackinac, that is. Formerly called Fort Michilimackinac, it was constructed during the Revolutionary War by the British and marked the spot of the first land battle of the War of 1812. The fort was eventually seized by the Americans and now contains the oldest building in the state. You can even fire one of the fort’s cannons yourself. Bombs away!
Minnesota: Mill City Museum
Flour power! That should be the motto of this Minnesota museum, built into the remains of the Washburn “A” Mill, which used to be the world’s largest flour mill. It turned Minneapolis into the milling capital of the world for more than 50 years, even earning it the nickname “Mill City.” At the museum, tour the old flour elevators and spend some time in the lab learning fun ways to cook with the grain.
Mississippi: Old Capitol Museum
It may be one of the most beautiful and extravagant buildings in the state, with limestone accents, 11 different types of marble and a gorgeous copper dome, but the former state capitol building in Jackson is also rife with history—like how it was the spot where Mississippi’s secession from the Union took place in 1861. Make sure you see the Hall of Governors, where portraits of every Mississippi governor since 1798 are hung.
Missouri: Gateway Arch
Soaring 630 feet above the Mississippi River, the Gateway Arch is the tallest arch in the world—and the tallest monument in the United States. Completed in 1965, this gleaming stainless-steel giant was designed by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen to honor the nation’s westward expansion and St. Louis’s role as the “Gateway to the West.” Visitors can take a tram to the top for a breathtaking view of the city skyline and the river below.
Montana: Butte-Anaconda Historic District
A historic landmark in America, Butte and Anaconda were once among the most famous mining towns in the West. In fact, Butte was dubbed the “Richest Hill on Earth,” as it produced the most copper in the United States during the late 1800s. Even today, more than 10,000 miles of mine shafts and tunnels run underneath the ornate Victorian mansions that make up the unique small town.
Nebraska: Arbor Lodge State Historical Park
J. Sterling Morton was Nebraska’s No. 1 treehugger. After all, he founded Arbor Day on April 10, 1872, when one million beautiful trees were planted. And his estate in Nebraska City, which was built to resemble the White House, is as impressive as his agricultural accomplishments. Tour the 52 rooms to get a glimpse into the life of the Morton family before heading outside to the arboretum and botanical gardens that make up Arbor Lodge State Historical Park.
Nevada: Hoover Dam
Las Vegas isn’t all Nevada has to offer—it also has some “dam” good history. Built during the Great Depression, the Hoover Dam is currently the tallest in the Western Hemisphere, at a towering 725 feet, and contains 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete, enough to build a highway across the entire United States. The dam sits about 35 miles southeast of Las Vegas, and if you walk across it, there’s a point where you can straddle the state border and stand in both Nevada and Arizona at the same time.
New Hampshire: Canterbury Shaker Village
This quaint village was home to the original movers and shakers of New Hampshire, aka the Canterbury Shakers, who immigrated to America from England in the 18th century. Tour the 25 original Shaker buildings that have been preserved for more than 200 years, including the carriage house, pump room, schoolhouse and infirmary. At the peak of the Shaker movement, Canterbury was one of 19 Shaker communities along the East Coast.
New Jersey: Atlantic City Boardwalk
Unveiled in 1870, New Jersey’s Atlantic City Boardwalk was the first boardwalk in the world. Originally designed to keep sand out of hotel lobbies, it quickly transformed the Jersey Shore into America’s most glamorous seaside escape. By the early 1900s, it was lined with grand theaters, amusement piers and luxury resorts that drew vacationers from across the country. Stretching more than five miles long, it remains the longest and one of the busiest boardwalks in the world.
New Mexico: Taos Pueblo
A living piece of history, Taos Pueblo is a sovereign Native American community that has been continuously inhabited for more than 1,000 years, long before Europeans arrived in North America. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark, the pueblo is home to the Tiwa-speaking Taos people, who still live in its iconic multi-storied adobe homes made of earth, straw and water. Spanish explorers first encountered the settlement in the 1540s, and by the early 1600s, missionaries had built San Geronimo Church nearby, sparking centuries of cultural exchange and resistance. Today, visitors can tour the pueblo, meet artisans and experience a living culture.
New York: Ellis Island
The tiny island in the middle of New York Harbor is where more than 12 million immigrants came into the United States in the early 20th century, chasing the American dream. Roam the museum to learn more about the people who made our country what it is today, or venture over to Liberty Island to climb Lady Liberty herself. Neat trivia: The Main Building, which houses the museum, is in New York, though most of Ellis Island is considered part of New Jersey. It’s accessible from both states via ferry service.
North Carolina: Wright Brothers National Memorial
The day was Dec. 17, 1903. Two brothers from Ohio stood on the dunes of Kill Devil Hills in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and as just five bystanders looked on, the Wright brothers launched the world’s first successful flight with the handcrafted airplane they built in their bicycle shop. Today, you can visit the Wright Brothers National Memorial to see where it all took place.
North Dakota: Fort Union Trading Post
This often overlooked landmark in Williston, erected in 1828, was one of the most important trading posts (and the longest lasting) on the upper Missouri River when it was still in operation. Run by the American Fur Company, the Fort Union Trading Post saw plenty of famous faces, from famed naturalist and painter John James Audubon to Prince Maximilian, who used the post to trade guns and ammunition for grizzly bear and bison furs from the Native Americans.
Ohio: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens
When it comes to zoos in the United States, the Cincinnati Zoo is a contender for king of the jungle. That’s because it’s the second-oldest in the country. The limestone dome, built in 1875, used to be the Monkey House but has since become the Reptile House, home to all sorts of snakes, lizards and turtles. Adults and kids alike will marvel over the architecture … and the animals, of course.
Oklahoma: Spiro Mounds
The Spiro Mounds are a prehistoric Native American archaeological site in the eastern Oklahoma town of Spiro, once the heart of a civilization that flourished between 800 and 1450. This ancient city served as a major religious, political and trade center, connecting cultures across the Mississippi Valley, the Great Lakes and the Gulf Coast. The site’s 12 earth mounds—used for ceremonies, elite residences and burials—have revealed thousands of intricate artifacts made from copper, shell, stone and pottery. Today, visitors can walk among the reconstructed mounds and explore the interpretive center.
Oregon: Fort Rock Cave
Think the shoes in your closet are old? They’re probably not nearly as ancient as the weird archaeological discovery made in 1938 in what’s now Fort Rock Cave, located in the Fort Rock State Natural Area in central Oregon: sagebrush sandals. The footwear, deemed the oldest in the world, is thought to be up to 11,000 years old, and it is one of the first signs of Native American life on the West Coast. Guided tours led by park rangers are available during the summer months.
Pennsylvania: Liberty Bell
Let freedom ring (literally) with a stop at the Liberty Bell in downtown Philadelphia. After you get an up-close look at the iconic cracked bell, which is inscribed with the phrase “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof,” tour Independence Hall, where the bell was originally housed. There, you can step into the room where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were signed in the late 1700s.
Rhode Island: Old Slater Mill
Considered the birthplace of the American Industrial Revolution in 1793, Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket was the country’s first cotton-spinning factory powered by water. Today, the old textile mill still boasts its machine shop, complete with artifacts and 19th-century tools, along with the 16,000-pound wheel that churns the water of the Blackstone River.
South Carolina: Fort Sumter
In the middle of Charleston Harbor lies Fort Sumter. The tiny island is where the first shots of the Civil War were fired at 4:30 a.m. on April 12, 1861, in the Battle of Fort Sumter. As you explore the remains, you can still see pieces of bullets and shrapnel in the brick walls.
South Dakota: Mount Rushmore
Talk about putting your best 60-foot-high face forward. That’s what South Dakota did, with the figures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt carved into a mountainside in the Black Hills. Completed in 1941, the sculpture of Mount Rushmore remains one of the must-see landmarks in the U.S.
Tennessee: Graceland
This Memphis mansion looks fit for a king. And that’s because it was built for the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself: Elvis Presley. Join the hundreds of thousands of visitors who flock to the icon’s home every year and take an interactive tour narrated by John Stamos and Elvis’s daughter, Lisa Marie. You won’t want to miss the famous Jungle Room, where Elvis loved entertaining friends and family and even recorded two of his albums.
Texas: The Alamo
Everything is bigger in Texas, even the battles. Honor the brave American soldiers who lost their lives in one of the bloodiest battles in history at The Alamo. The 4.2-acre fortress and compound in San Antonio, the site of the first Spanish colonization in the United States, was the spot where Texas fought for its independence from Mexico in 1836 in the infamous Battle of the Alamo.
Utah: Temple Square
Don’t let the word square fool you—Temple Square is actually a 35-acre area in the center of Salt Lake City, Utah. It consists of the stunning Salt Lake Temple, the Salt Lake Tabernacle and the Family History Library. Wander the grounds of the massive temple, which took 40 years to construct in the mid-1800s (only members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can enter the temple), then listen to a performance from the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Vermont: Calvin Coolidge Homestead
Want to know what it’s like to grow up to be president of the United States? At Calvin Coolidge’s home in Plymouth Notch, you can get a sense of the 30th president’s childhood. The town’s historic district also includes the cheese factory owned by Coolidge’s father and the one-room schoolhouse Coolidge attended as a boy.
Virginia: Arlington National Cemetery
There’s no shortage of historical must-visit sites in Virginia. But one of the most famous—and most emotionally charged—is Arlington National Cemetery, the Arlington site where more than 400,000 servicemen and women and veterans are buried. Some highlights of this historic cemetery include the Arlington House (a memorial to George Washington), the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and John F. Kennedy’s gravesite.
Washington: Pike Place Market
Founded in 1907, Pike Place Market has long been the beating heart of Seattle, where local fishermen show off their haul and the scent of fresh coffee wafts from the city’s original Starbucks across the street. Created so citizens could buy food directly from farmers, it’s now a bustling maze of produce stands, flower stalls and quirky artisan shops overlooking Puget Sound.
West Virginia: The Greenbrier
This isn’t your average luxury resort. Built in 1858, The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs has served numerous important roles, from being a hideaway for U.S. presidents, including Woodrow Wilson and John F. Kennedy, to being temporarily converted into a hospital for soldiers. But the coolest thing about this West Virginia icon? The historic hotel sits atop an underground bunker, which was a top-secret fallout shelter for Congress and government employees during the Cold War.
Wisconsin: Little White Schoolhouse
In an effort to keep church and state separate, in 1854 the Republican Party held its first-ever meeting in a schoolhouse—the Little White Schoolhouse in Ripon, to be exact. The birthplace of the GOP has been restored as a museum and now offers self-guided tours along with political history exhibits and artifacts.
Wyoming: Independence Rock
The Oregon Trail is more than just a computer game: It was the trail that pioneers traveled across the country in covered wagons to settle on the West Coast. And one of the major markers along the trail was Independence Rock in what is now Alcova, Wyoming. Also known as the “Register of the Desert” because of all the names engraved in it, the rock was so-called because pioneers had to reach it by the Fourth of July to make it safely across the Rocky Mountains before winter.
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