While it might be a relatively young nation – founded in 1776 – the US is steeped in history. There’s plenty to satisfy the curiosity of any history buff here, from well-preserved Indigenous settlements to Civil War landmarks, as well as the country’s oldest national parks and Gold Rush towns.
Click through for a fascinating snapshot of America’s past, told through some of its most beloved attractions that span 900 years...
It’s thought around 40% of present-day US citizens can trace at least one of their ancestors back to Ellis Island. This 27-acre isle, located at the mouth of the Hudson River between Manhattan and New Jersey, welcomed around 12 million immigrants into America between 1892 and 1924, when it was the nation’s major immigration station. However, not all of those who entered were able to continue onwards to the US – around 10% of new arrivals were kept there at a detention centre for weeks or even months. Today, visitors can learn about the lives of detainees and immigrants at the National Immigration Museum on the island.
While many of the natural wonders within it are thousands of years old, it wasn’t until 1890 that Yosemite became a national park – America’s third at the time. However, visitors today might not know about the region’s darker history. The 1,500-square mile (3,885 sq km) region has been inhabited by Miwok people for some 4,000 years, who lived in a village called Ahwahnee. Yet during the Gold Rush of 1849 to 1851, the land saw an influx of thousands of miners. In 1851 the Miwok people were removed by force from their homes and their villages burned. By 1910, just one in 10 of the original Ahwahnee inhabitants remained.
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America’s second national park was established on 25 September 1890. It was created to protect the towering sequoia trees, to which it owes its name, from logging. Today, the oldest tree in the 629-square mile (1,629 sq km) Sequoia National Park is the General Sherman Tree – it’s thought to be 2,300 to 2,700 years old. Foliage aside, the park’s diverse landscape includes a significant portion of the Sierra Nevada mountains, as well as deep canyons, craggy foothills and impressive caverns.
The Statue of Liberty is one of the most iconic landmarks in the US, yet it wasn’t actually constructed there. French historian Edouard de Laboulaye proposed the idea of building a statue as a gift to the US, to recognise the nations’ friendship and celebrate the end of slavery in America. The statue was built between 1876 and 1884 in France before being shipped to New York, where it was reassembled on a pedestal on a small island in Upper New York Bay.
It might look as if it’s been plucked straight from a Western film but Deadwood, South Dakota is the real deal. After the discovery of gold in the nearby southern Black Hills in 1874, some 250,000 miners flocked to the region and the city was founded in 1876. Owing its name to the dead trees filling the canyon in which it was built, it quickly earned a reputation as a lawless outpost associated with gambling, gold seekers and Wild West legends. Among them were Calamity Jane, a fearless frontierswoman and professional army scout, and Wild Bill Hickock, a notorious gambler and outlaw who was killed in Deadwood while playing poker.
Now a seminal part of the New York skyline, Brooklyn Bridge was considered a triumph of engineering when it was built in the late 19th century. Thanks to the innovative use of steel cables, it was the longest bridge in the world at the time, measuring 1,600 feet (488m) from tower to tower. However, building it was no mean feat. The construction process took 14 years and cost the lives of at least 20 people, including its designer John Augustus Roebling.
The Battle of Gettysburg, taking place between 1 July and 3 July 1863, was the bloodiest conflict in the American Civil War and signified a major turning point for the Union. The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center is now home to one of the largest collections of Civil War artefacts in the world, as well as the Cyclorama Painting. If you can't make it to the site itself, there is an excellent virtual tour that will walk you through the key battle sites such as the Peach Orchard plus the National Cemetery.
Central Park is such an iconic part of Manhattan it’s hard to imagine the city without it. Yet up until the mid-19th century this patch of land looked vastly different: it was home to a diverse community of African Americans, German and Irish immigrants. In the 1850s the settlement, known as Seneca Village, was chosen to be the site of a new city park and some 1,600 residents were forced to leave. Designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, it includes wooded areas, wide lawns and lakes, plus some newer additions – two ice skating rinks, concert and theatre venues, several monuments and the Central Park Zoo.
Mirrored by the aptly-named Reflecting Pool in this sunset shot, this 555-foot (169m) tall marble obelisk is a striking feature of Washington DC’s skyline. It was built in two phases – one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884) – and was created to honour George Washington, the first president of the US. If you look closely, you’ll see that the obelisk is a slightly different colour at the top. This is because marble from a different quarry was used in the second phase of construction.
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Located on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter is best known for being the site of the inception of the Civil War. Construction began on the fort in 1829, as part of a plan to strengthen maritime defences following the American Revolution (1775-83). However, the fort was still under construction on 12 April 1861, when Confederate troops fired on the fort’s US garrison. Just 34 hours later, Union troops surrendered. Today, the fall of Sumter is generally considered the last in a series of events that started the Civil War.
Nicknamed “White Dove of the Desert” thanks to the white stucco walls which help it stand out from its dusty surroundings, Mission San Xavier del Bac is a stunning example of Spanish Colonial-style architecture. While the original Mission was built in 1700, much of it was destroyed during the Pima uprising in 1751 and the building we see today was completed in 1797. It’s just as beautiful on the inside, ornately decorated with paintings depicting religious symbols and frescoes showing the lives of Catholic saints.
Reportedly the oldest church in America, San Miguel Mission Chapel dates back to the early 1600s. Located in the Barrio de Analco Historic District in Santa Fe, it’s thought that the chapel originally served a community of labourers, soldiers and Tlaxcalans. However, after being partially destroyed during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the current building is the result of a restoration completed in 1710.
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Whitney Plantation serves as a chilling reminder of America’s history of slavery. A former indigo, sugar and cotton plantation established in 1752, the site was home to more than 350 enslaved people, whose names can be seen etched onto the Wall of Honor today. An inventory from 1819 reveals that 19 out of the 61 slaves on the plantation at the time were African-born survivors of an Atlantic crossing. As the transatlantic slave trade was abolished in the US in 1808, it's likely they were younger than 10 when they made the treacherous voyage. Today, visitors can take a self-guided tour to learn more about the lives of enslaved people during this period.
At more than 250 years old, Sandy Hook Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in the country. Located on a low-lying spit called Sandy Hook, at the entrance of New York Harbor, it was completed in 1764. The light is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area that spans parts of New York and New Jersey, and was named a National Historic Landmark on 11 June 1964 – the 200th anniversary of its first lighting. It's open to visitors daily, with guided tours operating on a first-come, first-served basis.
With its ornate cast-iron balconies, shuttered windows and colourful facades, the architecture of New Orleans’ French Quarter is a beguiling mix of French, Spanish, Creole and American influences. Founded in 1718, it became the capital of the French Colony of Louisiana five years later. Its original houses were constructed from wood, but many of these were burned down by a fire in 1788 and replaced by sturdier brick buildings during the Spanish Colonial era. Today, the oldest surviving building is the Old Ursuline Convent, built between 1745 and 1753, which is now a museum.
Often referred to as the birthplace of the United States, the Declaration of Independence was signed in this building in 1776. Then, 11 years later, the US Constitution was created and signed here. Built between 1732 and 1748, it used to house the Liberty Bell, which was rung during the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. The bell bears a visible crack and is now on display opposite Independence Hall in the Liberty Bell Center.
Established in 1718, the Alamo started life as a mission for Spanish settlers and Indigenous converts. In 1836, it was the site of the Battle of Alamo, part of the Texas Revolution, a war fought to gain independence from Mexico. While the Texans were outnumbered by the Mexican army and lost the battle, the Alamo has since become a symbol of their resistance. Today, admission to the church is free but you need to reserve a spot in advance.
Williamsburg became the capital of Virginia in 1699 following the burning of the former capital, Jamestown. The hub of the largest English colony in America, it was home to bustling markets, taverns, theatres, a church and the royal Governor’s Palace. When the state’s capital was moved to Richmond in 1780, Williamsburg’s importance declined. However, in the early 20th century a local reverend recognised the city’s historic importance and kickstarted an extensive restoration project, sponsored by John D. Rockefeller, which saw more than 500 buildings restored and reconstructed.
Spooky stories abound at the Witch House in Salem, Massachusetts. Thought to have been built in about 1675, it was the residence of Judge Jonathan Corwin, who oversaw many of the witch trials in 1692. These began when a group of young girls claimed to have been possessed by the devil and accused local women of witchcraft. With the help of other judges, more than 200 people were accused of practicing witchcraft and 20 were executed. Today, the house serves as a sobering reminder of this dark chapter in Salem's past.
Thought to be the oldest operating restaurant in the US, White Horse Tavern first opened in 1673. Situated in Newport, Rhode Island, it served as a meeting place for political gatherings including the Colony’s General Assembly, Criminal Court and City Council for nearly 100 years. As well as political figures, an eclectic mix of characters mingled here, including merchants, scholars and even pirates. By 1954 the building had fallen into disrepair and was painstakingly restored by the Newport Preservation Society, reopening in 1957.
Castillo De San Marcos was built between 1672 and 1695, making it the oldest masonry fort in America. Constructed by the Spaniards to defend Florida against British forces, the fort comprises 33-feet (10m) high, 12-feet (4m) thick walls surrounded by a moat. Reinforced to withstand the impact of a cannonball, its sturdy construction has helped it remain so well-preserved today.
Built in 1610, it’s thought the Palace of the Governors in Santa Fe is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the country. It was constructed by the Spanish and initially housed their colonial administration, and was home to Pedro de Peralta, the first Spanish colonial royal governor of New Mexico. Today, as well as being the location of the Museum of New Mexico, the Palace is home to a marketplace where Indigenous artists and artisans sell jewellery, crafts and other homemade wares.
When British settlers arrived in America in 1607, they chose Jamestown as their first permanent colony. Named after the King of England, James I, the settlement started life as a triangular wooden fort surrounded by houses and a church. After serving as Virginia’s capital for nearly a century, Jamestown was ravaged by a fire in 1698 and the capital was moved to Williamsburg. Today, there’s much on offer for visitors including an award-winning archaeology museum displaying 17th-century artefacts plus replicas of the three ships that sailed to Jamestown in the 1606-1607 voyage.
It’s incredible to think that anyone ever lived in this intricate cliff-carved village. Located in an alcove in Mesa Verde National Park, it was built by Ancestral Puebloans between about 1200 and 1275, and around 100 people lived here at any one time. Studies have revealed it contained some 150 buildings, which were created from sandstone, mortar and wooden reinforcements. Many visitors today are shocked by their small size – the average Ancestral Puebloan man was just 5ft 4ins to 5ft 5ins (1.6m).
Adobe – a construction material made from earth, water and straw – forms the building blocks of Taos Pueblo. While those materials might sound flimsy to some, this Puebloan settlement in northern New Mexico has survived since the 13th century, with local people maintaining the buildings by replastering them with thin layers of mud. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark, it’s still home to a thriving Puebloan community today, serving as a remarkably well-preserved example of Indigenous architecture.
Built by Indigenous Sinagua people somewhere between 1100 and 1350 AD, the five-storey, 20-room Montezuma Castle is an impressively well-preserved cliff dwelling. It’s located in a high limestone bluff above Beaver Creek in the Verde Valley, central Arizona, and it’s thought to have been used as a community centre for the Sinagua people. Today, it’s not possible to go inside since the soft limestone rock is delicate, but visitors can gaze up at the awe-inspiring castle from the bottom of the valley.
Cahokia Mounds was once a thriving pre-Columbian settlement, home to a population of 10,000–20,000 at its peak in the 11th and 12th centuries. The site once included 120 mounds although today only 51 remain, the largest being the 14.8-acre Monks Mound. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cahokia is an impressive example of a pre-urban society and one of the earliest large Mississippian settlements.
With its meandering curves and curls, Serpent Mound is the largest surviving prehistoric effigy mound (a raised patch of land shaped like an animal) in the world. Constructed by Native Ohioans around 300 BC at the site of an ancient meteor strike, it's believed that the 411-metre (1,348ft) long serpentine structure may have fulfilled a spiritual purpose to the Buckeye State’s Indigenous cultures, as snakes were often associated with the supernatural. The head and tail of the serpent also align with the sun on the solstices, so the mound could have held temporal significance too.
This ancient tumulus dates from around 250 to 150 BC and was gradually built by the prehistoric Adena people as a final resting place. The largest burial mound in the United States, it's thought that more than 57,000 tonnes of soil and sand had to be moved in order to form the Grave Creek Mound, which remains a sacred site to Native Americans today. A museum attached to the archaeological complex, as well as the Delf Norona Museum adjacent to the site, further illustrate its history.
For over 3,000 years, Indigenous peoples have quarried the red stone (catlinite) from this site to make smoking pipes. Used exclusively during prayer and ceremonial occasions, the carved stone pipes are part of a millennia-old tradition that has endured into modernity. According to Native American beliefs, the people and the pipestone were made of the same material – now, only those from the tribal nations affiliated with the quarry can remove its stones for this purpose.
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