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 this gallery for a fascinating snapshot of America’s past, told through some of its most beloved attractions...
It’s thought that 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 center 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 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.
America’s second national park was established on September 25, 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 Sequoia National Park is the General Sherman tree, which is thought to be around 2,200 years old and is the largest tree in the world by volume.
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 recognize 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.
Sitting on the US-Canada border, these breathtaking falls have inspired generations of visitors. Niagara Falls State Park, which protects 400 acres of land on the US side, is considered the oldest in the country and was established in 1885.
It was designed by revered landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead, best known for designing Central Park, and encompasses scenic gardens and more than 15 miles of walking routes as well as the majestic American and Bridal Veil Falls.
The oldest national park in the US and generally considered the first in the world, Yellowstone was established in 1872. Encompassing an area of 3,472 square miles it’s home to more than 10,000 hydrothermal features including hot springs, mud pots, fumaroles, and geysers – the most famous of which is Old Faithful.
This legendary cone-shaped geyser can rise anywhere between 100 and 180 feet and has erupted more than a million times since the opening of the national park.
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 (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 July 1 and July 3, 1863, was the bloodiest conflict in the American Civil War (claiming around 50,000 lives) and marked 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 artifacts 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 that it’s hard to imagine New York 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, Germans, 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 theater venues, several monuments, and the Central Park Zoo.
Mirrored by the aptly-named Reflecting Pool in this sunset shot, this 555-foot-tall marble obelisk is a striking feature of Washington DC’s skyline, and was the tallest building in the world when first completed. It was built in two phases – one private (1848-1854) and one public (1876-1884) – and was created to honor George Washington, the first president of the US.
If you look closely, you’ll see that the obelisk is a slightly different color at the top. That's because marble from a different quarry was used in the second phase of construction.
Located on an artificial island at the entrance of Charleston Harbor, Fort Sumter is best known for being the site on which the Civil War began. Construction began on the fort in 1829, as part of a plan to strengthen maritime defenses following the American Revolution (1775-83).
However, the fort was still under construction on April 12, 1861, when Confederate troops fired on the fort’s US garrison. Just 34 hours later, Union troops surrendered. Today, the fall of Fort 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.
The building we see today was completed in 1797, and is the oldest intact European structure in Arizona. 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 laborers, soldiers, and native Tlaxcalans. However, after being partially destroyed during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the current building is the result of a restoration completed in 1710.
Few buildings hold quite as much cultural, political, and historical significance as the Capitol Building in Washington DC. Construction began in 1793 and it’s been home to Congress since 1800, although the building has had a turbulent history – it’s been burnt, rebuilt, extended, and restored.
Its sheer size is hard to comprehend: the Capitol covers 175,170 square feet, containing miles of corridors, around 540 rooms, 658 windows, and a mind-boggling 850 doorways.
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 June 11, 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 colorful façades, 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.
Faneuil Hall takes its name from Peter Faneuil, an 18th-century slave trader and merchant, whose money was used to build it. Completed in 1742, it was originally created to house a permanent, central marketplace, although the meeting hall above it has arguably become better known.
Dubbed the “Cradle of Liberty,” the hall played a crucial role as a meeting place for revolutionaries throughout the decades, including abolitionists, women’s suffragists, and labor unionists.
Often referred to as the birthplace of the United States, the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the US Constitution (1787) were both debated and signed in this historic building. Built between 1732 and 1748 in an imposing Georgian style, 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 the 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, famed as the place where American folk heroes Davy Crockett and James Bowie lost their lives. 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, theaters, 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 recognized 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-foot-high, 12-foot-thick walls surrounded by a moat.
It was used as a prison for Native Americans in the late 19th century, but has been a national monument since 1924. 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 jewelry, 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 lots on offer for visitors including an award-winning archaeology museum displaying 17th-century artifacts, 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 1190 and 1280, 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. Tours of the site run between May and October.
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 AD 1100 and 1350, the five-story, 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 center 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 and explore the vast collection of artifacts in the Visitor Center’s museum.
Once a thriving settlement with a population of almost 20,000 people, Cahokia Mounds is now the largest pre-Columbian site north of Mexico. At its peak in the 11th and 12th centuries, it consisted of 120 mounds, although today only around 80 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 effigy mound (a raised patch of land shaped like an animal) in the US. Its exact age and purpose remain a mystery, but it seems likely that it was built by the prehistoric Adena culture around 1000 BC.
The 1,348-foot-long serpentine structure may have fulfilled a ceremonial or religious function, or may even be a kind of astronomical calendar, as the head and tail of the serpent align with the sun on the solstices.
This ancient tumulus dates from 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 tons 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.
Now discover the oldest man-made structure in every US state