Historical Places to Visit in the United States
Born and raised in the midwest, I’m always amazed at how magnificent and diverse our country is. We have glaciers AND gators! There’s something for everyone in the US as we continue to work towards forming that “more perfect Union”.
I’ve been to 43 out of the 50 states (plus Washington DC) and like to visit Capitol buildings, state & national parks and sample local cuisine. I really enjoy visiting Washington DC, particularly to go to the Smithsonian museums. It’s like having all the world’s history right at your fingertips! Keep reading for tips on visiting the US as well as posts about the places I’ve been.
HISTORY
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Like many countries, we have not been kind to our Indigenous Peoples over the years. Many of the historical visits on this topic can be difficult to experience, but I think it’s important to acknowledge and understand so we can empathize and improve.
The 2015 book “An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States” by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz reports that nearly 3 million people belong to one of the 500+ federally recognized nations of Native people. I never realized there were so many different nations here; and the 3 million members today are only about 20% of the numbers they once were. There are some really amazing Native American sites in the US, and this is one topic I want to explore more in the future.
Early Modern & Modern history of the US is full of dates we learn in school: 1492 – Columbus sails the ocean blue. Over the next 250 years Spanish, English, Dutch, French (and more) explorers settled in. By 1776 the Yankees were declaring independence from Great Britain and soon after westward expansion began, introducing us to explorers like Lewis and Clark and setting the stage for the California gold rush of the 1840’s and 50’s. Our Civil War raged from 1861-1865 and Abraham Lincoln became the first US President to be assassinated. We supported our allies in both World Wars, joining the fight in 1917 and again in 1941.
There’s so much to cover in any one of these areas, and so many more topics in between. Some trips will be broad, some very specific, and I hope you will enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoyed experiencing them and my goal is to inspire you to embark on these adventures for yourself.[/bg_collapse]
- Currency: United States Dollars (USD); generally easy to find an ATM and credit cards are also widely accepted
- Weather: Incredibly Variable! Check the forecast close to departure; some places change fast!
- Transportation: Car, Train, Plane, Ride Share - heck, you can also travel by boat, bicycle or bus too. Public transportation in major cities is pretty good but if you plan on leaving the main city, you'll likely need a car. Small towns don't often have taxis or ride shares to help shuttle you around
- Cuisines: Try the local specialty - Bar-B-Que, Pork Tenderloin, Deep Dish Pizza...
Historical Places to Visit in the United States
