Historic Site sights in North America
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Artillery Park
The French chose this location for their army barracks because of its strategic view of the plateau west of the city and the St Charles River, both of which could feed enemy soldiers into Québec City. English soldiers moved in after the British conquest of New France. The English soldiers left in 1871 and it was changed into an ammunition factory for the Canadian army. The factory operated until 1964 and thousands of Canadians worked there during the World Wars. Now you can visit the Officers’ Quarters and the Dauphine Redoubt where guides greet you in character (ie the garrison’s cook) and give you the scoop on life in the barracks. There’s also a huge model of Québec…
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Old City Hall
This monumental French Second Empire building occupies a historic spot. Out front, a plaque commemorates the site of the first public school, Boston Latin, founded in 1635 and still operational in Fenway. The hopscotch sidewalk mosaic, City Carpet, marks the spot where Benjamin Franklin, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Charles Bulfinch were educated.
Statues of Benjamin Franklin, founding father, and Josiah Quincy, second mayor of Boston, stand inside the courtyard. They are accompanied by a life-sized replica of a donkey, symbol of the Democratic Party. (‘Why the donkey?’ you wonder. Read the plaque to find out.) Two bronze footprints ‘stand in opposition.’
The…
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Old Town State Historic Park
Preserves five original adobe buildings and several re-created structures from the first pueblo, including a schoolhouse and a news-paper office. Most now contain museums, shops or restaurants. The visitor center operates free tours daily at 11am and 2pm.
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Shanghai Tunnels
Running beneath Old Town's streets is this series of underground corridors through which, in the 1850s, unscrupulous people would kidnap or 'shanghai' drunken men and sell them to sea captains looking for indentured workers. Tours run Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30pm and 8pm. Book online.
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Salem Maritime National Historic Site
The witch phenomenon obscures Salem’s true claim to fame: its glory days as a center for clipper-ship trade with China, started by Elias Hasket Derby. The Salem Maritime National Historic Site comprises the customhouse, the ship Friendship and the wharves, as well as other buildings along Derby St that are remnants of the shipping industry once thriving along this stretch of Salem.
In all, the site comprises 10 different historic locations within a two-block area. Check in at the visitor center for a schedule of ranger-led tours.
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Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site
In the summer of 1885, the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens rented an old inn near the town of Cornish and came to this beautiful spot in the Connecticut River Valley to work. He returned summer after summer, and eventually bought the place in 1892. The estate, where he lived until his death in 1907, is now open to the public as the Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site. Saint-Gaudens is best known for his public monuments, such as the Sherman Monument in New York’s Central Park and the Adams Memorial in Rock Creek Park in Washington DC. Perhaps his greatest achievement was the Robert Gold Shaw Memorial across from the State House in Boston. Recasts of all of these…
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Mayflower II
If Plymouth Rock tells us little about the Pilgrims, Mayflower II speaks volumes. Climb aboard this replica of the small ship in which they made the fateful voyage, where 102 people lived together for 66 days as the ship passed through stormy North Atlantic waters. Actors in period costume are often on board, recounting harrowing tales from the journey.
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Burnham Tavern
Although Machias proper hosts a branch of the University of Maine, it’s not a place to spend any time. However, its beautiful neighbors, East Machias and Machiasport, are worthy of some attention. Machiasport, in fact, is where the first naval engagement of the Revolutionary War took place. After the king of England received the Declaration of Independence from the colonies, he sent a frigate to Machiasport to monitor the timely collection and transportation of lumber to Portland to build his ships. But a few drunken American colonists at Burnham Tavern decided to pay the frigate a visit before they could reach shore. After killing the English captain with a single shot…
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Casa Grande Ruins National Monument
Built around AD 1350, Casa Grande (Big House) is the country's largest Hohokam structures still standing, with 11 rooms spread across four floors and mud walls several feet thick. Preserved as a national monument it's in reasonably good shape, partly because of the metal awning that's been canopying it since 1932. Although you can't walk inside the crumbling structure, you can peer into its rooms. A few strategically placed windows and doors suggest that the structure may have served as an astronomical observatory. The ball court is one of more than 200 that have been found in major Hohokam villages throughout the region. Experts aren't 100% sure of the purpose of these…
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Fort Point
Despite its impressive guns, this Civil War fort saw no action – at least until Alfred Hitchcock shot scenes from Vertigo here, with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge from below.
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Fort Verde State Historic Park
Camp Verde was founded in 1865 as a farming settlement only to be co-opted soon after by the US Army who built a fort here to prevent Indian raids on Anglo settlers. Tonto Apache chief Chalipun surrendered here in April 1873. Today, the town’s Fort Verde State Historic Park offers an authentic snapshot of frontier life in the late 19th century. Exploring the well-preserved fort, you’ll see the officer’s and doctor’s quarters, sprint down the parade grounds and study displays about military life and the Indian Wars. Staff occasionally dress up in period costume and conduct living history tours. To get here, take exit 287 off I-17, go south on Hwy 260, turn left at Finnie…
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Castle Clinton
Built as a fort to defend the New York Harbor during the war of 1812, this national monument has played numerous roles, including opera house, entertainment complex and aquarium. It's now a visitors center, with historical displays, as well as a massive performance space, where outdoor concerts are held on the open-air stage for summer shows under the stars.
The circular structure got its current moniker in 1817 to honor then mayor DeWitt Clinton. Later, and before Ellis Island opened to immigrants, Castle Garden (as it was then known) served as the major processing center for new immigrant arrivals, welcoming more than eight million people between 1855 and 1890. Rangers…
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Picacho Peak State Park
Distinctive Picacho Peak (3374ft) sticks out from the flatlands like a desert Matterhorn, about 40 miles northwest of Tucson. The westernmost battle of the American Civil War was fought in this area, with Arizonan Confederate troops killing two or three Union soldiers before retreating to Tucson and dispersing, knowing full well that they would soon be greatly outnumbered. The battle is reenacted every March with much pomp, circumstance and period costumes.
The pretty state park has a visitor center that acts as a jump-off point for trails onto the mountain. If you're fit, you can walk to the peak of the mountain via a rugged trail that includes cables and catwalks. …
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Theodore Roosevelt’s Birthplace
This National Historic Site is a bit of a cheat, since the physical house where the 26th president was actually born was demolished in his own lifetime. But this building is a worthy reconstruction by his relatives, who joined it with another family residence next door. If you’re interested in Roosevelt’s extraordinary life, which has been somewhat overshadowed by the enduring legacy of his younger cousin Franklin D, visit here – especially if you don’t have the time to see his spectacular summer home in Long Island’s Oyster Bay. Included in the admission price are half-hour house tours, offered on the hour from 10am to 4pm.
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Tumacácori National Historic Park
Three miles south of Tubac, this pink-and-cream edifice shimmers on the desert like a conquistador's dream. In 1691 Father Eusebio Kino and his cohort arrived at the Tumacácori settlement and quickly founded a mission to convert the local Native Americans. However, repeated Apache raids and the harsh winter of 1848 drove the priests out, leaving the complex to crumble for decades. For self-guided tours of the hauntingly beautiful ruins (ask for the free booklet) start at the visitor center, which also has a few exhibits. Skip the 15-minute video and plunge into the cool church alcoves and thorny gravesites. An impressive mass is held here on Christmas Eve.
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Montezuma Castle National Monument
Montezuma Castle is a stunningly well-preserved 1000-year-old Sinagua cliff dwelling. The name refers to the splendid castlelike location high on a cliff; early explorers thought the five-story-high pueblo was Aztec and hence dubbed it Montezuma. A museum interprets the archaeology of the site, which can be spotted from a short self-guiding, wheelchair-accessible trail. Entrance into the ‘castle’ itself is prohibited, but there’s a virtual tour on the website. Access the monument from I-17 exit 289, drive east for 0.5 miles, then turn left on Montezuma Castle Rd.
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Pipe Spring National Monument
Fourteen miles southwest of Fredonia on Hwy 389, Pipe Spring is quite literally an oasis in the desert. Visitors can experience the Old West amid cabins and corrals, an orchard, ponds and a garden. In summer, rangers and costumed volunteers re-enact various pioneer tasks. Tours (on the hour and half-hour) let you peek inside the stone Winsor Castle (8am-4:30pm Jun-Aug, 9am-4pm Sep-May), and there’s also a small museum (7am-5pm Jun-Aug, 8am-5pm Sep-May) that examines the turbulent history of local Paiutes and Mormon settlers.
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Golden Spike National Historic Site
On May 10, 1869, the westward Union Pacific Railroad and eastward Central Pacific Railroad met at Promontory Summit. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad, the face of the American West changed forever. Golden Spike National Historic Site, 32 miles northwest of Brigham City on Hwy 83, has an interesting museum and films, auto tours and several interpretive trails. Steam engine demonstrations take place June through August. Aside from Golden Spike National Historic Site, few people visit Utah’s desolate northwest corner.
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Cambridge Common
There’s a lot to Harvard Sq besides the university: it’s a hotbed of Colonial and revolutionary history. Opposite the main entrance to Harvard Yard, Cambridge Common is the village green where General Washington took command of the Continental Army on July 3, 1775. The traffic island at the south end, known as Dawes Island, pays tribute to the ‘other rider’ William Dawes, who rode through here on April 18, 1775, to warn that the British were coming (look for bronze hoof prints embedded in the sidewalk).
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Fountain of Youth
When Ponce de León first came ashore here in 1513, the Timucuans are said to have shown him a freshwater stream some believe to be the fabled Fountain of Youth. Today, you can take a kitschy 45-minute tour of the site, now an 'archaeological park,' and drink from the sulfur-tasting trickle, but we seriously doubt it'll have any anti-wrinkle powers! The park is about a mile north of downtown – just follow the signs.
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Ether Dome
On October 16, 1846, Thomas WG Morton administered ether to the patient Gilbert Abbott, while Dr John Collins Warren cut a tumor from his neck. It was the first use of anesthesia in a surgical procedure and it happened in this domed operating room in Mass General Hospital.
The dome looks like a typical, old-fashioned hall used for lectures and medical demonstrations, up to and including the skeleton hanging in the corner. The dome is still used today for meetings and lectures, so it is sometimes closed to the public.
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USS Cassin Young
This 376ft WWII destroyer is one of 14 Fletcher-class destroyers built at the Charlestown Navy Yard. These were the Navy’s fastest, most versatile ships. Cassin Young participated in the 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf, as well as the 1945 invasion of Okinawa. Here, the ship sustained two kamikaze hits, leaving 23 crew members dead and many more wounded. These days she has been completely refurbished, as you can see during a free, 45-minute tour, or if you choose to wander around the main deck on your own.
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This is the Place Heritage Park
Dedicated to the 1847 arrival of the Mormons, the heritage park covers 450 acres. The centerpiece is a living-history village where, June through August, costumed docents depict mid-19th-century life. Admission includes a tourist-train ride and activities. The rest of the year, access is limited to varying degrees at varyingly reduced prices; you'll at least be able to wander around the exterior of the 41 buildings. Some are replicas, some are originals, such as Brigham Young's farmhouse.
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Fort McHenry National Monument & Historic Shrine
On September 13 and 14, 1814, the star-shaped fort successfully repelled a British navy attack during the Battle of Baltimore. After a long night of bombs bursting in the air, prisoner Francis Scott Key saw, 'by dawn's early light,' the tattered flag still waving, inspiring him to pen 'The Star-Spangled Banner' (set to the tune of a popular drinking song).
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Fort Story
This active army base at Cape Henry is home to the 1791 Old Cape Henry Lighthouse, offering spectacular views of the surrounding area from its observation deck. On summer Saturdays, the fort stages a re-created Native American village and 17th-century colonial outpost at the Historic Villages at Cape Henry. All adults must have a photo ID to enter the base.
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