World history is filled with remarkable wonders like the leaning Tower of Pisa or Ellis Island that mark significant moments. These historic sites represent significant events in world history that we should celebrate today.
Historic properties can include buildings that have architectural style, location or symbolize an important historical event; museums, fairs or neighborhoods also often qualify.
Gettysburg National Military Park
The Battle of Gettysburg took place over three days in July 1863 and saw over 51,000 casualties during this pivotal battle of the American Civil War. President Lincoln issued his Gettysburg Address as an act of recognition of all those who sacrificed themselves “in full measure for their nation”.
The National Park Service works tirelessly to preserve the landscape as it was in 1863 and provide educational programs about Civil War soldiers and civilian life during that era. They replant historic orchards and woodlots, restore historic vistas, and improve visitor experiences at this iconic battlefield.
Visit the museum and visitor center off Baltimore Pike to gain more insight into this significant American historical site, then tour its battlefield and Soldiers National Cemetery while engaging with living historians or witnessing military reenactments.
Pearl Harbor National Memorial
Pearl Harbor National Memorial is one of America’s premier historical sites, recounting the events leading up to US entry in World War II. Visitors experience it all from museum exhibits to memorials on the shoreline.
The USS Arizona was one of three battleships sunk during a surprise attack on December 7th 1941, and is commemorated with a memorial spanning its sunken ship. Additionally, USS Utah and Oklahoma also perished as a result. This event killed more than 2,400 people, unifying American public opinion against neutrality by ending most support for America’s position during WWII.
Pearl Harbor memorials, museums, visitor center and Ford Island’s F6 North/F8 North mooring quays F6/F8 North/South are managed by the National Park Service as national significance sites, defined by their fundamental resources and values.
Lincoln Memorial
At the western end of Washington’s National Mall stands one of America’s most iconic monuments: the Lincoln Memorial. Designed in neoclassical temple style and featuring Daniel Chester French’s 19-foot statue of Abraham Lincoln gazing outward from within carved text inside its interior walls, its design represents two hallmarks of Lincoln as president: his liberation of slaves and calls for national harmony during times of civil strife.
As soon as Lincoln died, efforts began to create a memorial in his honor; however, political wrangles and World War I delayed construction for years. Finally, on May 30, 1922, President Warren G. Harding attended an inaugural ceremony and dedicated it alongside Robert Moton, president of Alabama’s Tuskegee Institute, Robert Todd Lincoln (Lincoln’s only living son), as well as Taft.
Lincoln delivered his Second Inaugural Address just months before his death in March 1865 from here on out – emphasizing reunifying southern states without malice or division, using charity for all. Martin Luther King Jr delivered his famous I Have a Dream speech from this very same spot in 1963.
Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde National Park boasts unparalleled archaeological sites and breathtaking landscapes, perfect for an exciting day trip or hike among Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings or exploring its wide open vistas. There’s something here for everyone at Mesa Verde National Park!
What drove the Ancestral Pueblo people from their cliff dwellings is unknown, though theories include drought and social or political problems. By 1300 the area had become deserted. Explorers and prospectors first began visiting in the 1870s and 1880s and noted some cliff dwellings contained circular spaces called “kivas,” used both ceremonially and residentially for purposes.
Jesse Fewkes began the tradition of evening campfire talks at Mesa Verde National Park in 1907, and they continue today as lectures to shed light on its rich history and how it was preserved for all of us to enjoy. Additionally, there are ranger-guided tours available of Mesa Verde’s cliff dwellings.
