In addition to national parks, there are also 433 National Monuments, National Historic Sites, National Battlefields and Military Sites, and National Historic Trails across all 48 states. All have passed a rigorous process to become national monuments. Many national parks started off as national monuments.

The National Park Service (NPS) also has “affiliated areas” that are not part of the official list but receive federal funding, for example, the Oklahoma City National Memorial.

We have visited all of the national monuments in this blog. While we have been very fortunate to have been able to visit many national treasures, there are many more to go!

Alabama

The Montgomery National Historic Trail (Selma to Montgomery) was established in 1996 to commemorate the people, events, and route of the 1965 Voting Rights March in Alabama. Led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., black and white non-violent supporters fought for the right to vote in Central Alabama. We drove the 54-mile trail and visited the visitors centers in Selma, Montgomery and hallway in between.

Our Impressions: This was one of those experiences we couldn’t begin to understand until we realized the enormity of what those brave people did in 1965. We drove the route and it was long! We stood where the marchers stood at the base of the HUGE, opulent white granite state house building. We stood on the Edmund Pettus Bridge, and we could almost hear and feel the confrontation between the marchers and the state police. It was a very powerful experience.

Florida

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument (St. Augustine) is the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. It was constructed in 1672, 107 years after the city’s founding when Florida was part of the Spanish Empire. The fort was ordered to be built after a 1668 raid by an English privateer, Robert Searles. The raid destroyed much of St. Augustine. From the fort, you can view Matanzas Bay.

Our Impressions: The Castillo de San Marcos NM is across the street from historic Old Town St. Augustine. This fort has an interesting history. They have done a nice job of preserving the history of the fort. We had a chance to actually see the drawbridge being raised!

Louisiana

New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park (New Orleans) is located in the Tremé neighborhood of New Orleans, near the French Quarter. It was created in 1994 to celebrate the origins and evolution of jazz. There are artifacts, memorabilia, videos, and concerts at the historic park.

Our Impressions: This historical park has three floors of memorabilia. There is even a concert hall on the third floor where locals put on jazz concerts. It was very interesting to experience all of the jazz history.

Massachusetts

The Boston National Historical Park and Trail (Boston) or the Freedom Trail is an association of sites that showcase Boston’s role in the American Revolution and other parts of history. It was designated a NHP on October 1, 1974. Seven of the eight sites are connected by the Freedom Trail, a walking tour of downtown Boston.

Our Impressions: We have walked the Freedom Trail many times. One of our favorite historical areas, Boston’s Italian North End, is on the Freedom Trail. It is literally a red painted line on the sidewalk! It is an interesting way to experience history.

Nebraska

Scotts Bluff National Monument (Gering) is located west of Gering in western Nebraska. Scotts Bluff includes 3,000 acres of historic overland trail remnants, mixed-grass prairie, rugged badlands, towering bluffs and riparian area along the North Platte River.

Our Impressions: You can drive to the top of Scotts Bluff for some of the most amazing scenery anywhere! You can see for miles and miles! If you are afraid of heights, this drive might be a bit scary as the road winds around the Bluff!

North Carolina

Blue Ridge Parkway (Asheville) offers 469 miles of amazing, unparalleled views of the Great Smoky Mountains, the Appalachian Mountains and Shenandoah National Park.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is known for its leisurely, relaxing pace and scenic beauty. This is not a highway you want to take if you are trying to make time from one location to another.

Our Impressions: We have not driven the entire 469 miles but have completed probably half. Though the road is in good condition, because of its winding nature and few passing zones, it is probably best not to drive the Parkway in a motorhome, towing!

Pennsylvania

The Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg) is about 6,000 acres; the Battlefield is about 11,360 acres, or 17.75 square miles. It is the location of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg. It was a turning point in the Civil War, with a Union victory. Often referred to as the “High Water Mark of the Rebellion”, Gettysburg was the Civil War’s bloodiest battle and was also the inspiration for President Abraham Lincoln’s immortal “Gettysburg Address”.

Our Impressions: The National Park Service has done a nice job in preserving the battlefield’s landscape to what it might have looked like in 1863. The park features more than 1,300 monuments, markers, and memorials that really bring the experience to life. It is a very muted, quiet, respectful place. There are paved walking trails everywhere.

South Dakota

Crazy Horse National Memorial (Crazy Horse) is a mountain monument under construction on privately held land in the Black Hills in Custer County, South Dakota. The artist commissioned to create a vision of this memorial was Korczak Ziolkowski. Construction started in 1948 to depict the Oglala Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, riding a horse and pointing to his tribal land. However, there are no pictures of Crazy Horse, so no one really knows what he looked like!

Our Impressions: The enormity of this monument cannot be underestimated. Many people feel this is a memorial that will never be completed. You can take a bus up to the construction site. There is a huge museum with memorabilia. There is also an outside patio with shows by Native American dancers.

Texas

Alamo National Historic Landmark (San Antonio) and the third site of Mission San Antonio de Valero was an important part of missionary work in Texas before becoming the site of many military garrisons. In 1960, the Alamo was designated a United States National Historic Landmark. In 2015, it became part of the Lone Star State’s only United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site. This is a Historic Landmark with significant history for Texans.

Our Impressions: The Alamo is in the middle of downtown San Antonio. It just pops up in the middle of these tall modern buildings! It has been well maintained. It was fascinating to experience such an important historical place.

Virginia

Appomattox Court House National Historic Park (Appomattox) was established in 1935 and is the preserved 19th-century village named Appomattox Court House in Appomattox County, Virginia. The village was named for the presence nearby of what is now preserved as the Old Appomattox Court House. This is the location where General Robert E. Lee and the Confederate Army surrendered to Lt. General Ulysses S. Grant of the Union Army on April 9, 1865.

Our Impressions: The Appomattox Court House NHP was interesting to explore. There are many well-maintained buildings on the grounds. The room where the surrender took place has been replicated, right down to the design on the wall paper and carpeting!

Washington, DC

There are many memorials in Washington, D.C. Some of the more iconic memorials are the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Veteran Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument and Arlington National Cemetery. They are all located a few steps to a few miles of each other.

Our Impressions: Visiting Washington, D.C. should be a requirement for every American. Though not memorials, if you are in Washington, D.C., there are many more national treasures to explore, for example, the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum, education, and research complex with 21 separate museums, and the National Zoo. We spent days wandering around these famous statues/memorials. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was by far the most awe inspiring.

Summary

In all of our travels, we have only visited less than a quarter of the 433 National Monuments!! We have many more to go! What have been our favorites? The Montgomery National Historic Trail, The Boston National Historical Park and Trail, and Crazy Horse.

If you enjoyed this blog on national monuments, please also check out our blog on national parks!

Since beginning our full-time journey to discover the country, we have found something to appreciate in every city and town we have passed through. We hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we have enjoyed discovering them!

Your partners in travel,
Kathryn and Dave
RVing Nomads

It’s a lifestyle

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