I’m talking about which city can you go to and view locations that were significant to American history like in NYC you can visit the teddy roosevelt memorial birthplace, and then walk to cooper union where Lincoln gave the speech which essentially resulted in him becoming president.

Which city can you just end up walking around and finding cool events that have taken place on the ground you’re walking in?

27 comments
  1. Here’s a list of my favorite options for early American history:

    1. Boston
    2. Philadelphia
    3. Baltimore
    4. Williamsburg
    5. Charleston
    6. Providence
    7. St Augustine
    8. Savannah

    And I’m sure more will come to me. My first choice will always be Boston, but any of the above cities can offer a wonderful walking history tour.

    Personally, I’ve always wanted to follow [George Washington’s Journey to the Inauguration](https://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-first-president/inauguration/), but that would cover more territory than the one city you’ve specified.

  2. A lot of the events are more somber than “cool”, but Montgomery if you’re interested in slavery, the civil war, and the civil rights era.

    Edit: Just adding a city that is often overlooked for historical context.

  3. Pretty much any major city. You can name a random one and there’s going to be some significant parts of American history that happened there.

  4. As others have said, Boston or Philly. Boston has the freedom trail, which is a literal trail you can follow around the city to various historic sites. There may be something similar in Philly, I’m not as familiar with it.

    Edit: although basically anywhere in new England/east coast you’ll just be walking through history. It’s not as marketed in other places, but it’s just everywhere. Thousands of people drive and walk down my towns main st every day, many likely unaware that 250 years ago continental army soldiers drove the redcoats back down that very same road. Benedict Arnold’s horse got shot out from under him on the road. In the north of town is where Washington and his army camped out. You might not even realize it if you aren’t stopping to look at the signage; it’s just everywhere all around you.

  5. Huge history guy. Boston is on top but the southern cities that didn’t burn during Shermans march like Savannah and Charleston are special to me.

  6. Philly or DC. Philly if you want more about the founders of the country and DC for the museums and artifacts.

  7. The only correct answers here are east coast cities. The most correct answer is Washington, D.C. where “real-time” American history is being made every day.

  8. Boston has the freedom trail marked through the citys center. Tons of historic stuff to see while also enjoying everything else boston

  9. If you’re a Civil War buff, there are signs all over Atlanta describing what took place at various points during the multi-day Battle of Atlanta, which included many of the surrounding towns. You can still see some of the original ground. One point of interest is the location (nearish to downtown Atlanta) of the death of Union Major General James B. McPherson, who was picked off by Confederate sharpshooters while he was personally scouting the front line. He was one of the highest ranking generals killed in the war, and the only commander of an entire army (the Army of Tennessee) killed.

  10. D.C. Boston, or Philly. D.C. because it’s the capital and has a lot of historical stuff. Plus the British raided it in the War of 1812. Boston because about half of downtown had historical stuff mostly dealing with the Revolution and Lexington/Concord (where the Revolution began) are only 10 miles away. Philly has Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed

  11. Washington DC probably the Smithsonian is incredible the Washington and Lincoln memorial are something to see in person tons of other exhibits to check out you can see the constitution and declaration of independence I don’t think they are the real ones on display but still cool.

  12. If you’re emphasizing walking, then obviously the Freedom Trail in Boston. A longer walk can get you to John Kennedy’s birthplace, passing near Fenway Park on the way. Across the River in Cambridge you can find the country’s oldest college, Harvard.

    If you throw in some public transit, you can take commuter rail to Concord, and walk to the Old North Bridge, which is where probably the most significant battle of the Battles of Lexington and Concord occurred, starting the American Revolution.

    Or you can take the ferry from Boston to Provincetown, where the Pilgrims first landed in the New World.

  13. Philadelphia the first capital of the country Liberty Bell Independence Hall Valley Forge Washington Crossing

  14. I’m gonna go with New York since I find the age of industrialization to be the most interesting time period in American history.

  15. Charleston, SC

    It’s one of the oldest cities in America and has done a good job of preserving a lot of its history

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