more readers!
I need help.
I’m looking for “notable landmarks” (natural or man-made) for each state.
for example:
New York — Statue of Liberty
DC (not a state, but still need it) — White House
South Dakota — Mount Rushmore
Arizona — Grand Canyon
Washington — Mount St. Helens or Seattle Space Needle
Corrected:
Wyoming – Old Faithful
Although, in my defense, when I was first posting this and plugged in “Old Faithful”, I was honestly given the CA one. . .
According to Wikipedia:
There is also a regularly-erupting geyser named Old Faithful near Calistoga, California.
Thanks Debra, for setting me straight!
(not that I’m set on these, but they popped in my head)
Regarding the comment that mentions Ave Maria Grotto in AL: That is so COOL!
This would be for the little guys’ US studies. Anyone have any ideas, please put them in the comments area.
ETA: A completed chart was posted here.
West Virginia–New River Gorge
PA- Philadelphia- Liberty bell
Valley Forge
Independence Hall
Here’s a few more: Oregon–Crater Lake, deepest natural lake in America with no inlet or outlet, Oregon caves–natural marble caves
California–Yosemite, Redwood Forest
Washington–Mt. St. Helens (and the whole cascade range, but Mt. St. Helens is the one that blew it’s top)
DC–Smithsonean Institute, National Zoo
Arizona–Grand Canyon obviously but also native american dwellings cut into the rock walls
http://www.maintour.com/arizona/indian.htm
Wyoming–Yellowstone natioinal park
Dinosaur National Monument–Colorado, Utah
Colorado–Pikes Peak
The Continential divide
Missouri–St. Louis Arch
The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri
http://www.gatewayarch.com/Arch/#
Hello,
Virginia… Jamestown and Colonial Williamsburg
Civil War Trails
Natural Bridge
Luray Caves
California
Gold Rush towns and mines
Ghost towns like Bodie
Death Valley
Scottys Castle
Hearst Castle
North Carolina:
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Kitty Hawk
Maine:
Portland Head Light
Mount Katahdin (not sure of the spelling)
Acadia National Park
I look forward to seeing your final list!
North Carolina:
The Biltmore House
I have links to the Table of Contents for our “National Monuments, Memorials, & Parks Notebooking Pages” in our store. Feel free to print out these pages if you find them helpful. I’ve listed the states next to each one in the TOCs.
It’s a long link (copy/paste it probably):
http://www.notebookingpages.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=66&products_id=211
Georgia – Stone Mountain
I can’t remember the name of it, but Arkansas has a place where you can go and see crystal caverns, and mine for different things.
The town of Darien Georgia, got burned down during the civil war.
Maryland-Ft McHenry
Kansas:
Largest Ball of Twine, Largest Hairball…
Check out these and other oddities here:
http://kansassampler.org/wekan/largest.html
Virginia:
Appomattox Courthouse
Monticello (Thomas Jefferson)
Yorktown battlefield
Old Cape Henry Lighthouse
Mount Vernon (George Washington)
Michigan – Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Island
Sleeping Bear sand dunes
Tahquamenon Falls
Ave Maria Grotto
Cullman, Alabama
Benedictine Monk Joseph Zoettel spent 50 years crafting cement, stones and junk into a miniature city of the world’s most important religious structures. Born in 1878 in Bavaria, he was maimed in an accident that gave him a hunchback, but luckily didn’t hurt his ability to bend over and build tiny things. Brother Joe died in 1961, and all 125 of his buildings still stand, protectively nestled on the campus of St. Bernard Abbey.
The gift shop provides entry to a forested trail, winding down past several miniature building clusters and junk-bejeweled shrines. Round a bend, and you see it — an entire hillside packed in urban splendor with cathedrals and famous buildings. It’s hard not to take a good picture, with the Vatican’s St. Peter’s Basilica sharing the frame with the Monte Casino Abbey and the Alamo.
Brother Joe did allow himself some architectural indulgences — the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Hansel and Gretel’s Temple of the Fairies, the Abbey Power Station (where he worked shoveling coal — the Grotto was just one of those crazy hobbies that got out of control). There’s also the occasional pagan temple, but Catholic cathedrals and monasteries dominate, decorated with sea shells, marbles, and costume jewelry. The scale is, well, distorted — towers and buttresses too large or small. The literature admits that nothing is scaled accurately. And the buildings on the steep hill can only be viewed from a narrow angle . . .
One half of the hillside features buildings and scenes from the Holy Land. There’s also a central artificial cave — the Ave Maria Grotto — with the standard fake stalactite encrusted ceiling, statues of Mary and assorted monks and nuns.
Hi – I can throw another couple at you, I think. I’ll stick to states that I am really familiar with
Colorado – I’d probably pick Pikes Peak, but Garden of the Gods ranks up there as well, and Royal Gorge would be a good manmade one
Minnesota – Itasca State Park – headwaters of the Mississippi river; Paul Bunyan statue in Bemidji (? I think it’s Bemidji)
Wyoming – that is where Old Faithful is, btw. Devil’s Tower is another good one.
North Dakota – Rugby ND is the geographical center of North America; Medora in the Badlands, near Theodore Roosevelt National Park is where TR went after his wife and mother died, and he credited his time spent there as a cattle rancher as being instrumental in making him into the man he was; giant Bison statue in Jamestown
Montana – I totally forget the name of it, but in eastern MT there is a place where Lewis & Clark carved their names; there is also the site of the Battle of Little Bighorn; I’d tend towards choosing something in Glacier National Park, but I don’t know a specific landmark there
Nebraska – Carhenge
and there is the Arch monument in, umm, Kearney, I think.
Iowa – birthplace of John Wayne. I’ve driven through the state a gazillion times, but I can’t recall a single other ‘landmark’ there.
Minnesota -
Split Rock Lighthouse
Soudan Underground Mine
Largest Twine Ball in Darwin, MN
Debra,
Re: Paul Bunyan.
Jay, my husband, is from Bemidji, and says yes, they definately lay claim. There’s even a huge statue there that I’ve seen. . .
However, other places “claim him” as well. . . .He did travel far and wide. . .
Jay, declares that Bemidji is “THE place” though as Lake Bemidji is supposedly shaped “exactly” like Paul Bunyan’s shoe print.
My choices are *’ed
Florida
Castillo de San Marcos (St. Augustine)*
Walt Disney World
Kennedy Space Center
Ohio
Indian Burial Mounds
Wright Brothers Bicycle Shop
United States Air Force Museum*
Michigan
Great Lakes
Sault Ste. Marie Locks (sp?)
Mackinac Island*
Virginia
Colonial Williamsburg*
Mount Vernon
Jamestown
Yorktown
Monticello
Arlington National Cemetery
North Carolina
Kitty Hawk (Place of the Wright Brother’s first flight)*
South Dakota
Mount Rushmore*
Corn Palace
Black Hills
Montana
Custer’s Last Stand/Little Big Horn*
Kentucky
Kentucky Derby*
Kentucky Horse Park (burial place of Man O’ War)
That’s all I am familiar with at the moment. Sounds like an interesting project.
I’ll be checking back to see what ideas others leave.
New Mexico
White Sands Missle Range
Carlsbad Caverns
Santa Fe is the oldest capital city in the US
Chaco Canyon
4 Corners
Oh, yeah, a ton of places claim Paul Bunyan. But that statue is fairly unique! I love Mary’s suggestion of Split Rock Lighthouse, too. And when I asked my dh for suggestions for MN (he’s from the Twin Cities) the Twine Ball was his first thought.
So, overnight, I came up with a couple of things. The signature in Montana is Pompeys Pillar, and just one of them carved their name – Clark, I think.
Nebraska – the Archway Monument *is* in Kearney. Chimney Rock would be a natural landmark of note. Of course, my dh thinks the greatest Nebraska landmark (besides finally reaching the border…) is the original Cabela’s store in Sydney.
Iowa – okay, never been there, but there is also the monument to the guy who died on the Lewis & Clark expedition somewhere near Sioux City. Floyd was his name. And there are the Amana Colonies.
North Dakota – the International Peace Gardens. Fort Union Trading Post (a major fur trading site). And Fort Mandan (where the Lewis and Clark expedition spent the winter)
I could come up with other suggestions for South Dakota too, but Mount Rushmore is just the obvious choice.
Hi,
There is a great website that has online postcards from every state along with some information regarding the photos. When I checked South Dakota the first photo is of Custer State Park a great place with many wild aminal including a herd of Bison. Good Luck!
http://www.postcardsfrom.com/t1/arcin.html
Alabama -
Little River Canyon National Preserve – deepest gorge east of the Mississippi. – http://www.nps.gov/liri/
Sipsey Wilderness area within the Bankhead National Forest “Land of a thousand waterfalls” – http://members.aol.com/sipseywilderness/
Natural Bridge – The Natural Bridge is the longest Natural Bridge East of the Rockies and was formed around 200 million years ago. http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/54160834RZtpoL
I just remembered another from South Dakota- The corn palace which is an auditorium inside but outside it is constructed out of corn in amazing designs.
Ohio- Native American Serpent Mound near Hillsboro-
worth seeing!
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland
Football Hall of Fame in Canton
Kentucky: Churchill Downs, Loiusville Slugger Museum, Mammoth Cave National Park
Texas
San Antonio Alamo
Houston Space Center
Crawford Ranch home of Pres. Georage Bush
Austin(capital) Johnson library also Lady Bird Johnson botanical gardens
Colorado- I saw what someone posted about Pikes Peak, etc., but I think one of the neatest things about Colo is the Continental Divide! The continent splits near Loveland, CO (Loveland Pass) and the rivers flow different directions from here. Hope that helps!
Calif -
Yosemite – the first Nat’l Park
The Redwoods
The Golden Gate Bridge
Death Valley
San Francisco
Hearst Castle
Disneyland
Yes there is an “Old Faithful” near Calistoga and it is just as “faithful” as the one in the Nat’l Park but is much smaller. Our Old Faithful is monitored for predicting earthquake activity!
Hadn’t seen South Carolina yet…
Myrtle Beach
Charleston – especially buildings called Rainbow Row and the houses on the Battery
Fort Sumter
Columbia was burned down during the Civil War
For Alabama you can’t forget the Space and Rocket Center, Helen Keller’s birthplace “Ivy Green,” and Gulf Shores. There’s also Moundville and Oakville, both related to Native American history.
Georgia
OKEFENOKEE SWAMP- The Great Okefenokee Swamp, one of America’s most fascinating natural areas, is the largest, intact, un fragmented, wilderness Swamp in North America. “Okefenokee” what Seminoles called “Land of Trembling Earth” is approximately 700 square miles located in the southeast corner of Georgia, U.S.A.
Nevada
Area 51
Nellis Air Force Base- Home of the Thunderbirds
Hoover Dam- though it’s split between Arizona And Nevada
Lake Tahoe
The strip- but I wouldn’t let them research that one on their own
Hawaii–the most isolated chain of islands in the world
only state to grow coffee commercially
Big Island–all 13 of the earth’s climatic zones are represented on this island as well as most of the subzones, Kilauea (still an active volcano)
Oahu–Pearl Harbor with USS Arizona Memoria, USS Missouri, USS Bowfin
Punchbowl–National Cemetery of the Pacific
Diamond Head
Iolani Palace (only royal palace on US soil)
Maui–Haleakala (house of the sun), Highway to Hana, Iao Needle
Kauai–home to the wettest spot on earth, King Kong mountain (has profile of King Kong, also one of the filming locations for King Kong)
Molokai–Leper’s island (Father Damien ministered to the Lepers exiled there and died of leporsy himself)
Lanai–the Pineapple Isle, used to be owned by Dole
Ni’ihau–only native Hawaiians live here, they have very little contact with the outside world, flowers do not grow on Ni’ihau as it is in the rain shadow of Kauai but they do “export” shell jewelry which has certificates of authenticity and sells for hundreds of dollars–shells are their flowers and vary in color, vibrance, and size.
Alabama
Huntsville, Alabama is also home to “Constitution Village” which is a living history museum that takes up a city block. The buildings are set up as they would have been in the days of Alabama’s constitution being written, and the carpenter’s shop is the actual place where the Alabama constitution was written. “Early Works” history museum is adjacent to the village and is a hands on Alabama history museum. http://www.earlyworks.com/
Florence, Alabama is home the the boyhood home of W.C. Handy http://www.flo-tour.org/handymus.html, and to The Rosenbaum House designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright http://www.wrightinalabama.com/.
Birmingham has the Vulcan statue http://www.visitvulcan.com/
Alabama’s Gulf coast has
Dauphin Island Sea Lab http://www.disl.org/
Fort Gaines at Dauphin Island http://www.dauphinisland.org/fort.htm
and
The Battleship USS Alabama in port at Mobile Bay
http://www.ussalabama.com/
Tennessee’s most famous landmark would be the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. http://www.nps.gov/grsm/
The Hermitage (Home of Pres. Jackson) http://www.thehermitage.com/
National Civil Rights Museum http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org/
Sun Studio http://www.sunstudio.com/index.html
Washington, D.C. has the Smithsonian Museums, the Capital building, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Pentagon, Jefferson memorial, Washington National Cathedral, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, National Archives, Library of Congress http://www.loc.gov/index.html, National Postal Museum, National WWII Memorial.
Only three last things I can think of for Iowa (not lived there for very long!) that has been mentioned -
1. Herbert Hoover birthplace & library
2. Fort Madison, IA (old military fort)
3. the Mississippi River!! all kinds of things along the river set up for that – museums, etc.
Lived in Illinois most of my life so this one is easier =)
1. Nauvoo, IL – historic Mormon town & beginning of the Mormon trail
2. Jacksonville & Roodhouse, IL – both my home towns =) – plus the only place where Eli Bridge Co. makes ferris wheels (along with other amusement rides), with Roodhouse being the place where the co. owner built his very first.
3. scenic Route 66
4. Cahokia & Dixon mounds – native american burial grounds
5. Chicago, IL – probably thousands of things but what I can think of the great chicago fire of 1871 & the Sears tower
6. Springfield, IL – Abraham Lincoln site in & around including monument, library, residence, & tomb
and some things to add about Missouri -
1. Hannibal, MO – Mark Twain boyhood home, said to be the birthplace of tom sawyer & huck finn novels – has Mark Twain caves
2. Mansfield, MO – last residence of Laura Ingalls Wilder, along with husband & daughter, lived there for 60 years
3. the Ozarks
4. Meramec Caverns (kinda goes with the Ozarks)
5. stomping grounds (? can’t think of better wording!) of famous outlaw Jesse James
boy, oh, boy! that’s a bunch of info! sorry I just got started and didn’t finish. I know there are a bunch of small things listed here but the little things are sometime just as interesting =) Good luck!
Personally I hope to implement a study of well known inventions in each state. Although famous musicians from each state is equally interesting for us here =)
Washington State-Mount Rainer, Fort Nisqually, Fort Lewis, Mount Baker, Fort Vancouver, Fort Canby, Whitman Settlement in Eastern
I am an army wife retired. Where are you that you are homeschooling?
if you have any photos of your trip we appreciate uploads and comments at our blog about the Cambria, San Simeon area that your described…Hearst Castle..thanks