If you’re fascinated by history and are looking for a city to call home that you can settle down in for a while, there are some great destinations to consider throughout the U.S.
Saint Augustine, Florida
As the oldest continuously occupied European settlement, established more than a half-century before the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, Saint Augustine offers plenty for history buffs. It was founded soon after explorer Don Menendez de Aviles arrived in 1565, and many of its first buildings still stand today.
You’ll be able to follow the Spanish admiral’s footsteps at the very place he came ashore in the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park and visit places like the magnificent historic city gate, Plaza de la Constitucion, and Castillo de San Marcos, the oldest masonry fort in the continental U.S. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that there are many beautiful beaches just minutes from downtown either.
Arlington, Virginia
Arlington lies just five miles west of Washington, D.C., across the Potomac River, making Arlington real estate ideal for those who work in the nation’s capital. But even if you don’t, when it comes to history, you’ll appreciate the easy access to the many historic sites.
There are more than 70 historic landmarks to discover along with many fascinating museums that focus on everything from American history and African-American history and culture to Native American history and the Holocaust.
Boston, Massachusetts
The birthplace of the American Revolution, Boston is a city of American firsts. It hosts the very first public park, library, public school, and subway system. There are endless places to explore, many of which can be found right along the Freedom Trail, like the Old North Church and the Old South Meeting House. Here, you’ll be walking the same cobblestone streets the revolutionaries and Puritans once did. You’ll have easy access to lots nearby, too, like the village of Plymouth with the famous Pilgrims’ landing site, a full-scale Mayflower replica, and the Plimoth Plantation living history museum.
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Farther west, Santa Fe was settled by the Spanish more than a decade before Plymouth Colony was established, in 1607. Declared the capital of New Mexico in 1610, it’s the country’s oldest capital city. As you stroll the winding streets, you’ll discover historic sites, museums, and plenty of adobe-style buildings that now house art galleries and boutiques. The Palace of the Governors is an adobe landmark that’s now home to the New Mexico History Museum.
Sacramento, California
The California Gold Rush was sparked by the discovery of gold in the Sacramento Valley in 1848. For those interested in Wild West history, there are few better places to land. The capital city hosts 28 museums with everything from institutions focused on Gold Rush history to the railroad.
Old Sacramento State Historic Park includes the Railroad Museum, the Old Sacramento Schoolhouse Museum, and the Sacramento History Museum which tells the stories of the city’s early settlers. Old Sacramento will also take you back in time to the era with its cobbled streets, wooden sidewalks, and historic buildings. Right downtown is Sutter’s Fort State Historic Park, plus, the capitol building itself is a living museum.
With Love,
Lex Paige
