Literally Walk Through American History
America is littered with history, and there are a significant number of homes, landmarks, and heritage sites you can visit. Aside from the home itself, many of these spaces act as art galleries, museums, event spaces, and gardens, so you can enjoy a quiet, culturally-rich afternoon pretty much any day of the week. Check out this list to learn more.
1. The Harriet Tubman Home
Well-known activist and abolitionist Harriet Tubman purchased her home in 1859. Located in Auburn, New York, this 7-acre farm became her primary residence after she retired from Civil War service. Later in life, Harriet opened the Harriet Tubman Home for the Aged, a nursing home for the poor and old in her community.
2. The Biltmore Estate
The Biltmore Estate is America’s largest private home. Built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt, this mansion sits on 8 thousand acres of land, spans over 175,000 square feet, and has 250 rooms. It’s located in Asheville, North Carolina, and the home serves as a museum, a winery, and a hotel.
3. The Martin House
Take a trip to Buffalo, New York, to see American architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s greatest architectural achievement, the Martin House. Designed for businessman Darwin D. Martin in the first years of the 20th century, the home now stands as a living time capsule. Visitors can take a tour of the house, use it as an event space, or even take part in a creative residency program.
4. Glenview Historic Home
Built in 1877 in Yonkers, New York, this Victorian-style mansion was designed by the famous architect Charles W. Clinton. It was home to a successful stockbroker, John Bond Trevor, and the rest of his family. This house has also been used as a setting for HBO’s The Gilded Age.
G. Edward Johnson on Wikimedia
5. Monticello
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello was built in Charlottesville, Virginia, back in 1772. It was a plantation during Jefferson’s life, with 5,000 acres of tobacco and other various crops on the property. Today, Monticello is a museum, research institute, presidential library, and non-profit organization.
6. The Breakers
Another Vanderbilt family home, The Breakers, was the largest of Newport, Rhode Island’s, summer cottages. Built in 1895, this home makes use of the Italian Renaissance style, featuring a 50-foot-high ceiling, open-air courtyards, and tile mosaics.
7. Jasper Cropsey House
Located in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, this home was built in 1885 by artist and architect Jasper Cropsey. The home features a Gothic Revival aesthetic and is full of Cropsey’s own paintings, watercolors, drawings, and furniture. Today, the house operates as an art gallery.
8. Whitehall
This Palm Beach estate was home to oil tycoon Henry Flagler. It was built as a gift to Henry’s wife, Mary Lily Kenan Flagler, as a winter estate back in 1902. Today, Whitehall serves as a museum and event space.
9. The Mark Twain House
Built in 1874 in Hartford, Connecticut, this 11,500 square foot estate was home to Mark Twain and his family for over 15 years before they had to move back to Europe. Today, the house operates as a museum and café space.
Makemake at German Wikipedia on Wikimedia
10. Mount Vernon
Home to George Washington, the first president of the United States, and his wife, Martha, Mount Vernon is situated in Fairfax County, Virginia. The family became the sole owners of the plantation in 1761, and Washington lived there for the rest of his life. Today, the property is owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association and has a museum, Revolutionary War retellings, and an education center.
Martin Falbisoner on Wikimedia
11. Graceland
Built on a 13.8-acre property, Graceland was Elvis Presley’s home until his death. The home itself was built in 1939 by Thomas Moore and was purchased by Presley in 1957. The house became a memorial museum in 1982.
12. Hillwood Estate
Located in America’s capital city, the Hillwood Estate was owned by heiress and businesswoman Marjorie Merriweather Post. She purchased the property in 1955 and decided to turn the home into a public institution in 1977.
13. Nemours Estate
After he died in 1936, Alfred I. duPont’s last wishes were for his estate to be transformed into a healthcare facility for children. Today, Nemours has three care facilities in Jacksonville, Pensacola, and Orlando. The estate itself now operates as a museum.
14. The Hemingway Home
Located on the island of Key West, Florida, this estate was home to writer Ernest Hemingway between 1931 and 1939. The house itself was built in 1851 by a marine architect, Asa Tift, but it’s Hemingway’s legacy that makes this house a popular tourist location.
15. Hearst Castle
Located in California, this 90,000 square foot castle was home to William Randolph Hearst, a publishing tycoon who lived in the first half of the 20th century. The castle took almost 30 years to build, and is an excellent study of several revival styles.
16. Hildene Mansion
Located in Manchester, Vermont, Hildene was the summer home of President Abraham Lincoln. Built in 1863, the estate spans 412 acres and features a Georgian Revival style. The property was occupied by the Lincoln family until 1975, and became a nonprofit organization in 1978.
17. Lyndhurst Mansion
Located in Tarrytown, New York, this Gothic Revival home sits on 67 acres of land right beside the Hudson River. The home was built in 1838 by Alexander Jackson Davis and was eventually owned by Jay Gould, a railroad tycoon. Gould’s daughter Anna donated the home to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1961.
18. Vizcaya
Home to businessman James Deering, this Italian Renaissance-style estate sits on Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida. The home was built between 1914 and 1923, and is now home to a public museum and gardens.
19. Ca d’Zan
Built in 1926 and massing over 36,000 square feet, this waterfront Florida estate was home to John Ringling, the well-known circus mogul. It served as a winter home for John and his wife, Mable, with ample space to entertain guests. The estate now serves as an art museum, circus museum, and a touring space.
20. Conestoga House
Located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, this 7.8-acre estate was used as a tavern during the early 1700s and as an inn in the 1840s. It was owned by Christian Hershey (yes, that Hershey) from 1717 to 1927. Today, the house is a historical landmark and popular event space.
