11 Top American Monuments Everyone Should See ...

Everybody has seen images of the Statue of Liberty in countless photos and movies. Of all the American monuments, this one is the most iconic. It’s instantly recognized by millions around the world. A symbol of freedom and democracy, it was gifted to the USA by France. In 1886, it was dedicated and in 1924, it became a national monument. It stands as a symbol of the freedom of the USA, especially to the immigrants, persecuted and refugees who came looking for a new home. In 1986, ‘Lady Liberty’ turned one hundred years old and millions of Americans and international tourists visit her every year in New York Harbor.

US monuments are inspiring for different reasons. White Sands in Otero County inspires because its appearance is so unexpected. It’s made up of 275 square miles of sand dunes so white they glisten and have the appearance of waves. This marvel of nature is created by gypsum sand. White Sands is a one-of-a-kind national monument that supports a whole eco-system of plants and animals..

Historical events of great significance are also symbolized by American monuments. Little Bighorn National Park, Montana is where the Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho made a final attempt to safeguard their way of living. On 25 and 26 June in 1876, a battle took place against the US army’s 7th cavalry. 263 soldiers including Lt. Col. George A. Custer fell. The ‘Battle of The Little Bighorn’ is also known as ‘Custer’s Last Stand’.

Of all the monuments in the USA, this one in Idaho is perhaps the strangest. If you want to feel what it’s like to live on the moon then a visit to Craters of the Moon National Park is a must. Kids love it. It’s about the size of Rhode Island so there's plenty of space to explore. The weird craters are due to lava that erupted fifteen thousand and two thousand years ago.

This monument is very dear to the hearts of Americans. It was designed and built to respect George Washington, the nation’s founding father and first president under the constitution. He was the leader of the Continental Army that defeated the British. The obelisk, a unique structure is made of marble, is 555 feet high and is one of the most significant attractions in the nation’s capital.

If you are in Wyoming then climbing the Devils Tower is a unique experience. It’s a 1,200 foot, flat-topped, volcanic tower. Trees at the base are adorned with vibrant prayer cloths because this natural tower is sacred to Native Americans and called ‘Bear Lodge‘. Devils Tower was the first of the national US monuments to be named thus. It featured in the film ‘Encounters of the Third Kind’ as the site for the communication with the aliens. The apostrophe was omitted from the film title and it has never been amended.

The native inhabitants of Canyon De Chelly have always lived in this location. Unlike other USA monuments, this one could be regarded as a ‘living’ monument because here you see the traditional homes of the Navajo called adobe. These unique dwellings set in a canyon that is tribal trust land could have many rooms, two stories and have towers. Visitors to this part of New Mexico get to see how Navajo families live and work. Amazingly, the canyon has been continuously inhabited for 5,000 years.

One of the most poignant American monuments is the memorial to the USS Arizona in Hawaii's Pearl Harbor. It stands as a reminder of that fateful day when Japan declared war on the United States forcing the country’s entrance into World War II. The monument is dedicated to the 1177 crewmen of the USS Arizona that lost their lives on December 7, 1941 and is part of a clutch of monuments in and around Pearl Harbor.

Muir Woods on the edge of Marin County is a sight to behold as it’s made up of beautiful groves of ancient redwoods from four hundred to eight hundred years old. The trees and soil are home to lush vegetation and animals. President Roosevelt made the woods a national monument in 1908 to preserve the ancient redwoods that are such an enduring symbol of the West Coast.

This spectacular canyon is the newest of the monuments in the US. President Obama declaring it as such as recently as 25 March 2013. This canyon in New Mexico is rugged with plenty of flowing water, green vegetation and wildlife. The snow peaks of the San Juan Mountains only make the vista more spectacular.

Fort Sumter cemented its place in history when it became the location for the first exchange of shots fired in the American Civil War on April 12, 1861. The fort which stands in Charleston harbor was entered to the Register of National Monuments in 1966 but today the national monument offers the full visitor experience.

Whether you want to learn about the nation’s history or enjoy some of its most spectacular landscapes, there are US monuments to visit. Will you be putting any of these on your must-visit list?