About Old USA

Old USA is a guide to the places where American history happened, written for people who want to go and see them. Each landmark page tells the story of a place — why it matters, its history, the key facts and dates — and pairs it with the practical side of a visit: opening hours, admission, the best time to go and what else is nearby.

What's in the register

The register holds more than 130 landmarks across 34 states and the District of Columbia, from ancient cities and Spanish missions to the memorials of the twentieth century, and it is growing. You can explore it by state, by era or through the full directory, or begin with the Top 100. Our Historical Insights follow the stories that connect one landmark to the next.

How we work

Records. Where official records exist — the National Register of Historic Places and the National Historic Landmarks program — we use them for dates and designations.

Photographs. Every image on the site is chosen and reviewed by hand, and each one carries its photographer or archive, its licence and a link to its source. Historic images come largely from the Library of Congress and other public archives; modern photographs come mostly from Wikimedia Commons, under licences that allow reuse.

Quotations. When we quote a historical figure, we check the wording against a primary-source text and cite it. If we can't confirm the exact words, we paraphrase instead of quoting.

Visiting details. Hours and prices change. We keep them as current as we can, but always check with the site before you travel — landmark pages link to the official website wherever there is one.

Corrections

History is argued over, and practical details go out of date. If you spot an error — a wrong date, an opening time that has changed, an image credited incorrectly — please tell us at hello@oldusa.com. We look into every report.

How the site is funded

Old USA is free to read. In time it will be supported by advertising and by affiliate links to tickets, tours and places to stay; our affiliate disclosure explains how those work. Commercial relationships never decide which landmarks we include or what we say about them.