Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has added fourteen historic sites to the roster of National Historic Landmarks. Not to be confused with National Historic Monuments, the NPS designated these landmarks because they “possess exceptional value or quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.” With less than 2,500 historic landmarks designated across the country, additions are taking quite seriously. Nominations of 23 sites were announced last fall, and the committee presented their recommendations for designation earlier this spring.
Historic landmarks preserve unique eras in our nation’s history, and each of these new designations carry some interesting stories. History buffs, enjoy:
- The Lightship LV-118 (Overfalls) – Lewes, Delaware
Now a museum, this small-hulled, third-generation lightship was the last one to be constructed for the US Lighthouse Service, the precursor to the US Coast Guard. It was also the last lightship to be built with a riveted-hull construction. - Congressional Cemetery – Washington, DC and Woodlawn Cemetery – New York City
- Western Branch – Leavenworth, Kansas; Mountain Branch – Johnson City, Tennessee; Battle Mountain Branch – Hot Springs, South Dakota; and Northwestern Branch – Milwaukee, Wisconsin
These four homes were established for disabled volunteer soldiers as part of a program established after the Civil War. The National Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers (NHDVS) evolved as timed passed and became part of the Veterans Affairs. - Olson House – Cushing, Maine, and the Kuerner Farm – Delaware County, Pennsylvania
Many will recognize the Olson House, made famous in Andrew Wyeth’s 1948 painting, “Christina’s World,” arguably one of the most iconic images in American art history. While Kuerner Farm may not be as visibly recognizable as the Olson House, Wyeth spent seven decades at the farm, painting and drawing until the death of Anna Kuerner in 1997. - Grand Mound – International Falls, Minnesota
- Split Rock Light Station - Beaver Bay, Minnesota
Time has not altered this light station on the shores of Lake Superior. A century ago, the shipping lanes in the Great Lakes were clogged with traffic, many ships carrying iron ore mined in Minnesota. This station was established to improve navigation and remains largely untouched since 1910. - Pennsylvania Railroad Depot and Baggage Room - Dennison, Ohio
During WWII, millions of service men and women passed through this railroad depot, whether they were heading towards the Pacific or the European fronts. It also housed the Dennison Depot Salvation Army Servicemen’s Canteen, staffed by thousands of volunteers around the clock. - Arch Street Friends Meeting House – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Built in 1805, this Quaker meeting house has been in continuous use for the last two centuries, and remains the largest meeting house in the country. - Mountain Meadows Massacre Site – Washington County, Utah
On September 11, 1857, this was the site of a bloody massacre of over 100 emigrants at the hands of militiamen with associations to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Heated emotions including fear, hate, and revenge lead to tensions in the west, culminating in the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
Official press release available here.
