Let's Celebrate America

For millions of people, leaving home and coming to America meant giving up family and all things familiar. For more than sixty years, one site was the first place in America all new immigrants saw. Find out why Ellis Island holds such an important place in America's history.

More than just a random display of U.S. Presidents, this imposing monument honors the leaders of America's founding, expansion, preservation, and unification. Discover how these faces ended up on a mountainside in South Dakota's Black Hills.

After America gained its freedom in 1776, the British were determined not to allow the new nation to trade with its enemy, France. Discover the unique role Fort McHenry played during the War of 1812.

She was a gift of friendship and peace between France and the United States. Now "Liberty Enlightening the World" stands as a symbol of America's embrace of freedom and democracy. Find out why 4 million visitors each year visit this majestic statue in New York's harbor.

History recognizes the leadership and voice Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. brought to the civil rights movement in 1960s America. A 30-foot tall statue of Dr. King gazes into the future full of hope for all humanity. His words of peace are carved in the walls of the monument as a reminder to all Americans of the power of peaceful protest. Learn all about the first national memorial to an African American.

This magnificent arch rises on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri. The nation's tallest monument is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, honoring Thomas Jefferson's vision of westward expansion. This magnificent arch rises on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Louis, Missouri. The nation's tallest monument is the centerpiece of the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial, honoring Thomas Jefferson's vision of westward expansion. Despite its controversial beginning, this amazing structure is now a national treasure and symbol of the nation's reach from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

From the British surrender in Yorktown to the Civil War to Women's Suffrage and the fight for Civil Rights, one powerful witness to American history played an important role. Discover why the old cracked bell in Philadelphia is still one of our nation's most-loved symbols.

One of the most visited places in North America, Grand Canyon National Park is like an open window to Earth's geologic history. The carving of the canyon's walls by erosion left a cross-section of the Earth's crust from millions and millions of years ago. See for yourself how grand and beautiful this gorgeous gorge really is.

In the 1770s before the United States was a nation, most people lived on farms. But Williamsburg in Virginia Colony was a busy town with wide streets, grand public buildings, bustling shops, and a large market squareand 2,000 people! Find out how Williamsburg today gives us a fascinating window into America's past.

As the flagship of the National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park has a special place in the hearts and minds of conservationists. Thanks to the leadership of far-sighted President Ulysses S. Grant and adventurer President Theodore Roosevelt, today we can enjoy nature as it was in the early days of our nation.