In 1850, hundreds of migrant ships arrived in San Francisco harbor, fueled by gold rush. But many of these ships weren't needed after that and were simply sunk, making the city a maritime archaeologist's dream.
The Florida Everglades are home to a patchwork of ecosystems in a constant state of change--so much so, they look different from one year to the next. Here's how this magnificent floating landscape came to be.
After Spanish conquistadors crossed the Rio Grande In the 1500s, they built a string of native missions in an area that would later become San Antonio.
In 1862, Lincoln signed the Homestead Act into law. For just eighteen dollars, the law entitled men over twenty-one to claim 160 acres of land, provided they farmed it successfully for five years.
The railroad tracks that crisscross West Virginia pass through the state's mountains - an engineering feat made possible by the steam-powered drill, or, according to legend, a man named John Henry.
New-Agers have been coming to Sedona for years because of its mysterious spiritual energy, but they weren't the first to believe in its religious power.
The beauty of Harbor Island shrouds the secrets of a dark history.
On November 6th, 1805, the Columbia River finally brought Lewis and Clark to their journey's end at the Pacific coast.
The deadliest battle of the Civil War took place on this small piece of farmland that has become known simply as Gettysburg.
On this Rhode Island beach, the mansions and the sunshine are reserved for socialites and high society - from the Astors to the Wideners, these are the homes of America's oldest and richest families.
Tucked away from modernity, New Castle gives us a glimpse of what American life used to look like.
With fields full of pumpkins and forests full of ghosts, this New England state might be the perfect place for tricks and treats.
The Sundance Film Festival kicks off every January in Park City, Utah - it's now one of the largest independent film festivals in the world.
Ice age airflow and modern-day man have shaped, altered and even devastated Nebraska's lands.
Set in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, New Vrindaban is home to the largest Hare Krishna community in America. It's also known as "America's Taj Mahal."
Del Webb was a real estate mogul with a dream - of creating a new kind of village where senior citizens could grow old in comfort and style.
Ernest Hemingway first visited Sun Valley in 1939 and moved to Idaho permanently in 1960. Hemingway was often spotted in town at the Sawtooth Club, when he wasn't writing, hunting, or fly-fishing.
It's incredible to think that St. Louis's Gateway Arch, a modern architectural marvel designed by Eero Saarinen, was built out of a federal grant set up to address unemployment during the Depression.
The Port of Miami is as well known for its connection to the drug trade as Miami Beach is for its wild parties.
Route 66 might be all-but obsolete now that interstate highways traverse the country, but during the 1920s and 30s, it was the "Mother Road," leading desperate Americans out to the promising west.
Built in 1932, the Massachusetts Veterans War Memorial Tower sits atop Mount Greylock, the state's highest peak.
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 resulted in the forced relocation of over 15,000 Cherokee people--a third of whom died during the journey to Oklahoma.
From bungee jumping off the Royal Gorge Bridge to trekking up Pike's Peak on the Cog Railway, Colorado is the ultimate vacation destination for adventurers everywhere.
Some of the biggest country music recording artists from Loretta Lynn, to Patty Loveless, to Naomi and Wynonna Judd had humble beginnings in Kentucky.
Almost a month after 200 Texan rebels were defeated at the Battle of the Alamo, the rebel army got its revenge, earning Texas its independence.
What do a Garrison Keillor sketch, Bavarian beer-brewing immigrants and a place where chickens are right to be nervous have in common? Find out.
Experience Glacier National Park's awe-inspiring peaks, untouched forests, pristine alpine meadows, and breathtaking lakes.
Farmers have turned Kansas' fertile land from prairie to crop fields, making the state America's breadbasket; it's now first in the production of sorghum, second in wheat, and seventh in corn.
Carmel, California, is home to thriving marine population and breathtakingly gorgeous coasts. No wonder the actor wanted to run it.
Long before settlers set foot in Indiana, many Native American tribes lived there undisturbed. But trouble started brewing when Europeans and Americans arrived and fought for control of the land.
