The Real Story of the American Revolution 

Heritage Tourism

Latest Changes: 07Nov13 - add National Liberty Museum / 07Dec26 - more on Overmountain / 08Feb18 - update links /

Every year there are hundreds of activities across the U.S.
to commemorate the anniversaries of the actions taken to
secure liberty and independence during the American Revolution.
You and your family can gain a deeper appreciation for the problems
of colonial life and the struggles and triumph of American patriots
by visiting the historic sites, trails, and commemorations noted below.

National Park Service (NPS)  Families or classes planning to visit nearby historic sites can use Teaching with Historic Places [National Park Service] This has 115 segments, each with a lesson plan and the material required to teach the segment. Click on the links to view the plans for these battles or to read commentaries on some icons of the Revolution: Many national parks offer the Junior Ranger program, especially attractive for children ages 6 to 12. The child gets an instruction sheet for touring the park and looking for specific items, then takes a quiz on the items, and (if a passing grade) get a Junior Ranger badge with the park's name on it. This program is very appealing to children who can read and is free (although there may be a fee to enter the park). The NPS Junior Ranger site The Web Ranger program is similar to the Junior Ranger program. The NPS Web Ranger site Brief Illustrated Histories of Revolutionary War Events for NPS parks in 18 eastern states. Tour the Revolution [National Park Service] Major NPS Web Sites on the Revolution: MA: 1775: Bunker Hill VT: 1777: Bennington NY: 1777: Saratoga PA: the Liberty Bell PA: Valley Forge DC: the Washington Monument NC: 1781: Guilford Courthouse All NPS sites with American Revolution or Colonial Components List of links .

Multiple States  The National Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route Association (W3R-US) was founded to recognize and develop tourism resources reated to the essential political, economic, and military assistance provided by France to the U.S. during the years 1774-1783, especially the coordinated activities of the Continental Army under Gen. Washington and the French Expeditionary Force under Gen. Rochamambeau. The military aid in 1780-82 is described, and detailed instructions for a family heritage tour along the route of the allied army from Newport RI to Yorktown VA are provided on the pages for       history and tourism. of the W3R-US The Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail commemorates the efforts of over 1,000 militiamen -- drawn from the settlers from what was then far-western Virginia and North Carolina (now Kentucky and Tennessee) -- who made a 330-mile march in 13 days to block the invasion of British and Loyalist forces into the western parts of North Carolina and South Carolina. At Kings Mountain SC they surrounded, defeated, and captured a British force of about 1,100 men on 1780 Oct 07. summary map [PDF] For trail information and information on development of heritage tourism activities see www.nps.gov/ovvi Pages 4-5 of the 2005 OVNHT Newsletterdescribe the march. The Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge PA has developed several tours of Revolutionary sites through its School of Excellence.

Northeastern U.S.  VERMONT Trace the British Invasion from Canada in 1777 using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 4 (VT to NY) [revolutionaryday.com] MASSACHUSETTS The Freedom Trail in Boston MA presents the history and provides a virtual walk through the area where many of the early struggles to retain the rights of self-governance took place. The Boston Massacre, the Boston Tea Party, the Intolerable Acts, Paul Revere's Ride, Bunker Hill are the most well-known. For ideas for field trips and recommendations of books that provide useful insights on how resistance to injustice gradually grew into a rebellion see the Educators' Page Track the expulsion of the British from Boston in 1776 using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 20 (all in MA) [revolutionaryday.com] Follow the capture of Fort Ticonderoga in 1775 using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 7 (MA to VT) [revolutionaryday.com] Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Boston MA to Providence RI and Newport RI for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA. RHODE ISLAND Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Providence RI or Newport RI to Boston MA or to Hartford CT for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA. CONNECTICUT Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Hartford CT to Providence RI or to Bedford NY for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA.

Middle Atlantic U.S.  NEW YORK New York Rev. War Hertiage Trails [State of New York] has a podcast, suggested itineraries, a timeline, and a map of heritage tour sites with Web links for most sites. Track the British invasion from Lake Ontario in 1777 using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on NY route 5 (all in NY) [revolutionaryday.com] Trace British attempts for control of the Hudson River using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 9 (all in NY) [revolutionaryday.com] A canal boat trip passes many sites that are part of A Revolutionary Day on US Route 4, US Route 7, and US Route 9. Use a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains boat reservation details and a wealth of historical information of the sites on Champlain Canal (all in NY) [revolutionaryday.com] Follow British incursions from New York City up the Hudson River using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 9W (NY and NJ) [revolutionaryday.com] Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Bedford NY to Hartford CT or to Suffern NY for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA. NEW JERSEY Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Suffern NY to Trenton for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA. PENNSYLVANIA The Philadelphia area has dozens of well-known sites related to liberty and independence, sich as Independence Hall, the Constitution Center, Valley Forge, and the Liberty Bell. Smaller sites include The National Liberty Museum, which has several exhibit galleries focusing on the rights and responsibilities of living in a free society. "Coming to America" honors immigrants, who for over 300 years have come to the United States seeking freedom and opportunities not available to them in their homelands. "Home for Heroes" honors 1000 men, women, and young people from all walks of life who dared to step beyond their comfort zones to help make the world a better place... from world leaders to the firefighters and police who lost their lives on September 11, 2001. Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Trenton NJ through Philadelphia PA to Wilmington DE for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA. DELAWARE Follow the British invasion from Chesapeake Bay in 1777 using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 202 (MD, DE to PA) [revolutionaryday.com] Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Chester PA through Wilmington DE to Elkton MD for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA. MARYLAND Follow the British invasion from Chesapeake Bay in 1777 using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 202 (MD, DE to PA) [revolutionaryday.com] Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Elkton to Baltimore or Annapolis to Washington DC for a one-day trip, or go all the way to the end at Yorktown VA.

Southeastern U.S.  VIRGINIA George Washington's Mt. Vernon was greatly enhanced when a $110 million dollar underground museum with twenty-five galleries and theaters opened on 2006 Oct 27. Until 2006 this had focused on Washington as a plantation owner. The new galleries provide the full story of Washington's service to the nation as a military leader, as a statesman, and as an outstanding example of selfless integrity, captured in the expression first given voice in his eulogy -- First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen. George Washington's Mount Vernon Trace the end of the Revolutionary War across Virginia in 1781 using a road trip book over 150 pages in length that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites on US route 60 (all in VA) [revolutionaryday.com] Follow the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route from Washington DC to Yorktown for a one-day trip, or go north all the way to the end at Newport RI or Boston MAA. See also Overmountain Victory Trail (SC) NORTH CAROLINA See also Overmountain Victory Trail (SC) SOUTH CAROLINA Camden: A new park is being built on the site of the 1781 Battle of Camden. Trails and signs show visitors the full scope of the battle. www.historic-camden.net. Overmountain Victory Trail:  Follow the route of over a thousand militia who marched and rode 330 miles from Virginia and Tennessee to North Carolina and joined with 500 patriots there to overwhelm a British force that had threatened their families. For history see the RSAR note for 1780 Sept 12 See the detailed summary map [PDF]) and tour the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, using the guide found on its Web site: www.nps.gov/ovvi Southern Backcountry Trail:  Follow the course of the Revolution in the Southern backcountry using a road trip book over 150 pages in length. This that contains complete driving directions and a wealth of historical information of the sites along US route 221 (SC to GA) [revolutionaryday.com] TENNESSEE See also Overmountain Victory Trail (SC) KENTUCKY See also Overmountain Victory Trail (SC) GEORGIA   The National Society Sons of the American Revolution awarded The Museum of Patriotism in Atlanta GA. the SAR Patriotic Leadership Award for 2006. NOTE: The museum is currently (as of 2007 Nov) closed pending a relocation. When re-opened it will once again explore the many ways in which patriotism enhances our commmunity. Patriotism is defined on their promotional video, which is best viewed using a high-speed connection. See also Southern Backcountry Trail (SC) ALABAMA The American Village, located in Montevallo AL (30 miles south of Birmingham), invites families and schools to "Be A Patriot! Join costumed historical interpreters as a Nation is born and a Constitution is framed. Learn how the words "We the People" have come to include all Americans." A 5-minute video presentation, Cornerstone of Liberty provides a glimpse of the experience, while the schedule and details are given on the Web page called Visit the Village. The American Village produced and sells Spirit of Liberty, a 90-minute video on DVD described here, which vividly recreates one of the most crucial times in American history and allows you to meet some of America’s most beloved patriarchs, including Patrick Henry, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Abigail Adams, and many more.

Mid-western U.S.  KENTUCKY, OHIO, MICHIGAN The Tristate Revolutionary Trail follows the main trail of British and patriot units as they gathered and attacked forts and outposts in the mid-west. It runs from Louisville, Kentucky, through Ohio via Cincinnati, Sharonville, Lebanon, Waynesville, Xenia, Springfield, Kenton, Findlay, and Toledo to Detroit, Michigan, much of along the east branch of the Dixie Highway. This trail was documented and marked during the Depression. It is not well-marked today. Please send any further information to DEpatriot@aol.com

Top of Page