National Memorials

Fact Box American Memorial Park Northern Mariana Islands Established 1978 133 acres American Memorial Park honors the sacrifices made during the Marianas Campaign of World War II. The main attractions in the park are the Memorial Court of Honor and the Flag Circle, the Carillon Bell Tower, World War II Artifacts, and the Smiling Cove Marina. In the park, visitors can also play sports like baseball and tennis. The park also has beautiful natural scenery. Fact Box Arkansas Post Arkansas Established 1960 758 acres Arkansas Post National Memorial is on the site of the Arkansas Post, which was the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi River. Over two miles of trails go through the historic town and the forest around it. Fact Box Arlington House, Robert E. Lee Memorial Virginia Established 1966 1,100 acres The Arlington House is located in Arlington National Cemetery, overlooking the Potomac River and Washington D.C.'s National Mall. It is the former house of Confederate General Robert E. Lee as well as George Washington Parke Custis, the step-grandson of George Washington. Around the house is a flower garden, a Robert E. Lee Museum, and the slave quarters. Fact Box Chamizal Texas Established 1974 55 acres Chamizal National Memorial honors the peaceful resolution of a 100-year border dispute between the United States and Mexico. The visitor center has a museum, which details the history of the U.S.-Mexico border. Fact Box Coronado Arizona Established 1952 4,750 acres Coronado National Memorial commemorates the first organized expedition into the Southwest by 339 soldiers and 1100 Indian allies, lead by conquistador Francisco Vazquez de Coronado in 1540. The park has canyons, overlooks, and the beautiful Coronado Cave. Activities in the park include auto touring, bird watching, hiking, and picnicking. Fact Box De Soto Florida Established 1948 27 acres De Soto National Memorial commemorates the first extensive organized expedition into the South by explorer Hernando de Soto and his army in 1539. It was a hard journey, filled with violence, disease, and resistance from the natives. The visitor center has exhibits and artifacts from the period, as well as a theater and bookstore. Visitors can hike along the Florida shoreline, visit living history camp Camp Uzita (December-April), picnic, look for rare birds, relax on a beach, fish, and boat. Fact Box Federal Hall New York Established 1842 0.45 acres Federal Hall National Memorial is built on the site of the old Federal Hall, which was built in 1700 as New York City's City Hall, and later as the first United States capitol building. The building has exhibits, a gift shop, and information on New York City's other NPS sites. Fact Box Flight 93 Pennsylvania Established 2002 2,200 acres Flight 93 National Memorial, honors the heroism of the victims of Flight 93, who stopped terrorists from reaching their target, presumed to be the U.S. Capitol, on 9/11. Visitors can see the site of the crash, and a wall with the names of the 40 passengers of the flight. The memorial is still under construction, with future developments including the Tower of Voices, a visitor center, and 40 Memorial Groves.  Fact Box Fort Caroline Florida Established 1953 138 acres Fort Caroline National Memorial is on the site of Fort Caroline the first French colony in the United States. It was established in 1564, but in 1565 Spanish troops invaded the fort. Ribault Monument, Theodore Roosevelt Area, and the Spanish Pond are all nearby sites. It is part of Timucuan National Ecological and Historic Preserve. Fact Box Franklin D. Roosevelt Washington, D.C Established 1997 8 acres Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial is dedicated to one of the nation's greatest presidents who served from 1933 to 1945. Completed in 1997, the 7.5-acre memorial is composed of four outdoor rooms telling the story of his presidency. Fact Box General Grant(Grant's Tomb) New York General Grant National Memorial is the final resting place for Union Civil War General and 18th president of the United States Ulysses S. Grant, as well as his wife Julia. Sculptures, paintings, and mosaics can be found in and around the monument. Fact Box Hamilton Grange New York Established 1960 Hamilton Grange National Memorial preserves the Harlem estate of founding father Alexander Hamilton. Visitors can take a free tour of the house and stroll around the surrounding grounds. The visitor center has a gift shop, film, and exhibits on Hamilton's life. Fact Box Jefferson Expansion Missouri Established 1935 193 acres Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis consists of three components: the Old Courthouse, Museum of Westward Expansion, and the famous Gateway Arch. Visitors can take a tram ride to an observation room at the top of the arch, watch a film on the building of the arch, and see exhibits at the Old Courthouse. Fact Box Johnstown Flood Pennsylvania Established 1964 164 acres Johnstown Flood National Memorial commemorates the 2,209 people who died during the 1889 Johnstown Flood, which was caused by a failure in the South Fork dam. Visitors can see exhibits on the tragic disaster and the ruins of the South Fork dam, which failed due to years of mistreatment and neglect. Fact Box Korean War Veterans Washington, D.C Established 1995 2 acres Korean War Veterans Memorial commemorates those who served in the Korean War, known as "The Forgotten War", which lasted from 1950 to 1953. It was dedicated in 1995 and features a Wall of Remembrance as well as 19 stainless steel statues of soldiers. Fact Box Lincoln Boyhood Indiana Established 1962 200 acres Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial preserves the farm site where 16th president of the United States Abraham Lincoln lived with his family from 1816 to 1830. The centerpiece of the memorial is the limestone memorial building, which was completed in 1944, and has a museum inside. Visitors can also see the site of the original Lincoln cabin and a replica farm house. 28 people, including Lincoln's mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln are buried in the Pioneer Cemetery, which is also part of the park.  Fact Box Lincoln Memorial Washington, D.C Established 1966 107 acres Lincoln Memorial, perhaps the most famous of the National Mall memorials, honors the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. The building is in the style of a Greek temple and contains a large seated statue of Lincoln. Dedicated in 1922, the memorial also has inscriptions of two of Lincoln's most famous speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address. It is one of the most visited sites in the National Park system and was the site of several famous speeches, among them Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. Fact Box Lyndon B. Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac Washington, D.C Established 1973 17 acres Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac is on the site where the 36th president of the United States often came to escape the stresses of the presidency. The memorial features a Texas granite monolith, a grass meadow, and hundreds of trees. Visitors can bike, canoe, kayak, hike, picnic, and view wildlife at this memorial, which was dedicated in 1974. Fact Box Mount Rushmore South Dakota Established 1925 1,278 acres Mount Rushmore National Memorial features four sculptures carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt. Besides seeing this legendary attraction, visitors to the park can also visit the Sculptor's Studio, where Gutzon Borglum worked on Mt. Rushmore, as well as the Lincoln Borglum Visitor Center, which has exhibits and a film. Over three million people visit Mount Rushmore annually, making it one of the most visited units in the National Park System. Fact Box Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial Ohio Established 1936 25 acres Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial commemorates the United States victory in the War of 1812's Battle of Lake Erie and the long-lasting peace between Britain, Canada, and the U.S. The 352-foot monument, which was dedicated in 1931, is among the tallest in the country, and in 1966 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The memorial is named for Oliver Hazard Perry, who led the American fleet to victory during the Battle of Lake Erie.  Fact Box Port Chicago Naval Magazine California Established 1992 Port Chicago Naval Magazine National Memorial honors the 320 sailors and civilians who instantly perished when two ammunition ships blew up in 1944. The memorial can be reached via guided tour, and at the memorial visitors can stand on the site where the explosion took place, as well as see the dedication memorials with names inscribed into them. Fact Box Roger Williams Rhode Island Roger Williams National Memorial, the only NPS site in Rhode Island, commemorates the life of Roger Williams, who co-founded Rhode Island and was a champion of the ideal of religious freedom. The memorial is a landscaped urban park on the original settlement of Providence, which Williams founded in 1636. A visitor center has exhibits and a short film, and is a great place for people to discover the contributions Roger Williams made to the cause of religious freedoms. Fact Box Thaddeus Kosciuszko Pennsylvania Established 1970 0.02 acres Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial preserves the home of Thaddeus Kosciuszko, who was a hero of the American Revolution, a freedom fighter, and a Polish patriot. After he came to this house in 1797, he received visits from several famous people, including Thomas Jefferson, Chief Little Turtle, Chief Joseph Brandt, and Benjamin Latrobe. Fact Box Theodore Roosevelt Island Washington, D.C Established 1932 88 acres The 88.5-acre Theodore Roosevelt Island is a natural park and forest with several trails, and a memorial plaza featuring fountains and a 17-foot statue of Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th United States president. Many birds and wildflowers can be found here, and visitors can canoe or kayak in this memorial located in the middle of the Potomac River. Fact Box Jefferson Memorial Washington, D.C Established 1943 18 acres Jefferson Memorial is dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, 3rd president of the United States, founder of the University of Virginia, Statesman, and author of the Declaration of Independence, among other things. The neoclassical memorial building was completed in 1943 and houses a 19-foot bronze state of Jefferson, which was added in 1947. Excerpts from the Declaration of Independence are inscribed on the interior of this iconic memorial. Fact Box Vietnam Veterans Washington, D.C Established 1982 2 acres Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors those who served in the controversial Vietnam War, which lasted from 1955 to 1975. The main component of this memorial, which receives around 3 million visitors each year, is the Memorial Wall, which chronologically lists the names of over 58,000 Americans who died serving their country. The monument opened in 1982.  Fact Box Washington Monument Washington, D.C 106 acres Washington Monument was built to honor George Washington, 1st president of the United States and general in the Revolutionary War. The marble obelisk is 555-foot tall, making it the world's tallest. Visitors can take an elevator an observation deck at the top of the monument, or just take in the sight of this legendary attraction. Fact Box World War II Memorial Washington, D.C Established 2002 World War II Memorial is dedicated to the 16,000,000 Americans who served in World War II, the 400,000 who died, and the millions more who supported the war effort from home. The memorial consists of 56 pillars and a pair of triumphal arches surrounding a plaza and fountain. It opened in 2004, and is a unit of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. Fact Box Wright Brothers North Carolina Established 1927 428 acres Wright Brothers National Memorial commemorates the first successful airplane flights in 1903 by Wilbur and Orville Wright. The memorial consists of the 60-foot Wright Brothers Monument, a visitor center, markers with the routes of the flights, and a reconstructed hangar and workshop. Affiliated National Memorials Fact Box Benjamin Franklin Pennsylvania Established 1972 107 acres Benjamin Franklin National Memorial is a 20-foot seated statue of Benjamin Franklin, author, printer, politician, diplomat, statesman, and United States Founding Father, which is located inside the Franklin Institute. Dedicated in 1938, the statue weighs 30 tons and is considered part of Independence National Historical Park. Fact Box Father Marquette Michigan Established 1975 52 acres Father Marquette National Memorial honors Jacques Marquette,  a French priest and explorer who established Michigan's earliest European settlements and explored the Mississippi River. The national memorial has a visitor center with exhibits.  Fact Box Oklahoma City Oklahoma Established 1997 3 acres Oklahoma City National Memorial honors the victims, survivors, and all who were affected by the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, where 168 people were killed by a domestic terrorist bomb attack. It stands on the ground where the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building, the target of the attack, stood. Features of the memorial include a reflecting pool, the Field of Empty Chairs, Survivors' Wall, The Survivor Tree, The Gates of Time, and The Memorial Fence.  Fact Box Red Hill Patrick Henry Virginia Established 1986 117 acres Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial preserves the plantation of Founding Father Patrick Henry. The house is now a museum, and the 117-acre plantation was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.