Every year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation selects its Dozen Distinctive Destinations known for their vibrant downtowns, distinct architecture, cultural diversity and historic preservation. Put these on your list of places to consider visiting in 2010.
Cedar Falls, Iowa — This pastoral prairie was a milling and industrial center prior to the Civil War. Consequently, it’s one of the cities grouped into the Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area that celebrates farming and manufacturing.
St. Louis, Mo. — In the “Gateway to the West,” ride to the top of the Gateway Arch, drive a portion of Route 66, and visit the Cahokia Mounds, the largest prehistoric city north of Mexico dating back to A.D. 700.
Marquette, Mich. — Now known for its artists, this old fur trading post along the shore of Lake Superior is steeped in mining and maritime history.
Fort Collins, Colo. — A model for Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A., this Rocky Mountain retreat was founded during the Civil War as a military outpost. In 1924, archaeologists discovered evidence, the Lindenmeier artifacts, that humans had lived on the continent for at least 10,500 years.
Provincetown, Mass. — This New England seaport is where the pilgrims signed the Mayflower Compact in 1620. It was also home to America’s first art colony and writer Tennessee Williams.
Simsbury, Conn. — Northwest of Hartford, this small town opened the country’s first steel mill in 1728. The Revolutionary War also hit this farming village hard, sending 1,000 soldiers to battle.
Rockland, Maine — A coastal gem boasting historic lighthouses and a shipbuilding legacy, Rockland, the “Lobster Capitol of the World,” hosts a big festival every August celebrating the crustacean.
Chestnut Hill, Pa. — According to its historical society, this affluent neighborhood in northwest Philadelphia has one of the best collections of 19th- and early 20th-century homes in the country.
The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail — The 300-mile route packed with attractions winds through the Appalachian region of southwest Virginia. Set your toes to tapping at the Carter Family Fold, a rustic shed where live acts play every Saturday night. The Carters are often referred to as the forerunners of modern-day country music.
Bastrop, Texas — Southeast of Austin, the “Most Historic Small Town in Texas” has more than 130 registered historic places. Another interesting fact: 12 Bastrop residents died in the Battle of the Alamo.
Huntsville, Ala. — “The Rocket City” soared into the future with the space center, yet still embraces its cotton-farming roots and its large collection of antebellum mansions.
Sitka, Alaska — Tlingit Indians settled this seaside town, only to have Russia conquer the natives and sell the wilderness to the U.S. Have a look at colorful totem poles at Sitka National Historic Park.
