Make Your History by Following History

One great thing about traveling with your family in an RV (of any size or kind) or a tent is that so many campgrounds and RV parks are near historic sites and markers, National Monuments, and Revolutionary War and Civil War battlefields.

It’s fun to take some time and let the kids see firsthand what they’ve studied in school and let the parents jog their memories. Of course, the options are so varied that you first need to narrow down what era of our history your family is most interested in.

Is it the early settlements of adventurers from England and then the Revolutionary War that won our independence from Great Britain? Then Virginia, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Delaware and Maryland would be where you would head.

Fort Sumter National Monument in South Carolina. Photo: Rennett Stowe.

Pick From the Past

If it’s the Civil War, then Virginia once again is on the list, along with North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and, of course, South Carolina, where the War began with the firing on Fort Sumter.

And again, make sure to visit Pennsylvania, the site of the Battle of Gettysburg, where Lincoln delivered his famous address as he looked over the blood-stained fields. Maybe your family can remember the famous words “Four score and seven…”

The Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. Photo: Alex Schrank.

If your family is interested in flight, then head to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and to Kill Devil Hills and the Wright Brothers National Memorial.

If you’re a railroad buff, follow the path of the first Transcontinental Railroad and learn about how it came to be and about the people who built it.

Old Union Pacific caboose in Nevada that once rode on the Transcontinental Railroad. Photo: Ryan Hafey

Native American Treasures

If it’s Native American history, you might start in Cherokee in western North Carolina and go on into Tennessee, the Plains, the Dakotas, and Montana to the site of the Little Bighorn Battlefield. The Cherokee saga began in North Carolina but played out in Oklahoma – then known as Indian Territory and the end of the Trail of Tears.

And then continue further Southwest to learn more about early Native American life and Culture – at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, the Pueblo in Taos, NM, and the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument in Arizona.

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis. Photo: Johnson-Johnson

Pioneers, Ho!

If it’s the westward expansion of settlers you want to follow, begin at the Gateway Arch in St Louis. Part of a new National Park, the Arch symbolizes the westward growth of our nation. Take an elevator to the top for amazing views of the great Mississippi River below.

But despite the Arch, the real gateway to the west was about 250 miles further west in Independence, MO, where most Wagon Trains were organized and outfitted before starting out.

Exhibit from the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center near Baker City, Oregon. Photo: Dana Davis.

Follow the route of Louis and Clark and their expedition through Missouri, Nebraska, South and North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington to the Great Pacific for more historic sites. The Alamo — famed during the war in which Texas fought for independence from Mexico. Watch the movie first and then be amazed at how small this famous fort truly is.

Plan Your Route and Go

So where should you go this summer to see historic sites? North, South, East, or West? Maybe your family tree can help – where did they come from, where did they settle, and what did they do along the way? No matter what your decision is, you’re certain to enjoy seeing this great land and learning about the people who got us where we are today.

Parks that helped sponsor this travel guide include Lakewood RV Resort in Hendersonville, North Carolina, and Sleeping Wolf Campground in Browning, Montana. Destination Gettysburg also was a sponsor.

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