There are 78,000 national historic sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These sites can be anything from a building to a bridge to a battlefield, and chances are there are some in your home town. History buffs make it a point to visit as many as possible each year, and there is an amazing variety of sites to choose from all around the country, depending on your inclinations and interests.

What Are National Historic Sites?
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 was passed with the intention of identifying, evaluating, and protecting districts, objects, sites, buildings, and structures that are significant to American history. These sites can be pertinent to one of any number of historical arenas, including government, architecture, or culture. Sites can be nominated for listing in the registry by anyone, but they must undergo a strict evaluation process in order to be accepted.

National historic sites meet fairly specific criteria. They must be associated with significant events in American history, or associated with the lives of a person or persons significant to American history, or they must embody distinctive characteristics of a certain type, period, or method of construction, or be the work of a master. In general, sites less than 50 years old are not considered unless they are of the utmost historical importance.

If you are interested in visiting sites on the National Historic Register, you can check their website for a complete listing. If you are planning a vacation to a certain destination, you can check to see what sites are in that area, and what their historical significance is. If you plan on staying a while, you might look into staying in a hotel or bed and breakfast that is listed on the register, allowing you to experience history firsthand.

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