Place. Story. Action.
History is a place. Go stand on it.
There are more than 72,000 listed historic sites in this app's records, and most people drive past a dozen of them every week without slowing down. Historical Markers turns each one into a stop you can find, read and reach on foot, on a bike or by car, and it keeps count of every one you collect.
162 ways in, written for 387 US metro areas, every principal city, the 1,000 largest cities and all 3,143 US counties - 696,438 place pages in all, each listing the real historic sites nearest that place.
Every marker is a place you can stand on.
Every place carries a story worth reading in full.
Every story is better when you get there on your own feet.
Day trips, road trips and history near you
Markers Near MeSelf-guidedEvery listed historic site and roadside marker close to where you are standing, with the distance to each one and the story on the record.
Historic Sites Near MeSelf-guidedHistoric houses, churches, bridges, courthouses and battlefields near you, pulled from the National Register and state marker programs and sorted by distance.
History Things to DoSelf-guidedA short list of real places nearby where something happened, for the afternoon you want to get out of the house and come back knowing more.
Free Historic PlacesSelf-guidedMost listed sites can be seen from the public road at no cost. This is the list of them near you, with the record behind each one.
Family Day TripsBy carA day out that works for the kids and the grandparents: a handful of nearby stops, short walks between them, and a story at every one.
History Road TripsBy carPlan a road trip around the stops worth pulling over for. Listed sites along the way, chained into a route with the distances worked out.
Weekend GetawaysBy carTwo days, one region, and the historic places that make it worth the drive, from the main street buildings to the cemetery on the hill.
Historic Downtowns3,536 sites on the recordThe commercial blocks, banks, hotels and opera houses that built the old downtown, listed by name and close enough together to walk.
Historic Districts1,921 sites on the recordWhole neighborhoods listed on the National Register as districts, where the history is in the streets as much as in any one building.
Roadside MarkersBy carThe signs at the edge of the highway that most people pass at speed. Here is what each one says, and the longer story behind it.
Hidden HistorySelf-guidedListed sites that rarely show up on a travel list, close to home, with stories that are better than the famous ones.
Senior History OutingsBy carShort drives, stops you can see from the car or a few steps away, and stories that many older visitors remember being told firsthand.
RV History TripsBy carHistoric stops within reach of the campground, picked for roads a big rig can manage and places with room to pull over.
Scavenger HuntsOn footTurn nearby markers into a hunt: find the sign, answer one question from its story, and collect the stop before moving on to the next.
Kids History AdventuresSelf-guidedShort, active outings built for children, where each stop is a place to find, a story to hear and a badge to earn.
Drive-Up Historic SitesBy carListed sites near you that can be read and seen from the roadside or a short level walk, for visitors who cannot manage long distances on foot.
Marker AppSelf-guidedThe free app that puts every listed site and marker on one map, tells you the story when you arrive, and counts every stop you collect.
Marker MapSelf-guidedOne map with the markers, register listings and landmarks around you, each with coordinates, a distance and the record behind it.Walk it, run it, ride it, drive it
Walking ToursOn footSelf-guided walks that chain nearby historic sites into a loop, with the distance between stops and the story waiting at each one.
Self-Guided ToursSelf-guidedNo guide, no ticket, no schedule. Pick a start, follow the route at your own pace, and read each story when you get there.
Running RoutesRunningRunning routes that pass listed historic sites, so your easy miles turn into a tour and every stop is a reason to look up.
History 5K RoutesRunningThree miles, a handful of listed sites, and a loop that brings you back to where you parked. Good for a club run or a first race distance.
Long Run RoutesRunningTen miles and up, threaded through the listed sites of a whole area, for the long run that needs something better than an out-and-back.
History HikesHikingTrails and back roads that reach the forts, mills, cabins and cemeteries most visitors never see, with the distances worked out.
Bike RoutesCyclingRides that link listed sites across a town or a county, at the distance a bike covers best, with each stop a natural place to rest.
Driving ToursBy carA driving loop through the listed sites of an area, ordered so you never double back, with the story ready at each stop.
Motorcycle RidesBy motorcycleBack-road rides with historic stops worth pulling over for, from covered bridges to old courthouses, laid out for a day in the saddle.
Dog-Friendly WalksOn footOutdoor walks past listed sites you can see from the sidewalk, so the dog gets the miles and you get the history.
Stroller WalksOn footShort walks on paved streets between nearby historic sites, for parents with a stroller and an hour to fill.
Lunch Break WalksOn footThirty minutes from the office door and back, past the listed buildings most people work beside for years without noticing.
Photo WalksOn footWalking routes picked for the buildings and markers that photograph well, with the record behind each frame.
Step ChallengesOn footStep challenges where the goal is a set of historic stops, so the count goes up and so does what you know about the place.
Marker BadgesSelf-guidedBadges you earn by reaching real places: a county complete, a trail finished, every marker on a theme collected.
Marker HuntingSelf-guidedFor people who collect markers the way others collect stamps. Every sign in the area, with coordinates, so none get missed.By chapter of American history
Civil War Sites1,348 sites on the recordBattlefields, forts, earthworks, hospitals and homes touched by the Civil War, listed with the record behind each, including the parts that are hard to read.
Revolutionary War Sites127 sites on the recordThe taverns, meetinghouses, forts and battle sites of the American Revolution, from the famous fields to the farmhouses that hid soldiers.
Colonial History752 sites on the recordMeetinghouses, garrison houses, and the oldest surviving buildings in the area, from the century before the country had a name.
Civil Rights History103 sites on the recordThe churches, schools, lunch counters and homes where the civil rights movement was organized, fought and remembered.
Black History Sites487 sites on the recordSchools, churches, cemeteries and neighborhoods built and kept by Black Americans, listed with the history on the record.
Underground Railroad76 sites on the recordHomes, meetinghouses and crossings tied to the Underground Railroad and the people who helped freedom seekers move north.
Native American Sites370 sites on the recordMounds, village sites, rock art, agency buildings and places of removal, part of a history that runs thousands of years before any county line.
Women's History Sites333 sites on the recordClubhouses, schools, homes and workplaces tied to women who shaped their towns, often left out of the usual tour.
Military History1,750 sites on the recordForts, armories, barracks, batteries and memorials from every war the country has fought, listed with what happened at each.
World War II Sites75 sites on the recordAirfields, training camps, ordnance plants and home-front sites from the Second World War, many still standing in plain sight.
World War I Sites67 sites on the recordDoughboy statues, memorial halls and training grounds from the First World War, in towns that sent their sons overseas.
Veterans Memorials319 sites on the recordWar memorials, monuments and veterans halls near you, with the names, the wars and the stories they were built to keep.
Cold War Sites19 sites on the recordMissile sites, radar stations and launch facilities from the Cold War, a chapter close enough that many visitors lived through it.
Presidential Sites32 sites on the recordBirthplaces, homes and places tied to American presidents, from the well-known estates to the small houses where they grew up.
Pioneer History921 sites on the recordCabins, homesteads, trading posts and trail sites from the people who settled the land, and the land they settled on.
Mining History265 sites on the recordMines, smelters, quarries, kilns and company towns, the places where the ground was worked and the towns grew up around it.
Industrial History2,050 sites on the recordMills, factories, foundries and warehouses that put the area to work, many converted, some still running.
Railroad History1,578 sites on the recordDepots, roundhouses, trestles and rail yards from the lines that decided which towns grew and which ones faded.
Maritime History692 sites on the recordLighthouses, shipwrecks, life-saving stations, wharves and canals, the history of the coasts, lakes and rivers.
Aviation History79 sites on the recordEarly airfields, hangars and beacons from the first decades of flight, often hiding at the edge of town.
Farm History2,286 sites on the recordFarmsteads, barns, granges, creameries and grain elevators, the working history of the land around town.
Religious History7,267 sites on the recordChurches, synagogues, meetinghouses and missions near you that have held their congregations for generations.
Immigrant Heritage301 sites on the recordChurches, halls and neighborhoods built by immigrant communities, many still carrying the old country in their names.
Hispanic Heritage117 sites on the recordMissions, presidios, adobe homes and acequias, part of a history in the country older than the English colonies.
Asian American Heritage36 sites on the recordTemples, stores, community halls and neighborhoods built by Chinese, Japanese, Filipino and Korean Americans.
Labor History140 sites on the recordCompany towns, union halls, strike sites and workers' housing, the history of the people who did the work.
Music History441 sites on the recordOpera houses, dance halls, bandstands and studios, the places where the area's music was played, heard and recorded.
Literary History1,196 sites on the recordLibraries, writers' homes, print shops and newspaper offices tied to the people who wrote the area down.
Sports History278 sites on the recordBallparks, gyms, racetracks, golf courses and rodeo grounds, where the area played and cheered.
Medical History516 sites on the recordHospitals, sanitariums, doctors' offices and drugstores, the history of how the area was cared for.
Education History4,848 sites on the recordSchoolhouses, academies, colleges and Rosenwald schools, every place on the record where the area learned to read.
Government History3,961 sites on the recordCourthouses, capitols, town halls and post offices, the buildings where local decisions were made and recorded.
Disaster History57 sites on the recordSites tied to floods, fires, storms and wrecks, and to the way the area rebuilt afterwards.
New Deal Sites380 sites on the recordLodges, lookouts, bathhouses and public buildings put up by the WPA and the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.
Roadside Americana368 sites on the recordMotor courts, filling stations, diners and drive-ins from the age of the two-lane highway, listed where they still stand.
Archaeological Sites74 sites on the recordMounds, village sites and rock art listed on the public record, shown here where the location is published.By kind of place
Historic Homes24,049 sites on the recordHouses on the National Register and state programs near you, from mansions to mill cottages, with the family and the year on the record.
Historic Churches6,730 sites on the recordListed churches and chapels near you, many still holding services in the building their founders put up.
Historic Cemeteries1,000 sites on the recordCemeteries and burial grounds on the record near you, where a walk among the stones is a walk through the town's first families.
Covered Bridges484 sites on the recordCovered bridges still standing near you, listed with the creek, the builder's era and the road that crosses them.
Historic Bridges2,523 sites on the recordTruss, arch, suspension and stone bridges on the register near you, engineering you can drive across.
Lighthouses345 sites on the recordLighthouses and light stations on the coasts, lakes and rivers, with the history of the keepers who ran them.
Historic Courthouses1,609 sites on the recordCounty courthouses on the register near you, usually the grandest building in town and the center of its history.
Train Depots1,141 sites on the recordTrain depots near you, from big-city union stations to the small frame depot where the whole town once met the train.
Historic Forts340 sites on the recordForts, blockhouses, batteries and stockades near you, from the frontier to the coastal defenses.
Battlefields96 sites on the recordBattlefields on the record near you, listed with what happened there and who fought.
Historic Mills1,012 sites on the recordGristmills, sawmills and textile mills near you, many on the creeks that gave the towns their start.
Schoolhouses410 sites on the recordOne-room schoolhouses and early school buildings near you, where several grades shared a stove and a teacher.
Historic Theaters957 sites on the recordOpera houses, movie palaces and playhouses near you, some restored and back in business.
Historic Hotels2,141 sites on the recordHotels, inns and old taverns on the register near you, a few of which will still rent you a room.
Historic Taverns624 sites on the recordTaverns and saloons on the record near you, the places where travelers rested and towns argued their politics.
Historic Libraries1,047 sites on the recordCarnegie libraries and other historic library buildings near you, many still lending books.
Historic Banks1,080 sites on the recordBank buildings on the register near you, built in stone to look permanent, and most of them still are.
Historic Post Offices979 sites on the recordHistoric post offices near you, many with Depression-era murals still on the lobby walls.
Historic Jails402 sites on the recordOld county jails and lockups near you, some turned into museums, all with stories the courthouse records only hint at.
Historic Barns731 sites on the recordRound barns, bank barns and stone barns near you, the landmarks of the countryside.
Historic Farms1,802 sites on the recordFarmsteads and ranches on the register near you, many still worked by the families who listed them.
Log Cabins520 sites on the recordLog cabins and log houses on the record near you, the oldest kind of house still standing in many counties.
Plantation Sites276 sites on the recordPlantation sites on the record near you, listed so the full story can be told, including the enslaved people whose work built them.
Historic Mansions713 sites on the recordMansions, manors and estates near you, built by the families who ran the mills, the banks and the railroads.
Fire Stations401 sites on the recordOld firehouses and engine houses near you, many with the hose tower still standing above the roofline.
Town Halls694 sites on the recordTown halls and city halls on the register near you, where local government has met for generations.
Historic Armories269 sites on the recordArmories and drill halls near you, built for the National Guard and often the biggest hall in town.
Dams and Canals307 sites on the recordCanals, locks, dams and waterworks near you, the engineering that moved goods and water before the highways.
Historic Parks745 sites on the recordParks, squares, gardens and parkways on the record near you, public ground with a history of its own.
Monuments580 sites on the recordMonuments, statues and memorials near you, with what each was built to remember and when.
Fraternal Halls614 sites on the recordMasonic temples, Odd Fellows halls and grange halls near you, the meeting places of the old fraternal orders.
Historic Synagogues184 sites on the recordSynagogues and Jewish community buildings on the record near you, some among the oldest in the country.
Historic Gas Stations134 sites on the recordFilling stations and garages from the early days of the automobile, listed near you where they still stand.
College Campuses562 sites on the recordCollege buildings and campuses on the register near you, good walking with a long history behind every hall.
General Stores881 sites on the recordGeneral stores, mercantiles and trading posts near you, the one building every small town could not do without.
Shipwreck Sites143 sites on the recordShipwrecks listed on the public record near you, with what went down, when, and where the record places it.
Hospital Buildings352 sites on the recordOld hospitals, sanitariums and infirmaries on the register near you, some converted, a few still treating patients.Teachers, field trips and homeschool
History Field TripsBy busField trips to listed sites near your school, with the story, the distance and a set of questions for every stop.
Lesson PlansClassroomLessons built from the markers and register listings near your school, so the primary sources are a short walk away.
Elementary History TripsBy busShort trips for younger grades: a couple of nearby stops, a story at each one, and a badge for every child who finds the marker.
Middle School ProjectsClassroomProjects where students pick a listed site near school, research the record, visit it, and report what they found.
APUSH Field TripsBy busField trips that match the AP US History periods to real places nearby, so each unit has a site students have stood on.
State History UnitsClassroomUnits for the state history years, built around the listed sites in your county so the state story starts at home.
Homeschool TripsBy carHistory outings for homeschool families and co-ops, with nearby stops, the record for each, and questions for every age.
Scout HistoryHikingHistory hikes and site visits for scout troops working on heritage and citizenship requirements, with the stops worked out.
History Day ProjectsClassroomListed sites near you that make strong History Day topics, with the record and the local sources to start from.
Virtual Field TripsOnlineClassroom visits to nearby listed sites on a screen, for the days a bus is not possible, with the story at each stop.
Summer History CampsOn footA week of history camp built on the sites around town: a route a day, a story at each stop, and a badge at the end.
Civics Field TripsBy busTrips to the courthouses, town halls and capitols near you, where students can see where local government actually happens.
Marker AdoptionOn footA service project where a class adopts nearby markers, checks their condition, photographs them and fixes the record.
Teacher TrainingClassroomTraining for teachers on using the listed sites near their schools as primary sources, with a route they can run with a class.Family history, research and photography
Genealogy ResearchSelf-guidedThe listed sites in the county your family came from, from the courthouse to the cemetery, as a map for your research trip.
Family History TripsBy carPlan a trip to the places your ancestors lived: the churches, schools and cemeteries on the record near where they settled.
Local History ResearchSelf-guidedA starting map for anyone researching the history of a place, with every listed site, its location and its source.
Marker PhotographySelf-guidedFind markers that still need a good photograph, take one, and add it to the record with credit to you.
National Register ListingsSelf-guidedProperties listed on the National Register of Historic Places near you, with the name, county, category and listing year.
Marker DatabaseSelf-guidedA searchable record of markers and listed sites with coordinates, sources and stories, kept current by the people who visit them.
Marker InscriptionsSelf-guidedWhat the markers near you actually say, word for word where the program publishes it, with the story behind each one.
Missing MarkersSelf-guidedReport a marker that is gone, knocked down or moved, so the record shows what a visitor will actually find.
Submit a MarkerSelf-guidedAdd a marker or historic site that is missing from the map, with its location and a photo, so the next person can find it.
Historic PreservationSelf-guidedThe listed buildings near you, with what is on the record about each, for people working to keep them standing.
Architecture Walks44,577 sites on the recordWalking routes through the listed buildings near you, for people who notice cornices, porches and rooflines.Historical societies, libraries and clubs
Historical Society ToursSelf-guidedPut your society's knowledge on the map: routes through the local listed sites, told in your words and open to anyone.
Library ProgramsSelf-guidedPrograms a library can run around the listed sites in its own service area, from walking clubs to research nights.
Museum Walking ToursOn footWalking tours that start at the museum door and carry its collection out to the listed sites around it.
Congregation Tours7,098 sites on the recordTours of the historic churches, synagogues and meetinghouses near you, for congregations telling their own history.
Running Club RoutesRunningClub runs that pass listed sites, with the distances worked out and a story to tell at the regroup stops.
Walking Group RoutesOn footWeekly routes for walking groups, a different set of historic stops each time, at a pace everyone can hold.
Cycling Club RidesCyclingGroup rides linking the listed sites of a county, with regroup points at the stops worth reading.
Hiking Club HikesHikingClub hikes to the forts, mills, cabins and cemeteries on the record, with the route and the history planned out.
Senior Center OutingsBy busOutings for senior centers to listed sites nearby, short walks and good seats, with stories many members will add to.
Veterans Group Visits1,774 sites on the recordVisits to the memorials, forts, armories and battlefields near you, planned for veterans groups and posts.
Genealogy Society Outings9,617 sites on the recordOutings to the cemeteries, churches and courthouses near you, planned for genealogy societies and their research.
Civic Club ProjectsSelf-guidedService projects for civic clubs: adopt a route, fix the marker record, and put the town's history in front of visitors.
Heritage Festival ToursOn footRoutes through the listed sites near a heritage festival, so visitors have somewhere to go between events.
Youth Group AdventuresSelf-guidedHistory hunts for youth groups, where teams race to find nearby markers and earn badges along the way.
Neighborhood WalksOn footShort walks through the listed sites of a neighborhood, good for a block party, an association meeting or a Sunday.Tourism offices, counties and licensing
Visitor Bureau TrailsSelf-guidedA live history trail for your visitor bureau, built from the listed sites in your area and kept current without reprinting.
County Heritage TourismSelf-guidedTurn the county's listed sites into routes, badges and visitor counts, run under the county's name.
Chamber History ToursOn footHistory routes that bring visitors past local businesses, sponsored by the chamber and its members.
Parks and Rec ProgramsSelf-guidedWalking, running and biking programs built on the historic sites in your parks and around them.
Main Street Tours8,934 sites on the recordDowntown history tours for Main Street programs, built from the listed buildings on the blocks you are working to fill.
State Tourism LicensingSelf-guidedLicense the platform statewide: every listed site on one map, routes for every region, and the visitor data that comes back.
Site OperatorsSelf-guidedFor the people running a historic site: put your site at the center of a route so visitors arrive having already started the story.
Heritage Trail AppSelf-guidedA heritage trail app without building one: your routes, your stories and your name, running on a map that already has every listed site.
Trail SponsorshipSelf-guidedSponsor a local history route or badge and have your business named on the trail people follow.
Race CoursesRunningFor race directors: courses that pass listed sites, with the history on the course map and on the medal.
Hotel ItinerariesOn footHistory itineraries a front desk can hand a guest, starting at your door and covering the listed sites within reach.
Realtor GuidesSelf-guidedThe listed sites around a neighborhood, for agents who want to show buyers what makes the place worth moving to.
Team-Building WalksOn footA history hunt for a team off-site: groups race between nearby markers, answer from the record, and collect the stops.
District LicensingSelf-guidedLicense field trips, lessons and student badges for every school in the district, built on the sites in your own boundaries.
Museum PartnershipsSelf-guidedPartner your museum with the map so every route through the area points visitors back to your door.The rules that make it work
The record comes first
Every site on these pages comes from a published register or marker program, with its source named. Nothing is listed that is not on the record.
Read the whole story
A marker is a few lines on a post. The story behind it is longer, and it includes the hard parts. Both are worth the stop.
Movement makes it stick
People remember the places they walked to. A route through five markers teaches more than fifty marker pages read on a couch.
Local beats famous
The marker two streets over usually has a better story than the one in the guidebook, and nobody else is standing in front of it.
Respect the ground
Many sites are private homes, working churches or cemeteries. View from the public way, follow posted hours, and leave it as you found it.
Every visitor can improve it
Markers go missing, get moved, or carry mistakes. A photo or a location fix from the person standing there is how the record stays right.