Historical Parks
National Historical Parks weave together multiple sites, corridors, and landscapes that tell a broader historical story across a region.
69 parks and sites (NPS)
Featured parks for historical parks
Upcoming events
Upcoming ranger programs and events at 69 parks in this designation (from the NPS Events API).
Guided Tours of Rileys Lockhouse
Explore the life of a lockkeeper and family in the 1870's time period with a guided tour of one of the C&O Canal's original lockhouses. Girl Scouts offer free tours of the lockhouse and grounds at Lock 24. In addition, there may be various Victorian Era demonstrations such as laundry, cider pressing, making lemonade, churning butter or ice cream and more. Visitors are welcome to participate in the activities and taste the results. Open every Saturday and Sunday 1pm-4pm, March 21 st through July 12 th and August 16 th through December 12 th . The lockhouse will be closed for bad weather.
Oakland Plantation Main House Self-Guided Tour
The Oakland Plantation Main House is open for self-guided tours with limited capacity. Please note that tour schedules are subject to change. For updates call 318-352-0383.
History Hangout
Hangout at Belle Grove Plantation with a National Park Service ranger. Join a conversation about the region ’ s long record of human settlement while enjoying a panoramic view of the Shenandoah Valley. Learn why this landscape was important during the Civil War and how the community preserves it as a national park . This is a regular recurring program from May 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026. Wednesdays - Saturdays at 11:30 am Sundays at 2:30 pm
Bunker Hill: Decisive Day Talks
Join a Ranger for a Decisive Day Talk! Throughout the summer season, join Park staff or a volunteer outside of the Bunker Hill Lodge for a "Decisive Day Talk." These talks provide an overview of the Battle of Bunker Hill and its memory. Hear the stories of the colonial militiamen who constructed the redoubt where the Bunker Hill Monument stands today. Consider the experiences of British soldiers who sustained substantial casualties in pursuit of this position. Learn about the early inspiration for a Monument to commemorate this early battle of the American Revolutionary War and the individuals and community effort it took to construct. 2026 Season (May 23 - September 27) Tuesday through Sunday at 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm. These talks are typically 15-20 minutes in length. If there is poor weather, these talks may be moved inside to the Bunker Hill Museum or cancelled.
The Freedom Trail: Enemies to this Country Guided Tour
In 1774 Paul Revere and his neighbors in the North End were forced to make difficult and dangerous choices. As sides were drawn, both Patriots and Loyalists labeled the other "enemies to this country." Join a National Park Service Ranger for a free 75 minute walk and decide who the real "Enemies to This Country" were in the months before the breakout of the War for Independence. Tours begin inside the Faneuil Hall Visitor Center and end at Old North Church, covering about 0.5 miles. 2026 Season (May 23 - September 27) Join a Ranger for Enemies to this Country Tour Wednesday through Sunday at 11 am. *In case of weather, Rangers will offer an indoor option in the basement of Faneuil Hall, also known as the "Find Your Park Space."
The Freedom Trail: Enemies to this Country Guided Tour
In 1774 Paul Revere and his neighbors in the North End were forced to make difficult and dangerous choices. As sides were drawn, both Patriots and Loyalists labeled the other "enemies to this country." Join a National Park Service Ranger for a free 75 minute walk and decide who the real "Enemies to This Country" were in the months before the breakout of the War for Independence. Tours begin inside the Faneuil Hall Visitor Center and end at Old North Church, covering about 0.5 miles. 2026 Season (May 23 - September 27) Join a Ranger for Enemies to this Country Tour Wednesday through Sunday at 11 am. *In case of weather, Rangers will offer an indoor option in the basement of Faneuil Hall, also known as the "Find Your Park Space."
History Hangout
Hangout at Belle Grove Plantation with a National Park Service ranger. Join a conversation about the region ’ s long record of human settlement while enjoying a panoramic view of the Shenandoah Valley. Learn why this landscape was important during the Civil War and how the community preserves it as a national park . This is a regular recurring program from May 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026. Wednesdays - Saturdays at 11:30 am Sundays at 2:30 pm
Cumberland Terminus Ranger Talk
Visitors are invited to join a short tour and talk at the Cumberland Terminus Visitor Center exploring the history of the Potomac River corridor as a vital transportation route through the Appalachian Mountains. The program highlights the active years of the C&O Canal while also examining the people, trade, and ideas that moved through the region before the canal was built and after its operations ended. Through stories of transportation, industry, and daily life, participants will gain a broader understanding of the canal’s role in shaping the region’s history.
Bunker Hill: Muskets, Men, and Liberty Program
Join a Ranger for a 'Muskets, Men, and Liberty' Program! Who fought in the Battle of Bunker Hill? Listen to a ranger dressed in period clothing discuss why three men from different backgrounds stepped onto the battlefield. They each had different ambitions, motivations, and concerns. The program concludes with a musket firing demonstration! 2026 Season (May 23 - September 27) Saturdays at 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. Programs are held outside the Bunker Hill Monument and last approximately 30 minutes.
Abner Cloud House Tour
Built in 1801 by Abner Cloud, Jr., the house is considered one of the finest examples of Federal architecture in Washington D.C. Pre-dating the construction of the C&O Canal, the home of Abner Cloud served as the center of the family farm and fishing business. Tour the Abner Cloud House and learn more about early 19th century farming, architecture, and the people who lived and worked on the property. The three-story, stone home is operated in parntership with The Colonial Dames of America and is open for tours on the first Sunday of each month from 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm. The Abner Cloud House is located at Fletchers Cove . Admission to Fletchers Cove and the Abner Cloud House is free.
All parks (69)
Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park
For over a century people from around the world have come to rural Central Kentucky to honor the humble beginnings of our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln. His early life on Kentucky's frontier shaped his character and prepared him to lead the nation through Civil War. Visit our country's first memorial to Lincoln, built with donations from young and old, and the site of his childhood home.
Adams National Historical Park
From the sweet little farm at the foot of Penn’s Hill to the gentleman’s country estate at Peace field, Adams National Historical Park is the story of “heroes, statesmen, philosophers…and learned women” whose ideas and actions helped to transform thirteen disparate colonies into one united nation.
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
On April 9, 1865, the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in the McLean House in the village of Appomattox Court House, Virginia signaled the effective end of the nation's largest war. Questions remained: could the nation reunite as one? How would emancipation be realized?
Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park
The Blackstone River powered America's entry into the Age of Industry. The success of Samuel Slater's cotton spinning mill in Pawtucket, RI touched off a chain reaction that changed how people worked and where they lived. Learn how this revolution transformed the landscape of the Blackstone Valley and the United States. The Visitor Center at Old Slater Mill is closed for the winter season.
Boston National Historical Park
Discover how one city could be the Cradle of Liberty, site of the first major battle of American Revolution, and home to many who espoused that freedom can be extended to all.
Brown v. Board of Education National Historical Park
The path to equality has been anything but smooth. It's taken courage and dedication by everyday people coming together for a common goal to carry the country toward true equality. Parents, teachers, secretaries, welders, ministers, and students drove their communities, and the country along with them, toward justice in a series of often unsteady turns leading to the Brown v. Board decision.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells their stories and preserves the cultural landscape of Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in the United States.
Cape Henry Memorial Part of Colonial National Historical Park
English colonists first landed here in April 1607, erected a wooden cross and gave thanks for a successful crossing to a new land. In 1781, Americans could watch from these same sand dunes the largest naval battle of the Revolutionary War. Our French Allies defeated a British fleet just off this shore to set the stage for General George Washington's victory at Yorktown.
Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park
Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley has a long and rich heritage that still inspires today. Native Americans first shaped the land, followed by colonists and settlers. The fertile valley became an important wheat-growing region in the 1800s. It also witnessed dramatic Civil War campaigns, including the Battle of Cedar Creek, a decisive Federal victory that helped bring the war to an end.
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
Explore the monumental structures and breathtaking landscape at Chaco, a thriving regional center for the ancestral Pueblo people from 850 to 1250 CE (Common Era), through hiking & biking trails, ranger guided tours & programs, and more. Chaco Canyon is a sacred and deeply personal place for many Indigenous peoples throughout the Southwest. Please visit with respect.
Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
Preserving America's early transportation history, the C&O Canal began as a dream of passage to Western wealth. Operating for nearly 100 years the canal was a lifeline for communities along the Potomac River as coal, lumber, and agricultural products floated down the waterway to market. Today it endures as a pathway for discovering historical, natural, and recreational treasures.
Colonial National Historical Park
On May 13, 1607, Jamestown was established as the first permanent English settlement in North America. Three cultures came together – European, Virginia Indian and African–to create a new society that would eventually seek independence from Great Britain. On October 19, 1781, American and French troops defeated the British at Yorktown in the last major battle of the American Revolutionary War.
Showing 1–12 of 69 parks