50 Great American Places

December 15, 2015
A journey in search of the nation's history. In his debut book, Glass, director emeritus of the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, offers a personal and eclectic guide to 50 sites, chosen from over 100 more, that represent significant moments in America's past. Organized chronologically, each recommendation includes an informative essay, website addresses, and suggestions of places to visit in the same area. Many sites are likely to be familiar: Jefferson's Monticello, Boston's Freedom Trail, the Liberty Bell, the Alamo, and Yellowstone National Park, for example. Some represent dark episodes--e.g., Little Rock Central High School and the Minidoka Japanese internment camp. Even for well-known destinations, Glass reveals intriguing tidbits: for almost a decade, he reminds readers, Texas was an independent nation; its annexation by the U.S. incited the Mexican War in 1846. During Jefferson's lifetime, "as many as 600 African slaves lived at Monticello" and on Jefferson's additional landholdings, with boys ages 10 to 16 engaged in making nails for sale to other plantations. Some recommendations celebrate famous individuals, including Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers, Jonas Salk, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Henry Ford. George Vanderbilt II, grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, erected Biltmore House in North Carolina. With 250 rooms covering nearly 4 acres, it is "America's largest private dwelling." Besides the house, Vanderbilt established a huge dairy, a textile production industry, and a planned community of shops, houses, a school, an infirmary, a train station, and a church. One of the more unusual destinations is a state historic site near Collinsville, Illinois, where visitors may climb Monks Mound, a structure more than 10 stories high, covering more than 14 acres. From 1050 to 1200, the area was the site of Cahokia, "the largest city north of Mexico," with a population larger than London's at the time. By 1400, for unknown reasons, the thriving city had disappeared. An enlightening trip with an expert guide.

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February 15, 2016

Glass (director emeritus, Smithsonian's National Museum of American History) selected 50 U.S. destinations that are significant to this nation's past. Writing a few pages for each location, the author explains the historical and cultural context. Many spots are familiar, such as Boston's Freedom Trail and Washington, DC's National Mall. Others are less well known, such as Minnesota's Southdale Mall, Delaware's New Castle Court House, and Idaho's Minidoka Camp, where Japanese Americans were imprisoned during World War II. Some chapters identify more general areas, such as the Virginia Peninsula, while others discuss specific sites, such as Arizona's Mission San Xavier del Bac. Topics encompass a variety of time periods, from the ancient Cahokia Mounds in Illinois to technology museums in Silicon Valley, CA. Geographically, 41 states around the country are included, and an index by state is provided. Websites for the selected locales and nearby attractions are listed but no specific travel details are given. VERDICT This book will whet the appetite of history buffs interested in possible destinations, or anybody who would like to learn American history through the places where it happened.--Janet Clapp, N. Clarendon, VT

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