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On 17 December 1903, Orville Wright, working with his brother Wilbur, flew the first successful manned, powered, controlled, heavier-than-air flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Wright Brothers National Memorial, located in Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, is on the spot where the brothers tested their flying machines for three years before that successful 1903 flight. The two designed and built their gliders and aircraft at their home in Dayton, Ohio and tested them in privacy in North Carolina. The monument, dedicated in December 1932, is an 18.29 m (60 ft) granite monument atop 27 m (90ft) tall Kill Devil Hill. On each side is a wing-like design, a lit beacon at the top, and an inscription “In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Conceived by genius. Achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith.”

On April 13, 1943, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt dedicated the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, the third president of the United States, the second vice president, and the first Secretary of State. The memorial, designed by architect John Russell Pope, was influenced by Jefferson’s love of classical architecture and highlights two of his most famous buildings, Monticello and the University of Virginia Rotunda. The Jefferson Memorial stands in a straight line with the White House.

For over 50 years, the traditional lighting of this stone lantern has signaled the beginning of the annual Cherry Blossom festival. The granite lantern was presented to Washington, D.C., on March 30, 1954, as a symbol of the enduring cultural partnership between Japan and the US. It was one of two lanterns carved in 1651 that stood for over 300 years on the grounds of Toeizan Kan’eiji Temple in Tokyo. The matching lantern still stands on the temple’s grounds today. Weighing two tons (1814 kg) and standing 2.59 m (8.5 ft) tall, the lantern is the oldest free-standing, man-made stone structure located outdoors in D.C.Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Tidal Basin weeping cherry blossoms in sunlight. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

A view of Arlington House and some of the grave markers at Arlington National Cemetery.

Secretary of War Edwin Stanton designated Arlington National Cemetery a national cemetery on 15 June 1864. Over 400,000 service members (and their eligible dependents) from all of America’s major wars, from the Revolutionary War to present day conflicts, are interred in Arlington’s 639 acres (259 ha; almost exactly 1 sq mi). On 30 May 1868, the first official “Decoration Day,” later renamed Memorial Day, was observed at Arlington National Cemetery.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington Cemetery in Virginia.

The Marine Corps War Memorial in Washington, DC.

The Navy-Merchant Marine Memorial, located on Columbia Island in Washington, DC honors sailors of the US Navy, Coast Guard, and US Merchant Marine and features large waves and sea gulls. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., dedicated in 1922, is modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece. Architect Henry Bacon believed a memorial dedicated to a man who defended democracy should echo the birthplace of democracy. The iconic memorial constructed with Colorado Yule marble is 30 m tall (99 ft), 57.m long (190 ft), and 36.5 m wide (120 ft) surrounded by 36 fluted Doric columns, one for each of the 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death. The 5.8 m high (19 ft) statue of Lincoln sitting in quiet contemplation, designed by sculptor Daniel Chester French, is located between the north and south chambers of the memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is the most popular monument on the National Mall and it is the only monument pictured on US currency (on the penny and the five-dollar bill). Photo courtesy of the National Park Service/Carol Highsmith.

The lawn and southern facade of the White House in Washington, D.C.

Fourth of July fireworks in Washington, DC; view of the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the US Capitol which is the anniversary of the Continental Congress’ vote to adopt the final draft of the Declaration of Independence proclaiming America free and independent from Great Britain. The country had secured its independence with victory in the American Revolutionary War in (1775-1783). The vote for independence took place on 2 July and after some additional debates, the final vote was on 4 July. The delegates finally signed the Declaration on 2 August 1776. Delegate and founding father John Adams predicted the occasion would be ”celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival...solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

The imposing Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. is 169 m (555 ft) tall. A difference in the shading of the marble, visible approximately 48 m (150 ft) up, shows where construction was halted and later resumed with marble from a different source. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Panorama of the National World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. The memorial - located on the National Mall between the Lincoln Memorial (seen in the background) and the Washington Monument - highlights both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of the war.

A wall of 4,048 gold stars – each representing 100 killed – at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C.; a sobering reminder to all of the price over 400,000 Americans paid to secure victory. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.is the largest library in the world with more than 167 million items (as of 2018); its collections are universal, not limited by subject, format, or national boundary, and include materials from all parts of the world and in over 450 languages. Collections include: books, newspapers, magazines, sheet music, sound and video recordings, photographic images, artwork, architectural drawings, and copyright data. Image courtesy of the Architect of the Capital.

On 10 August 1846, the US Congress passed legislation creating the Smithsonian Institution. The organization was established with money from the estate of James Smithson, an English scientist, for the foundation of an institution for "the increase and diffusion of knowledge." It was uncertain if he meant a university, a publishing house, an observatory, a research institute, a national library, or a museum. In the end, it became all of those things, with the exception of the university. The Smithsonian today includes 19 museums, 21 libraries, nine research centers, and the National Zoo. Shown is the Smithsonian Castle on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Built in 1847 as the Institution's earliest building, it remains its headquarters. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution.

On 18 August 1920, the United States Congress ratified the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. In 1916, Alice Paul founded the National Woman’s Party (NWP) to fight for this amendment. After the success in 1920, she shifted the goals of the NWP towards lobbying for an Equal Rights Amendment and doing international work for women’s equality. The NWP became an educational organization in 1997, and in 2016, the group donated its original headquarters in Washington, D.C., to the National Park Service. The house was named the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, in honor of Paul and NWP president and benefactor Alva Belmont. Built in 1800, the house is one of the oldest residential properties in Washington, D.C.; it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1974.

The Hall of Heroes at the Pentagon was dedicated by President Lyndon B. Johnson on 14 May 1968 and lists the name of every Medal of Honor recipient. Also displayed on the wall are representations of the Army, Navy-Marine-Coast Guard Medals of Honor. The Medal of Honor was first presented 25 on March 1863 .

The original 15-star, 15-stripe Fort McHenry flag (The Star-Spangled Banner) that inspired the poem that became the lyrics to the US national anthem. The flag is on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of History and Technology in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy Smithsonian Institution Archives.

Memorial plaza, statue, and fountain among the trees of Theodore Roosevelt Island. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Each part of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial has a special significance to the civil rights leader it honors. The monument was dedicated on 28 August 2011, the 48th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and is inscribed with inspiring quotes from Dr. King that highlight his efforts for freedom, justice, and equality through his philosophy of non-violence. The memorial is located at West Potomac Park at 1964 Independence Avenue, S.W., DC, referencing the year the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law. It is the first monument to honor an African-American on the National Mall.

Statue honoring Sacagawea, a member of the Lemhi-Shoshone tribe, whose courage, resiliency, knowledge of several native languages, and of the people and geography of the Missouri River region were crucial to the success of the Lewis and Clark expedition to the Louisiana Purchase territory. She is responsible for saving the expedition from failure when she rescued the instruments, journals, and other necessities for the journey swept from the expedition’s boat into the water during a storm. There are more statues dedicated to her than any other American woman. Sacagawea’s granddaughter was the model for this statue standing in the US Capitol Visitor’s Center. Photo courtesy of US Capitol Visitor's Center.

The Bell X-1 flown by US Air Force Capt. Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager on 14 October 1947 when he broke the sound barrier in level flight, giving birth to the supersonic era of flight. Piloting the single engine, single seat, mid-wing rocket plane painted orange, Yeager flew at Mach 1.06, 1,127 km (700 mi) per hour, at an altitude of 13,000 m (43,000 ft) over the Rogers Dry Lake of the Mojave Desert in southern California. The aircraft was named “Glamorous Glennis” for his wife. The X-1 is displayed at the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

In April 1972, the first pandas in the United States arrived at the Smithsonian National Zoo as an act of goodwill following President Richard Nixon's state visit to China. Since that time, the National Zoo's Conservation Biology Institute has become a leader in giant panda conservation teaming with colleagues in China in this effort. These large, charismatic black and white bears have been native to the mountain ranges and bamboo forests of south central China for several million years and are an international symbol for conservation of a vulnerable species. Pandas are one of the few animals in the world to have their natural habitat designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. Photo courtesy of the Smithsonian National Zoo.

Now a national monument, Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland, is known for successfully defending Baltimore Harbor against the British navy on September 13-14, 1814, during the War of 1812. On the morning of the 14th, the flying of the fort’s larger garrison flag after 25 hours of continuous bombardment signaled US victory and inspired Francis Scott Key to compose the poem “Defence of Fort M’Henry,” which was later set to music and became known as “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United States.

The front view of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's plantation home, near Charlottesville, Virginia. The third president of the United States completed the original house in 1772. In 1794 he began to rebuild the structure, blending his own architectural style with his favorite European designs. Remodeling continued on and off for most of the remainder of his life.

Biltmore House is the largest privately owned home in the United States and is also a historic house museum. Built for George Vanderbilt II between 1889 and 1895, this French-Renaissance-style chateau with 250 rooms is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Asheville, North Carolina. Vanderbilt named his estate by combining the name of his Dutch ancestral hometown, De Bilt, with mōr, the Anglo-Saxon word for "moor." Biltmore was the first home of its kind in the United States to use forest management and conservation on a large scale, a practice that evolved into the first US school of forestry, the Biltmore Forest School. Biltmore House was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1963 and is a major tourist attraction.

View from the battlements of Fort Ticonderoga in New York on Lake Champlain showing cannon, the lake, and part of Mount Defiance. After the fort was captured by an American force led by Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold in May 1775, its cannon were transported to Boston where their deployment on Dorchester Heights forced the British to evacuate the city in March 1776.

Yosemite National Park in California is one of the 63 US national parks, 13 are UNESCO World Heritage sites, and Yosemite joined the list in 1984. The 3,108 sq km (1,200 sq mi) park is best known for its waterfalls, and Yosemite Falls is among the 20 highest in the world. The upper falls plunges 436 m (1,430 ft), with a combined drop of 739 m (2,425 ft) for the upper, middle, and lower sections.

Bridalveil Falls is often the first waterfall seen by tourists coming into Yosemite Valley in California, it drops 189 m (620 ft) into the valley. The falls run all year, roaring during the spring runoff and appearing as a windblown "bridal veil" during the rest of the year.

On the road to Glacier Point in Yosemite National Park one turns a corner and comes to a parking lot for Washburn Point. This view from the Point shows Half Dome (far left), Nevada Falls (on the right), Vernal Falls (below center).

Rising nearly 1,500 m (5,000 ft) above Yosemite Valley, Half Dome is a Yosemite National Park icon and a great challenge to many hikers. This view is looking eastward and shows Stoneman Bridge in the middle distance. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Granitic rocks of different compositions (and colors) are juxtaposed on the southeast face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, California. The monolith is about 914 m (3,000 ft) from base to summit along its tallest face, and is a popular objective for rock climbers. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Lyell Glacier on the left is located beneath 13,114 foot Mount Lyell, the highest peak in Yosemite National Park, California. The Lyell and Maclure glaciers sit at the headwaters of the Tuolumne River (right) and are an important source of water for alpine ecosystems (and hikers). Images courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Part of the Red Rocks sandstone formation in the Sedona area of Arizona. The rocks appear to glow reddish orange in the early morning or evening sunlight.

Bell Rock is a butte south of Sedona, Arizona composed of horizontal beds of late Permian (approx. 285 million year old) sedimentary rock.

Rock formations in the Sedona area of Arizona display their distinctive horizontal sedimentary rock layers.

The late afternoon sun sparkles on the channel between Lahaina, Maui and the island of Lanai.

Multicolored cinder cones in Haleakala (House of the Sun) Crater on the island of Maui. The tallest peak on the mountain is 3,055 m (10,023 ft) above sea level, which is frequently high enough to overlook the clouds. The volcano forms three-quarters of the island of Maui. The oblong crater is roughly 11 km (7 mi) long, 3 km (2 mi) wide, and 800 m (2,600 ft) deep and lies within Haleakala National Park.

Marker in Key West, Florida proclaiming the southernmost point in the continental US. (The southernmost point in the entire US lies on the Big Island of Hawaii.)

The Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, the iconic symbol of the city. The monument honors the westward expansion of the United States, much of which began in this city. Built between 1963 and 1965 (but not opened to the public until 1967), the stainless steel-sheathed structure is hollow to accommodate a unique tram system that takes visitors to an observation deck at the top. Both the height and width of the arch are 192 m (630 ft). The structure is the tallest monument in the United States and the tallest stainless steel monument in the world.

Completed in 1935, Hoover Dam on the Colorado River straddles the Arizona-Nevada border.

A view of the Grand Canyon, Arizona.

Rainbow in the Grand Canyon as seen from near Mather Point on the South Rim. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Ten-Mile Rock is a slab of sandstone embedded in middle of the Colorado River in Marble Canyon section of the Grand Canyon. Image courtesy of the USGS.

View of Marble Canyon, which marks the beginning section of the Grand Canyon, from near the mouth of Nautiloid Canyon. Image courtesy of the USGS.

Multiple geologic strata, all hundreds of millions of years old, line the shores of the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Image courtesy of the USGS.

Horseshoe Bend is a distinctive incised meander of the Colorado River located in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area near the town of Page, Arizona. The feature - where the river takes a wide turn just 10 km (6 mi) downstream from Glen Canyon Dam - is also referred to as the east rim of the Grand Canyon. Horseshoe Bend can be viewed from a steep cliff overlook, 1,300 m (4,200 ft.) above sea level. Tower Butte, shown at center of the photo, is a naturally-shaped pillar emerging from the earth. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service/Brent & Dawn Davis.

At 86 m (282 ft) below sea level, Death Valley, California, is one of the hottest, driest places on the planet. On average, the area sees only about 5 cm (2 in) of rain a year, and summer temperatures routinely soar above 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). At night, temperatures drop considerably, and many animals in Death Valley are nocturnal as a result. Plants and animals living in this punishing environment have had to adapt to extremes of temperature and aridity. The photo shows the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes in Death Valley National Park, California. Photo courtesy of the US Geologic Survey/ Paul Stone.

Natural Bridge Canyon, Death Valley, California.

The Devil's Golf Course in Death Valley, California as seen from Dante's View. The "whiteness" is not water but a salt crust that is 1 to 2 meters thick.

Ubehebe Crater in northern Death Valley National Park is an excellent place to explore the power of maars (explosion pit) volcanoes. It was here that molten lava came into contact with ground water, creating steam that eventually produced enough pressure to explode through the earth above and create a crater. Although Ubehebe Crater is only one of about a dozen craters in the Ubehebe volcanic field, it is the largest and youngest. Geologists estimate that the explosion occurred 6,000 to 10,000 years ago and some studies suggest it may have been even more recent! The crater is approximately 0.8 km (0.5 mi) in diameter, and ranges from 152-237 m (500-777 ft) deep, depending which ridge it is measured from. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Big Island of Hawaii, new black sand beach.

Petroglyphs at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

Smoke and steam plume at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

Pahoehoe lava wall at Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.

The Keck Observatory on Mauna Kea, Hawaii is considered one of the most important astronomical viewing sites in the world. The white patch in the foreground is snow.

The Seattle Space needle officially opened to the public on 21 April 1962 as part of the Century 21 Exposition, a space-aged themed world's fair. The iconic steel structure stands 184 m (605 ft) tall and offers 360-degree views from three main areas: an indoor observation deck, an open-air viewing area located at 158 m (520 ft), and the world's first revolving glass floor located at 152 m (500 ft) above the ground. In 1999, the Space Needle was designated an official landmark.

View of Mt. St. Helens during minor eruption, two years after the major eruption on 18 May 1980. Photo courtesy of the US Geologic Survey/ Lyn Topinka.

The caldera of Mt. St. Helens in Washington state, 2007. Some volcanic gases and a slowly rebuilding dome are visible.

Mount Rainier in the state of Washington as seen from the crater rim of Mount St. Helens, overlooking Spirit Lake. Photo courtesy of the USGS.

Margerie Glacier in Glacier Bay, Alaska.

Storm Castle Peak is in the Gallatin Gateway area of the Rocky Mountains, southwest of Bozeman, Montana.

Orange-red sandstone cliffs at Pictured Rocks National Park, Michigan. Photo courtesy of the USGS.

Seaside view at Gloucester, Massacusetts. Settled in 1623, the city - long a fishing and seafood center - claims to be America's oldest seaport.

The Mayflower II at State Pier in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The ship is a replica of the 17th century Mayflower that transported the Pilgrims (some of the earliest English settlers) to the New World.

Built between 1872 and 1877, Trinity Church in Boston Massachusetts is the archetype of the Richardsonian Romanesque style (named after the architect), which is characterized by rough stone, heavy round-headed arches (often springing from clusters of short squat columns), clay roof tiles, and a massive tower. Trinity Church has been honored as one of the "Ten Most Significant Buildings in the United States"; it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970.

The statue of Paul Revere in front of the Old North Church in Boston. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The USS Constitution, docked at Pier 1 of the Charleston Navy Yard (Boston), is the oldest floating commissioned naval vessel in the world. Launched in 1797, it was one of the first six original frigates built for the US Navy.

Walden Pond, a 26-ha (64-acre) body of water near Concord, Massachusetts. Writer Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862), spent two years, two months, and two days living in a cabin on its shore; it provided the foundation for his famous 1854 work, Walden or Life in the Woods.

A replica of the Henry David Thoreau cabin at Walden Pond, near Concord, Massachusetts.

The entrance to the main building on Ellis Island National Immigration Museum in the winter. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Moravian Church Settlements, one of 28 transnational UNESCO Heritage sites, include settlements in Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. The design and concept of each site is based on the Church’s idea of an “ideal city,” and the settlements still have active congregations. Established in 1741, the Bethlehem location was the most important and first permanent Moravian Church settlement in North America. The settlement’s waterworks (pictured) became America’s first pumped municipal water system when it was built in 1762, and it remained in use until the 1830s. The building is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, and an American Water Landmark.

Originally, the Statue of Liberty was a dull copper color, but shortly after 1900 a green patina, caused by the oxidation of the copper skin, began to spread. As early as 1902 it was mentioned in the press; by 1906 it had entirely covered the statue. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Independence Hall in Philadelphia, the scene of the signing of both the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution, is flanked by two buildings. Congress Hall, on the right, housed the US Congress from 1790 to 1800. To the left is Old City Hall in which the US Supreme Court presided in the 1790s. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

View of the southern entrance to Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Assembly Room of the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia served as the meeting place of the Pennsylvania Assembly for over sixty years until the state capital moved away from Philadelphia in 1799. In 1776, the Continental Congress declared Independence in this room and in 1787 the US Constitution was debated and signed here. Most historians consider this room one of the most historic rooms in the US. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Delicate Arch in Arches National Park, Utah. Photo courtesy of the US Geologic Service/ Annie Scott.

John Brown’s Fort at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. The building was originally constructed in 1848 for use as a guard and fire engine house. The abolitionist John Brown and his small army captured the armory at Harpers Ferry on the night of 16 October 1859 and took 60 citizens of the town as hostage. The local militia and armed townspeople killed several of the insurrectionists and forced the remainder to take up a position inside the fire engine house. US marines battered down the door and stormed the fire house on the morning of the 18th, capturing Brown and killing several more of his men, while suffering one fatality and freeing all the hostages. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

A view of the modern palisades marking the 1607 James Fort location at Jamestown National Historic Site, Virginia. The statue inside the fort is of John Smith, who played an important role in the establishment of a colony at Jamestown, Virginia - the first permanent English settlement in America. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Inside the reconstructed 1607 James Fort at Jamestown National Historic Site, Virginia. The building frame displays the first phase of 17th century house construction. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Statue of John Smith at Jamestown National Historic Site, Virginia. Smith was a leader of the Virginia Colony from September 1608 to August 1609 and was the first English explorer to map the Chesapeake Bay area. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Rain forest at Olympic National Park, Washington state. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

Reflection on an utterly still high mountain lake in Olympic National Park, Washington state. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service/Danielle Archuleta.

This statue in Seneca Falls, NY depicts the first meeting of the two iconic leaders of the American women's suffrage movement, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The artwork, by sculptor Ted Aub, depicts a moment on 12 May 1851 when Amelia Jenks Bloomer, a dress reform advocate, introduced the two after an anti-slavery lecture. Seneca Falls is noted as the town where the American women's rights movement originated and Stanton and Anthony built the foundation for this movement. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Yorktown Victory Monument in Yorktown, Virginia commemorates the decisive 1781 battle of the Revolutionary War in which the combined forces of the United States and France defeated those of Great Britain and set the stage for ending the conflict and for British recognition of American independence. Atop the shaft of the monument is a figure representing Liberty. Photo courtesy of the National Park Service.

This modest dwelling was the site of a historic ceremony some 240 years ago. Moore House, situated along the York River in Yorktown, Virginia, is where the British signed the Articles of Capitulation surrendering to the Americans and essentially ending the Revolutionary War. Finding his army surrounded and with no access to a water escape route, British Gen. Cornwallis sent notification to Gen. Washington on 17 October 1781 regarding terms of surrender. Two representatives from the American, British, and French armies (the latter allies to the Americans) met at Moore House the following day to negotiate the surrender terms and on 19 October, Washington and Cornwallis signed the Articles directing the disposition of the troops, artillery, arms, and even the surrender itself. Two years later, the Treaty of Paris was signed officially ending the war. (Photo courtesy of the National Park Service)

A view of the Round Tops as seen from a southern cannon in Gettysburg National Military Park, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The three-day Battle of Gettysburg (1-3 July 1863) in the US Civil War was the largest ever battle fought in the Western Hemisphere involving roughly 175,000 Union and Confederate soldiers. Union forces’ ability to hold Little Round Top hill on the Union extreme left flank on the second day of fighting helped blunt the Confederate attack and set the stage for victory the following day. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Mammoth Cave National Park entrance sign at the park's eastern entrance in the fall. Mammoth Cave, discovered in 1791, is 668 km (415 mi) long and was designated a World Heritage Site in 1981. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Historic Entrance to Mammoth Cave, Kentucky is a natural opening that has been used by people for 5,000 years. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Flowstone in the Frozen Niagara section of Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Stalactites and stalagmites, made of travertine, can be seen on the Frozen Niagara tour of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. Travertine, or traveling stone, is made of limestone that has crystalized out of dripping water. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Ruins of Karnak formation inside Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Mammoth Cave National Park on the surface. A view of the Green River at Turnhole Bend in Autumn. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Mesa Verde's largest cliff dwelling is Cliff Palace, here viewed from across the canyon at Sun Temple in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Sandy Groves.

Close-up of Cliff Palace in Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado. The park protects some of the best-preserved Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) archaeological sites in the US. Cliff Palace was continuously occupied from about 1190 to 1260 and only abandoned around 1300. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial in the Black Hills of South Dakota features the sculptures of four US presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln; it towers over the Avenue of Flags near the visitor center. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Full view of Mount Rushmore near Keystone, South Dakota. The impressive monument - never completely finished - was sculpted between 1927 and 1941. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as seen from the brink of the Lower Falls. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Jim Peaco.

The Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River as seen from Artist Point. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Diane Renkin.

A nursery group of bison cows and calves makes its way through Lamar Valley in Yellowstone National Park. Due to high rates of survival and reproduction, the bison population increases by 10 to 17% every year: ten times faster than the human population grows worldwide. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Neal Herbert.

Canary Spring at Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park. Mineralized water flowing downhill creates terraces. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Jim Peaco.

Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park is the largest hot spring in the US, and the third largest in the world. The vivid colors in the spring are the result of microbial mats around the edges of the mineral-rich water. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Jim Peaco.

Close-up of Grand Prismatic Spring colored by thermophiles (simple microorganisms that thrive in hot water). Boardwalks allow visitors to safely approach such thermal features. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Curtis Akin.

Morning Glory Pool is a hot spring in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. The distinct color of the pool is due to thermophiles (bacteria that thrive in hot water). Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Jim Peaco.

Gray clouds reflected over a calm Yellowstone Lake. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Neal Herbert.

Steam rises from Lion Geyser at sunset. Note steam from other geysers in the background. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Neal Herbert.

Water and steam shoot straight up as Old Faithful erupts on a clear winter day in Yellowstone National Park. The geyser erupts regularly on average about every 90 minutes (intervals can range from 60 to 110 minutes); eruption times can range from 1.5 to 5 minutes. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/ Jacob W. Frank.

Red Rock in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Jim Peaco.

Snow dusts the area around Fountain Paint Pot in Yellowstone National Park. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Neal Herbert.

Fountain Paint Pot in the Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. Splatter cones are encrusted with newly fallen snow that will soon melt in the steam. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Diane Renkin.

The Yellowstone River near Tower Fall in Yellowstone National Park. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Neal Herbert.

A pedestal log along the Blue Mesa Trail in Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/ Andrew V. Kearns.

A petrified log erodes from the Painted Desert at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/ Andrew V. Kearns.

Large logs of petrified wood reveal their colors from naturally caused breaks at Giant Logs in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Hallie Larsen.

Stars of the Milky Way shine from behind lit clouds above The Battleship, a butte near Crystal Forest in Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona. Image courtesy of the US National Park Service/Jacob Holgerson.

Blue Hen Falls in the spring in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Ohio. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

View of Barry Glacier in Alaska, from Prince William Sound. Photo courtesy of the US Geologic Survey/ Drake Singleton.

Sequoia National Park in California is notable for its giant sequoia trees, including the General Sherman, the largest tree and the largest organism on earth. The General Sherman tree, shown here in the winter, grows in the Giant Forest, which contains five of the ten largest trees in the world. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The General Sherman Tree is located in Sequoia National Park. The tree is the largest in the world, measured by wood volume (it contains more wood in its trunk than any other tree on Earth). The General Sherman is approximately 2,200 yeas old, stands 83 m (275 ft) tall, and is over 11 m (36 ft) in diameter at the base. Photograph courtesy of the National Park Service.

Hiking in the wilderness of Kings Canyon National Park offers spectacular views, including this U-shaped valley carved by a glacier thousands of years ago. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Alaska is home to North America’s highest peak, Denali, seen in the background in this picture. Denali, at the heart of the six-million-acre Denali National Park and Preserve, stands 6,190 m (20,310 ft) above sea level and is the third-highest of the Seven Summits (the tallest peaks on all seven continents). Denali has five large glaciers flowing off its slopes. The mountain’s name comes from Koyukon, a Native Alaskan language, and means “the high one” or “the tall one.”

Early fall aurora framed by aspen trees. Summer skies are too bright to see aurora, but by the end of August, the sun goes far enough below the horizon to allow the northern lights to be seen in Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service/ Kent Miller.

Alaska is home to North America’s highest peak, Denali, seen in the background in this picture. Denali, at the heart of the six-million-acre Denali National Park and Preserve, stands 6,190 m (20,310 ft) above sea level and is the third-highest of the Seven Summits (the tallest peaks on all seven continents). Denali has five large glaciers flowing off its slopes. The mountain’s name comes from Koyukon, a Native Alaskan language, and means “the high one” or “the tall one.”

Alaska is home to North America’s highest peak, Denali, seen in the background in this picture. Denali, at the heart of the six-million-acre Denali National Park and Preserve, stands 6,190 m (20,310 ft) above sea level and is the third-highest of the Seven Summits (the tallest peaks on all seven continents). Denali has five large glaciers flowing off its slopes. The mountain’s name comes from Koyukon, a Native Alaskan language, and means “the high one” or “the tall one.”

Panoramic view of the mountain and tundra world of Noatak National Preserve, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

A grizzly bear in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska shuffles along the edge of the Noatak River in September, looking for one of the many salmon carcasses that wash up on the gravel bars after spawning. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Distant caribou in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska migrate south through the DeLong Mountains in small groups. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Caribou on the move across the tundra in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska. There are more animals in this view than one might first think, caribou blend into their surroundings very well. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The world famous view in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska that artist MK MacNaughton turned into a painting (see next image). Copter Peak is the large mountain in the center. Nunaviksak Creek runs along the base of the snow-capped mountain. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

“Lunch Break With Copter Peak.” Artist-In-Residence MK MacNaughton created this dazzling painting for the National Park Service. It reflects her inspiration from a backcountry trip in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Nature's bluest blue and reddest red in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska. Even an amateur photographer looks good when the fall colors are at their peak and a clear September sky makes the blue water pop out of the image. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Northern lights are visible at night in Noatak National Preserve, Alaska from September through April. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service/ Boris Koeten.

White spruce taiga in the Alaska Range, Alaska. Image courtesy of NOAA/ L.B. Brubaker.

Crater Lake, Oregon in summer I. A view from the West Rim, taken near the Lightning Springs Picnic Area. The island’s name is Wizard Island. Formed 7,700 years ago when a violent eruption triggered the collapse of a tall peak, scientists today marvel at the lake’s purity: fed by rain and snow. It is the deepest lake in the US and one of the most pristine on earth. Artists, photographers, and sightseers gaze in wonder at its blue water and stunning setting atop the Cascade Mountain Range. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The Phantom Ship in Crater Lake, as seen from the Sun Notch Trail. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

Crater Lake, Oregon in summer III. A view from the lake shore, with Llao Rock in the distance. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

A memorial to the tune "Taps" at Berkeley Plantation in Virginia. The plaintive military tune is played at the end of day and at funerals. While the Union Army was camped at the Plantation during the Civil War, General Daniel Butterfield and his bugler O.W. Norton, created "Taps" to honor the troops, and it was here that "Taps" was first played.

The entrance to Berkeley Plantation in Virginia, the birthplace of Benjamin Harrison V, a signer of the Declaration of Independence and governor of Virginia; the birthplace of William Henry Harrison, the ninth US president; and the ancestral home of Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president. Established in 1619, the plantation was the site of the first annual, English-speaking Thanksgiving in America, where the military tune "Taps" was composed and first played, and where the first bourbon whiskey in America was brewed.

Sunrise Over Crater Lake, Oregon. A view from the top of Watchman Peak, just before sunrise. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service.

The distinctive Joshua tree is native to the arid Southwestern United States, specifically California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada, and to northwestern Mexico. It is confined mostly to desert and open grasslands regions. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service/ Robb Hannawacker.

Skull Rock is a popular destination at Joshua Tree National Park, California. Photo courtesy of the US National Park Service/ Robb Hannawacker.

A bald eagle – symbol of the United States – perched in a tree in Alaska. Photo courtesy of NOAA.

The native North American turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) got its name from its association with Turkish merchants. Before Europeans arrived in the New World, Turkish traders had already been selling the guinea fowl (native to East Africa) in European markets. The English referred to guinea fowl as turkey cocks or turkey hens, shortened to turkeys, because of its link with Turkish merchants. When European conquistadors and colonists started sending Meleagris gallopavo (which had already been domesticated by Native Americans) to Europe, the birds were referred to as turkeys because of their similarity to the already-familiar guinea fowl.

On 17 June 1775, the American Revolution’s first major battle occurred outside of Boston. Though named “The Battle of Bunker Hill,” the original objective of both sides was nearby Breed’s Hill. The American militia only withdrew from their entrenched positions after inflicting huge casualties on the British and after running out of ammunition. The Bunker Hill Monument, constructed between 1825 and 1843 on Breed’s Hill, is a 67-m (221-ft) high granite obelisk fronted by a statue of William Prescott, the leader of the American rebels. Prescott is noted for telling his troops, “Do not fire until you see the whites of their eyes."

On 17 December 1903, Orville Wright, working with his brother Wilbur, flew the first successful manned, powered, controlled, heavier-than-air flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. The Wright Brothers National Memorial, located in Kill Devil Hills near Kitty Hawk, is on the spot where the brothers tested their flying machines for three years before that successful 1903 flight. The two designed and built their gliders and aircraft at their home in Dayton, Ohio and tested them in privacy in North Carolina. The monument, dedicated in December 1932, is an 18.29 m (60 ft) granite monument atop 27 m (90ft) tall Kill Devil Hill. On each side is a wing-like design, a lit beacon at the top, and an inscription “In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Conceived by genius. Achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith.”