
The city of Plymouth is made for US history buffs. Plymouth is best for early colonial history

A host of significant locations are preserved in Lowell National Historical Park, including the Boott Cotton Mills Museum, where visitors can recreate working in a weave room in the 1920s.

The peaceful, affluent suburbs northwest of Boston may not look like hotbeds of revolution now, but they played an integral role in shaping the USA. Dozens of sites in Lexington, Lincoln and Concord commemorate the dramatic events of April 19, 1775, when armed clashes between British regulars and Colonial militiamen sparked the American Revolutionary War. Concord was also the home of several prominent 19th-century American authors, including such luminaries as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Louisa May Alcott, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Henry David Thoreau.įurther north, Lowell’s textile mills and factories were at the heart of a different revolution: the Industrial Revolution. Seek out revolutionary and literary landmarks in historic Middlesex County Founded in 1623, the city of Gloucester is the oldest fishing port in the United States and a top whale-watching destination, with tours operating from April to October.Īlong the harbor, the gripping Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial and Fishermen’s Wives Memorial honors those lost to the sea over the centuries, as well as the strong women who kept families and the community going. Located in the northeastern part of the state, Cape Ann has an identity intimately tied to the sea: think beautiful beaches, great seafood – the fried clam was invented in Essex – scenic harbors and lighthouses and coastal parks. And for more historic architecture, wander through the McIntire District, filled with well-preserved homes spanning 400 years of building styles.Ĭape Ann has some of the most rugged and beautiful coastline in New England © Denis Tangney Jr / Getty Images Admire the scenic coastline of Cape Ann And be sure to explore the outstanding Peabody Essex Museum, a treasure trove of objects seafarers brought back from far corners of the world.ĭon’t miss the House of the Seven Gables, which dates from 1668 and inspired one of Salem-born author Nathaniel Hawthorne’s best-known novels. Visit the Salem Maritime National Historical Park to learn about its past as a leading 18th- and 19th-century seaport.

Yet this small and charming city has much more to offer.

Get witchy with it in Salemīest known for the infamous 1692 witch trials, Salem draws crowds with its witch-related attractions.
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Though you can’t “pahk ya cah in Hahvahd Yahd,” you can stroll across its leafy quads, explore the excellent campus museums and soak in the intellectual atmosphere.įurther west, Mt Auburn Cemetery contains the graves of dozens of famous figures such as Clement Morgan (founder of the NAACP), Eleanor Porter (author of Pollyanna) and Joyce Chen (restaurateur and TV personality). Mt Auburn is also a magnet for bird-watchers, especially during the spring migration. The campuses of Cambridge contain leafy quads and cutting-edge architecture, like the Frank Gehry–designed Ray and Maria Stata Center at MIT © Elijah Lovkoff / Shutterstock Enjoy intellectual pursuits and diverse dining in CambridgeĪ multicultural city with an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants, Cambridge is home to two of the country’s most prestigious institutions of higher education, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University.
