6 Towns On The Atlantic Coast That Transport You To The Past

It is always heart-stirring visiting spots that define the history of the United States — and, to an extent — the history of the world. You may not witness the triumph of the victorious or the gloom of the defeated, but still, the events will seem fresh, as if they took place just the other day. But it does not have to be about war. It can be about lifestyle and culture; witches and wizards. We scoped the Atlantic Coast for you and now present six towns that dot it, all of which will transport you to the past.

St. Augustine, Florida

Don’t ever think that American history is limited to the regions and states that were part of the Original Thirteen. St. Augustine, Florida, is a standing argument against that erroneous notion. The country's oldest town (It was founded in 1565) — will blow you away with its Spanish Colonial-style architecture, exemplified by structures such as the Cathedral Basilica. Pass by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum, climb the 219 steps to the observation deck, and inhale panoramic views from 140 feet in the air. Ride the Old Town Trolly, a 70-minute narrated tour that features 22 stops and more than 500 years of history. Alternatively, lock eyes with gators at the 131-year-old St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park.

Newport, Rhode Island

Newport, Rhode Island, was founded in 1639, just 8 years after the arrival of Roger Williams near Boston. Through much of the subsequent century, Newport became the largest slave trade port in North America. One of Newport’s most prominent early slave owners was Jonathan Nichols Jr., who served as deputy governor of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations in the 1750s. His waterfront mansion, today known as Hunter House, still stands. Cliff Walk is a big attraction here — as is the Breakers at 44 Ochre Point Avenue — the flagship of the Newport Mansions. The Breakers was the summer home of the Vanderbilts, one of the richest and most powerful American families in history.

Salem, Massachusetts

Every history buff has read something about the Salem Witch Trials. These sham trials did not feature defense attorneys, targeted women more than men, and were sometimes based on the presence of physical marks, especially an unusual nipple from which people believed a witch's familiar sucked blood. Before visiting Bit Bar Salem, an iconic venue offering old-school arcade games, spend some time at the Salem Witch Museum, where you will learn interesting details about one of America’s most narrated horror stories. There is the Peabody Essex Museum as well — as is the ocean-facing Salem Willows Park. The soothing breeze from the ocean is enough reason to spend time in a space that has been open to the public since 1858.

Concord, Massachusetts

Anyone will confess that traveling to the past involves visiting the site of the first battle that set off the Revolutionary War. In keeping with its rich Colonial history and heritage, Concord often stages reenactments of the Minute Men and the Revolutionary War, events that any history buff will want to witness. To visit Concord’s Minute Man National Historical Park is to step on the route of the historic battle of Lexington and Concord. Then again, Concord is associated with some big names in America’s literary landscape. These include transcendentalist authors Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau. You will find Thoreau’s desk — where he penned “Civil Disobedience” — at the immersive Concord Museum. Other spots to hit include The Old Burial Ground, a 389-year-old space in Monument Square.

New Bern, North Carolina

Philadelphia is rightly called The Birthplace of America. If anything, it is where the Constitution was drafted, specifically at Independence Hall in 1787. However, there would probably be no constitution to speak of — and no country called the United States — if it were not for the place and role of New Bern, North Carolina. This is because New Bern was the site of the first Provincial Congress: the first act of defiance against British authority. The congress was held in 1774. New Bern would also briefly serve as the state capital. To learn this aspect of the town’s history, visit Tryon Palace, a near-perfect reconstruction of the first permanent capitol of the Colony of North Carolina. After this, enjoy a beautiful view of the bay at Union Point Park or visit the Birthplace of Pepsi Cola.

Georgetown, South Carolina

You can opt for Beaufort, whose harbor was first visited by Spaniards in 1521. But Georgetown — South Carolina’s third-oldest town — is just as nostalgic. If anything, Georgetown boats more historic properties than Charleston, and that’s not a small thing. So, where in Georgetown will you get transported to the past? Two fantastic museums: The Rice Museum, and a few steps away, the Gullah Museum. The former explores the area’s rice culture; the latter the town’s connection with the Gullah Geechee people. If you want to go wild, the Tom Yawkey Wildlife Center is amazingly beautiful and worth every minute.

The Takeaway

The Atlantic Coast — not the Pacific Coast — is the Birthplace of America. It is on this side of the continent that the Mayflower landed in 1620; where the ocean transported immigrants, including slaves, from near and far, and where some of the most consequential wars, especially during the American Revolution, were fought. This means one thing: it will transport you to the past. It does not matter whether you choose Newport, Rhode Island, or New Bern, North Carolina.