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The US national monuments are powerful symbols of America’s past, protecting the glory of their nature, culture, and historical figures, and are the equivalent of national treasures.
These American monuments provide the next generation with insight into the country’s collective history while preserving valuable areas and structures so that new generations may enjoy them.
We are blessed to have many national monuments in the US; each one of them is special, from Devils Tower to the Statue of Liberty.
This post will answer numerous questions about the wonderful monuments in the United States, covering the big and the small, and list all US monuments, first in alphabetical order, and then we will list all American monuments by state.
Visiting a country’s national monuments is a fun way to explore and educate oneself regarding its history, culture, and natural beauty, all of which should be preserved for future generations.
Without further ado, let’s learn more about them!
FAQ American Monuments
Here are some interesting facts about the US national monuments spread over 32 states.
What Is A National Monument?
National monuments in the US are federally protected areas established by presidential proclamation or congressional legislation.
Such a monument may consist of any piece of property in the federal government’s possession or jurisdiction and can include any of the following:
- Historic landmarks in the US
- Historic structures
- Prehistoric structures
- Historical sites
- Objects of historical interest
- Objects of scientific interest
How Is A National Monument Created?
The presidents of the United States create US national monuments by use of The Antiquities Act, which authorizes the president to “declare, by public proclamation, historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest situated on federal lands as national monuments.”
Since the Act’s inception in 1906, presidents have used it to establish 158 monuments. More than 90 times to modify US monuments by enlarging or decreasing the size of said monuments.
The legislation was prompted by concerns about protecting prehistoric Indian artifacts and ruins found on western federal land during the 1880s.
By evoking the Act, the president can preserve public land without waiting for Congress to pass legislation.
The only clause in the law, which is somewhat constrictive, is that the “amount of land reserved be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.”
What’s The Difference Between A National Monument And A National Park?
A national monument emphasizes cultural, scientific, and historical significance above all else and typically is focused on a single attraction in an area and can vary between historic buildings, military forts, wilderness areas, ruins, fossil sites, or even statues. The president proclaims a national monument.
On the other hand, national parks (as well as national forests and historical sites) are created by Congress.
They are often scenic areas protected by the federal government due to their educational and recreational value, designated to be enjoyed by the general public or to preserve wildlife.
National parks typically have various points of interest and resources, and the goal is solely to protect the natural world.
Several proclaimed national monuments have gone from being classified as monuments to reclassified national parks, such as Death Valley, Grand Canyon, and Joshua Tree.
Top recap, if the president proclaims that something needs to be protected, it’s a national monument; should Congress decide, then it’s a national park.
Read next: America The Beautiful Pass
How Many National Monuments Are There In The US?
Have you ever wondered how many national monuments there are in the US? There are currently a total of 129 national monuments in the US.
You can view the complete list of national monuments in the US at the bottom of this article.
Which State Has the Most National Monuments?
The states with the most American monuments are shared by Arizona and California, which are tied with 18 national monuments each, followed closely by New Mexico with 13.
Colorado and Utah complete the top 5 with 8 and 9 national monuments, respectively.
What Is the Oldest National Monument?
Of all the national monuments in the US, the oldest one is Devils Tower in Wyoming. Under the Antiquity Act of 1906, President Theodore Roosevelt declared Devils Tower the first national monument on September 24, 1906.
What Is the Newest National Monument?
The latest addition to the list of national monuments in the US is the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, which was declared on December 10, 2020.
What Is the Biggest National Monument?
Suppose you’re looking for the biggest national monument in the US; look no further than Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.
This national monument is a massive 372,848,597 acres protected area, making it the largest protected national monument in the world.
What Is the Smallest National Monument?
The smallest national monument in the US is called the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument, situated at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.
It is “Dedicated to all US Military Working Dog Handlers and their beloved dogs who defend America from harm, defeat the enemy, and save lives.”
A 3,000-square-foot granite plaza, granite pedestals, a granite history wall, granite seats, and a granite water fountain are all part of the memorial grounds.
Large bronze sculptures of dogs and their handlers are placed on these granite pedestals. October 28, 2013, saw the inauguration of the monument.
What Is the Most Visited National Monument?
Many national monuments in the US attract millions of visitors each year. The Statue of Liberty, for example, has attracted over 15 million visitors in the last 5 years (an average of 3.5 million per year) and is the most visited national monument in the US.
However, if you are looking for the national memorial that attracts the most visitors annually, look no further than the Lincoln Memorial.
The estimated annual visitation figures are more than 6 million people per year.
Who Manages National Monuments in The US?
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The following federal agencies and departments manage monuments in the US:
- Bureau of Land Management (BLM) (Department of the Interior)
- National Park Service (NPS) (Department of the Interior)
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) (Department of Commerce)
- U.S. Forest Service (FS) (Department of Agriculture)
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) (Department of Interior)
- United States Air Force (USAF) (Department of Defense)
- Armed Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) (Department of Defense)
- Department of Energy (DOE)
- President Lincoln’s Cottage = President Lincoln’s Cottage, a 501(c)(3)
All US National Monuments
Here’s a list of all national monuments in alphabetical order. After this section, we will list the national monuments by state.
American Monuments – Alphabetical Order
1. Admiralty Island National Monument, Alaska
2. African Burial Ground National Monument, New York
3. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska
4. Agua Fria National Monument, Arizona
5. Aleutian Islands World War II National Monument, Alaska
6. Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Texas
7. Aniakchak National Monument, Alaska
8. Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico
9. Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico
10. Basin and Range National Monument, Nevada
11. Bears Ears National Monument, Utah
12. Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, Washington DC
13. Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, California
14. Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Alabama
15. Booker T. Washington National Monument, Virginia
16. Browns Canyon National Monument, Colorado
17. Buck Island Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands
18. Cabrillo National Monument, California
19. California Coastal National Monument, California
20. Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument, Kentucky
21. Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona
22. Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado
23. Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska
24. Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico
25. Carrizo Plain National Monument, California
26. Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona
27. Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument, California and Oregon
28. Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Florida
29. Castle Clinton National Monument, New York
30. Castle Mountains National Monument, California
31. Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
32. César E. Chávez National Monument, California
33. Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Ohio
34. Chimney Rock National Monument, Colorado
35. Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona
36. Colorado National Monument, Colorado
37. Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho
38. Devils Postpile National Monument, California
39. Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
40. Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah
41. Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa
42. El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico
43. El Morro National Monument, New Mexico
44. Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado
45. Fort Frederica National Monument, Georgia
46. Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida
47. Fort McHenry National Monument, Maryland
48. Fort Monroe National Monument, Virginia
49. Fort Ord National Monument, California
50. Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia
51. Fort Stanwix National Monument, New York
52. Fort Union National Monument, New Mexico
53. Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming
54. Freedom Riders National Monument, Alabama
55. George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia
56. George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri
57. Giant Sequoia National Monument, California
58. Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico
59. Gold Butte National Monument, Nevada
60. Governors Island National Monument, New York
61. Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona
62. Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota
63. Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah
64. Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho
65. Hanford Reach National Monument, Washington
66. Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, Maryland
67. Hohokam Pima National Monument, Arizona
68. Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado and Utah
69. Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
70. Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota
71. John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon
72. Jurassic National Monument, Utah
73. Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico
74. Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine
75. Lava Beds National Monument, California
76. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana
77. Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, Guam
78. Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Mississippi
79. Military Working Dog Teams National Monument, Texas
80. Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, Kentucky
81. Misty Fjords National Monument, Alaska
82. Mojave Trails National Monument, California
83. Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona
84. Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument, Washington
85. Muir Woods National Monument, California
86. Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
87. Navajo National Monument, Arizona
88. Newberry Volcanic National Monument, Oregon
89. Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, Atlantic Ocean
90. Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon
91. Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, New Mexico
92. Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
93. Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, US Minor Outlying Islands
94. Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawaii and US Minor Outlying Islands
95. Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico
96. Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona
97. Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota
98. Pompeys Pillar National Monument, Montana
99. Poverty Point National Monument, Louisiana
100. Prehistoric Trackways National Monument, New Mexico
101. President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument, District of Columbia
102. Pullman National Monument, Illinois
103. Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah
104. Río Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico
105. Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, American Samoa
106. Russell Cave National Monument, Alabama
107. Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument, California
108. Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, New Mexico
109. San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California
110. San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington
111. Sand to Snow National Monument, California
112. Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, California
113. Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska
114. Sonoran Desert National Monument, Arizona
115. Statue of Liberty National Monument, New Jersey and New York
116. Stonewall National Monument, New York
117. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Arizona
118. Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Utah
119. Tonto National Monument, Arizona
120. Tule Lake National Monument, California
121. Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Nevada
122. Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona
123. Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, Montana
124. Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona
125. Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands
126. Waco Mammoth National Monument, Texas
127. Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona
128. Wupatki National Monument, Arizona
129. Yucca House National Monument, Colorado
American Monuments By State
Here are all American monuments found in North America and other American territories.
National Monuments in Alabama
Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, Alabama
Freedom Riders National Monument, Alabama
Russell Cave National Monument, Alabama
National Monuments in Alaska
Admiralty Island National Monument, Alaska
Aleutian Islands World War II National Monument, Alaska
Aniakchak National Monument, Alaska
Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska
Misty Fjords National Monument, Alaska
National Monuments in the American Samoa
Rose Atoll Marine National Monument, American Samoa
National Monuments in Arizona
Agua Fria National Monument, Arizona
Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona
Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Arizona
Chiricahua National Monument, Arizona
Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Arizona
Hohokam Pima National Monument, Arizona
Ironwood Forest National Monument, Arizona
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona
Navajo National Monument, Arizona
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, Arizona
Pipe Spring National Monument, Arizona
Sonoran Desert National Monument, Arizona
Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, Arizona
Tonto National Monument, Arizona
Tuzigoot National Monument, Arizona
Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona
Walnut Canyon National Monument, Arizona
Wupatki National Monument, Arizona
US National Monuments in the Atlantic Ocean
Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, Atlantic Ocean
National Monuments in California
Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, California
Cabrillo National Monument, California
California Coastal National Monument, California
Carrizo Plain National Monument, California
Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument, California and Oregon
Castle Mountains National Monument, California
César E. Chávez National Monument, California
Devils Postpile National Monument, California
Fort Ord National Monument, California
Giant Sequoia National Monument, California
Lava Beds National Monument, California
Mojave Trails National Monument, California
Muir Woods National Monument, California
Saint Francis Dam Disaster National Monument, California
San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, California
Sand to Snow National Monument, California
Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, California
Tule Lake National Monument, California
National Monuments in Colorado
Browns Canyon National Monument, Colorado
Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, Colorado
Chimney Rock National Monument, Colorado
Colorado National Monument, Colorado
Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Colorado
Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado and Utah
Yucca House National Monument, Colorado
National Monuments in Florida
Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, Florida
Fort Matanzas National Monument, Florida
National Monuments in Georgia
Fort Frederica National Monument, Georgia
Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia
National Monuments in Guam
Marianas Trench Marine National Monument, Guam
National Monuments in Hawaii
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawaii and US Minor Outlying
National Monuments in Idaho
Craters of the Moon National Monument, Idaho
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Idaho
National Monuments in Illinois
Pullman National Monument, Illinois
National Monuments in Iowa
Effigy Mounds National Monument, Iowa
National Monuments in Kentucky
Camp Nelson Heritage National Monument, Kentucky
Mill Springs Battlefield National Monument, Kentucky
National Monuments in Louisiana
Poverty Point National Monument, Louisiana
National Monuments in Maine
Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument, Maine
National Monuments in Maryland
Fort McHenry National Monument, Maryland
Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Monument, Maryland
National Monuments in Minnesota
Grand Portage National Monument, Minnesota
Pipestone National Monument, Minnesota
National Monuments in Mississippi
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, Mississippi
National Monuments in Missouri
George Washington Carver National Monument, Missouri
National Monuments in Montana
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana
Pompeys Pillar National Monument, Montana
Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument, Montana
National Monuments in Nebraska
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Nebraska
Scotts Bluff National Monument, Nebraska
National Monuments in Nevada
Basin and Range National Monument, Nevada
Gold Butte National Monument, Nevada
Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument, Nevada
National Monuments in New Jersey
Statue of Liberty National Monument, New Jersey and New York
National Monuments in New Mexico
Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico
Bandelier National Monument, New Mexico
Capulin Volcano National Monument, New Mexico
El Malpais National Monument, New Mexico
El Morro National Monument, New Mexico
Fort Union National Monument, New Mexico
Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, New Mexico
Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument, New Mexico
Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument, New Mexico
Petroglyph National Monument, New Mexico
Prehistoric Trackways National Monument, New Mexico
Río Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico
Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, New Mexico
National Monuments in New York
African Burial Ground National Monument, New York
Castle Clinton National Monument, New York
Fort Stanwix National Monument, New York
Governors Island National Monument, New York
Statue of Liberty National Monument, New Jersey and New York
Stonewall National Monument, New York
National Monuments in Ohio
Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Ohio
National Monuments in Oregon
Cascade–Siskiyou National Monument, California and Oregon
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument, Oregon
Newberry Volcanic National Monument, Oregon
Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon
National Monuments in South Dakota
Jewel Cave National Monument, South Dakota
National Monuments in Texas
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Texas
Military Working Dog Teams National Monument, Texas
Waco Mammoth National Monument, Texas
National Monuments in the US Minor Outlying Islands
Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, Hawaii and US Minor Outlying Islands
Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, US Minor Outlying Islands
National Monuments in the US Virgin Islands
Buck Island Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands
Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument, US Virgin Islands
National Monuments in Utah
Bears Ears National Monument, Utah
Cedar Breaks National Monument, Utah
Dinosaur National Monument, Colorado and Utah
Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah
Hovenweep National Monument, Colorado and Utah
Jurassic National Monument, Utah
Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah
Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah
Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Utah
National Monuments in Virginia
Booker T. Washington National Monument, Virginia
Fort Monroe National Monument, Virginia
George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Virginia
National Monuments in Washington
Hanford Reach National Monument, Washington
Mount St. Helens Volcanic National Monument, Washington
San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington
National Monuments in Washington DC
Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, Washington DC
President Lincoln and Soldiers’ Home National Monument, Washington DC
National Monuments in Wyoming
Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming
Fossil Butte National Monument, Wyoming
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