Here it is, the moment you’ve all been waiting for… the conclusion to my Seven Wonders series. You may not have known you were waiting for it, but it’s here all the same! And I apologize for the delay. Last weekend I was happily driving a California friend to see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the USA, Crater Lake. It was cold up there on the rim of the volcano, but beautiful!
I made this list from some of the most intriguing structures that have been built in this great country. Most of these are places that I haven’t been to yet, but capture my imagination. Some are ancient, and some are modern, but they all exist because of the intelligence and hard work of people in America. So without further adieu, here it is (in no particular order):
1. Cahokia Mounds National Historic Site- giant earthen structures from the Mississippian Culture, built centuries before Europeans came to the continent. I wrote a paper about this site for an archaeology class in college. I was fascinated that there were pyramid-like structures in the USA.
2. Mesa Verde National Park and other cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan people- intricate dwellings carved out of cliffs. I want to see these so badly!
3. Mt. Rushmore National Memorial– part of me is sad that a mountain was blasted in order to make it (not to mention the controversy with Native Americans from the seizure of land in 1876), but I’m sure seeing the gargantuan sculptures in person is an intense experience.
4. The Hoover Dam- at the time it was built (during the Great Depression), it was an engineering marvel and considered the largest dam in the world. Unfortunately, unlike Mt. Rushmore (which had no deaths in it’s formation), over 100 people died building the dam. I have been here (while the current bypass bridge was being built), and it is amazing sight to see.
5. The Empire State Building– skyscrapers usually don’t top my lists of interesting places, this one was the world’s tallest building for 40 years. It is a romantic place in the hearts of Americans, demonstrated by its appearance in movies such as King Kong and An Affair to Remember.
6. The buildings of the National Mall– The Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the United States Capitol, the White House, the Smithsonian Castle, and more. Even with my love of history, I’d never had a huge desire to go here. Then I went. And was blown away. The sights here are great architectural feats as well as historical landmarks.
7. The Golden Gate Bridge– yet another engineering marvel. A massive suspension bridge built to withstand intense conditions. I’ve been here several times and love it, with the views from or of San Francisco.
8. Yeah, I know. There’s only supposed to be seven. But it was just too hard to narrow down. And I have to have at least one thing from the Pacific Northwest! Plus, it’s my list, so I can make eight if I want to. So my final landmark is the Space Needle. The Seattle one, not the wannabe one in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It was built for the 1962 World’s Fair, and continues to capture the imagination.
Sorry Greg, Burger King still does not make the cut as a Wonder of the USA. Maybe if I had a 9th one…
Well folks, there you have it. My lists of the Wonders of Oregon and the USA. I could expand again to North America, but we’ll save those places for other posts. To see photos of all the places on this list, see my Pinterest board at http://pinterest.com/writerjessicaj/man-made-wonders-of-the-usa/
Seattle Space Needle, spring break 2011
The Compass Rose Queen 