Lost Landmarks and Vanished Sites Since America began to be populated by Europeans, numerous buildings and important sites were established. In these early years, the colonists were more interested in survival and later, in forming their own nation, to be too involved in preserving historic buildings. However, many did survive including those in the Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, and in the earliest Spanish settlements of
St. Augustine,
Florida and
Santa Fe,
New Mexico. Spanish missions across the
Southwest and
California also still stand, as well as 17th-century buildings in
New England.
But, over the years, a number of important and interesting sites have been lost, many due to the urbanization of cities and others to decay.
Our
Vanished Sites Photo Gallery includes many historic landmarks that have been lost over the years, as well as other sites that were popular destinations for visitors and travelers in the last decades. These include many sites on old
Route 66, as well as many other destinations that display former lodging facilities, diners, and
roadside attractions
