I tried to include state capitols when there was something of interest to visit. I could not find much reason to visit Trenton (NJ), Hartford (CT), Augusta (ME), Jackson (MS), and Little Rock (AK). The later two had Civil Rights sites of interest, but I determined from the outset I was not going to visit everything. I did my best to diversify the experience with food, museums, art galleries, historic sites, and nature. Moreover, if I visited any more state capitols, it meant less time in other places like major cities: Portland, Seattle, Chicago, and Philadelphia, or National Parks. During the trip, I also got to visit many people including friends and family, so there were many complexities about how to spend our time during the trip. It generally worked out really well, we found a reasonable balance.


I will definitely include some ideas, resources, and lessons learned after visiting the Civil Rights Movement sites and the Legacy Museum in Montgomery.

That makes sense. I understand the balance, since I try to include visits with family and friends when I take my US road trips, too (though I haven't done an epic one like yours since high school; generally my trips are more regional in different parts of the US). This is an amazing country to explore!

The size factor of the US is pretty wild, granted I didn't take a standard route across the country. My trip mileage via car would still surpass these itineraries below:

Paris - Venice - Istanbul - Jerusalem - Cairo - Tehran - Moscow - St. Petersburg - Berlin - Paris

Gibraltar - Moscow - Ulaan Baatar - Vladivostok

Edinburgh - Lake Baikal - Edinburgh


This is true for us as well. This was probably a one-time only trip. I also don't think we would have done something like this if the pandemic didn't happen. Now that I have covered all 20 WHS in the Continental U.S., I am looking forward to finally visiting Hawaii in a couple months. An extensive Canadian journey will have to wait, but hopefully not too long! Beyond North America, we have seriously considered relocating to Europe for 1-2 years, just to explore more of that continent and experience something new. I certainly admire the ease of ticking off WHS via weekend trips or by a quick train journey. Road-tripping across the U.S. is fantastic, but I don't miss certain stretches. Topeka to Denver is a pretty boring 8 hours!

Those sample road trips really put the size of the US in perspective! I broke up Canada into multiple trips for the sites and places I've seen (and I still have to return to Newfoundland and Labrador for new sites I missed), but Canada could also lend itself to an epic road trip.

Hope you enjoy Hawaii — it's an awesome state, and each island has its own unique vibe!

LOL!

Really impressive seeing your trip on a map. So much covered in 'only' 2 months.

Really great run down winterkjm.

I really like the map too! I certainly miss going on US roadtrips, but howefully post pandemic, we can take the girls on some of parts of your route?

I've really enjoyed your flickr albums as well, as shame you missed the Farnsworth house, it is top of my wish list

I have a friend who lives about 25 minutes drive from the house, so I hope to get there on a future visit. Just an unlucky circumstance with so much rain, my reserved tour was cancelled and refunded. I hope the damage turned out to be small.


Thanks! Only going to Big Island this trip, but I hope to visit other islands in the future.

Exploration of the US World Heritage Program and Tentative List Expansion

US Gap Study

Updated Tentative List Dates
- 2008 (4 inscriptions, 2 pending nominations)
- 2017 (1 pending nomination)

We are 5 years in and if all goes well with ICOMOS, the United States may have 3 additional world heritage sites by the next Tentative List update in approximately 5 years (minor updates may occur sooner).

Civil Rights Movement Sites (2008)
Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks (2008)
Moravian Church Settlements (2017)

Interestingly there was a public comment period in January 2021. This was focused on priority nominations, but also additional suggestions.

"This notice requests public comment on the next potential U.S. nominations from the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List ("Tentative List") to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. The public may also make suggestions for future additions to the Tentative List."

This is a partial list of Gap Study Sites (cultural heritage), of which I have personal experience. The full list is much more expansive and includes additional listed places in the Index that were discussed by US ICOMOS.

Industrial, Innovation, Technology
- Hoover Dam
- Lowell National Historic Park
- New York Skyscrapers
- Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark

Transportation, Innovation, Inventions
- Golden Gate Bridge
- Knights Ferry Bridge
- Route 66

Modernist Legacy, Recent History
- Baldwin Hills Village
- Case Study Houses in Los Angeles
- History of Film: Hollywood & the Movie Palaces on Broadway, Los Angeles
- Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
- Spread of International Style Modernism to the United States

Mixed Cultural-Natural Properties
- Parkitecture: National Park Rustic

Cultural Landscapes, Cultural Routes, Evolved Landscapes
- The Mall of Washington D.C. and Tidal Basin

Early Human Occupation
- Borax Lake Site

Cultural Diversity
- Camino Real de Tierra Adentro: Santa Fe
- Cesar E. Chavez National Monument
- The Forty Acres

Urban Heritage
- Colonial Newport
- Colonial Williamsburg

Rock Art
- Carrizo Plain National Monument
- Coso Rock Art District
- Rock Art of the Chumash People

The Mexicans are working on a nomination for the Kino Missions, which would become transnational with including Mission San Xavier del Bac in Arizona.
https://fronterasdesk.org/content/1679587/binational-effort-recognize-kino-missions-arizona-and-sonora

So hard to remember if I visited. Pretty sure several where in my proposals for top missing USA :)


* Route 66... Not sure it's as important/iconic as Americans imagine it to be.
* Newport I visited the Cliff Walk. I think this should be included.
* Williamsburg I went, too, I think. But found it too artificial.

Certainly a welcome development, perhaps a minor update on the United States tentative list if the Arizona state government and the National Park Service reciprocates interest in a joint effort in crafting a nomination.


Spanish Missions of the Sonoran Desert (US components)

While writing a review (I read Solvigant's for Hawaii), I came across another site that might be discussed again for possible inclusion, though perhaps a larger nomination.

Pu'uhonua o'Honaunau NHP - Deferred 1987 "Need for comparative study of state of Polynesian sites across the Pacific"

Cultural Landscapes of the Pacific Islands Thematic Study (December 2007)

After visiting Hawaii recently, I would love to see more cultural landscapes nominated from Hawaii. With a far larger assortment of cultural sites inscribed in the Pacific since 1987, including Papahanaumokuakea, the time for a cultural nomination that includes the numerous cultural sites connected to the Kingdom of Hawaii seem long overdue.

Heritage of the Hawaiian Kingdom *Name taken from Colvin's Top Missing proposal


I agree with your assessment, only perhaps Newport (Colonial & Gilded Age) is worth pursuing for world heritage.

Would/Could be a nearmiss for me. Did the cliffwalk and would hope that the gilded age mansions are included. Would be weird to omit them.

Mall was on my proposed list, BUT I don't see any Republican signing off on handing control of the NATIONAL MALL! to some freaking international consortium.

The Lincoln Memorial seems the only likely inclusion from the National Mall with the Civil Rights Movement Sites.

Colonial Newport and "Gilded Age" Newport would be interesting if somehow packaged together! Not sure if a coherent criteria and theme could be applied though!

I think some of the Conservative anti-UNESCO positions are mostly lost on the current right-wing GOP. It's too nuanced. There is no way Marjorie Taylor Greene has even heard of UNESCO. San Antonio Missions had no real issues being inscribed and is celebrated in Texas. The "National Mall" might gardner some extra attention because of all the recent "War Memorials" that might get Conservatives to pay attention. I suspect "The Lincoln Memorial" would not have an issue, right-wing Conservatives rarely claim Lincoln as their own, so it would only be a minor story in the news.

Most inscribed National Parks updated their maps in 2006, including clarifications. However, to my knowledge the United States has never made a boundary modification. Please clarify if you've seen one.

There are some US National Parks that have expanded considerably, yet the inscribed area remains the same.

Everglades National Park - more than 40k hectares larger today.

Redwood National and State Parks - more than 15k hectares larger today.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park - more than 40k hectares larger today.

You are telling me I can tick the Civil Rights Movement Sites? :D


The Cliffwalk is special. Combining different periods is done in Europe all the time. Not sure why this shouldn't be possible in the US where the time span is even smaller.


Was she the one with Jewish space lasers? If there is Q Unesco conspiracy she may well have ... It's depressing to see the road the US is taking. Your a few votes away from Turkey/Russia/...


Wasnt there a huge fuzz re The Alamo and handing it over to the UN? Most places are proud of WHS status. Nice to see that Texans aren't different.


I think the challenge could be changes. I would assume Unesco would require the axis to remain untouched (Congress <= Monument => Lincoln, Whitehouse Lawn, Jefferson Memorial). I would assume that on the sides new constructions could take place still.