Top 10 Oldest Buildings in the US: Still Being Used Today
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| Top 10 Oldest Buildings In The US Today |
Top 10 Oldest Buildings In The US Today
1. Taos Pueblo
Built somewhere between 1000 and 1450 A.D.
Taos Pueblo, an ancient pueblo in New Mexico, is also one of the United States' oldest continuously inhabited towns, with buildings dating back over a thousand years.
Taos Pueblo was likely erected between 1000 and 1450 A.D. The Pueblo is entirely composed of adobe, a mixture of clay, water, and straw that is poured into forms or sun-dried bricks. The buildings are around five storeys tall, with several feet thick walls and a packed earth top.
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2. Acoma Pueblo
Date: circa. 1000 AD - 1200 AD
Location: Cibola County (west of Albuquerque, New Mexico)
The Acoma Pueblo consists of three villages: Sky City (Old Acoma), Acomita, and Mcartys. Although no one knows how old the Acoma settlement is, researchers agree that the Pueblo has been occupied since at least 1200 AD.
The Acoma Pueblo once occupied around 5,000,000 acres of land, but the Acoma tribe now owns just about 10% of this territory, which is known as the Acoma Indian Reservation.
Today, over 5,000 Acoma tribal members live in the Pueblo, which is located in the United States. National Historical Landmark.
READ MORE: Top 10 Glorious Abandoned Buildings In The World
3. La Fortaleza
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Built in 1533
La Fortaleza, sometimes known as "The Fortress," is a government building that dates back to 1533. La Fortaleza is currently renowned as the world's oldest executive home.
This stunning mansion, located in San Juan, has been named a UNESCO World Heritage site.
4. Catedral Metropolitana Basílica de San Juan Bautista
Built in 1540
This cathedral edifice, located in the state of Puerto Rico, is one of the country's second oldest. This cathedral, erected in 1540 in the well-known Neoclassical architectural style, has been elegantly refurbished since. Interestingly, 2021 marks the 500th anniversary of this magnificent cathedral.
5. C. A. Nothnagle Log House – Gibbstown, New Jersey
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Built between 1638 and 1643
The C. A. Nothnagle Log House, constructed between 1638 and 1643, is thought to be the oldest log cabin in the country. The home's construction suggests that it was built by Finnish immigrants, as it has telltale Scandinavian aspects such as an asymmetrical fireplace and a chimney that stands inside the building for added warmth. The New Jersey house was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and Harry and Doris Rink, a local couple, have been caring for it since 1968. They live in a nearby property and have been looking after the cabin and providing free tours for decades. Harry makes all of the repairs by hand, using local clay to maintain the cabin as close to its original form as feasible. Though the Rinks hope to stay on the site and continue giving tours, the house was for sale in 2018 for $2.9 million, which included the home's antique furnishings and antiquities.
6. Porto Coeli
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Built in 1609
Porta Coeli, located in San Germany, Puerto Rico, is one of the United States' oldest buildings. Porta Coeli, which was built in 1609, is a registered national historical site.
This cathedral also houses a religious museum, which was established during the remodeling of Porta Coeli in the nineteenth century. Porta Coeli is a single-nave cathedral with a wooden truss roof.
7. Palace of Governors
Date: 1610
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The Palace of the Governors is the oldest seat of colonial government (in Spanish) and the oldest continuously occupied public edifice in the United States. The Palace was erected for Pedro de Peralta, the founder of Santa Fe, New Mexico, and governor of the Spanish province in what is now the American Southwest.
Throughout Spain's rule of the region, the Palace served as the Spanish seat of government, and when New Mexico was acquired as a US territory, it became the state's first territorial capital. The Palace was designated a U.S. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and now functions as New Mexico's state history museum.
8. San Miguel Mission
Date: 1610 - 1626
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico.
The San Miguel Mission, also known as the San Miguel Chapel, is claimed to be the oldest church in the United States. Although it is difficult to establish the precise year when the church was built, the earliest evidence referencing the church dates back to 1628, indicating that the San Miguel Mission was founded before that time.
Santa Fe was founded in 1610, and according to oral history, the church was built around the same time. The church has been rebuilt and refurbished multiple times since it was damaged in the mid to late 1600s, but the ancient adobe walls remain intact.
9. Henry Whitfield House in Guilford, Connecticut
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Built in 1639
The Whitfield mansion in Guilford, Connecticut, is New England's oldest stone mansion and now houses the Henry Whitfield State Museum. The mansion was built in 1639, when Reverend Henry Whitfield and other English Puritans established Guilford as a religiously free community. Local granite was used in the construction, giving the house a rustic appearance that blends nicely with the surrounding Connecticut countryside. Today, the museum offers tourists three floors of antique furnishings and historical objects. It also offers changing exhibits and a research library containing local and genealogical resources. Pore over the archives or explore the beautiful grounds past centuries-old stone walls, a cannon from the War of 1812, and a statue of Henry Whitfield. Guilford is roughly 20 minutes west of New Haven, where you may visit another of the nation's oldest institutions and learn more about New England's history. Be sure to visit Grove Street Cemetery, the country's first chartered burial place.
10. Richard Sparrow House
Built in 1640
The Richard Sparrow dwelling, built in the distinctive American Colonial style of architecture, is Massachusetts' oldest dwelling. This home was erected in 1640 and sits on 16 acres of land. Currently, this historically significant mansion serves as a museum and art gallery.
Summary
In comparison to countries in Europe, Asia, and around the world, the United States is a relative newcomer. Nonetheless, while the United States lacks truly ancient landmarks that travelers can see elsewhere, it does have very old structures to visit today. Here are some of the country's oldest structures.
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