by Moe Zilla

Created on: August 30, 2010

America's colonial period stretched for 169 years, from 1607 until 1776, when the colonies finally declared their independence. It offers a fascinating perspective on American history, and there's several tourist towns which can bring it to life. Remember that the settlers crossed the Atlantic ocean to reach America, so you'll want to visit states on the eastern seaboard. With some careful planning, you can find some wonderful historical attractions that help to highlight America's past colonial heritage.

One of the most famous landmarks from the colonial era is Plymouth Rock, where a group of pilgrims first came ashore after a difficult ocean crossing on the Mayflower. But its tourist facilities in Plymouth, Massachusetts are surprisingly limited, and you'll have much more luck in the nearby Boston area. One of the most famous puritan settlers was John Winthrop, and nearly 400 years later, you can still visit the site of the Great House he erected in Charlestown - a town named, of course, after Britain's King Charles. Winthrop's house was built in 1629, according to one archeaology web site, adding it occupies "a place of honor in a new park in Charlestown, Massachusetts."

The first permanent settlement in America was actually further south, in Jamestown Virginia, and the state has converted the historical site into an educational tourist attraction. There's a museum showcasing the lives of the early American settlers, and the site is also part of the larger Colonial National Historical Park. There's "living history" tours available, along with artifacts on display that date back to the colonial period. Even the Cape James and the James River got their names from Britain's King James.

But don't overlook another fascinating colonial site in Virginia: Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. Just seven months before he co-authored the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson announced that "there is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great Britain than I do." And four years earlier, this loyal (though critical) British subject completed the building on his beautiful colonial-style residence in 1772. It's a magnificent building, with its famous grand columns, and it's a great example of 18th-century architecture.

Remember that there's a great description of life in colonial America in the autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. (Franklin was in his 70s by the time of the American revolution, and he'd already lived a long and prosperous life, much of it in Philadelphia.) Many Philadelphia museums highlight the city's role in the American Revolution, but its true history dates back even further. There's still some beautiful colonial buildings scattered throughout the city, a reminder that America's history stretches back even earlier into the 1700s, and sometimes even further!

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