“Far too few of your people out there who claim to call the South home will ever really hear half of what the land here has to say,” my beloved Southern grandma once told me. She went on to list off every old building and battlefield she could think of, not to mention the hundreds of quiet country roads that meant far more to her — all of them have things to say, she added, as long as you’re willing to pull over to the side of the road and listen while it takes its sweet time telling you. This article takes a look at the stories behind 10 famous Southern landmarks every Southerner loves.
Featured Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons.
The French Quarter, New Orleans, Louisiana
The French Quarter is party central in the Big Easy, with lively jazz and striking architecture. This neighborhood that bears the oldest name in New Orleans also has the longest history — one rooted in a French and Spanish colonial past. Built in 1718, the neighborhood’s buildings – many wooden Creole townhouses with cast-iron balconies – speak to its multiracial cultural heritage, having survived fires, hurricanes and floods. The multicultural past of the Crescent City is represented in this part of the town.
Monticello, Virginia
Built over decades as both a home and a vessel for his architectural and agricultural experiments, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello plantation combines stability with novelty – reflecting his adherence to classical design as well as experimentation with concealed features — such as a dumbwaiter and subterranean storage to optimize function, movement and navigation through his estate. Yet Monticello also forces an uncomfortable self-reflection by reminding visitors that Jefferson’s legacy must wrestle with his ownership of enslaved people whose labor sustained his residence.
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Graceland, Memphis, Tennessee
The house was originally built in 1939 and purchased by Elvis Presley in 1957. Until his death in 1977, he filled its interior with elements of his pop-culture persona (themed rooms, film memorabilia, etc.), thereby welcoming many into his private life and, for some, offering a place of pilgrimage (especially for fans of the King of Rock ’n’ Roll).
Stone Mountain, Georgia
You might have seen pictures of it: a massive rock carving that depicts Confederate leaders – it was created in the early 1900s but never perfectly finished (some parts of it are still being carved). It has been controversial since the beginning. Stone Mountain functions today as a recreational park – while simultaneously grappling with the legacy of Confederate iconography. Stone Mountain is a knotty, multifaceted story.
The Biltmore Estate, Asheville, North Carolina
Completed in 1895, the Biltmore Estate is the largest private home in the US. Built by George Washington Vanderbilt, it was modeled on French chateaus and includes 250 rooms, dining halls, a library, and gardens – as well as a winery. It was originally a private house, where the Vanderbilt family and their friends could retreat; today it is an homage to the Gilded Age, open to those who would like to visit its art, architecture, and family history.
The Civil Rights Memorial, Montgomery, Alabama
This subtly moving memorial to the civil rights movement honors those who died in the fight for full equality for black Americans. The sculptor is Maya Lin, who created a circle of black granite listing the names of those who died in the struggle. Water flows over the tabletop, representing Martin Luther King’s quote from Amos about justice “rolling down like waters”.
Fort Sumter, South Carolina
Made famous by the fact that it is in this location that the first shots of the Civil War were fired in 1861, Fort Sumter is an enduring symbol of a divided America. Built to protect Charleston from maritime attacks by other countries, it was occupied by the Confederate forces that sparked this horrific war. This fort is now open to tourists visiting Charleston.
Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana
Amid an avenue of 300-year-old oaks that stretch more than a fourth of a mile, Oak Alley stands as a manse, built in the 1830s as a sugarcane plantation and now a museum – part majesty, part ambivalent look in the mirror.
The Grand Ole Opry, Nashville, Tennessee
The site of ‘the home of American music’, the Grand Ole Opry first began its weekly radio broadcast in 1925 to feature rural music. Since then, the show has become the longest-running live radio broadcast in the world and a cultural centerpiece for Nashville. By fostering the careers of generations of country stars, the Opry has secured Nashville’s place as the ‘country capital’ of the US.
The Alamo, Texas
Lots of people have heard of the Alamo, but not so many are aware of its history. The Alamo in San Antonio was constructed by the Spanish in the 1700s, but in 1836 it became the site of an epic 13-day battle between Texans and Mexican forces attempting to overtake the structure. By defending the Alamo for those 13 days, the Texans forged the legacy for the battle cry: ‘Remember the Alamo!’
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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