The Best US Cities for Exploring Colonial Architecture

The United States has a rich colonial history, having been shaped by several colonizing powers including England, Spain, France and The Netherlands. If you love discovering colonial architecture, exploring historic cities in the United States offers a fascinating journey through the nation’s rich historical past. You will discover well preserved examples of how settlers to America left their distinctive cultural mark while creating a unique architectural heritage. Here are the best cities in the US for discovering distinctive colonial-style architecture and exploring America’s formative years first-hand.

1. Williamsburg, Virginia

Colonial Williamsburg – Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Colonial Williamsburg is the best place in the US to see dozens of examples of British colonial architecture. Notable structues include the Governor’s Palace, the Bruton Parish Church, and the Capitol building. As one of the oldest colonies in the United States, the well preserved architecture in Williamsburg offers a glimpse into the founding days of America.

What most people don’t know, though, is that many of Williamsburg’s colonial structures are haunted. The Wythe House, which was General Washington’s headquarters during the Revolutionary War, was the place of several untimely deaths. During a Williamsburg ghost tour, you’ll get a chance to visit it and other haunted colonial structures, such as the Peyton Randolph House. This structure from the early 1700s was turned into a temporary field hospital to house wounded soldiers.

2. New Orleans, Louisiana

LaLaurie Mansion, New Orleans – Copyright US Ghost Adventures

New Orleans is one of the most interesting places to see colonial architecture due to the blending of different colonial influences in this city.

Originally, New Orleans was founded by the French but was under Spanish rule for over fifty years. Under the Treaty of Paris in 1763, New Orleans was transferred to the Spanish and remained under their rule for several decades. The Spanish influence is felt throughout the French Quarter, where you can find Creole cottages and colonial buildings with large, open courtyards, as typical in the Spanish Colonial style of the time. Here, too, many buildings are haunted, as you’ll find out if you take a New Orleans ghost tour.

One of the most haunted is The LaLaurie Mansion, a beautiful Creole mansion. It is a horrifying place where Madam LaLaurie brutally tortured her slaves. If it’s quiet enough, you can hear their ghosts still moaning in pain late at night. Devastating fires ravaged New Orleans in 1789 and 1794, and because of that, very few French buildings stand today. One of these remaining French buildings is the haunted Ursuline Convent, which hosted orphans and the French order of Ursuline nuns.

3. Boston, Massachusetts

Faneuil Hall Boston, Pixabay

Boston is closely tied to the American Revolution and, as such, features much colonial British architecture. Walk the famous Freedom Trail and discover many examples of colonial era architecture.  For example, the Paul Revere House, built in 1680, is the oldest standing structure in downtown Boston. This house, which was the home of American patriot Paul Revere, features casement windows and gabled roofs.

The Old State House is another beautiful colonial structure. Built in 1713 and now a museum, it was the house of the Massachusetts General Court throughout the 1700s. It is one of the oldest standing public buildings in the US!

Boston’s oldest standing church is the Old North Church, built in 1723. It is famous for playing an integral role in Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride. The sexton of the church used lanterns to signal the movements of the British forces (one if by land, two if by sea).

The Boston Athenaeum, founded in 1807, is one of the oldest libraries in America and also one of the spookiest.

4. Newport, Rhode Island

Newport Rhode Island, Pixabay

Newport has many preserved colonial buildings from the 1700s. This quaint seaside city features the oldest continually operating tavern in the US, the White Horse Tavern. With a gabled roof and a large chimney, it’s a classic example of post-medieval English architecture.

The Trinity Church is the oldest Episcopal parish in Rhode Island. Its iconic steeple towers over the city and is visible from afar. The oldest surviving house of worship in Newport, though, is the Great Friends Meeting House, founded by Quakers in 1699.

An interesting remnant of colonial architecture is the Newport Tower in Touro Park, which remains from a windmill that existed in the 1600s. Although some speculation has suggested that it is a few hundred years older than that and that it is evidence of pre-Columbian contact between indigenous Americans and medieval Europeans, carbon dating shows that to be incorrect.

5. St. Augustine, Florida

Casablanca Inn, St. Augustine – Copyright US Ghost Adventures

Finally, if you prefer Southern vibes, a trip to St. Augustine is well worth it. Due to Spain’s control over Florida, St. Augustine mostly features Spanish colonial architecture, although British rule later introduced some Anglican architecture into the mix.

The Castillo de San Marcos, built in 1672, is a star-shaped masonry fort built by the Spanish to defend the city against attacks. It is the oldest masonry fort in the US.

The Oldest House, also known as the Gonzalez Alvarez House, features coquina stone construction, typical of old Spanish colonial buildings. It also features later British additions. This house is said to be haunted, as is the old Spanish Military Hospital, where horrendous treatments passed off as healthcare were administered to unsuspecting patients.