Historic Tourism - US Attractions From a Past Age

The 19th Century saw the birth of tourism as weMassachusetts Asylum for the Blind, and again, such a
know it. The term: "tourist" emerged in the US tonew and impressive institution began to be included in
label those folks who would travel to Europe to seetourist brochures of the areas. By 1885 the school
the historic architecture of London and Paris, orpurchased six acres of land in the Southern area of
alternatively to the far-flung corners of their ownBoston and the imposing five storey building built
country - such as the East Coast. In the late 1850sthere became worthy enough for its own run of
Yosemite Park became established as a definitivepostcards.
American tourist attraction where visitors could makeEducational facilities weren't the only growing
use of the most fantastic invention of recent times,attractions for tourists however. The Sing Sing
the camera. However where the United StatesCorrectional Facility (named after the Native American
succeeded with natural wonders, its cities were uglySinck Sinck tribe) in Ossining, New York, was one of
and commercial in comparison to the beauty and artthe country's pioneering profit-making jailhouses.
of Europe - and so the popular architecturalCompleted in 1828, the institution used harsh tactics
attractions of the time seem quite strange byto keep an efficient prisoner workforce who would
today's standards.mine marble from a nearby quality and sell it for the
The American School for the Deaf was founded inbuilding of further notable buildings such as New York
1817 in West Hartford, Connecticut. Being the first ofUniversity and the United States Treasury.
its kind, and a grand red brick building with impressiveYet perhaps the most intriguing early American visitor
white pillars and a white bell spire, the institutionattraction was the Mount Auburn Cemetery in
became a popular tourist attraction. Its palatialMassachusetts. Built in 1831, this was the first rural or
architecture reflected the affluence of thegarden style cemetery and took inspiration from the
fast-developing nation, and became something of alandscape gardens of England, as well as being seen
symbol for cultural integrity and a forward-thinkingas the first step of the parks and gardens
society. The school is still there today - and boastsmovement. By the late 1830s a brochure was
200 students.published entitled Picturesque Pocket Companion and
Along similar lines, The Perkins School for the BlindVisitor's Guide Through Mt. Auburn. Its many trails
was established shortly after in Boston. During theand architecture of some of the monuments, such as
1830s the successful Boston merchant, Thomasthe gothic Bigelow Chapel, were (and still are) of
Handasyd Perkins, donated his mansion to theparticular interest to visitors.