Welcome to the Historical Marker Database

Marker of the Week

The Big Pier 37 Fire San Francisco, California

History does not get more local than this: There was a fire here this week in 1975, it shouldn't have happened, Telegraph Hill did not burn down, and the weathered boards you are standing on here were salvaged from the burnt pier. Regional Editor Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California, filed this entry in 2021.
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More Than 201 Thousand!

HMdb MARKER COUNT

201151

Hundreds added monthly. ...▼One of our correspondents has stood in front of each historical marker or monument, taken its picture, and entered its location and other information. An editor has reviewed and approved each entry. For some very few entries without photos, their location was carefully researched.

No other national historical marker list can make this claim, and a number of them borrow information from us, some without permission.

The latest entry was published earlier today at 5:32 AM ET.

We’ll mail you a 10x3 magnetic bumper sticker free of charge. Email the publisher with your postal mailing address.

Historical Marker Facts

These counts are as of last night and also include war memorials.

How many historical markers are there in the United States? We’ve found 186,593 so far. Adding more daily.

What state has the most historical markers? We’ve found the most in Texas.   New York, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and California round out the top five.

How many historical markers are there in Canada? We’ve found 3,976 so far. We’re always looking for more.

    More facts and figuresAlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasBritish ColumbiaCaliforniaCiudad de MéxicoColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaDistrito NacionalEnglandEstado de MexicoFloridaGeorgiaGuanajuatoGuatemalaHawaiiHidalgoIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaJaliscoKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMichoacánMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew BrunswickNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNewfoundland and LabradorNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaNorthern IrelandNova ScotiaOhioOklahomaOntarioOregonPennsylvaniaPrince Edward IslandPueblaPuerto RicoQuébecQuerétaroQuintana RooRhode IslandSacatepéquezSan Luis PotosíSan SalvadorScotlandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVeracruzVermontVirgin IslandsVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyomingYucatán

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Tag Pages to Create Lists

When you are signed in, you will see these small buttons ➀ ➁ ➂ ➃ ➄ on marker pages and search results. Click on them to tag that marker. Return to the My Markers page to see what you've tagged and to create lists, maps, and spreadsheets.

To get started, click on My Markers to sign in. First time users can register from there. Tag and map your next weekend outing!

History Happened Here

National and global events all happened some­where, and historical markers mark the place where many occurred. But the richness of history is in its local details, details that can be insignificant on the global stage: the home of an in­di­vi­dual who made a dif­fe­rence; a natural feature, building, byway; or just some­thing in­te­res­ting that happened nearby. History is not just about the high and mighty.
 
Markers tell stories and point out facts. There is one at the site the northernmost battle of the U.S. Civil War and another at the southernmost point in the United States (can you guess where?). There is one next to a 17th century Japanese stone lantern symbolizing 20th century peace, and another one less than 20 miles away reminding us of the Nike missile sites that were built the same year the lantern was dedicated. They tell of battles, massacres and hangings; of hu­ma­ni­ta­rians, educators, and a beloved stagecoach horse; of mountains, lakes, rivers, bridges, roads, and other natural and man-made wonders.
 
There are countless thousands of great stories marked by markers—and some boring ones too. Some markers simply recite facts while others are insightful, obscure, cryptic, patriotic, fas­ci­na­ting, sad, funny, or just downright bizarre. Many of those markers are on these pages, others are waiting for you to discover and add them to this database.
 
So hit the road and experience history first-hand yourself. History happened nearby.

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