Top 10 U.S. Landmarks

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  Even after limiting our geography to only the United States, it wasn't easy to restrict ourselves to just 10 landmarks. Any given state has 10 landmarks worth seeing, and any given major city easily has that too. So, what do the chosen represent? Hopefully, they form an around-the-nation perspective as diverse as America itself: natural, man-made, modern, classic, peaceful, tumultuous, and above all, not seen anywhere else.
  
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• Hoover Dam

  Number 10 -- Hoover Dam

  The idea of 4.36 million cubic yards of concrete alone doesn't sound like much of a landmark. When that cement refers to the Hoover Dam and its operations, however, that's something else. Just a short drive from Las Vegas -- and a source of power for Sin City's gazillion lights -- our No. 10 landmark is one that can be appreciated by day when tours are available, as well as by night when the crowds have gone and the well-lit mass seems even greater in size against the walls of Black Canyon.
  
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• Hollywood Sign

  Number 9 -- Hollywood Sign

  Completed in 1923 on Mt. Lee as a temporary advertisement for a Hollywood Hills residential development company (and reading "Hollywoodland" at the time), the sign quickly became associated with Hollywood itself -- especially after actress Peg Entwistle committed suicide with a jump off the "H" in 1932. And like any proper star, the sign has had its share of fame and scandal, plus it has undergone face-lifts over the decades to defy its age. There's nothing more L.A. than that.
  
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• USS Arizona Memorial

  Number 8 --
  USS Arizona Memorial

  The nation forever changed after the morning of December 7, 1941. What had been passive concern for events happening continents away suddenly hit home in a deadly attack. Lest we forget, the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu's Pearl Harbor serves as a somber reminder to the momentous event that took place over 65 years ago, enabling visitors an up-close view of the Arizona's mostly submerged remains in addition to the other features and tributes at the memorial. It's not exactly a feel-good time when you visit, but it's still a reality check worth experiencing.
  
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• Empire State Building

  Number 7 --
  Empire State Building

  Not many American landmarks have their own zip code or have been depicted as a jungle gym for an ape. It doesn't seem possible for this 102-floor New York City landmark to have gone up so quickly, but it did, in one year and 45 days from 1930-31. Sure, it's a tourist trap (3.5 million yearly) and the lines for the elevators will keep you waiting to get to the 86th floor observation deck. But this just gives you more time to admire the art deco styling and ponder its place in our culture.
  
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• Liberty Bell

  Number 6 -- Liberty Bell

  Not many American landmarks have their own zip code or have been depicted as a jungle gym for an ape. It doesn't seem possible for this 102-floor New York City landmark to have gone up so quickly, but it did, in one year and 45 days from 1930-31. Sure, it's a tourist trap (3.5 million yearly) and the lines for the elevators will keep you waiting to get to the 86th floor observation deck. But this just gives you more time to admire the art deco styling and ponder its place in our culture.
  
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• Mount Rushmore National Park

  Number 5 -- Mount Rushmore National Park

  What other landmark was portrayed by having Cary Grant crawl around on presidents' heads? Even if one of North by Northwest's pivotal scenes wasn't filmed on the face of the monument, you'll still be moved by the granite-carved faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln against the Black Hills backdrop. It took Gutzon Borglum and a crew of 400 to create the monument between 1927 and 1941, but their efforts were certainly worth it.
  
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• Golden Gate Bridge

  Number 4 --
  Golden Gate Bridge

  Synonymous with the "City by the Bay," this landmark has to be driven, walked and then viewed from vista points to the northeast and southeast to be fully appreciated. Contrary to the belief of some, the bridge was not named because of its color (which isn't golden, but actually called "International Orange"). The name is related to Golden Gate Strait at the entrance of San Francisco Bay. Regardless, our No. 4 American landmark is more than just a way to get to and from the city.
  
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• Grand Canyon National Park

  Number 3 -- Grand Canyon National Park

  Let's not think about the toilet seat-shaped tourist trap that now defaces Grand Canyon West. Think of the "real" Grand Canyon when you visit one or both of its more pristine vantage points: the popular South Rim and the less-traveled but equally impressive North Rim. Whichever vantage point you choose, your breath will be taken away. The elevation doesn't help matters, but no wide angle lens can come close to interpreting the magnitude of our No. 3 American landmark.
  
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• National Mall & Memorial Parks in Washington DC

  Number 2 -- National Mall & Memorial Parks

  You can call it a cop-out or call it a catchall, but there are too many important American landmarks in our nation's capital to get selective. Some of the most important are on and around The Mall. Stand on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and you can almost hear Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reciting "I Have a Dream." Just steps away, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial will have a profound effect on you that you won't soon forget. Not much farther away, landmarks like The White House, Washington Monument and more round out our No. 2 American landmark.
  
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• Statue Of Liberty

  Number 1 -- Statue Of Liberty

  For the millions who have seen her in person, nothing comes close to this standout American landmark -- a gift from France, by the way. "Liberty Enlightening the World" is more commonly known as the Statue of Liberty, Lady Liberty or in this case, the ultimate American landmark. Visitors to the main attraction of Liberty Island haven't been allowed into the torch since 1916 or into the crown since 2001, but it really doesn't matter. There's no better view than from outside, where you can reflect on everything she represents.
  
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