The 23 UNESCO World Heritage Sites That You Can Find in the US
After the Department of State announced that the US will be withdrawing from UNESCO as a member, we thought it would a good idea to remind you where you can find America’s World Heritage Sites.
Since 1978, UNESCO has established 23 cultural and historic sites within the US. Most of these sites are also National Parks, so it is unlikely that they will encounter any immediate negative affects. This is also not the first time the US has left UNESCO: President Reagan withdrew from the organization in 1984, while the Obama administration cut off payments to the organization in 2011. Both these administrations and others have cited “anti-Israel bias” as a cause for criticism. But by giving up UNESCO membership, the US is forfeiting its obligation to fund the protection of other sites across the globe, including sites at risk from climate change and warfare.
Founded in 1945, the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was established to, “contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information”, according to its website.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites span every corner of the US, from San Juan to Hawaii, California to Virginia, and we at Matador feel lucky to have every one of them. 
1. Mesa Verde National Park in Montezuma County, Colorado
Photo: Colin D. Young/Shutterstock
2. Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Montana and Idaho
Photo: Lorcel/Shutterstock
3. Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve in Yukon, Alaska
Photo: Maridav/Shutterstock
4. Grand Canyon National Park in northern Arizona
Photo: Nikolas_jkd/Shutterstock
5. Everglades National Park in southern Florida
Photo: Shutterstock/John Apte
(the only “in danger” UNESCO site in the US)
6. Independence National Historical Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
7. Redwoods National and State Parks in Humboldt County, California
Photo: Stephen Moehle/Shutterstock
8. Mammoth Cave National Park in central Kentucky
Photo: TravelEatShoot/Shutterstock
9. Olympic National Park in northwestern Washington
Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
10. Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina
Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
11. La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Photo: Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
12. Statue of Liberty National Monument in New York, New York
Photo: Sanchai Kumar/Shutterstock
13. Yosemite National Park in Madera County, California
Photo: Sopotnicki/Shutterstock
14. Chaco Culture National Historic Park in San Juan County, New Mexico
Photo: Sopotnicki/Shutterstock
15. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii County, Hawaii
Photo: jo Crebbin/Shutterstock
16. Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia
Photo: BrianPIrwin/Shutterstock
17. Taos Pueblo in Taos, New Mexico
Photo: Nick Fox/Shutterstock
18. Carlsbad Caverns National Park in Eddy County, New Mexico
Photo: Doug Meek/Shutterstock
19. Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Glacier County, Montana
Photo: Scott Prokop/Shutterstock
20. Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument in Hawaii and Midway Atoll
21. San Antonio Missions in San Antonio, Texas
Photo: Shutterstock/Kushal Bose
22. Cahokia in St. Clair County, Illinois
Photo: Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock
23. Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point in West Carroll Parish, Louisiana
Photo: The Southern Gentleman/Shutterstock
