American history conjures up images of tricorn hats, “stars and stripes” and cobblestone streets of quaint colonial towns. The colonial era is certainly part of American history, but it’s only a small part of it. Evidence of human habitation in North America dates back 13,000 years. Some Signs of Human Habitation Dating Back to 20,000 Years AgoMillions of people have called the continent home over the centuries, and Native Americans, European explorers, merchants, and early settlers have all left their mark through America’s complex history. Many towns, villages, and cities that Americans created over the last thousand years still exist in some form today.

For more information on them, Stacker has compiled a list of the 50 oldest surviving cities in the country. There are some well-known historical places on this list, but you may also run into surprises you’ve probably never heard of. From Native American pueblos in the Southwest to famous colonial towns in the Northeast, these cities span nearly every region of the United States. A seaside place founded by a Spanish admiral. Even large cities founded by Quaker leaders.

The diversity of these cities reveals the diversity of the United States, from sea to sparkling sea. Read on to find out which cities in your state or region made the cut, and discover which states boast settlements dating back 1,000 years to her historic sites.

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