10 Most Charming Town Squares In The United States
Six evenings a week in Jackson, costumed outlaws stage a gunfight under elk-antler arches on the town square. Solvang answers with six Danish windmills and a bakery that still turns out gingerbread houses. These squares earn their place by doing the work their founders started. Dahlonega keeps its Gold Rush alive in a courthouse with gold dust baked into the bricks. St. Augustine has gathered its people on the same plaza since 1573. The United States holds ten squares where the original purpose never quit.
Carthage, Missouri
Carthage's town square also revolves around a courthouse. The Jasper County Courthouse showcases the history and culture of the town by displaying an exhibit on Route 66 and a selection of military artifacts. The Carthage Deli is a retro-style diner bordering the square with a checkerboard floor and 1950s décor that has been serving travelers on Route 66 for years. The Battle of Carthage Civil War Museum commemorates the first full-scale land battle of the Civil War with a wall-sized mural depicting the Battle of Carthage. Koka Art Gallery features various mediums of art, including prints, pottery, jewelry, and Route 66-themed gifts.
Healdsburg, California
Healdsburg lies at the confluence of three major wine-growing regions, and the Healdsburg Plaza is a concentration of wine experiences. The plaza is a gathering place for the community, equipped with a shaded gazebo, benches, picnic areas, and hosts the Healdsburg Farmers Market. Two dozen local farms showcase their produce, cuts of meat, artisanal bread, and other prepared food products while live music enhances the atmosphere. Marine Layer Wines offers daily tastings of wine that are produced on some of the best vineyards along the California coast. The Paul Mahder Gallery showcases contemporary art only a half a block away from the plaza.
Granbury, Texas
The Hood County Courthouse and Historic Granbury Square are the first in Texas to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. With over 40 historic landmarks around Granbury, the town square is the pinnacle of its historic preservation. The Granbury Opera House has been restored to its 1886 form and hosts eight to ten productions throughout the year. The Hood County Jail Museum is housed inside an 1885 jail where the cells, gallows, and sheriff's quarters remain intact. They are filled with artifacts and memorabilia showcasing the history of Hood County. The Eighteen Ninety Grille and Lounge is housed inside a former movie theater, serving Texas cuisine, like a variety of cuts of steak accompanied by classic southern sides.
Bardstown, Kentucky
Anchored by the Nelson County Old Courthouse, Bardstown's town square is at the center of one of Kentucky's oldest communities. Today, the town square is surrounded by bourbon-related businesses, an industry for which Bardstown is best known. The Old Talbott Tavern is a historic tavern built in 1779 and home to the oldest bourbon bar in the world. Chicken Cock Whiskey Circa 1856 offers tours on the distillery process and tasting of one of America's oldest whiskey brands. The annual Bourbon City Street Concert is held behind the courthouse square each year, filling two blocks of North Third Street with food, drinks, and live music.
Jackson, Wyoming
Jackson Town Square keeps the Old West alive, where visitors enter the square under elk antler archways at each corner. The Jackson Hole Town Square Shootout takes place Monday through Saturday from late May until Labor Day. Actors dressed as cowboys, outlaws, and saloon girls engage in gunfights, dancing, and singing. Million Dollar Cowboy Bar is located on the town square and decorated with animal mounts on the walls, cowboy murals, and saddles for barstools. The Jackson Hole History Museum covers over 11,000 years of human history in the valley and region through galleries, tours, and historic cabins.
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is regarded as America's original seaside resort destination. The Washington Street Mall is the town square, a pedestrian-only outdoor shopping mall that spans three brick-lined blocks of shopping, dining, and specialty stores. The mall has many benches, gardens, trees, and string lights. Rotary Park is behind the mall, dotted with benches along its brick-lined paths, and features a water fountain and Victorian bandstand. Dellas 5 & 10 has been a staple for vacationers in Cape May since 1934, selling apparel, beach chairs, and towels, and has a retro soda fountain for refreshments. Between late June and early September, local musicians perform in the mall at the Music on the Mall festival.
Dahlonega, Georgia
Dahlonega is known for its Gold Rush history, which is celebrated at its town square. The Dahlonega Gold Museum is housed inside the oldest existing courthouse in Georgia. The bricks it is composed of even contain trace amounts of gold. The Smith House is the former home of a successful Gold Rush baron located just one block away from the downtown square. It is a family-style diner and inn, serving southern staples like fried chicken. The 1875 Chestatee River Diving Bell was used to help miners dig for gold at the bottom of the Chestatee River. It is located in Hancock Park, an open green space used for events just off the town square.
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Contiguous United States, founded by the Spanish. Plaza de la Constitución sits at the center of it. The plaza has been a part of the town since 1573 and is bordered by several historic monuments, like the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine. The interior of the cathedral is decorated with murals, relics, stained glass, and sculptures. Concerts in the Plaza is a free concert series held every Thursday from after Memorial Day until before Labor Day, featuring performances from local and regional musicians. The Spanish Bakery and Café utilizes old Florida recipes to make authentic empanadas and picadillo.
Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Across the border in Arkansas, Eureka Springs' town square, Basin Springs Park, is built on top of the natural spring that founded the town. Elements that mark it as the birthplace of the town include a limestone fountain and a wishing well. The Basin Park Concert Series is an annual summer outdoor concert series where local and regional musicians perform in different genres. The Balcony Bar and Restaurant overlooks the park, giving patrons open-air dining while enjoying the live entertainment taking place below. The Eureka Springs Historical Museum narrates the history of Eureka Springs as a health resort town through a mixture of permanent and temporary exhibits.
Solvang, California
Solvang Village Square brings Denmark to California by showcasing Danish architecture with its windmill-lined downtown streets. The Solvang Windmill is one of six windmills and is located on Alisal Road. The Solvang Bakery is adjacent to the windmill. It specializes in Danish pastries and gingerbread houses that are hallmarks of the town's cultural identity. The Elverhøj Museum of History and Art is built in a style reminiscent of 18th-century Danish farmhouses. It contains artifacts and multimedia displays about the history of Solvang. The Hans Christian Andersen Museum celebrates the legacy of the famed Danish author, including insights into his life and work.
Town Squares That Still Carry Their History
These town squares reflect the history and culture that shaped them, not as gimmicks, but as a continuation of local identity. Whether shaped by the Gold Rush, European heritage, or the Old West, these ten towns remain places where their origins are not just preserved, but still actively lived in.
