The following sites of interest are all in or around the city of Edinburgh and the region of Scotland.
Other areas of interest include :
- Cultural Connections in London
- Cultural Connections in Northern Ireland
- Cultural Connections in Wales
Alexander Graham Bell Birthplace
The inventor of the (landline !) telephone was born in Edinburgh on 3rd March 1847.
His family emigrated to Canada in 1870 and the following year Bell moved to the United States to teach.
In 1888, Bell was one of the founding members of the National Geographic Society, and served as its president from 1896 to 1904, also helping to establish its journal.
Although no museums commemorate his life in Scotland, a bank note was issued for the 150th anniversary of his birth.
Address:
14 South Charlotte Street
Edinburgh,
United Kingdom
American Monument on the Oa
Built in the shape of a lighthouse, the American Monument stands on a 429 feet-high cliff on the Oa Peninsula, located in the Isle of Islay.
It was designed by architect Robert Walker and built in 1920 by the American Red Cross.
The monument commemorates the loss of two troop ships in 1918, the Tuscania and the Otranto and the location overlooks the very spot where the Tuscania sunk.
Address
Mull of Oa
Isle of Islay
Argyll and Bute PA42 7AU
Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American steel baron who died the richest man in the world after founding what would become U.S. Steel.
Carnegie is now famous for his philanthropic fund that has also preserved his birthplace in Dunfermline.
The city is filled with buildings donated by Mr. Carnegie. For more information about preserved sites see their website at www.carnegiebirthplace.com
Address:
Moodie Street
Dunfermline
Fife, KY12 7PL
Big Tree Country
Big Tree Country contains many California Redwood trees including the first Redwoods planted outside of California.
Big Tree Country is in the greater Perthshire area.
Buffalo Bill Statue
Regency Homes commissioned this statue and an accompanying plaque after discovering the site of its Dennistoun Village complex was also the location in the early 1890s of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.The first line of the plaque reads:
“Buffalo Bill brought his Wild West Show to Dennistoun, Glasgow, in October 1891, and it opened on the 16th of November and closed on the 27th of February 1892.”
Address:
Whitehill Place
Glasgow
Glasgow City G31 2BB
Declaration of Arbroath
The Declaration of Arbroath was one of the influences of the Declaration of Independence and can be seen in the Museum.
One-third of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence were of Scottish descent. Visit the Museum website for complete details.
Address: National Museum of Scotland, Castlehill, Edinburgh, EH1
David Douglas Hometown
David Douglas was a Scottish naturalist and explorer who traveled across the United States collecting plant species.
The Douglas Fir is named after him!
A large Douglas Fir planted with a seed sent to Scone by Mr. Douglas stands at the Scone Palace in memory of his life.
Address:
Scone, Perth and Kinross
PH2
United Kingdom
Edinburgh Civil War Memorial
This memorial is a testament to the Scottish men who gave their lives fighting in the American Civil War.
The memorial consists of a statue of President Abraham Lincoln with one free and one crouching slave.
The American Civil War Round Table (ACWRT) website has more details.
Address:
Calton Hill
Edinburgh
EH1
United Kingdom
The Forbes Trail Marker
This memorial commemorates the achievements of General John Forbes, who is credited with turning the tide of American history in favor of British forces in the Seven Years War when he defeated the French, capturing a strategically important fort and founding what is now Pittsburgh.
The marker was gifted by the people of Pennsylvania, and it stands alongside the Forbes’ ancestral home, Pittencrieff House.
Address:
Pittencrieff Park
Dunfermline
Fife KY12 8QH
John Paul Jones Cottage Museum
John Paul Jones was a Scottish born American naval officer who waged war on British trading ships during the Revolutionary Period.
His birthplace was turned into a museum. More details can be found online at the John Paul Jones Cottage Museum website.
Address:
Arbigland Estate
Kirkbean
DG2 8BQ
The John Paul Jones Cottage Museum website has these area maps.
John Muir Walk
John Muir was the founder of the U.S. National Park system and was voted the most famous Californian of all time.
He was born in Dunbar, and the Dunbar John Muir Association hosts a guided walk through the town to a number of sites about his life.
Address:
Dunbar
East Lothian
EH42
McCune Smith Cafe
This cafe takes its name from Dr. James McCune Smith, the black intellectual and abolitionist who was the first African-American in the world to hold a medical degree, which he received from Glasgow University’s Old College after being refused entry to American institutions on account of his race.
Address:
McCune Smith
5 Duke Street
Glasgow G4 0UL
Scottish-American War Memorial
The Memorial serves as a monument to the soldiers of WWI and features a seated and kilted soldier.
The Memorial was donated by the United States and is familiarly known as “The Call.”
For more information on the Memorial see the Scotsman newspaper article and the Canmore National Record of the Historic Environment.
Address:
West Princes Street Gardens
Edinburgh EH2
Alexander Wilson Statue
Alexander Wilson (1808-1814) emigrated from Scotland to the United States and is most famous for his work American Ornithology, a fully illustrated guide to the birds of North America.
His statue is outside Paisley Abbey.
Address:
Paisley Abbey
Paisley
University of Edinburgh
This world-renowned university was the place of study for many Americans, including: James Blair, the founder and first president of the College of William and Mary; James Wilson, signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence; and John Witherspoon, signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence and ancestor of American actress Reese Witherspoon. See also the University’s website for historical detail.
Address: Old College, South Bridge, Edinburgh EH8 9YL
Website: www.ed.ac.uk
Disclaimer
This listing of events, performances and other activities is for information purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement by the U.S. Embassy. All opinions expressed by the artists, writers, and performers participating or contributing to the events listed are those solely of the participants and contributors and not of the United States Government or its designated representatives. Listing information is believed to be correct at the time it is listed but the U.S. Embassy accepts no liability for subsequent changes to these details and no reliance should be placed upon them.
