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United States History : A Selective Guide to Information Sources  1994, Ron Blazek and Anna H Perrault. ISBN:0872879844 
A lengthy annotated bibliography, but a good starting point. Amazon

America's National Battlefield Parks 1990 Joseph E. Stevens. ISBN:0806122684 
Out of print but nonetheless useful listing with maps of most of the battles and driving and walking tours that explain the significance of what you see in terms of the battles.

An American Heritage Guide to Historic Houses of America editors of American Heritage. 
Long out of print, handy guide by state and town concentrates on architectural features and styles.

African American Historic Places 1994 ed. Beth L. Savage  ISBN:0471143456
A joint project led by the National Park Service, National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers and the National Trust, this book starts with several summary essays of African American history, and then lists, state by state, descriptions of houses, historic districts, churches, battlefields, and anything else on the National Register with a connection to the subject. Unfortunately, it does not reveal which places are open to the public or give telephone numbers for contact.  African American Historic Places at Amazon

Smithsonian Guide to Historic America (12 regional editions)
Each book is broken into States, the States are broken into regions, and the regions into cities (and some of the larger cities into areas).  Maybe the best feature is the brief state history at the beginning of each chapter.  If you are interested in a particular place, use the index. Smithsonian Guides  at Amazon

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A Field Guide to America's Historic Neighborhoods and Museum Houses The Western States 1998 Virginia and Lee McAlester ISBN:0679425691 (hard), ISBN:0375701729 (paper)
By the authors best known for their Field Guide to American Houses, this book begins most descriptions with lively discussions of each town or neighborhood's history, then gets down to what is physically and stylistically significant in each house or neighborhood.
Paper from Amazon

National Landmarks, America's Treasures 2000 S. Allen Chambers, Jr  ISBN:0471197645
Published under the auspices of the National Park Foundation, this books gives paragraph-length summaries of every property (buildings and districts) that has been declared a National  Historic Landmark.  National Landmarks, America's Treasures... at Amazon.

Presidential Places A Guide to the Historic Sites of US Presidents 1999 Gary Ferris ISBN:0895871769
Name by name, this book works it's way through the Presidents and lists place associated with their birth, homes, churches, schools, burial sites, other places associated with them or museum collections dedicated to them, with a section at the end on places associated with multiple presidents. 
 

The Early America Sourcebook 1996 Chuck Lawliss ISBN:0517883910
Although it doesn't say so, this book limits itself to places east of the Mississippi.  State-by-state, the author picks towns and notes a few of the better  house museums, small and special collections, and the occasional monument or historic site.  In some cases, accommodation recommendations, usually in historic properties