Use the History API with jQuery AJAX

ajax.history.js

// define asset paths
viewPath = 'view/';
clientPath = 'client/';
designPath = 'design/';

// cache some vars
$doc = $(document);
$app = $("#application");

// initial page view
defaultPage = 'splash.html';

// 404 redirect
fourZeroFour = '404.html';

// dynamically obtain a list of current views via a php file
$.get(viewPath + "views.php", function(data) {
    localStorage['views'] = data;
});
var views = localStorage['views'];
localStorage.removeItem['views'];

// default web directory for the application
rootDirectory = window.location.pathname.replace(window.location.pathname.split("/").pop(), "");

if (location.pathname.search('html') > -1) {
    href = location.pathname.split("/").pop();
    if (localStorage['referrerView'] !== (viewPath + href)) {
        history.pushState({}, "URL", href);
    }
    var href = viewPath + href;
} else {
    if (localStorage['referrerView'] !== (viewPath + defaultPage)) {
        history.pushState({}, "URL", rootDirectory);
    }
    var href = viewPath + defaultPage;
}

// loads the requested page
_loadView = function(href) {
    // because we redirect to index.php on 404, xhr.state() will always equal "resolved"
    // so, we need to creatively identify a 404 redirect
    viewsArr = JSON.parse(views);
    if (viewsArr.indexOf(href) === -1 && location.pathname !== rootDirectory) {
        // 404
        href = viewPath + fourZeroFour;
    }
    if (location.pathname !== rootDirectory) {
        href = location.pathname.split("/").pop();
        if (viewsArr.indexOf(href) === -1) {
            // 404
            href = fourZeroFour;
        }
        href = viewPath + href;
    }

    $app.load(href, function(response, status, xhr) {
        localStorage['referrerView'] = href;
        $('body').trigger('viewReady');
    });
};

// when back/forward is clicked
$(window).on("popstate", function(e) {
    _loadView(location.href);
});

// when [data-view] is clicked load new view
$(document).on("click", "[data-view]", function() {
    url = $(this).attr("data-view");
    href = url;
    // redirect to external page if one is passed
    if (url.indexOf('http') > -1) {
        window.open(url);
        return;
    }
    history.pushState({}, '', href);
    _loadView(href);
    return false;
});

// initial page view
//console.log('Attempting to load: ' + href);
_loadView(href);