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World’s Largest M in Platteville
Four miles northeast of Platteville, a gigantic white “M” dominates the landscape. At 241 feet high and 214 feet wide, it is the world’s largest “M”. Set at a 45-degree angle and facing south, the landmark proudly celebrates the region’s mining heritage.
Alton Military Prison Site in Alton
Alton, Illinois's State Penitentiary officially opened in 1833, making it the first state prison in Illinois. It was used to incarcerate convicted criminals from across the state and later served as a military prison. During the Civil War, the facility became the Alton Military Prison and was used to hold Confederate prisoners of war. More than 11,000 Confederate soldiers were held there before the prison closed.
Macedonian Tomb of Agios Athanasios in Agios Athanasios
Encased safely inside a concrete protective shell beneath a 12-metre-high burial mound (tumulus) is a late 4th-century BC Macedonian tomb holding a breathtaking secret: flawlessly preserved, 2,400-year-old fresco paintings.
Statue of Žorik in Tallinn
Žorik was the best-known dog in Tallinn for most of his roughly fifteen years alive, at a time when free-roaming dogs had already grown rare in the city. Born in 2007 in Kalamaja, once a working-class fishing district that has since gentrified, he lost his first owner as a puppy and spent most of his life on the streets nearby.
Wood Street Steps in Philadelphia
The Wood Street Steps are the last surviving examples of 10 or more stairways Philadelphia founder William Penn commissioned along the original Delaware Riverbank.
High Shoals Falls in Hiawassee
High Shoals Falls is a secluded waterfall. To get there you must access the trailhead on Indian Grave Gap Rd in Hiawassee, Ga. The drive up the mountain is exhilarating.
Tiptree Jam Museum in Tiptree
If you have stayed in hotels in the UK, you likely got a mini jam from Wilkin & Sons at your breakfast buffet. In a converted barn on the grounds of the Wilkin & Sons preserve factory in an Essex village, the Tiptree Jam Museum tells the story of one of Britain's most beloved jam brands. The entrance is marked by a long, retro-looking pole which was in fact the Tiptree Jam Factory's chimney from 1984 to 2021.
Gold Rush Cabin in Dawson City
No one knows exactly when Dawson City's Gold Rush Cabin was built, but historical records place it here by 1900 and suggest it may be somewhat older. Its earliest documented connections are to the Trading & Exploring Company, one of the businesses operating in Dawson as the frenzy of the Klondike Gold Rush was beginning to subside.
Atlas Obscura’s Guide to America’s Most Haunted Cemeteries
It’s nice to imagine death as an endless deep sleep, but not everyone is so lucky. In cemeteries across the U.S., you’ll find souls whose final resting places are not, in fact, restful at all. Perhaps they died with scores unsettled or, perhaps, their graves were ravaged by greedy developers. Sometimes, heartbreak rendered them unable to move on peacefully; in other cases, they simply couldn’t resist the chance to toy with their living visitors.
Oculus Tower in Ferrara
At first glance, the Oculus Tower looks more like a futuristic arena than part of an old distillery. Rising from the remains of the former Eridania industrial complex in Ferrara, this seven-story circular concrete structure was once the heart of a large alcohol-production plant.
The Reading Room in Chattanooga
Is there a better pairing than a good book and a great drink? You can find both at this cozy bar on the east side of Chattanooga. But the books lining the walls of the Reading Room are not just decoration. They are for sale, and their journey began, appropriately enough, at the library.
It All Comes Together in Chattanooga
Chattanooga may be best known for its natural beauty, surrounded by mountains, valleys, and the Tennessee River. This charming Appalachian city is also home to annual music festivals like the IBMA World of Bluegrass and the 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival. The streets and venues fill with musicians and fans dedicated to upholding the traditions of bluegrass music.
Eastern California Museum in Independence
100 years ago, if you lived long enough in the rural American West, it was entirely reasonable, that at some point, you might find yourself with a ever shrinking amount of teeth and a surplus of coyotes. Such was the position George Washington Hancock found himself in the early part of the twentieth century in Independence, California. In desperate need of dentures and lacking the funds for professional pair from a dentist, George decided to take matters into his own hands.
Jason Miller Statue in Scranton
In 2009 Jason Miller, who played Father Karras in The Exorcist and won a Pulitzer Prize for writing That Championship Season, was immortalized forever with his bronze statue in Scranton Courthouse Square.
The Best Haunted Hotels to Book for a Spooky Getaway
Nothing beats staying in a hotel whose suites hold some stories — especially if they’re of the spooky variety. The same friends who roll their eyes at mentions of luxury amenities and amazing views will be wide-eyed when you tell them about the ghost you accidentally ate breakfast with, the wailings you heard on your way to the icebox, or your run-in with an uncanny Victorian woman wearing all black. Booking a room at a regular old hotel will give you a few nice photos and a comfy robe;
Is Alton, Illinois America’s Most Haunted Small Town?
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. Troy Taylor: There’s a story about a phantom riverboat that I always liked, about how if you heard the riverboat whistle blow on a foggy morning but you never saw the boat, that meant that someone who worked down on the docks was going to die within the next seven days. Amanda McGowan: A lot of old waterfront towns really play up the quaint and cutesy factor, you know, with a brunch cruise on a steamboat or something like that.
14 Real Places That Haunt the Pages of Literature
One of literature’s greatest gifts is its ability to transport us to other worlds: some utopian and fantastical, others dark and unnerving, scary and supernatural
On the Trail of the Mothman
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. Amanda McGowan: Every small town has that one spot where people sneak off to at night. In Point Pleasant, West Virginia, back in the 1960s, that place was the McClintic Wildlife Management Area. The locals called it the TNT area. During World War II, this had been a giant munitions factory that produced explosives, but after the war, the factory closed, the land was open to the public, and you could wander around the crumbling remains of all the buildings there.
Podcast: The Thompson Ice House
Hey everybody. It is Dylan here and I'm walking through my kitchen and I'm going to do something that I now pretty much take for granted every day. I'm going to walk up to my fridge — I'm holding a glass here — and I'm going to press a little lever and that is ice magically falling out of the fridge into my glass. and then I can put water in it. I still think it's like one of the most luxurious things in the world. But 100 years ago, getting ice was a much more complicated endeavor.
Where to Find the World’s Best Soup
20,000 BC was a monumental year in history. Why? The first pot of soup was crafted in a cave in modern-day China. To create their savory broth, prehistoric humans boiled animal bones and entrails in crude pits, then slurped their handiwork from some of the world’s earliest ceramic bowls.
Cryptid Tourism: The Best Museums, Destinations & Festivals Across America
What is a cryptid? A cryptid is an animal whose existence has been suggested but not proven by science—creatures like Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, the Chupacabra, and the Jersey Devil. The term comes from cryptozoology, the study of “hidden animals.” Quick Reference: Cryptid Destinations at a Glance Destination Location Cryptid Hours Admission Access Notes International Cryptozoology Museum Bangor, ME