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Government

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Nottinghamshire, England

Standard Hill

The English Civil War began right here in 1642.
Tony Nicholls Added by Tony Nicholls
Washington, D.C.

The Preamble in License Plates

The preamble to the U.S. Constitution written entirely from vanity license plates hangs in the Smithsonian museum.
e1savage Added by e1savage
Saint-Cloud, France

Le Grand K

The global standard for the exact mass of one kilogram sits under lock and key outside Paris.
Tony Dunnell Added by Tony Dunnell
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

Capitol Park

These ruins are all that's left of the former Alabama State Capitol.
Added by mbaas6
Fillmore, Utah

Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum

The only completed wing of Utah's first capitol is filled with artifacts and odd stories about its past.
Added by hwalker587
story
senate

Remembering One of the Most Violent Days in the History of the U.S. Senate

On May 22, 1856, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives caned a Senator into unconsciousness.
May 22, 2018
Blaenau Gwent, Wales

Aneurin Bevan Memorial Stones

A memorial to the British politician who spearheaded the National Health Service.
Dr Alan P Newman Added by Dr Alan P Newman
Old Whittington, England

Revolution House

A secret meeting in this small cottage changed the course of British history.
Dr Alan P Newman Added by Dr Alan P Newman
story
law

It's Soul-Crushing, But Don't Take the DMV for Granted

When rich, reckless drivers started tearing up streets, authorities needed a way to keep people safe.
March 27, 2018
Martinsburg, West Virginia

National Tracing Center

Endless rows of boxes of paper records line the hallways of the archaic federal facility where guns are traced.
lewblank Added by lewblank
story
public art

Can Street Art Be Moved Without Destroying It?

"Vermonica"—an L.A. fixture for 24 years—was moved without notice, sparking discussions about history, place, and what makes art, art.
January 24, 2018
Front Royal, Virginia

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

This sprawling farm was once a Cold War-era hideaway for the nation's top diplomats.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Fairfield, Pennsylvania

Raven Rock Mountain Complex

The Cold War-era "underground Pentagon" is a sprawling subterranean hideaway for the Defense Department.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Fort Meade, Maryland

Architect of the Capitol Archival Warehouse

A remote horde of architectural treasures fit for Indiana Jones.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

Alferd Packer Cannibal Plaque

A brass plaque dedicated to a convicted cannibal hangs in the National Press Club, and that's not even the craziest part of the story.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

Old Stone House

The oldest building in the District of Columbia was preserved because of a mistaken connection to George Washington.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

Missing Capitol Building Cornerstone

A promising candidate for the lost rock laid by George Washington was unearthed, but the hunt is still on.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter
Washington, D.C.

NIST Newton Apple Tree

A clone of a cloned tree that was so important it allegedly had its own guards.
Elliot Carter Added by Elliot Carter