This alley in downtown Chicago held the bodies of over 600 people after the fateful Iroquois Theatre fire.

A shining sculpture made of 3,115 lights, the number of visible stars in the Northern Hemisphere.

River pirates, murderous bandits, and serial killers used this Illinois cave as their debauched hideout.

Chicago's museum dedicated to the history of bondage and fetishism is more textbook than titillation.

These abandoned grain silos and tunnels are an urban exploration dream.

Shop of curiosities with a dinosaur museum tucked in its basement.

Nonprofit art center that promotes outsider, intuitive, and self-taught art.

Chicago's largest cemetery is full of beautiful Victorian monuments and more than a few ghost stories.

A hollow cement depiction of time's inexorable effect on the human body.

A haunting statue called "Eternal Silence" has quite the reputation among visitors with active imaginations.

This unauthorized stone mermaid was secretly carved out of public stone before being permanently preserved.

A once-booming Mississippi River town with a history of racial violence is now eerie and mostly abandoned.

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

A lush green oasis in the middle of Chicago.

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

A humble homemade ride attracts visitors from around the globe to this small Midwestern town.

If astronomy had a ghost, it would look like this observatory.

The Fun Farm weaves fairy tales, myths, and magic into a magnificent collection for visitors to explore.

At the turn of the century, a chair like rock sat at the top of the falls and hosted the winner of a local beauty contest.

A unique outdoor timepiece at a "clothing-optional" resort.

Walk in the footsteps of the famed astronaut at Purdue University.

Discover a beautiful natural paradise, minutes away from a thriving city.

This grave marks the final resting place of pioneer John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed.