As a show of peace, a Japanese naval pilot gifted his 400-year-old Samurai sword to the Oregon town he bombed.

Make it an offering.

A forensic lab dedicated to fighting crimes against wildlife.

This extinct shield volcano is the lightning rod of the Cascades.

A plaque commemorates the spot in the Oregon woods where the first-ever Geocache was hidden.

All aboard the world's longest miniature railway.

According to legend, you must remain completely silent while passing this man-made mound or suffer the consequences.

The largest wooden building in the world now houses a fascinating collection of aircraft.

Home to the only outdoor municipal elevator in the United States.

This Portland shop is brimming with natural wonders, local art, and handmade goods fashioned from recycled materials.

At the base of Steens Mountain resides an otherworldly desert.

The U.S. Navy's last diesel-electric submarine rests half-submerged in the middle of Portland.

A tiny art gallery in Sunnyside helps keep Portland weird.

A sprawling cave network created by a lone lava tube.

Portland had a unique approach to Cold War-era protections.

There's something big lurking beneath the surface of this tiny Oregon park.

These machines have been collecting dust for decades.

Post office plaque commemorates local resistance to a cult invasion.

No two pieces are exactly the same at Portland's hippo-themed hardware store.

This unassuming cheese empire in rural Oregon churns out more than 150,000 pounds of cheese each day.

A botanic garden full of trees twisted into fantastic shapes and positions.

This great stone guardian of the forest is a relic from the land's volatile volcanic past.

The oldest tofu shop in the United States is a firm favorite with locals.

This historic steamboat is scuttled just a few hundred feet from where it was built over a hundred years ago.