Once known as the Illinois Asylum for the Incurable Insane.

One of two identical monuments marking the sites of military training encampments in Peoria, Illinois.

A massive bur oak tree believed to be some 500 years old is the centerpiece of this quiet urban greenspace.

A collection of 11 million buttons illustrates the human toll of the Holocaust.

The study has wall paneling from a 17th century ship.

The murals have transformed a residential alley into a vibrant drive-through gallery.

The carved remains of a 200-year-old oak tree memorialize the namesake of the iconic "Wizard of Oz" character.

This historic store hides a museum exhibiting a shoe-sizing x-ray machine and a pair of kicks that once belonged to the world's tallest man.

This titanic Catholic church in Chicago is also a refuge of the fictional cult-favorite wizard detective Harry Dresden.

This rare female version of the Muffler Man has its clothes removed each summer to signal the start of pool season.

A historic and oft-filmed prison stands in a Chicago suburb.

Julia Buccola Petta's body was peculiarly well-preserved when it was exhumed six years after her death.

A towering Art Deco movie palace made to look like a Mayan temple.

Fresh wooden posts have been added to ancient holes to recreate a primitive henge clock.

Where dioramas can follow you home.

A hidden grotto on the grounds of the Kane County Government Center.

This cemetery is all that remains of a school for "wayward" girls.

An outdoor urban gallery of large-scale artworks by the world's most influential street artists.

A historic beacon built in the aftermath of the worst maritime disaster on the Great Lakes.

This Mediterranean castle was built for a millionaire and his giant dog.

The world's third-largest scale model of the planets.

Buy a token from the liquor store and you can make this beast spew flames on command.

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.

Oversized statues are just the tip of this nostalgic Americana roadside attraction.