Standing in a state of "arrested decay," this ghost town allows for a detailed peek into Gold Rush life in an unusually harsh climate.

Aqueducts have dramatically changed this old lake, now home to tufa towers and its very own species of tiny brine shrimp.

The first U.S. town to secede from the Union, only to vote themselves right back in.

An enchanting tunnel of cypress trees leads to an old morse code station still used today.

A poignant memorial to a young boy whose death spurred a dramatic increase in organ donations in Italy—dubbed the "Nicholas Effect."

Founded in 1873 to support the needs of the gold mines flourishing nearby, this is the last water-powered foundry in the United States.

The tallest bridge in California was constructed for a project that was eventually cancelled.

This 19th century hydroelectric powerhouse was the first of its kind.

This diner's a kitschy dreamland for anyone whose heart is stuck in the 1980s.

Before it was abandoned and left to rust alongside the road, this riverboat starred in a John Wayne movie.

This graffiti-covered bridge is the quintessential vision of a place for disillusioned youth to escape the complexities of burgeoning adulthood.

The only standing town in the United States that early Chinese Americans built for themselves.

Over 300 taxidermied animals in a Californian restaurant make for a taxidermist's dream and an animal lover's nightmare.