janevanwoert's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Mecca, California

Salton Sea

The ghostly remains of an accidental sea.
Hayward, Wisconsin

Shrine to Anglers

143 feet of leaping muskie whose mouth can be used as a wedding venue.
Dodgeville, Wisconsin

C-97 Stratofreighter at the Don Q Inn

One of the last surviving C-97s sits in a field in front of a Wisconsin inn.
Dickeyville, Wisconsin

The Dickeyville Grotto

A tribute to the twin ideals of religion and patriotism, built by a Catholic priest from rocks, glass, and innumerable found items.
Baraboo, Wisconsin

Circus World Museum

A large circus museum with summer performances.
Sister Bay, Wisconsin

Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant

Restaurant in Northern Wisconsin comes with a unique feature: a grassy roof covered in living goats.
Spring Green, Wisconsin

House on the Rock

A bizarre house filled with an astounding array of collections.
Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Times They Are A-Changin'

This kaleidoscopic mural shows Bob Dylan throughout his transition from young troubadour to Nobel laureate.
St. Joseph, Minnesota

Saint John's Abbey Church

A jaw-dropping brutalist space church seems to have crash-landed in the middle of America.
Lake Itasca, Minnesota

Headwaters of the Mississippi River

At this Minnesota state park you can easily wade across the source of the mighty Mississippi.
Minneapolis, Minnesota

The Stone Arch Bridge

The only arched bridge made of stone on the entire Mississippi River.
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Spoonbridge and Cherry

A toweringly silly piece of modern art has been delighting locals since the 1980s.
Bloomington, Minnesota

The Mall of America

Equal parts record-breaking temple to consumerism and bizarre fun park, it's more than you think it is...
Minneapolis, Minnesota

Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum

20,000 pieces in a Frank Gehry-designed building.
Batavia, Illinois

Fermilab

World's second largest particle accelerator, where nature reveals its secrets.
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Cedar Rapids Municipal Island

One of just a few cities in the world to base their center of government on an island. Others: Paris and Osaka.
Anamosa, Iowa

Stone City

Remnants of a quarry company town still stand on the banks of the Wapsipinicon River.
Maharishi Vedic City, Iowa

Maharishi Vedic City

An unlikely Transcendental Meditation haven in the American Heartland built around the ancient Vedic principles of balance and harmony.
Ames, Iowa

Grant Wood Murals

The “American Gothic" artist's largest works hang in an Iowa State University library.
Iowa City, Iowa

University of Iowa Museum of Natural History

The oldest university museum west of the Mississippi retains its 19th century feel.
Burlington, Iowa

Snake Alley

While there are no actual snakes in the history of this crooked road, there may be a number of dead horses.
Des Moines, Iowa

Pappajohn Sculpture Park

Millions of dollars worth of sculpture decorate this Iowa city center.
Mount Vernon, Iowa

American Gothic Barn

A hidden barn-sized rendition of Grant Wood's most famous, and most parodied, painting.
Walcott, Iowa

Iowa 80 Truck Stop

The world’s largest truck stop includes a barber shop, chiropractor, and a huge museum with antique trucks.