A notorious Route 66 eatery once frequented by Al Capone.

A mythical bird etched into the face of a rock doubles as the mascot for a nearby school.

The legacy of an unsolved, gruesome murder rests beneath the spans of this historic bridge.

The multinational Burger King chain is banned from operating within 20 miles of a family restaurant filed under the same name.

One of the largest carillons in the world, this giant instrument has 67 cast-iron bells played by a keyboard.

The poet’s boyhood home is now dedicated to celebrating his life and legacy.

The history of funerals and funerary customs.

While he no longer has an eatery to give him context, this off-brand Paul Bunyan still holds his giant hot dog with pride.

An amazing collection of scale model ships.

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.

Hidden in the grounds of the Fort Dodge Museum is a "real" and terrifying petrified giant.

This tiny site in Iowa, part of a patchwork national wildlife refuge, is home to ancient flora and fauna.

Chilly air billows out from the entrance of an abandoned mine on a steep hillside, providing a refuge for Ice Age fauna and flora.

In rural Iowa, an imported 19th-century windmill overlooks an unlikely enclave of Danish culture.

A half-mile long and three stories high, this bridge over the Des Moines River Valley mimics a descent into a mine shaft.

Beating out all other concrete competitors, this massive garden feature's pointy hat has earned it a world record.

Ornate limestone building now filled with geologic specimens, and more.

The first spinning jail built in the United States is the only one that still turns.

This quirky Arkansas wax museum does not shy away from the macabre and the grotesque.

This century-old roadside attraction is full of bizarre rock formations.

The only diamond mine in the world where you can keep what you find.

The only surviving prototype for Buckminster Fuller's house of the future.

This freshwater spring fills with 10,000 gallons of water per minute.