matthewtaub's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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rap

For Sale: Biggie's Crown, and Other Icons of Hip-Hop History

There's lots to intrigue West Coasters, too.
September 9, 2020
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baseball

Why Jackie Robinson's Hall of Fame Plaque Had to Change

The legendary athlete wanted to be remembered as a great baseball player, regardless of race, but history has its demands.
September 2, 2020
Gastro Obscura
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crops

The Unexpected Elegance of Irrigation Systems From Above

Architect Ronald Rael is documenting this aerial perspective.
August 26, 2020
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for sale

These Protest Photos Document Life in 'Resurrection City'

In 1968, thousands of protesters camped on the National Mall as part of the Poor People's Campaign.
August 18, 2020
Gastro Obscura
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window

The Coronavirus Is Bringing Back Florence's Wine Windows

This isn't the first time they've come in handy during a pandemic.
August 11, 2020
Gastro Obscura
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whiskey

For Sale: Shipwrecked Whisky That Spent Decades Underwater

Winning bidder take note: It is not safe to drink.
August 5, 2020
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ireland

For Sale: The Most Haunted Mansion in Ireland

Loftus Hall holds tales of Satan, colonialism, and getting stood up by the Queen.
July 29, 2020
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edison

Sold: An 1891 Patent by Granville T. Woods, Innovative Black Engineer

Woods was prolific, but was largely forgotten for many years after his death.
July 22, 2020
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opera

Do These Tubes Hold the Oldest Known Stereo Recordings?

In 1901, a traveling researcher recorded some Chinese opera, and accidentally made music history.
July 15, 2020
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abraham lincoln

Found: A Letter From Frederick Douglass, About the Need for Better Monuments

It was discovered "forensically," thanks to Douglass's distinctive usage of an unusual word.
July 8, 2020
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einstein

For Sale: Proof That Legendary Scientists Were Real People, Too

Letters and trinkets show off the personal sides of Einstein, Hawking, and Schrödinger.
July 1, 2020
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funeral

A New Archive Digitizes More Than a Century of Black American Funeral Programs

A chronicle of lives lived from before the Civil War to today.
June 24, 2020
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coronavirus

The 'Boccaccio Project' Is Capturing the Music of Quarantine

The series joins a growing list of real-time archival initiatives.
June 17, 2020
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nazis

Three Headstones in American Military Cemeteries Bear Swastikas

But not for much longer.
June 10, 2020
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coronavirus

This Mural in Queens Highlights COVID-19's Impact on People of Color

An image of a brave doctor, large enough to be seen from space.
June 2, 2020
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united states

For Sale: The First Printing of 'The Star-Spangled Banner'

A celebration of freedom, published next to advertisements for the slave trade.
May 27, 2020
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youth

The Museum of Youth Culture Wants Your Teenage Memories

Your awkward, rebellious stage, it turns out, is history.
May 20, 2020
Gastro Obscura
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gender

Tips for Responsible Drinking, From 16th-Century Germany

The writer was concerned about the rise of binge-drinking bros.
May 13, 2020
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art history

'Mail Art' Makes a Comeback During Quarantine

All you need is an idea, an envelope, and a stamp.
May 6, 2020
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treehouses

The Life and Fiery Death of the World's Biggest Treehouse

Its dedicated, sagelike maker isn't at all upset.
May 4, 2020
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quarantine

How to Quarantine in a Ghost Town

Cerro Gordo has been abandoned since 1957. Now one man is social distancing there by himself.
April 29, 2020
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new jersey

For Sale: An Abandoned Cold War Missile Launch Site by the Side of the Road

It's a ghost town, but it's got a pool.
April 22, 2020
Gastro Obscura
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extinct eats

'Extinct' Apple Varieties Are Actually Everywhere

10 were discovered over just the last few months.
April 17, 2020
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moon

For Sale: A Slice of Stunning, Anomalous Moon Rock Meteorite

It waited 1,000 years in the desert, just for you.
April 15, 2020