The last masonry skyscraper ever built reveals a transitional moment in architectural history.

A 19th-century horse lover's bequest led to the construction of this unique fountain in Chicago.

A one-armed veteran of the Battle of Waterloo lies in a cemetery for one in the middle of a Chicago scrapyard.

A Chicago Movie Palace Lost to Time.

This monolithic statue was erected in honor of Chief Black Hawk (even if it wasn't made to look like him).

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

These chunky stone towers out in Lake Michigan are the key to Chicago’s drinking water.

One of the first historical sites of an alternative universe was installed in the town of Paris, Illinois—which is now home to an annual spelling bee of Kcymaerxthaereal words.

Chicago was once a major hub of film production, but being silent film you don’t hear much about it.

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

Today this bizarre rooftop phone booth seems like a piece of kitsch but it was once used to spot disastrous storms.

Where dioramas can follow you home.

A goddess-topped water fountain in Chicago was created thanks to the dreams of a thirsty newsboy.

The famous author's birthplace is preserved in a town that he once described as narrow-minded.

One of the few remaining relics of the meatpacking hub that made Chicago the "hog butcher to the world."

A military museum and library dedicated to the citizen soldier.

This life-size bronze statue remembers the tallest recorded human in his Illinois hometown.

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

This cheerfully-named branch of the Chicago River is the fetid result of years of blood, entrails, and meatpacking waste.

An eccentric park and pool.

This architectural stunner is one of the few surviving Egyptian Revival theaters in the U.S.

Its eclectic exhibits range from the world’s first motorcycle to Luke Skywalker’s Land Speeder.

This landmark of the Chicago silent film industry may not be in the picture business anymore but it still stands proudly.

Tour the luxe "glass cage" that inspired and unnerved the architecture world upon its debut.