philbackland's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Washington, D.C.

Catacombs of Washington, D.C.

Franciscan monks created a facsimile of the Holy Land for North Americans who couldn’t afford the trip overseas.
Washington, D.C.

International Temple of the Order of the Eastern Star

Obscure Freemasons still live in D.C.’s largest private residence.
Washington, D.C.

Washington Mini Monument

There's a 12-foot-tall replica of the Washington Monument hidden under a manhole nearby.
Washington, D.C.

Space Window at the Washington National Cathedral

A tiny piece of the Moon is embedded in this stained glass masterpiece.
Røst, Norway

Lofoten Islands

The convergence of two currents makes this a surprisingly pleasant getaway in the Arctic Circle.
Washington, D.C.

Bare-Chested George Washington

Perhaps the most scandalous statue of America's first president.
Washington, D.C.

The Mary Surratt Boarding House

The house where John Wilkes Booth conspired with his co-conspirators.
Washington, D.C.

St. Elizabeths Hospital

Government testing at the asylum briefly explored using marijuana as a "truth serum" on Nazi prisoners of war.
Washington, D.C.

Church of Two Worlds

A Spiritualist house of worship where believers communicate with the dead in the spirit world.
San Diego, California

Villa Montezuma

A magnificent, reportedly haunted mansion built for a composer by Spiritualists.
Osaka, Japan

Taiyoshi Hyakuban

This brothel-turned-restaurant features plenty of surprises and elaborate, extravagant architecture.
Seattle, Washington

Seattle Underground

A walk through the historic city center, under the streets of Seattle.
Chicago, Illinois

Abandoned Brach's Candy Factory

What was once one of the country's largest confectionary plants is now an abandoned ruin, but is still pretty sweet.
Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room

Once at the center of U.S. finance, the historic Trading Room was meticulously recreated piece by piece and rebuilt in the Art Institute.
Kewanee, Illinois

Woodland Palace

The dream home of an iconoclastic renaissance man still stands as a monument to his domestically mundane vision.
Evanston, Illinois

The American Toby Jug Museum

More than 8,000 drinking jugs say “Cheers!” to a guy named Toby.
Chicago, Illinois

N. W. Harris Learning Collection

Where dioramas can follow you home.
Evanston, Illinois

Grosse Point Lighthouse

A historic beacon built in the aftermath of the worst maritime disaster on the Great Lakes.
Chicago, Illinois

Pritzker Military Museum & Library

A military museum and library dedicated to the citizen soldier.
Atlanta, Illinois

Paul Bunyon

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

Wicker Park

Once called the "Polish Gold Coast" it is an icon of the neighborhood that bears its same name.
Chicago, Illinois

Man With Fish

This awkward aquarium sculpture is one of the strangest statues in Chicago.
Waukegan, Illinois

Dead River

A river with some unusual, and occasionally dangerous, habits.
Chicago, Illinois

Palmer House Hilton

This historic hotel invented the chocolate brownie.