The above-ground crypts at this Catholic cemetery face north-south instead of the usual east-west.

The oldest operational cathedral in the U.S. has one shell of a way of projecting speakers' voices.

The beautiful, fruit-covered facade hints at this building's former life.

Every year, a Louisiana town remembers a brief Civil War truce inspired by Masonic brotherhood.

A treasure trove of rare and exquisitely detailed antiques

This Birdsill Holly fire hydrant is the remnant of a very different type of hydration innovation.

The LSU mascot lived on the college campus in one of the most impressive tiger habitats in the country.

After the parade, students throw their beads on the tree hoping for good luck on exams.

This museum chronicles the history of a leprosy quarantine hospital that then became a refuge.

The only place to see live frogs don pigtails and top hats, then eat their scrumptious legs.

A 19th-century Gothic, castle-like statehouse by the Mississippi River.

A prime example of New Orleans' unique architecture these early 20th century homes were built to look like steamboats.

A Cajun-style Christmas on the river also involves sky-high pyres and explosives.

The crumbling ruins of this southern American fort have survived storms, war, and cults.

This abandoned Civil War fortress is slowly being swallowed by the waters of Lake Borgne.

The greatest collection of New Orleans masking and processional traditions covering everything from Baby Dolls to Skull and Bone gangs.

An impressive collection of dollhouses and an homage to the frog-leg canning industry.

A little piece of Paris in the sultry south of the U.S.

A pink cottage covered in hearts served as a haven and a resting place for LGBTQ activists.

Born a slave on the Arlington estate, Parks dug the first graves at Arlington National Cemetery, and was buried there, too.

A tribute to the incredible generosity the Choctaw Nation showed the Irish people during the Great Famine.

This monument remembers the first Japanese Americans forcibly relocated during World War II.

Made of giant chains and hung with shackles, this iron cross honors those unknowns who perished under American slavery.

This float factory takes the mask off of Mardi Gras and lets visitors see where the magic happens.