This otherwise ordinary close on the Royal Mile constituted the end of the world for Edinburgh’s poorest residents.

This monument is dedicated to a young boy who survived a disaster that forced Edinburgh to reevaluate its building codes.

The oldest church in Inverness witnessed the brutal executions of many Scottish soldiers.

Hidden inside a gift shop that doubles as a museum, this gargantuan yo-yo can only be operated by crane.

His discovery kicked off the Gold Rush. One of the hands on this commemorative statue points to the spot where he found the precious metal.

From buttons to beads, flounces to fripperies, this textile museum and shop honors the history of needlework.

The fossilized remains of ancient California redwoods.

An abandoned lot littered with concrete debris was once the home of the world's first female railroad president.

A fine mixture of the old and the new topped with an art deco neon spire.

The modest home of the very immodest dancer who cost a king his crown.

A sparse, solitary sequoia still stands as a living tribute to the famous conservationist who planted it—but it's dying.

The rusting remains of the largest assembled WWII fleet on the West Coast.

This hidden amusement park is a magical escape for kids and kids-at-heart.

The largest drain hole in the world.

An old-timey medicine shop that once served Chinese laborers during the Gold Rush is still open for business to this day.

The tallest bridge in California was constructed for a project that was eventually cancelled.

A huge collection of rocks, gems, and crystals.

This graffiti-covered bridge is the quintessential vision of a place for disillusioned youth to escape the complexities of burgeoning adulthood.

The only standing town in the United States that early Chinese Americans built for themselves.

This former boomtown "island" is now submerged below Folsom Lake.

This museum boasts the ninth-largest collection of insects in North America.

Seven ceramic sculptures are scattered around this California college campus.

A blend of sporting history mixed with childhood nostalgia await visitors to this museum.

Special tunnels built so that frogs won't be killed when crossing the highway.