Michelle Cassidy's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Darlington, Maryland

Conowingo Dam

Although built to generate electricity for Marylanders, this dam has become an all-you-can-eat buffet for American bald eagles.
Kensington, Maryland

Washington, D.C. Temple

The tallest The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple in the world soars above the Beltway.
Oxon Hill, Maryland

The Awakening

The 72-foot giant escaped confinement in a large patch of mulch only to be reburied in the sandy shores of the Potomac River.
Baltimore, Maryland

First Public Gas Street Lamp in America

One artist’s scheme to expand museum viewing hours into the evening led to the illumination of an entire city.
Silver Spring, Maryland

Acorn Park

Giant acorn-shaped 19th century gazebo from which suburban Washingtonians gazed upon the original "silver" spring.
Lusby, Maryland

Calvert Cliffs State Park

Captain John Smith thought these cliffs were amazing in 1608 but sharks thought so 20 million years before him.
Baltimore, Maryland

Papermoon Diner

This beloved Baltimore spot features caged dolls, a giant Pez collection, and many, many mannequins.
Baltimore, Maryland

Bazaar

Crammed into a Baltimore row house is an oddities shop that sells everything from skulls to dead insects.
Frederick, Maryland

Jug Bridge Monument

Rumors persist that a bottle of whiskey is sealed within this Demijohn-shaped adornment.
Frederick, Maryland

Guess the Greyhound

According to local history, this cast-iron canine was nearly melted down for bullets during the Civil War.
Frederick, Maryland

National Museum of Civil War Medicine

A Civil War Museum with some notable medical antiques.
Alexandria, Virginia

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum

An original apothecary from 1792.
Luray, Virginia

The Great Stalacpipe Organ

An organ located deep within a cave, whose "pipes" are the geological features of the cave itself.
Washington, D.C.

Cuban-American Friendship Urn

The only National Monument ever to go missing for nearly 50 years then resurface in a dump.
Washington, D.C.

Clara Barton Missing Soldiers Office Museum

Before founding the American Red Cross, Clara Barton had a tremendous humanitarian impact by locating thousands of missing soldiers.
Washington, D.C.

American Geophysical Union Sidewalk Planet Display

A brass and marble scale model of the solar system embedded in the concrete.
Washington, D.C.

MLK Time Capsule at Freedom Plaza

Beneath unsuspecting visitors feet, a capsule containing pieces of America’s civil rights history.
Washington, D.C.

Library Of Congress Gutenberg Bible

One of the three perfect vellum copies of this historic book known to exist is on display in a specially-designed case.
London, England

10 Hyde Park Place

A building claimed to be London’s smallest house has an obscure history.
New York, New York

The Grolier Club

The oldest bibliophilia club in America, with exhibitions on historic books and graphic arts.
Concord, Massachusetts

Concord’s Colonial Inn

This historic hotel was once home to Henry David Thoreau and rumored to be haunted by ghosts of fallen soldiers from the American Revolution.
New York, New York

Balto Statue

This monument is dedicated to Balto, the heroic Alaskan sled dog.
Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis Pyramid

The 10th-tallest pyramid in the world, this former sports arena is now home to a massive Bass Pro Shops store.
Oakland, California

Children's Fairyland

This Oakland fairytale kingdom, fiercely devoted to childlike whimsy, was an early inspiration for Disneyland.