Nanks's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Afton, Virginia

Crozet Tunnel

A railroad tunnel that, upon its completion, was considered one of the engineering marvels of the modern world.
Front Royal, Virginia

Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

This sprawling farm was once a Cold War-era hideaway for the nation's top diplomats.
Beacon, New York

Bannerman's Castle

Collapsing castle on the Hudson river was once the storage site of military surplus business.
Portland, Maine

Fort Gorges

Accessible only by boat, this centuries-old island fort never saw troops or combat.
New York, New York

The Evolution Store

A terrific purveyor of natural history objects and curios.
Poolesville, Maryland

Seneca Quarry

This ruined quarry once produced the distinctive red sandstone used for construction projects in Washington, D.C.
San Francisco, California

Alcatraz Island

In all of the 29 years it was in operation, no prisoners ever escaped successfully... or so they claim.
Chicago, Illinois

World Artifacts on the Tribune Tower Walls

Fragments of architectural wonders from around the globe are embedded in the newspaper building's walls.
Chicago, Illinois

Rock N Roll McDonald's and Museum

The palatial McDonald's that inspired Wesley Willis.
Chicago, Illinois

Thorne Miniature Rooms

Each of these gorgeous, intricately decorated rooms is painstakingly crafted to the scale of 1 inch: 1 foot.
Providence, Rhode Island

Big Blue Bug

Ironically this massive termite is the mascot for a company that is acclaimed for killing his kind.
Newport, Rhode Island

Newport Cliff Walk

Three and a half miles of cliffs, rocky beaches, Gilded Age mansions and 40 Steps to nowhere in particular.
Providence, Rhode Island

John Hay Library

Books bound in human skin and H. P. Lovecraft's letters are among a few of the treasures this library has to offer.
Laurel, Maryland

On the Brink

A haunting exhibit in a wildlife refuge center highlights threatened species and the conservation efforts needed to save them.
Middletown, Maryland

The (First) Washington Monument

Built by the patriotic residents of Boonsboro in a single day.
Fort Washington, Maryland

Fort Washington

This fort down the Potomac from Washington, D.C. was once the only defensive fort protecting the capital.
Berlin, Maryland

Assateague Island

The land is home to swimming ponies and a legendary 18th-century treasure.
Silver Spring, Maryland

National Museum of Health and Medicine

An astounding collection of medical specimens, including bits of President Lincoln.
Chantilly, Virginia

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

At Washington's Dulles Airport is a satellite museum (no pun intended) with three quarters of a million square feet of aircraft history.
Arlington, Virginia

Ronald Reagan National Airport's Historic Terminal A

The romance of early commercial flight still fills this Art Deco destination.
Syria, Virginia

Rapidan Camp

Herbert Hoover's "Brown House" rural presidential retreat was a PR disaster amid the start of the Great Depression.
Arlington, Virginia

George Washington Memorial Parkway

This isn't your average roadway—it's actually a National Park and a transportation pioneer.
Arlington, Virginia

Dark Star Park

This unique historical monument features large concrete spheres designed to resemble fallen stars.
Ithaca, New York

Six Mile Creek

In upstate New York, gorgeous waterfalls and a watermill are slowly being reclaimed by nature.