This historic Illinois "Muffler Man" has been converted from axe-touting lumberjack to rocket-wielding space ace.

An exhibit of items from the mental institution where Mary Todd Lincoln lived after her son conspired to have her committed.

Burial mounds of prehistoric Native Americans who lived along the DuPage River.

The last masonry skyscraper ever built reveals a transitional moment in architectural history.

A monument to the art of slicing people open.

Illegal drag racing two stories beneath Chicago’s streets.

This memorial plaque remembers a strangely shallow maritime disaster known as "Chicago's Titanic."

This whimsical Oz-themed park had a wonderful impact on the surrounding neighborhood.

A century-old hotspot for jazz, frequented by everyone from Charlie Chaplin to Al Capone.

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.

A lush green oasis in the middle of Chicago.

Despite its name, this fast food museum is actually a replica of the ninth McDonald's store.

A onetime gangsters' hideaway where you can dine on steaks, fine wines, and cigars just like they once did.

Arguably the best example of an authentic Dutch windmill in the United States, rivaling its counterparts in the Netherlands.

This elaborate Hindu temple is located in a Chicago suburb, but looks like it was transported directly from India.

The sign to a demolished amusement park now stands in front of a local library.

This house renovated by Frank Lloyd Wright was the centerpiece of a lavish 20th-century estate.

World's second largest particle accelerator, where nature reveals its secrets.

A tribute to one granddaughter's old apartment which now represents the whims of each visitor.

What was once the second largest steel mill in the US is now a sprawling complex of modern ruins.

A historic and oft-filmed prison stands in a Chicago suburb.