richkraetsch's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Wilmington, Illinois

Gemini Giant

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

Thor's Well

On the Oregon coast there is a natural hole that seems to be draining the sea.
Lisle, Illinois

Four Columns at Morton Arboretum

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

Bachelor's Grove Cemetery

A small abandoned and abused cemetery that has become a magnet for ghost hunters.
Lombard, Illinois

Lilacia Park

This botanical garden outside Chicago boasts an array of more than 300 varieties of lilacs.
Maywood, Illinois

Underground Railroad Memorial at McDonald's

A plaque marks a former safe house on the secret route, now hidden next to a McDonald's.
Joliet, Illinois

Joliet Correctional Center

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

Chicago Stock Exchange Arch

A spectacular remnant of an Adler and Sullivan masterpiece that was destroyed in 1972.
Lyons, Illinois

Hofmann Tower

A source of civic pride, though the reason for its construction is unknown.
Wilmington, Illinois

Joliet Army Ammunition Plant

This national park dedicated to the tallgrass prairie ecosystem still displays its military past.
Los Angeles, California

The Museum of Death

World's largest collection of serial killer artwork and other macabre exhibits.
San Francisco, California

The Wave Organ

A huge musical instrument played by the ocean.
Chicago, Illinois

Rock N Roll McDonald's and Museum

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

Lower Lower Wacker Drive

Illegal drag racing two stories beneath Chicago’s streets.
Chicago, Illinois

Wicker Park

Once called the "Polish Gold Coast" it is an icon of the neighborhood that bears its same name.
Chicago, Illinois

The 606 aka Bloomingdale Trail

The 606 is a decade in the making.
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

Great Train Story Diorama

This $3 million model train takes you through Chicago, Seattle, and the thousands of miles in between.
Chicago, Illinois

Palmer House Hilton

This historic hotel invented the chocolate brownie.
Chicago, Illinois

Graceland Cemetery

An enormous park-like oasis, full of famous Chicagoans' graves.
Chicago, Illinois

The Violet Hour

A speakeasy takes on Chicago's drinking culture.
DeKalb, Illinois

The Egyptian Theatre

This architectural stunner is one of the few surviving Egyptian Revival theaters in the U.S.
Chicago, Illinois

Damen Silos

These abandoned grain silos and tunnels are an urban exploration dream.
Batavia, Illinois

Fermilab

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