timstarke's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Loading map...
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Monongahela Incline

The United States’s oldest funicular railway glides up and down a steep Pittsburgh street.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Foucault Pendulum at the Franklin Institute

A daily replay of the experiment that proved the rotation of the Earth.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia City Hall

This elaborate towering structure was once famed for its revolutionary height.
Chicago, Illinois

Aircraft Carriers of Navy Pier

Chicago's Navy Pier on Lake Michigan was a training hub for aircraft carrier pilots during WWII.
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

Stained Glass at Navy Pier

A display of magnificent stained glass windows is the first exhibit of its kind.
Chicago, Illinois

Hidden Egyptian Temple in Field Museum Break Room

Years of archaeology, just chillin' by the water cooler.
Chicago, Illinois

Willis Tower Glass Platform

Four glass boxes hover over 1,000 feet in the air to give visitors an unparalleled view of Chicago.
Chicago, Illinois

Crown Fountain

The twin towers in this Chicago fountain use 50 foot tall video screens to spit on people.
Washington, D.C.

Capitol Building Tunnel System

Members of Congress have traveled between the buildings on Capitol Hill for a century hidden from tourists, press, and storm clouds.
Washington, D.C.

Capital Transit Co. Streetcar Barn

Before Metro, Washington had a robust streetcar network—and you see the remains of this infrastructure if you know where to look.
Arlington, Virginia

George Washington Memorial Parkway

This isn't your average roadway—it's actually a National Park and a transportation pioneer.
Washington, D.C.

Organization of American States Building

The grand marble structure next to the White House is Andrew Carnegie's temple to Pan-American diplomacy.
Arlington, Virginia

The Graves of Robert E. Lee's Garden

Soldiers were buried next to Lee's house in the center of Arlington Cemetery to dissuade the general from reclaiming his property after the war.
Arlington, Virginia

Rosslyn Metro Escalator

At 207 feet, one of the world's longest continuous escalators.
Washington, D.C.

Fireworks Safety Zone on the National Mall

On the Fourth of July this area will transform into a Pompeii-like storm of falling embers and ash.
Washington, D.C.

Georgetown Waterfront

The little-known, 300-year history of the area includes former lives as a bustling tobacco port, parking lot, and industrial dump.
Washington, D.C.

American University Experiment Station

The school tested mustard gas for the U.S. Army during World War I.
Washington, D.C.

Washington Aqueduct Chemical Tower

Every drop of D.C. tap water flows through this old waterworks.
Washington, D.C.

Watergate Gas Station

This seemingly out-of-place gas station by the Watergate hotel was once described as the most expensive gas station in the world.
Washington, D.C.

Carousel on the National Mall

Washington's iconic carousel has a nice piece of Civil Rights history.
Washington, D.C.

Willard Hotel

Legend has it that President Grant’s frequent drinking in the lobby gave rise to the term “lobbyist.”
Washington, D.C.

USNO Master Clock

The most accurate timepiece in the world.
Washington, D.C.

Godey Lime Kilns

A historic ruin just 20 feet away from a busy highway onramp.