The study has wall paneling from a 17th century ship.

Built in 1869, this now-retired structure looks more like a medieval fortress than a county lock-up.

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

The original vault that held the president's remains still stands, empty, not far from where he was finally buried.

This Mediterranean castle was built for a millionaire and his giant dog.

These chunky stone towers out in Lake Michigan are the key to Chicago’s drinking water.

The carved remains of a 200-year-old oak tree memorialize the namesake of the iconic "Wizard of Oz" character.

The dream home of an iconoclastic renaissance man still stands as a monument to his domestically mundane vision.

Planes, trains, and automobiles have all been sunk as attractions at this Illinois diving spot.

This tiny historic jail along Route 66 is the perfect fit for exactly one criminal and their partner-in-crime.

This softly rounded mansion was built without corners not to avoid evil spirits, but to make them more comfortable.

This titanic Catholic church in Chicago is also a refuge of the fictional cult-favorite wizard detective Harry Dresden.

A hidden grotto on the grounds of the Kane County Government Center.

This cemetery is all that remains of a school for "wayward" girls.

Man-made geyser that rises to the exact height of the Gateway Arch.

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

A sprawling outdoor museum filled with larger-than-life works of art.

Illegal drag racing two stories beneath Chicago’s streets.

Spanking machines, fake goats, and more devices of humiliation are on display in this museum of fraternal initiation devices.

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

This historic-shipwreck-cum-diving-spot can still be seen poking its boiler out of the Lake Michigan waters that claimed it.

No one knows how many bodies are in this vault in a Chicago public park.

Cold War missile launch site which has been converted to a public park.

Rifle through images of skyscrapers, Worlds Fairs, and more in the largest public postcard repository in America.