Sam OBrien's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
Carnlough, Northern Ireland

Paddy the Pigeon Plaque

A harbor town pays tribute to a heroic wartime carrier pigeon.
East Peoria, Illinois

Franklin Street Bridge Monument

Steel remnants of a bridge make up a unique sculpture along the banks of the Illinois River.
Abades, Spain

Abandoned Leper Colony of Arico

An unexpected ghost village lurks on the southeast coast of Tenerife.
The Solent, England

Bramble Bank Cricket Pitch

Once a year, a sandbar rises from the depths just in time for the world's weirdest match.
Kumbakonam, India

Airavatesvara Temple’s Optical Illusion

This temple contains what might be the world's oldest optical illusion.
Quincy, Massachusetts

First Dunkin' Donuts

This small shop walked so America could run on Dunkin'.
Isthmia, Greece

Isthmia Prime Hotel

A closer look at this somewhat faded hotel by the Corinth Canal reveals the architectural undertones of a genius.
Traverse City, Michigan

World's Largest Cherry Pie Tin

An enormous roadside pan tells the story of a battle for pie glory.
Itoigawa, Japan

The Jade Coast

You can still find treasures on the pebbly beaches of one of the world's oldest jade-producing areas.
Aguascalientes, Mexico

Los Ángeles and La Cruz Graveyards

Legends, sculptures, and unique tombs can be seen lurking in these connected cemeteries.
Red Lodge, Montana

Chromium Mill Ruins

Operational for less than a year, this mill produced more than 11,000 tons of chrome concentrate in its short lifespan.
Virolahti, Finland

Abandoned Bunkers of Salpalinja

Fortifications built for a Soviet invasion that never came now sit abandoned in a losing battle against nature.
Atlanta, Georgia

Eastern Sub-Continental Divide Mural

A little-known mural reveals the hydrological reason for Atlanta's founding in this location.
Glasgow, Scotland

Sir Thomas Lipton’s Grave

The final resting place of one of the most important figures in the world of tea.
Washington, D.C.

Roman Legionnaire Modesty Shields

Railroad officials in the early 1900s sought to spare travelers the sight of Roman soldiers’ private parts.
Madain, Iraq

Taq Kasra

This remnant of an ancient Persian city is considered to be the world's largest single-span brick vault arch.
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Kennedy Biscuit Lofts

Whimsical cookie-themed plaques mark the birthplace of the Fig Newton.
Sparta, Greece

Magoula Cemetery

Modernist design and funerary customs meet Spartan traditions in this one-of-a-kind graveyard.
Flagstaff, Arizona

Lowell Mausoleum

The final resting place of the businessman-turned-astronomer who helped discover Pluto stands near his observatory.
Atlanta, Georgia

Conjoined Calves of the Georgia State Capitol

A popular oddity on display in a stately building, offering a symbolic commentary.
Seychelles

Mission Ruins of Venn's Town

The remains of a 19th-century school and living quarters are perched atop a mountain surrounded by a thick tropical forest.
West Hollywood, California

Rainbow Bar & Grill

An Italian restaurant became a rock-and-roll hangout and the lair of the "Hollywood vampires."
York, England

Hob Moor and Plague Stones

When the plague struck York, this stone was used to leave supplies for the sick.
Athens, Greece

Church of Agia Kyriaki

A tiny Greek Orthodox church from the Ottoman era hides on a busy city street.