Author: Ms. R.

The center of the city of Birmingham contains a jumble of old and modern buildings spanning a broad range of architectural styles. Some of these buildings, such as the Birmingham City Council, the Library of Birmingham, and Selfridges Birmingham, stand out very prominently on the skyline. However, on the periphery of the Birmingham China Quarter, a cluster of some of the city’s most historically notable buildings blend completely into the urban landscape and may seem completely uninteresting to the……

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As the road curves past Sunset Beach, vivid, recycled sculptures intermingle with the countryside. Heads swivel back to catch a glimpse of colorful totems. In Forestville, Davingy’s sculpture park adds an intriguing dimension to the lush scenery dappled with vineyards, apple orchards and riverside redwoods.  The collection of repurposed work is the vision of artist Dave McGraw. When he purchased the property, he came across pieces of farming equipment that he incorporated into his sculptures. Rusted drag grates, transmissions,……

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The Humboldt County Fairgrounds in this small Californian town are home to the burial sites of three bonafide bovine winners. For much of the mid-20th century, Ferndale was primarily a farming community and its residents were particularly proud of their dairy cows—so proud, in fact, that the resting places of three prized specimens are honored with special headstones here.  Silken Lady’s Ruby of F., Challengers Joyce VG, and Sunny King Berna were all butterfat champion cows that reigned from the 1950s……

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Crossing the Rubicon, a saying said to depict an action for which the consequences are irreversible (passing the point of no return), refers to the action of Julius Caesar in 49 BCE when, against the laws of the Roman Republic, he led his army of troops across the border-forming river from the territory of Gaul into the part of Italy under direct Roman administration. It was inevitable that this would start a civil war. The exact date is unknown,……

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An alien has landed in a parking garage in Covington, Kentucky. But have no fear: This otherworldly creature is a friendly fellow. You can call him Clive. A Squizzle from the galaxy Artalon, Clive is mischievous, a real prankster, and he loves to explore. From Covington’s Midtown Parking Garage, we’ve spotted him examining the brains—nothing sinister here—of Covington’s creative residents and visitors alike with a massive magnifying glass.  The fiberglass-and-Styrofoam sculpture was crafted by Marc Phelps, an artist with……

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Set in the arid high plain about an hour and a half south of La Paz, Bolivia, the town of Calamarca is in many ways a typical colonial settlement, a grid of houses and shops centered around a circa 1600 Baroque church that overlooks a small plaza. Inside this church, however, a remarkable gathering of angels has made the town a destination. Dressed in lace, feathers, and gold brocade—finery that resembled that of the Indigenous elites who administered Spanish……

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The Steamtown National Historic Site is a museum and active railyard operated by the National Parks Service in downtown Scranton, Pennsylvania. The museum features a roundhouse with a working turntable, several outbuildings, exhibits, a theater, and an impressive collection of locomotives, train cars, and railroad equipment. Steamtown was built on a defunct railyard of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad. Many of the outbuildings date to the time when this was an active hub for the DL&W railroad, and……

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Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit a small town in Texas that has embraced the story of the visit and demise of an otherworldly being in the 1890s … and what many say is America’s only alien gravesite. There’s even a documentary about it! Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll……

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