Author: Ms. R.

In 1773, a group of prominent citizens in the Western Massachusetts town of Sheffield gathered at the home of a farmer named John Ashley to draft what would become known as the Sheffield Resolves. The document, which argued against British tyranny and in defense of individual rights, began with the words, “Mankind in a state of nature are equal, free, and independent”—perhaps informing the text of the Declaration of Independence three years later. But the fiery assertions laid out……

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Besides people and events, monuments can also be dedicated to a profession, usually, these are inspiring professions. In Baarle there is one such monument, except it is dedicated to the life of smugglers.  This is not too strange for the twin city of Baarle Nassau and Baarle Hertog, as a strange border situation has been present since the 11th-century. This made the region a smugglers’ paradise.  Today, the borders are mainly touristic and not enforced since both countries are……

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When architect Elijah E. Myers submitted his winning design for the Texas State Capitol in 1881, the drawings included a female statue crowning the dome. Of Greco-Roman classical design, she was likely inspired by similar contemporary architectural figures, including the Statue of Freedom atop the U.S. Capitol and New York’s Statue of Liberty. Myers’ Goddess stands 16 feet tall and weighs over 2,000 pounds. Intended to represent justice, truth, and art, she poses with a downturned sword in her……

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This spot alongside the western shore of the Missouri River has, since 1953, been the final resting spot of the mortal remains of the acclaimed Lakota military and spiritual leader Tatanka Iyotake (more commonly known by his name’s English translation, Sitting Bull). Sitting Bull was made a chief in the early 1850s. Soon after, he began organizing a movement to resist the United States‘ westward expansion. He had a vision of a great victory, which came to be true……

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For much of American history, scholars viewed Native American artwork through an ethnographic lens—echoes from the past that now lay dormant. While the Native American effects on display at the Portland Art Museum certainly retain an ethnographical value of their own, their framing alongside contemporary artwork from living indigenous artists makes the museum’s Native American Art Center one of the first permanent exhibits to establish indigenous material as art. The exhibit is remarkable for its depth and diversity. Composed……

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Vallombrosa Abbey is a centuries-old monastery in a pristine Tuscan mountain valley founded in 1036 by San Giovanni Gualberto, a Benedictine monk who left Florence to found a monastic order emphasizing isolation, contemplation, and silence. While the Vallombrosan Order he founded has significantly shrunk in the modern era, the abbey they built over several centuries in this picturesque setting is a testament to their faith and their commitment to the natural world.  This abbey is located in the serene……

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Walking the streets of Albina today, you might never guess that the neighborhood was once the beating heart of Portland’s soul music scene. For most of the 20th century, this area was home to a majority of the city’s Black population, a community anchored by a vibrant live music scene and a fleet of Black-owned venues and nightclubs. While decades of institutionalized discrimination and a series of misguided infrastructure projects irreversibly warped the once close-knit neighborhood, Albina’s musical legacy……

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Geographically, you can’t get much farther from Latin America within the contiguous United States than Portland. Gastronomically, however, Portland Mercado is doing a whole lot to bridge that gap. On paper, the Mercado is a business incubator for Portland’s Latin American entrepreneurs, who can apply for affordable retail and commercial kitchen space within the indoor-outdoor market (one manager referred to it as a “mini Shark Tank”). On the ground, however, Portland’s first public Latino market is a celebration of……

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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, members of the Atlas Obscura team share their experiences with unknown phenomena. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a……

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As part of a special series for 2022, we’re doing a deep visual dive into fascinating Carnival traditions around the world. A 1951 LIFE Magazine article described the rules of Rio’s Carnival: “If you are old enough to stand up by yourself and young enough not to require assistance, you keep going until you fall down.” It might not be that simple, but “keep going” is sort of what the world’s most famous Carnival is all about. Over the……

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After a grueling hike through the jungle, traversing valleys and vibrant rice terraces to the top of the mountain where the teetering village awaits, visitors, tourists, and fans arrive sweaty and gleeful at Buscalan village, Kalinga, in the Philippines’ far north. Buscalan, which has narrow dirt walkways, limited electricity, and no cell phone service, is the most popular destination in Kalinga Province. Tourism to the village has increased significantly from an estimated 30,000 in 2010 to 170,000 in 2016…….

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