The Old Cahawba Archeological Park is perhaps one of Alabama's most famous ghost towns. But it once was the center of life in this southern state. We unravel the surprising tale of this onetime capital city.

SEE IT IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/old-cahawba-archeological-park

 

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Today’s episode comes from Twenty Thousand Hertz, a podcast that reveals the stories behind the world's most recognizable and interesting sounds. On their show, they’ve explored topics like the sounds of other planets, the mind blowing ways that insects communicate, and secret spy messages that are broadcast on the radio.

In this episode, they take you to the US-Canadian border, where, in 2011, residents of Windsor, Ontario started experiencing a strange rumbling hum that rattled dishes and kept people awake at night. Then, after years of getting nowhere, the mystery of the Windsor Hum was finally solved... Or was it? 

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The Tree of 40 Fruits in San Jose California is an horticultural marvel of 40 types of stone fruit trees grafted together to form a living work of art. 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/tree-of-40-fruit

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We promise, this is not another sappy (pardon the pun) story about trees. Instead, author and science writer Mary Roach takes us deep into an ancient forest grove on Vancouver Island, in search of the danger trees and the people who seek them out.

Learn more about danger trees in Mary’s book, Fuzz.

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We spend some time with some celebrity trees – one in Washington, DC and one in Berlin – that have left an impact on all who visit them. Today’s stories are brought to you by Michelle Cassidy and Diana Hubbell, of the Atlas Obscura Places Team.

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In 2012, the city of Melbourne gave every tree a barcode and email address so people could report when it needed maintenance or attention. But, a funny thing started happening. Instead of reporting problems, people began emailing love letters to the trees.

MORE: Is there a special tree in your life? One worthy of a love letter? Let us know!  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and your love letter to a tree. Just so you know, our mailbox will cut you off after two minutes so please call again if that happens!

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Meyer lemons are so special that restaurants go out of their way to call them out on menus. Martha Stewart loves to bake with them. And yet, Meyer lemons also have a fascinating and kinda tragic backstory. Tune in for a very fun episode about this very particular fruit. Our guest in this episode is Mandy Naglich, professional taster and author of “How To Taste.”

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/meyer-lemon

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The Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, Alaska aims to domesticate a species that used to roam the earth at the same time as the wooly mammoth.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/musk-ox-farm

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IN THIS EPISODE OF THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST, Dylan sits down with “How To” creator and narrator  John Wilson about his travels, his favorite places and his HBO series that is part documentary, part memoir, part essay — and unlike any other show on TV. 

MORE: In their conversation, a few places come up that we’ve made episodes about. So if you want to hear about the Chrysler Building eagles, the House on the Rock or Organ Stop Pizza, click here, here and here.

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Just outside of Myrtle Beach sits a medieval castle that would feel out of place if not for its charm. We tell the story of the eccentric couple who, nearly a hundred years ago, built this fortress — which was turned into a popular part of the state park system. This episode was produced in partnership with Discover South Carolina.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/atalaya

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A one-room museum located in the basement of a church-turned-community arts center is crammed with mementos from a pretty spectacular period in history. We hang with some retired dancers who recall the time when Chinatown in San Francisco was filled with late night cabarets famed for their showgirls.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/showgirl-magic-museum-san-francisco-california

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From Tractor Day to an Italian style wedding to the streets of New York City to throwing water into the air in negative 20 degree weather, we take a tour of some quirky hometown traditions.  Does the place you grew up have any unique traditions? We would love to hear fr...

This week wasn't special only because of the eclipse. We also recorded our first live show, during the Atlas Obscura Ecliptic Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas. In this episode, hear host Dylan Thuras try to stump guests --  astrobiologist Dr. Graham Lau and science writer Rebecca Boyle -- and get them to guess which strange, incredible place is real or fake. Then, the tables are turned and Dylan has to guess. Special thanks to everyone who made this possible!

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Rick Steves has seen a lot of strange, incredible and wondrous places over his decades-long career as the leading authority on European travel. And today he is going to guide us through three places that helped shape his life.

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We’re heading to the mountains of western North Carolina, where for more than a century, people have witnessed unusual displays of shimmering and sometimes even exploding lights. And we hang with a skeptical scientist who’s spent years trying to solve the mystery. This episode was produced in partnership with Visit North Carolina.

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The world’s biggest treehouse was inspired by a message from God.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ministers-tree-house

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Today, millions of people across North America donned solar glasses, and looked up. And since our show is all about wonder and curiosity and incredible places — a moment like the Great American Eclipse is something we take very seriously. If you missed it, or weren’t in the path of totality when the moon passed in front of the sun, we have you covered. Listen to this and sink into our shared once-in-a-generation experience, powered by voices across the continent.

Special thanks to everyone who contributed to this episode, especially those who joined us at the Atlas Obscura Ecliptic Festival.

Enjoy.

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Millions of people will be getting in their cars, breaking out the cardboard glasses and looking to the sky for today's Great North American Eclipse… which won’t occur again for another TWENTY years. Host Dylan Thuras will be smack dab in the path of totality in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where Atlas Obscura’s Ecliptic festival has been in full swing for the past few days. And for the first time ever, our podcast team will be marking this monoculture event by making and releasing an episode all in one day. Come back to your feed tonight for a very special episode!

 

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At The Martin, family-style dining is rooted in a very specific history and cultural experience that began with Basque sheepherders in the 1800s and has been carried on and celebrated ever since. This episode was produced in partnership with Travel Nevada and is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State.

LEARN MORE about The Martin and  Travel Nevada

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A spectacular art installation is hidden inside an all-luxury shopping mall in Las Vegas. As of April 2024, the exhibit appears to be closed. 

This episode is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State. Find out more about cool things to see, do and experience in the state by visiting Travel Nevada.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/akhob

 

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Las Vegas was once the preferred tourist destination for watching weapons of mass destruction explode. This episode is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State. Find out more about cool things to see, do and experience in the state by visiting Travel Nevada.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/national-atomic-testing-museum

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Jessica Oreck has spent the last 30 years collecting odd and forgotten objects. Now, they’re all beautifully curated and on display in the Office of Collecting and Design in Las Vegas.  This episode is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories from the Silver State. Find out more about cool things to see, do and experience in the state by visiting Travel Nevada.

LEARN MORE about The Office of Collecting and Design

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This micronation about an hour outside of Reno draws visitors from all over the world. This episode was produced in partnership with Travel Nevada and is part of Nevada Week, where we bring you stories all week from the Silver State.

LEARN MORE about Molossia and Travel Nevada

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Friend of the show Joanna Ebenstein tells us about her enduring fascination with death, how it led her to create the Morbid Anatomy Museum and, after some setbacks, why she eventually settled on her new home of Mexico City.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: If you are interested in mortality and death and medical images and anatomical presentations, check out Morbid Anatomy. Joanna is also working on a new book called Memento Mori: The Art of Contemplating Death to Live a Better Life. Pre-order it here.

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For one year, this journalist had the coolest assignment – as the New York Times “52 Places” reporter. Its charms and challenges were more than he ever imagined.

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There are two miles of abandoned tunnels beneath the streets of Cincinnati, OH. A relic of an attempt to establish underground transportation in the city. 

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-cincinnati-subway-cincinnati-ohio

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A producer sits down with Dylan and recounts his trip to a place referred to as “The Venice of Africa.”

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/gavie-benin

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This museum in Kentucky is either your dream place or your nightmare, depending on how you feel about dummies. Because there are more than 500 of them there, resting in peace.

READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-worlds-only-ventriloquism-museum-in-northern-kentucky

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The Great North American Eclipse will be April 8, 2024. Where will you be watching it? Who will you be with? And why is it important to you to see this marvelous event? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message, or send a voice memo to Hello@AtlasObscura.com.

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An adventurous couple sets out to document and unearth the arrow’s of America’s past, once used to help pilots find their way across the skies.

GET MORE You can learn more about Charlotte and Brian’s journey – and see photos of the arrows they’ve documented – at their website: dreamsmithphotos.com

WATCH THE ECLIPSE WITH US! The Great North American eclipse is April 8, and we're throwing a festival to celebrate. This is the last one in the U.S. for 20 years! So, we're inviting you to Hot Springs, Arkansas (which will be in the path of totality)  from April 5th to April 8th. There will be bands, stargazing, panels and more. For information and tickets, click here.

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