Michael J Bielawa's User Profile - Atlas Obscura

Michael J Bielawa

Michael Bielawa’s explorations take him to northeast America's most mysterious, and abandoned, sites. He’s shared his findings on TV, radio and in print: including reanimating the dead in New England with NPR, long-lost 19th century baseball fields with Major League Baseball, Men In Black and the Lake Champlain Creature with the Connecticut Post and attempts to pilfer P.T. Barnum's corpse with London’s Fortean Times. Bielawa lectures throughout Connecticut and his Wicked Walks, each October for The Barnum Museum (and in 2018 co-sponsored by Atlas Obscura), documents Bridgeport, Connecticut as one of America’s most paranormal downtowns. He is the author of Wicked Bridgeport and Wicked New Haven.

Michael J. Bielawa, Author

2018
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Leaderboard Highlights

Michael J Bielawa's activity rankings

1^st

Places visited in Bridgeport, Connecticut

1^st

Places visited in Meriden, Connecticut

1^st

Places visited in Waterbury, Connecticut

2^nd

Places visited in Rocky Hill, Connecticut

2^nd

Places visited in Manchester, Vermont

5^th

Places visited in Connecticut

5^th

Places visited in Wareham, Massachusetts

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Waterbury, Connecticut

Timexpo Museum

This strangely amalgamated museum explores the history of the Timex clock company as well as archaeology.

EricGrundhauser

Added by EricGrundhauser

Bethlehem, Connecticut

Abbey of Regina Laudis

These Benedictine nuns have been making artisanal cheeses since before it was cool.

Kerry Wolfe

Added by Kerry Wolfe

New Orleans, Louisiana

Louisiana’s Civil War Museum at Confederate Memorial Hall

The state's oldest continuously operating museum houses more than 5,000 Civil War artifacts.

Luke J Spencer

Added by Luke J Spencer

New Orleans, Louisiana

National World War II Museum

Formerly known as National D-Day Museum, this collection commemorates the battles of Normandy and WWII.

Added by ekoptev

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Cats of Jackson Square

By day this New Orleans square is for pedestrians, but by night it is a kingdom of kittens.

Lady Delaney

Added by Lady Delaney

New Orleans, Louisiana

The Sazerac Bar

This bar named after the world's first mixed cocktail was home to one of New Orleans' most notorious politicians.

Luke J Spencer

Added by Luke J Spencer

New Orleans, Louisiana

Fort Pike

Once defending the city of New Orleans from invasion by sea, this fort faces an uncertain future.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

New Orleans, Louisiana

Ruins of Fort Macomb

The crumbling remains of a 19th century fortess.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

New Orleans, Louisiana

Saint Roch Chapel

A 19th-century shrine covered with prosthetic body parts as votive offerings.

Laetitia Barbier

Added by Laetitia Barbier

New Orleans, Louisiana

Napoleon House

A 200-year-old building in the French Quarter that was to be Napoleon's home in the New World.

Luke J Spencer

Added by Luke J Spencer

New Orleans, Louisiana

Storyville

Storyville was New Orleans' historic red light district and hotbed of jazz music, sometimes referred to simply as "The District."

Added by ekoptev

New Orleans, Louisiana

Lafayette Cemetery

This historic "City of the Dead" lies prominently in the center of New Orleans' famous Garden District.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

New Orleans, Louisiana

Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop

The second oldest continuously operating bar in Louisiana.

New Orleans, Louisiana

LaLaurie Mansion

This symbolic piece of New Orleans architecture is also home to a few ghastly stories.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Saint Louis Cemetery No. 1

The oldest cemetery in New Orleans, resting peacefully for over 200 years now.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

New Orleans, Louisiana

Jean Lafitte's Old Absinthe House

A 200-year-old bar in the historic French Quarter refuses to give up its place in history, nor its role in securing ours.

Mark Casey

Added by Mark Casey

New Orleans, Louisiana

Marie Laveau's Tomb

The final resting place of New Orleans' most famous voodoo priestess.

New Orleans, Louisiana

Ignatius J. Reilly Statue

This New Orleans statue of a portly figure in a goofy hat pays homage to a classic of satirical literature.

Jane Weinhardt Goldberg

Added by Jane Weinhardt Goldberg

New Orleans, Louisiana

Dixie Brewing Company

This relatively recently abandoned brewery is a tragic reminder of the continuing effects of Hurricane Katrina.

Added by blwilde

Milford, Connecticut

Charles Island

This "thrice-cursed" island is allegedly home to Captain Kidd's lost treasure.

Annetta Black

Added by Annetta Black

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Remington Shot Tower

Connecticut's shot tower is near the end of its life.

Molly McBride Jacobson

Added by Molly McBride Jacobson

Bridgeport, Connecticut

Pleasure Beach

The once abandoned ruins of a Victorian beachside amusement park are now back in working order.

Added by pumaliontiger

Bridgeport, Connecticut

P.T. Barnum Museum

A museum designed by and dedicated to P.T. Barnum in the town where he is buried.

JWOcker

Added by JWOcker