phildzielski's User Profile - Atlas Obscura
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Places visited in Pleasantville, Pennsylvania
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Places edited in Altoona, Pennsylvania
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Places edited in Geneva, Illinois
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Des Plaines, Illinois

Square Deal Shoe Store

This historic store hides a museum exhibiting a shoe-sizing x-ray machine and a pair of kicks that once belonged to the world's tallest man.
Chicago, Illinois

Nelson Algren Memorial Fountain

Odd, decrepit fountain honors Chicago author who had mixed feelings about his hometown.
Chicago, Illinois

Nelson Algren's Last Residence

"No writer ever gave more to a city and got back less.”
Carlinville, Illinois

Macoupin County Jail

Built in 1869, this now-retired structure looks more like a medieval fortress than a county lock-up.
Geneva, Illinois

Illinois State Training School Cemetery

This cemetery is all that remains of a school for "wayward" girls.
Lisle, Illinois

Four Columns at Morton Arboretum

A tribute to one granddaughter's old apartment which now represents the whims of each visitor.
Champaign, Illinois

Blue Waters Supercomputer

One of the most powerful computers in the world can be visited by anyone who wants to experience more computing than they can handle.
Ashmore, Illinois

World's Tallest Lincoln Statue

This abandoned Abraham Lincoln statue has also earned the honorary of "World's Ugliest."
Wilmington, Illinois

Gemini Giant

This historic Illinois "Muffler Man" has been converted from axe-touting lumberjack to rocket-wielding space ace.
Fairmont City, Illinois

Illinois Woodhenge

Fresh wooden posts have been added to ancient holes to recreate a primitive henge clock.
Alton, Illinois

Piasa Bird

A mythical bird etched into the face of a rock doubles as the mascot for a nearby school.
East St. Louis, Illinois

Gateway Geyser

Man-made geyser that rises to the exact height of the Gateway Arch.
Chicago, Illinois

Noble–Seymour–Crippen House

The oldest house in Chicago certainly doesn't look the part and there are some who say it doesn't deserve its title either.
Chicago, Illinois

Ulysses S. Grant Boulder

A strange rock in Chicago marks the spot where a tree once stood in honor of the 18th President.
Chicago, Illinois

Rosenberg Statue

A goddess-topped water fountain in Chicago was created thanks to the dreams of a thirsty newsboy.
Chicago, Illinois

The Alvin

A Chicago Movie Palace Lost to Time.
Chicago, Illinois

Flat Iron Building

Not to be confused with the iconic New York City skyscraper, this Chicago building is a vibrant hub for artists.
Belknap, Illinois

Mermet Springs

Planes, trains, and automobiles have all been sunk as attractions at this Illinois diving spot.
Chicago, Illinois

Heald Square Monument's Statue of Liberty

The iconic Chicago sculpture hides a beautiful and easily overlooked plaque on the backside.
Maywood, Illinois

Underground Railroad Memorial at McDonald's

A plaque marks a former safe house on the secret route, now hidden next to a McDonald's.
Carbondale, Illinois

Jeremy Rochman Memorial Park

In the loving memory of a tragically deceased role-player this Illinois park is decked out with both dungeons and dragons.
Paris, Illinois

'Faerie Traces'

In a grove of fast growing walnut trees outside Paris, Illinois, a marker shares the story of a fictional road building culture.
Alton, Illinois

World's Tallest Man Statue

This life-size bronze statue remembers the tallest recorded human in his Illinois hometown.
Chester, Illinois

Popeye Character Trail

The hometown of Popeye's creator is littered with a growing collection of granite cartoon characters.