Architectural Oddities in Maryland

Surrounded by traditional homes, this Tolkien-esque dwelling stands out on a quiet street in suburban Maryland.

A remote horde of architectural treasures fit for Indiana Jones.

This suburban house is made of dirt, and almost sparked a revolution in home construction.

Maryland's first (and last standing) toll house on America's first federal road established the state as the "Gateway to the West."

This rare triple-jurisdiction drawbridge passes through Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

Baltimore's classic clock tower was once topped by a rotating, 20-ton medicine bottle.

It's not hard to see why the historic Peabody Conservatory of Music's library has been described as a "cathedral of books."

A girls' boarding school inspired by the Chicago World's Fair, once abandoned, now restored to strange and scenic glory.

A labor of love built by local hang-gliding enthusiasts, this ideal launch spot was outlawed by the authorities and has since been largely abandoned.

Remnants of a storybook amusement park hidden behind a strip mall.

Once home to seven different roller coasters, Glen Echo has undergone many transformations since its founding in 1891.

Giant acorn-shaped 19th century gazebo from which suburban Washingtonians gazed upon the original "silver" spring.