Washington, D.C.
The Sun Building
This nine-story building is the oldest standing skyscraper in D.C.
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Places I've been
Places this traveler has marked as been there.
Washington, D.C.
Ruins of the McMillan Sand Filtration Site at Reservoir Park
An Industrial Revolution-era public work that purified water using nothing but sand.
Washington, D.C.
Washington City Canal Outfall
A portal into the bricked up canal that runs through the heart of Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Federal Reserve Tennis Court
The only tennis court that falls under the jurisdiction of the central bank.
Arlington, Virginia
VIP Congressional Parking Lot at Reagan National Airport
Right next to departures—how convenient!
Washington, D.C.
Abandoned Drawbridge Control Room
The hidden offices underneath Memorial Bridge have been locked up since 1976.
Arlington, Virginia
Gravelly Point Park
This lovely picnic spot featuring thunderous jet landings is an aircraft spotter’s dream.
Permanently Closed
Washington, D.C.
Babcock Lake Fisheries
The U.S. Fish Commission’s effort to mass produce carp.
Washington, D.C.
Historic Elevator at Potbelly
This sandwich shop has a century-old elevator behind a sheet of plexiglass.
Washington, D.C.
Foundry Branch Trolley Trestle Ruins
A derelict bit of transportation infrastructure hidden in the woods.
Washington, D.C.
Jefferson Pier Marker
A tiny monument to the unsuccessful attempt by Thomas Jefferson to place the prime meridian in Washington.
Washington, D.C.
National Cathedral Bell Tower
There’s a special club house at the top for the bell ringers.
Washington, D.C.
Inaugural Parade Center Line
A line of blue paint marks the route of the inaugural parade.
Washington, D.C.
Willard Hotel
Legend has it that President Grant’s frequent drinking in the lobby gave rise to the term “lobbyist.”
Washington, D.C.
Flag Office Elevator
The elevator that makes it possible to fly American flags in bulk over the U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.
Carnegie Library of Washington, D.C.
D.C.'s first central library was born out of a chance encounter with the philanthropist whose name it bears.
Washington, D.C.
National Bonsai Museum
One of the dwarven trees dates back to 1625 and survived the Hiroshima bombing.
Washington, D.C.
Rayburn House Office Building
One critic described it as "middle Mussolini, early Ramses, and late Neiman-Marcus." Another called it an architectural "natural disaster."
Chicago, Illinois
Chicago Stock Exchange Trading Room
Once at the center of U.S. finance, the historic Trading Room was meticulously recreated piece by piece and rebuilt in the Art Institute.
Washington, D.C.
Godey Lime Kilns
A historic ruin just 20 feet away from a busy highway onramp.
Chicago, Illinois
Great Train Story Diorama
This $3 million model train takes you through Chicago, Seattle, and the thousands of miles in between.
Fort Washington, Maryland
Fort Washington
This fort down the Potomac from Washington, D.C. was once the only defensive fort protecting the capital.
Arlington, Virginia
George Washington Memorial Parkway
This isn't your average roadway—it's actually a National Park and a transportation pioneer.
Washington, D.C.
'Cartwheel' Tower
Washington's top-secret Cold War-era doomsday communications tower is located in a small neighborhood park.
