This is the last hand-cranked chain ferry of its kind in operation in the United States.

A lush green oasis in the middle of Chicago.

This surprising gem is a world-class archeological museum hidden at the University of Chicago.

A historic beacon built in the aftermath of the worst maritime disaster on the Great Lakes.

A relic of the Cold War in Chicago.

A historic and oft-filmed prison stands in a Chicago suburb.

This lush 12-acre site was once named the finest Japanese garden in North America.

The final resting place of up to 6,000 Confederate soldiers, the largest mass grave in the Western Hemisphere.

One of the best places to see wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs in the United States.

The world's largest collection of the world's largest objects is in one small Illinois town.

Illegal drag racing two stories beneath Chicago’s streets.

A place for ship-lovers to watch the passage of freighters traversing the Great Lakes while learning about their history.

This small museum is dedicated to making sure the history of the natural ice industry doesn't melt away.

An unlikely beach paradise of giant sand dunes lies between two lakes just a few minutes from Michigan's cherry country.

L. Frank Baum wrote part of the "Wizard of Oz" series in this wooden Victorian beach resort.

The world-record holder for the longest bridge stretching continuously over water.

This national park dedicated to the tallgrass prairie ecosystem still displays its military past.

Spanking machines, fake goats, and more devices of humiliation are on display in this museum of fraternal initiation devices.

A creepy sculpture of a decapitated head invites viewers to see St. Louis through its empty eyes.

The highway's southernmost spot is a beloved local attraction.

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

One of Savannah's oldest and most haunted cemeteries, featuring graves desecrated by Sherman's Union Army.

A statue honoring 44 continuous years of greeting passing ships.

The remnants of the fortress that saved Georgia from the Spanish still stand guard on their swampy island.