Hot Doug's "Hot Dog" Stand.

The oldest experimental corn field in America is still creating better ways to grow crops.

Even with its slightly risible name this colossal cross is still able to inspire awe.

This monolithic statue was erected in honor of Chief Black Hawk (even if it wasn't made to look like him).

Known as the "Cross At The Crossroads," this massive metal cross is just short enough to avoid the FAA.

A mythical bird etched into the face of a rock doubles as the mascot for a nearby school.

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

This family driveway also serves as the highest point in Illinois.

These chunky stone towers out in Lake Michigan are the key to Chicago’s drinking water.

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

This memorial plaque remembers a strangely shallow maritime disaster known as "Chicago's Titanic."

First known as the "Sample House," this construction mash-up was meant to be a living catalogue of building styles.

Half-sized replica of the Leaning Tower of Pisa built to honor Galileo.

Quirky water tower advertises the long-gone Brooks Tomato Products Co.

Fragments of architectural wonders from around the globe are embedded in the newspaper building's walls.

This alley in downtown Chicago held the bodies of over 600 people after the fateful Iroquois Theatre fire.

The unluckiest U-boat in the entire German fleet is now on display in a Chicago museum.

A six-story-tall golden pyramid, surrounded by a moat.

Once one of the world's great cities, Cahokia was a place of religious worship, trade and mass human sacrifice before being mysteriously abandoned.

River pirates, murderous bandits, and serial killers used this Illinois cave as their debauched hideout.

A display of magnificent stained glass windows is the first exhibit of its kind.

First planned industrial community in the United States.

Arguably the best example of an authentic Dutch windmill in the United States, rivaling its counterparts in the Netherlands.

The legacy of an unsolved, gruesome murder rests beneath the spans of this historic bridge.