This cheerfully-named branch of the Chicago River is the fetid result of years of blood, entrails, and meatpacking waste.

Landmark Chicago building narrowly avoided destruction.

A giant bronze coil of feces is both a tribute to doggie defecation and a reminder to pick it up.

An abandoned stretch of highway, deteriorating next to the operational one.

What appears to be a wizard's lair in Milwaukee actually houses a massive water pipe.

This historic hotel invented the chocolate brownie.

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

Huge abstract sculptures of the Puerto Rican Flag.

Built to house a chapter of the Knights Templar, this grandiose building is a relic of Freemasonry in Chicago a century ago.

Steepest flood safety railway in the entire world.

Memorializing an American tragedy of massive proportions.

This dramatic rail curve was once the target of a failed Nazi attack.

Behold the rickety glory of one of the oldest roller coasters still standing.

Designed by Alfred Caldwel, this landscape showcases his vision of a native garden.

The faint remains of a Polish news empire still linger.

Hot Doug's "Hot Dog" Stand.

An eccentric park and pool.

A Chicago Movie Palace Lost to Time.

These mansions date back to Chicago's days as a brewer's paradise.

Illegal drag racing two stories beneath Chicago’s streets.

Once called the "Polish Gold Coast" it is an icon of the neighborhood that bears its same name.

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

This awkward aquarium sculpture is one of the strangest statues in Chicago.

Former bath house turns gastropub.