The Atlas Obscura Podcast

We meet Becky Sigwright, who captains a wind-powered boat that's been sailing around Maine since before the invention of the telephone. This episode was produced in partnership with the Maine Office of Tourism. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We asked you to send us your stories inspired by Brad Ryan's quest to travel to all 63 U.S National Parks with his grandmother. And some of you had some really interesting things to say. Plus, we wanna hear your stories about the unusual, distinct or memorable tours you've taken anywhere in the world. Tell us what the tour was about. What did you learn? How did it go? Who was the tour guide? Where in the world was this tour? Did you enjoy it? Was it worth it? If not, why so? Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call again if you get disconnected. Or better yet, you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We head to the cliffs of Balneario El Condor in Argentina to visit a parrot city… and the parrot suburbs. And we meet the biologist who risks his life to study them. Learn more about the parrot colony and Juan Masello's work. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For thousands of years, a massive bat colony has lived in a cave about 30 minutes from San Antonio, Texas. Ryan Huling, author of the Book "The Hidden Nations of Animals," tells us all about it. If you want to hear about Ryan's journey to visit other animal colonies, check out our episode titled: “The Animal Worlds We Rarely See." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Producer Talon Stradley takes us on a tour of three skinny houses – each with a big story inside. Do these skinny houses have you curious about spite houses? Check out that episode here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We will always love Dolly Parton, who installed a “dreambox” time capsule at her amusement park. In it, there's a secret song that no one will hear until the legendary artist turns 100. Dolly Parton died this week at age 80, sparking a global outpouring of grief and tributes. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the 1700s, a farmer plowing his fields near the English town of Silchester uncovered a very large gold ring dating back to Roman times, inscribed with the name “Senecianus.” Seventy miles away, in the remains of an old Roman temple complex, a curse tablet was discovered targeting a man named Senecianus who made off with a ring. Coincidence?  Another possible coincidence: one of the academic experts brought in to the excavation of the Roman temple site was J.R.R. Tolkien – who later became famous as the author of “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” which involve, of course, a cursed ring.   Related Atlas entries: The Vyne, the English country house that is home to the ring https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-vyne Lydney Camp, the remains of the Roman temple where the curse tablet was found https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/lydney-camp If you're into this whole curse table thing, we recommend an older episode of the show about the Complaint Tablet of Ea-Nasir Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For decades, the sailing stones of Death Valley were a mystery. They'd show up in lists of the world's unexplained phenomena, alongside the Bermuda Triangle and ball lightning. But then, two cousins came along and decided to ruin everything by solving this mystery once and for all. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A new dream and effort has arisen to re-envision Hogan's Alley, a predominantly Black community in Vancouver. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We asked, you answered. Hear listener stories of near death travel experiences. PLUS: We wanna hear from you! Tell us about your intergenerational travel stories. Who did you go with?  Where did you go? What did you learn about traveling with this person of a different age? How did the trip go? What are some stories you brought back? We want to hear it all.  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call again if you get disconnected. Or better yet, you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We all dream of the perfect vacation when everything goes right. This episode is about the opposite. Hear stories of people having near death travel experiences. PLUS: We wanna hear from you! Tell us about your intergenerational travel stories. Who did you go with?  Where did you go? What did you learn about traveling with this person of a different age? How did the trip go? What are some stories you brought back? We want to hear it all.  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call again if you get disconnected. Or better yet, you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Cal Flyn is the author of Islands of Abandonment: Nature Rebounding in the Post-Human Landscape. She also has a new book, called The Savage Landscape: How We Made the Wilderness. On today's show, she and host Kelly McEvers explore the allure of places that humans have abandoned. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Producers Amanda and Glydel bring you stories of places, spanning from the Ozark mountains to a cave in Portugal, where death is not as final as it seems.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We visit a museum in Montana that's a dream for dinosaur nerds, and home to bones that are the real deal, locally sourced and sustainably foraged. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/great-plains-dinosaur-museum Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We wanna hear from you! Tell us about your intergenerational travel stories. Who did you go with?  Where did you go? What did you learn about traveling with this person of a different age? How did the trip go? What are some stories you brought back? We want to hear it all.  Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name and story. Our mailbox will cut you off after three minutes so please call again if you get disconnected. Or better yet, you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A race is on to save this world heritage site that straddles the border of Togo and Benin. It's home to remarkable earth tower homes called Takienta, and the Batammariba people, whose existence is threatened by climate change and migration. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/koutammakou-batammariba Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Emily Zarka is the host of the PBS digital series Monstrum, a show that tries to  figure out how monster mythology was created and shaped through oral storytelling, literature, and film. Today she tells us about the Flatswoods monster in West Virginia, a legend that dates back to the 1950s. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Author and Ossining town historian Caroline Curvan helps unpack the story of how a castle ended up in the upstate New York woods. And how one wealthy family's dream home was struck by subsequent tragedies and ultimately abandoned.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Casa Cueva was completed in 1958 by artist Juan O Gorman. But in 1969, he sold the house to artist Helen Escobedo. She set off a controversy, which still sparks passion today, after she demolished parts of the house. Valentina Di Liscia, a journalist and senior editor at Hyperallergic, was determined to get to the truth of the matter. Read here to read more about Casa Cueva.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Host Kelly McEvers and producers Jerome and Amanda answer your questions about traveling while sick, memorable souvenirs and their best detours. If you have a question for our next mailbag episode, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your question. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

From alchemy to doomsday prophecies, we delve into the lore of Johannes Kelpius, a mystic believed to have started a cult in the Wissahickon Valley near Philadelphia. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 2007, excavators dug 70-odd years' worth of trash and debris from a cave in Hoboken, New Jersey. It had once been a popular recreation spot, and home to a natural spring that was supposed to have healing properties. But then in 1841 everything changed when the body of a young woman – a beautiful young “cigar girl” well-known in Lower Manhattan – turned up by the cave. The murder shocked and fascinated the people of New York and New Jersey and activated fears about many social issues of the day. It also caught the attention of one guy you've definitely heard of... Edgar Allan Poe, who used the story as inspiration for one of the first detective stories ever written.  Sibyl's Cave… a hidden wonder...and the possible birthplace of “true crime”? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Brad Ryan has traveled to all 63 U.S National Parks. But he's not done it alone. He traveled with his grandmother, who was in her mid-80s when they first started. Now, he's got a book out all about it titled Grandma Joy and Me: A Journey of Healing One National Park at A Time.  Plus, we'd like to hear from you. Tell us your stories about visiting the U.S National Parks. Which ones have you been to? Which ones are you looking forward to? Did everything go as planned? Did anything surprising happen? Tell us all about it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message with your story and your name. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We meet the robot saints – sculptures made of wood and wire, of cams and pulleys during medieval times – that might just help us understand this new AI age we all find ourselves living in. LEARN MORE about these inventions by reading City University of New York Professor Christopher Swift's 2015 paper about these automated figures. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today. we're visiting the World Erotic Art Museum in Miami, a place that shattered the line between fine art and our deeply held taboos. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mary Maschal set out to document women's history, unintentionally becoming part of it herself. Learn more about the Women's Museum of History here. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

For decades, people have been addressing love letters to an oak tree deep in the Dodauer Forest in Germany called the Bridegroom's Oak. The hope is that a passerby might find their letter, write back and form a connection. Journalist Elliot Stein visited this romantic post office box and talked to the mail carrier who used to deliver these letters and who one day, found a letter that was addressed to him.  If you would like to address your own love letter to the Bridegroom's Oak, the mailing address is:  Bräutigamseiche, Dodau 99 Dodauer Forst, 23701 Eutin, Germany Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“Stockholm Syndrome” is a term in pop psychology that's come to mean situations where hostages develop emotional bonds with their captors. But it comes from an actual hostage situation back in the 1970s, when a botched bank robbery in downtown Stockholm turned into a six-day long stand-off between the would-be robbers and police. Today, the bank is a hotel – and you can still see evidence of this incident inside. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We asked you about traveling to all 50 states, and in response got several stories about interesting quests and journeys across the U.S. Up Next: Tell us your stories about visiting the U.S National Parks. Which ones have you been to? Which ones are you looking forward to? Did everything go as planned? Did anything surprising happen? Tell us all about it. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message with your story and your name. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the 1980s, a group of friends on the track team at Sul Ross State University hauled a discarded dorm room desk to the top of a mountain. They left a notebook there to keep track of their run times and leave little notes for each other. Then… other people found it. And then… it started a tradition. Visit the Atlas entry for the Sul Ross desk, and learn more about the archives containing the Sul Ross desk notebooks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The story of a big idea, and a big duck – and how this duck would go on to become an important architectural landmark that would influence buildings all around the world.   READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/big-duck Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today we visit a baklava shop in Istanbul at the intersection of autocracy, violence and urban renewal. Kelly speaks with journalist Suzy Hansen, author of the book “ From Life Itself: Turkey and Istanbul in the Age of Erdogan” about a 2019 attack on a Syrian-owned sweet shop and what it says about Turkey today.  (Note: the sweet shop we discuss in this episode, El Nour, is still open today and can be found in Istanbul's Karagümrük neighborhood, here is a link on Google Maps.)  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We visit the Louisiana town where the infamous – but often misunderstood – couple's story came to an end.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/bonnie-and-clyde-ambush-museum Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Step back in time with us at the Wagner Free Institute of Science and explore how this museum defies modernity, preserving its original mission of education and inclusivity since the 19th century.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Besides the sky, blue is a color you don't often see in nature. It often signals poison, something artificial. True blue is astonishingly rare. But today, producers Amanda McGowan and Glydel Go take you to two places on opposite ends of the earth, with blues that feel almost otherworldly. We begin deep inside the Grand Canyon, at the Havasupai Indian Reservation, with a waterfall that is very much real, but feels magical. Then we look wayyyyyy down at Hinatuan Enchanted River, located in Surigao del Sur, Philippines. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A hospital and rehab center for birds in Manhattan started with a woman who just wanted to do all she could to help an injured goose. Decades later, it has become an institution. READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/wild-bird-fund Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On the eve of the Second World War, there was one place that was the source for all good stories — the Hotel Imperial in Vienna. It exuded luxury and power, and also was the converging spot for foreign correspondents in the 1920's and ‘30s who were warning the world about the rise of dictatorship. Historian and author Deborah Cohen takes us back in time and into the lives of these influential journalists. MORE Check out Deborah's book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/576473/last-call-at-the-hotel-imperial-by-deborah-cohen/ Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Her image is just about everywhere in New York City. But her name and story is rarely known. This is the story of America's first supermodel Audrey Munson Plus, if you find yourself in New York City, we would love to hear from you about your encounters with Audrey Munson. Tell us your thoughts and snap a picture with her. Give us a call at 315-992-7902, and leave us a message with your name and story. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In Hastings, Nebraska, the Kool-Aid man is a bit of a local legend. Not the anthropomorphic glass pitcher with a face who yells “Oh yeah” (though he's part of the story too) but the original Kool-Aid man, Edwin Perkins, who invented the drink almost 100 years ago right here in Hastings.  This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Nebraska. Learn more about the Hastings Museum Kool-Aid exhibit here, and more here about the Kool-Aid Days festival which will take place this year August 14-16. We've also done an episode featuring Hastings before - The Goose Who Wore Nikes.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Visitors to the Truck Yard beer garden in The Colony, Texas (outside Dallas) are treated to a very unusual art collection: a sweeping array of around 1400 hand-painted toilet seats, many of which are also collaged with objects ranging from tortoise shells to Zippo lighters to Pez dispensers. This is the life's work of Barney Smith, a beloved Texas outsider artist who spent decades creating these “seats” of art, inspired by his day job as a plumber. James McCandless, a reporter at the San Antonio Business Journal, once visited Barney back at the original home of the collection – which was Barney's garage. He tells us the story. For more information about visiting the Toilet Seat Art collection today (you can event rent it out for events): https://truckyard.com/the-colony/toilet-seat-museum/ Read James McCandless's original story for Atlas Obscura about visiting Barney: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/toilet-seat-museum-barney-smith If you can't get enough of these seats, Roadside America also has done some delightful profiles of Barney over the years: https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/6166 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We want to hear from you! Have you visited all 50 states? Or maybe you're really close? Tell us about your 50 state journey – whether you're a quester type, or more of an accidental type, like me. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your question. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This tiny island off the coast of Peru is an UNESCO World Heritage site for having the finest textile art. It's also the place where a knitted hat represents and symbolizes a man's code of honor, marital status, and love for life.  READ MORE IN THE ATLAS: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/taquile-island Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dean Karnazes has visited all 50 states in the U.S. But he did it in an incredible way: In 2006, he ran 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days.  Plus: Have you visited all 50 states? Or are you trying to? We want to hear your story. Give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your suggestion. And don't forget to join Atlas Obscura to connect with your fellow travelers.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We head south of Miami to hear the story of a family that took a gamble on a humble roadside stand that blossomed into a fruit emporium and community staple.  This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that's off the beaten track. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Co-host Kelly McEvers and producers Johanna and Amanda answer a fun hypothetical, and a classic would-you-rather question.  If you have a question for our next mailbag episode, give us a call at 315-992-7902 and leave a message. You can also record a voice memo and email it to us at Hello@AtlasObscura.com, or simply email your question. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Monterrey, Mexico is known for its mountains, its industry, and its close connection to the US. But Monterrey was also home to one of the first private radio stations, run by a man who would become known as the father of Mexican radio: Constantino de Tarnava. Historian Sonia Robles talks about early Mexican radio stations in the 1920s and 30s  - the big ‘border blasters' run by US outlaws, and the Mexican stations that were serving their local communities and Mexican immigrants in the US.      This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that's off the beaten track. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The story of how a former nuclear missile silo in Wamego, Kansas became the site of the largest LSD bust in US history (allegedly). Fore more information, check out author Dennis McDougal's website and Rolling Stone's interview with Leonard Pickard. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Beverly Gage is a Pulitzer Prize award winner and a professor of history at Yale University.  Her new book This Land Is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S History is a travelogue that takes us on the road into America's past as she travels to visit 13 key locations that she says  define the country's successes and challenges.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, we explore Smither Park, an artistic oasis in Houston where self-taught artists transform a humble park into a mesmerizing gallery.  This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that's off the beaten track. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Pea Island is a wildlife refuge, and one of the most untouched parts of the Outer Banks. But a century ago, this small piece of land was the site of one of the most remarkable water rescues to date. And it was thanks to a man who, just 30 years after Reconstruction, became the first Black person to lead a Life Saving Station.    There are many ways to learn more about Richard Ethridge and the Pea Island Life Saving team, including the Pea Island Cookhouse Museum and the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. You can also check out David Wright and Dave Zoby's book,  Fire on the Beach: Recovering the Lost Story of Richard Etheridge and the Pea Island Lifesavers.  This episode was produced in production with the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Reporter Elah Feder ventures into one of her hometown's biggest tourist attractions: A 98-room castle in the middle of Toronto that bankrupted a 19th century electricity multimillionaire. This episode is part of our ongoing coverage of the soccer world championship. In each episode, we take you beyond the stadium, and to a nearby wonder that's off the beaten track. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.