The 1915 time capsule where things have hardly aged

Art collecting gone wrong, a monopoly on baby artichokes, and more. Email not displaying correctly? [View in your browser](. [73ed94ee-f881-4ea1-8e1f-44f98483021c.png]( November 11, 2020 [These Things Have Hardly Aged a Day in 105 Years]( [On October 13, 1915, when construction was beginning on the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery (the military burial ground in Virginia just outside Washington, D.C.) a memorabilia box was sunk behind the cornerstone to fete the project. The copper box was filled with a Bible signed by the building’s architect, copies of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, a photo autographed by then-President Woodrow Wilson, and more.]( [Read more →]( [50 States of Wonder]( [HawaiÊ»i’s Watery Wonders]( [Yes, we know—due to being surrounded by water, HawaiÊ»i is a watery wonder in and of itself. But the ocean is only the beginning. The volcanic islands' dramatic topography, unpredictable coastlines, and high rainfall mean that water in and around the Paradise of the Pacific cavorts in all sorts of stunning ways: waterfalls, blowholes, pools, and more. Here’s how to enjoy these showstoppers without getting your feet wet.]( [Read more →]( [Freeport, Maine]( [Freeport McDonald's]( [The year was 1984. McDonald’s was looking to build a location in the town of Freeport, Maine. There was only one problem: The Freeport building design restrictions were strict, and the town wanted the fast-food giant to maintain the area’s aesthetic. In other words: No golden arches. McDonald’s solution? Remodel an existing structure, namely this elegant 1850 home.]( [Read more →]( [Atlas Obscura Experiences]( [Art Collecting Gone Wrong]( [In the latest episode of The Forged and the Filched, we're coming face-to-face with unscrupulous explorers, dubious do-gooders, and absurd acquisitions. This month, hosts Erin and Kylie are zooming in on the strangest, and most nefarious, tales of collecting art from major museums to private collections.]( [Get Tickets →]( [From the Archives]( [From Book to Bag]( [The purse is pretty on the outside: made of emerald silk, it’s embroidered with dainty yellow, purple, and peachy-pink blooms. But pry the lustrous little parcel open to see something faded and faint, but unmistakable: a blue “Q” tucked between two stems, a stylized red “M” near one edge, rows and rows of tidy, brownish letters. In the belly of the bag, where one might expect just fabric, there is instead text—four parchment fragments, cut from a medieval manuscript.]( [Read more →]( [Berlin, Germany]( [Luisenfriedhof II]( [This is one of the oldest cemeteries in Berlin. Opened in 1867, it’s known as a cemetery of epidemics and is historically connected with the cholera epidemic that hit Berlin-Charlottenburg in 1831. The area is based in the middle of urban structures, but still offers the feeling of a green oasis; visitors will discover architectural highlights, intoxicating nature, and graves of well-known personalities.]( [Read more →]( [From the Archives]( [Food Crime]( [In the 1930s, New York mayor Fiorello LaGuardia decided to take on the Sicilian American mafia by banning a product that he claimed posed a “serious and threatening emergency to the city.” This substance, at the time available in any city market, was controlled by “a monopoly of doubtful legality” (in other words, the mafia). The product in question was… the baby artichoke.]( [Read more →]( [Millburn, New Jersey]( [South Mountain Fairy Trail]( [Intricate little fairy houses, made mostly of natural materials, line a stretch of trail in the South Mountain Reservation park near Millburn, New Jersey. These minute birdhouse-like creations feature teeny chairs made of acorns, ladders made of twigs, beds made of moss, and roofs made of tree bark. Walkers can expect to find them tucked within the tangle of trees along the trail’s edge.]( [Read more →]( [Add a place to the Atlas]( [Subscribe to our other newsletters]( [The definitive guide to the world's hidden wonders.]( [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [Instagram]( [Visit AtlasObscura.com]( · [View in Browser]( · [Unsubscribe]( · [See All Newsletters]( 61 Greenpoint Ave #622, Brooklyn, NY 11222