Nebraskans know how to throw a party, and the weirder and more wondrous, the better. After all, this is where locals utilize steel water tanks for river floating, and an automotive replica of England’s Stonehenge rises from the plains. In fact, Nebraska’s wide-open landscape invites innovation – perhaps that’s why there’s so much of it. Whether it’s...

THIS ARTICLE IS ADAPTED FROM THE MAY 4, 2024, EDITION OF GASTRO OBSCURA’S FAVORITE THINGS NEWSLETTER. YOU CAN SIGN UP HERE. I’ve had strawberries on my mind lately. We just wrapped up “Rites of Spring,” a week where Atlas Obscura explores how people around the world celebrate the end of winter. I wrote about the custom of strawberry parties, a 19th-century...

The fertile fields of the Wabash River Valley in western Indiana are home to geological treasures. In the farming community of Williamsport, visitors can find the tallest waterfall in Indiana. Fall Creek, a short tributary of the Wabash River, feeds Williamsport Falls. Williamsport was founded in 1828 around the creek, and today, the waterfall marks...

From 1934 to 1962, Kamakura was known for its summer carnival. It was a huge event launched by a group of local writers and artists, inspired by a carnival that playwright Masao Kume saw in Nice, France. Though it was put on an eight-year hiatus during and after World War II, the carnival grew bigger and bigger each year. It took the city by storm...

The Longshoreman's Museum is a hidden gem most visitors haven't heard of. Celebrating the rich maritime history of the seaside town of Ventnor, the museum is housed in a small gift shop near the waterfront, offering visitors a fascinating glimpse into the lives and work of the island's longshoremen who played a vital role in Ventnor's development. ...

In 1665, Zheng Jing, the son of pirate lord Zheng Chenggong (Koxinga), created the first Confucius temple and center for Confucian learning in Taiwan. When the Qing Dynasty conquered Taiwan in 1683, they quickly adapted it to their own regime. To this day, the elegant 350-year-old compound can be found in Tainan's historic central district, and is...