January 18, 2022

HINGHAM, MASSACHUSETTS  World's End Jetting into Hingham Harbor lies a cluster of drumlins, glacier-carved, spoon-like, hills that rise above the coast around it. John Brewer purchased the land in the 19th century and built an estate for raising cattle. Within 30 years the peninsula was entirely owned by the Brewer family, and they contacted Frederick Law Olmstead—of Central Park design fame—to develop a small portion of the peninsula into a residential area. Plans for this peninsula eventually included houses, the United Nations Headquarters, and a nuclear power plant. Take a guess which of these grand ideas worked out. (Spoiler: None of them.) READ MORE → Protest Button Archive In the 1960s and 70s, the University of Connecticut, like many college campuses across the United States, was awash in protests—and the buttons that came with them. The pin-on buttons, along with the bumper stickers, signs, T-shirts, and alt-weeklies of the counterculture, were meant to be discarded. But the archivist and librarians on campus made the then-radical decision to collect the items in the same manner they might have catalogued a first edition. Today, the University of Connecticut is home to some 1,000 protest buttons, about 400 of which have been digitized. READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA A Historic Russian Recipe Dostoevsky loved it. Catherine the Great enjoyed it. It was once the quintessential Russian dessert: pastila, a classic afternoon tea snack at aristocratic Russian soirees of the 19th century. To make it, apple puree—essentially, applesauce—egg whites, and sugar are leavened with lots and lots of air that’s forced into the mixture with hard whisking, creating a gleaming white cloud. Once baked for hours, the result is a pale, caramel-colored marshmallow or meringue that’s exquisitely apple-flavored. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Compose Experimental Music Join singer and composer Jamie Stewart for a four-part practicum focusing on techniques and approaches to creating unusual and odd sounds. Each session, we’ll walk through demonstrations of techniques applicable to the vast world of experimental music—from sonic practices Jamie has used throughout his career to those central to the history of experimental music, and even a few developed specifically for this course. ENROLL NOW → Who’s Protecting Britain’s Medieval Churches? In some cases, volunteers from organisations such as Friends of Friendless Churches, a nonprofit that rescues churches across England and Wales threatened with demolition or collapse. Founded in 1957 by a group including the poet T.S. Eliot, Friends of Friendless Churches now oversees 58 churches, mainly of medieval origin, relying on a network of about 150 local volunteers, the interest and annual $40 dues of nearly 2,900 international “friends,” and grants from groups including Historic England, its Welsh counterpart, Cadw, and the Church in Wales. READ MORE → FREDERICK, MARYLAND Jug Bridge Monument The Jug Bridge was built in 1808 as part of the National Road to facilitate the crossing of the Monocacy River. It consisted of four 65-foot long stone arches spanning 425 feet with the namesake “jug” standing on the east end of the bridge. Rumors persist today that a bottle of whiskey is sealed within this Demijohn-shaped adornment. READ MORE → FREE MEMBERS-ONLY EXPERIENCE Pick Your Own Adventure You’re in control as we set off on a virtual, pick-your-path adventure through St. Louis’ City Museum, a surrealist urban playground. As we wind our way through whimsical interactive art installations and fascinating exhibits, you get to decide where we stop and what we discover. If you aren't a member yet, you can sign up during the RSVP process for this event. GET TICKETS → FROM THE ARCHIVES Uncovering Buried Buildings How do you dig a buried building out of Maine’s desert dunes? Short answer: very carefully. For decades, a spring house has been buried underneath the desert, swallowed up by the sands of time. At least 15 feet of sand is estimated to have built up over the structure since the 1960s, and the team is still in the early stages of removing them. READ MORE → MARCO ISLAND, FLORIDA Cape Romano Dome House A number of legends have sprung up surrounding the origins of the crumbling cluster of domes at the tip of Cape Romano. Everything from a secret cult to aliens have been credited with creating the space-age buildings, but the truth is that the now-empty concrete bubbles were built to be a self-sufficient, eco-friendly relaxation spot. Unfortunately as the landscape on the edge of the island began to change, simple erosion finally made the homes unlivable. READ MORE → SPONSORED BY VERMONT TOURISM 251 Unique Sides to Vermont Vermont boasts 251 towns and cities—and each town has a unique story to tell. Some towns will make you think twice about the continent you’re on, such as Berlin, Jamaica, and Peru; others are chock-full of historical importance and unusual buildings, hidden waterfalls, and more. Vermont is waiting around every turn—what will you discover today? READ MORE →