August 31, 2022

RESTORING ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENTS  San Francisco’s Salty South Bay  As you descend into San Francisco International Airport, you might see an otherworldly landscape of geometric lines and vibrant colors fringing the jagged coastline of the Bay—the result of more than 150 years of industrial salt mining. For two years, photographer joSon documented these fields, and in the course of doing so, noticed shorebirds returning to the South Bay. It turns out joSon was documenting one of the largest wetland restoration projects in United States history.  READ MORE → GASTRO OBSCURA Eat Like an Astronaut The year: 1969. Neil Armstrong, Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr., and Michael Collins had just returned from landing on the moon, and were heading in for a White House state dinner. But what exactly do you serve America’s “Moonmen”? Well, if you’re pastry chef Ernest Mueller, you whip up a dessert known as Clair de Lune: meringue-covered ice cream bombes, surrounded with a pool of dark-purple blackberry sauce. And now you too, can whip this up in your kitchen. READ MORE → HELENA, MONTANA Canyon Ferry Lake's Cemetery Island Beneath its translucent green waves, the Canyon Ferry Lake reservoir hides the remains of the small town of Canton, Montana. Founded in the 1860s, Canton’s cemetery was perched on top of a hill high enough to escape being flooded during the construction of the Canyon Ferry Dam between 1949 and 1954. READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA COURSES Design Your Own Murder Mystery Party Nothing brings people together quite like donning period costume and framing friends and family for fictional murder! In this five-part lecture series, Abi Inman will walk you through researching, writing, and hosting your own murder mystery party. ENROLL TODAY → HEARTWARMING STORIES 13 Murals for Local Heroes When we think of heroes, often the figures that come to mind are larger-than-life personalities who are known all over the world for accomplishing incredible feats. However, not every hero’s story is known the world over. Here are 13 murals dedicated to local heroes who made a difference in their communities. READ MORE → LINVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA Mile High Swinging Bridge You can find America's highest suspension footbridge at Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. It was built by Hugh Morton, who wanted to build something to help his grandmother enjoy the views from the summit without a strenuous hike. In the decades since Morton’s grandmother first visited the bridge in 1952, millions of locals and tourists alike have shared that same view from the Mile High Swinging Bridge. READ MORE → THE ATLAS OBSCURA PODCAST Anne Spencer’s Garden In this episode, we visit a garden in Lynchburg, Virginia, that is the key to unlocking the writing and mind of Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer. This garden was her muse and refuge, and is where she hosted the great minds of her day, including Langston Hughes and W.E.B. Du Bois. YOU’VE GOT MAIL Delivering Mail to Hell Well, specifically—Hells Canyon. For decades, Jill Koch and her husband Jim have weathered storms, swirling currents, and other perils to bring mail, year-round, to the residents of Hells Canyon National Recreation Area—a desolate expanse of the Snake River that traverses Eastern Oregon and Northern Idaho. It’s one of the most remote mail routes in the Lower 48, and has been in operation since 1919. READ MORE → NEW MEXICO Ra Paulette's Hand-Carved Caves For over 25 years, New Mexico artist Ra Paulette has been creating natural crevasses in the New Mexico wilderness by painstakingly chiseling, digging, and carving intricate underground wonderlands. No two of Paulette’s caves are alike! READ MORE → ATLAS OBSCURA TRIPS Explore The Marvels of Ancient Egypt Follow in the footsteps of explorers and royalty and experience the thrill of discovery while exploring the Great Pyramids of Giza, traversing the Avenue of the Sphinxes, and climbing into the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Gain an insider’s perspective on the bustling city of Cairo and the world-renowned sites at Giza, Saqqara, Luxor, Aswan, and Abu Simbel.