1

St. Augustine Lighthouse — St. Augustine, Florida

Located on Anastasia Island in Florida, overlooking Matanzas Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, this historic 165-foot beacon, completed in 1874, has a long history of reported paranormal activity .

Visitors and staff often report hearing children giggling and footsteps on the stairs, as well as seeing unexplained shadows and other apparitions. The lighthouse museum even offers ghost tours centered on these stories.

2

Montauk Point Lighthouse — Montauk, New York

The Montauk Point Lighthouse was commissioned and authorized by President George Washington in 1792 , making it one of the oldest lighthouses in the nation.

Long before it was built, the waters and cliffs of Montauk were a haven for pirates. Local lore says that the infamous privateer Captain William Kidd buried a massive chest of treasure in the nearby dunes of Money Pond in 1699, just before his capture. The legend has helped keep the idea of buried pirate treasure alive for generations, including interactive pirate treasure shows that invite families and visitors to help solve storylines like "The Curse of Abigail the Ghost of the Lighthouse" while hunting for hidden pirate loot.

3

Eastern Point Lighthouse — Gloucester, Massachusetts

If you want to visit the haunting coastal beacon featured in the film The Perfect Storm , look no further. Strolling down the rocky eastern tip of Gloucester Harbor in Massachusetts, you’ll come across Eastern Point Lighthouse, which has been guiding mariners since its original construction in 1832.

Renowned American landscape painter Winslow Homer spent time at Eastern Point and painted the surrounding coastline, highlighting its strong connections to American art and maritime history.

4

Heceta Head Lighthouse — Florence, Oregon

Do you believe in ghosts? The Heceta Head Lighthouse, which stands on a dramatic headland above the Pacific Ocean near Florence, Oregon, is in famous for its "friendly" ghost resident, "Rue," tied to a tragic loss that happened close by.

Named after Spanish Basque explorer Don Bruno de Heceta, who charted the Pacific Northwest waters in 1775, it features a rare first-order rotating Fresnel lens, made by Chance Brothers in Birmingham, England, which once produced one of the most powerful lighthouse beams on the Oregon Coast.

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Pigeon Point Lighthouse — Pescadero, California

The dramatic coastal setting and towering white structure of the Pigeon Point Lighthouse in Pescadero, California, served as a filming location for several Hollywood productions, including the 1992 thriller Final Analysis starring Richard Gere and Kim Basinger .

Alongside its dramatic Pacific cliffs, one of the tallest lighthouses on the West Coast is connected to many historic shipwrecks. In fact, the point earned its name from the clipper ship Carrier Pigeon , which tragically ran aground 500 feet offshore in 1853, after being caught in heavy fog during the Gold Rush era.

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Point Bonita Lighthouse — Sausalito, California

Point Bonita Lighthouse is a wild, cliff-clinging sentinel located at the northern entrance of the San Francisco Bay in the Marin Headlands. This is the only lighthouse in the United States approached by a suspension bridge , giving it an almost fairy-tale-like quality. Visitors reach the bridge through a short tunnel.

Originally, keepers walked across a natural rock land bridge to reach the islet. However, a massive landslide in the 1940s destroyed the natural connection. A wooden walkway followed, and the suspension bridge we know today was later built in 1954.

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Whitefish Point Lighthouse — Paradise, Michigan

Over 200 major shipwrecks lie in the waters surrounding Whitefish Point Lighthouse, the oldest operating lighthouse on Lake Superior, standing as a vital guardian along Michigan's notorious "Shipwreck Coast", where severe weather and hazardous waters have claimed hundreds of vessels.

The lighthouse has illuminated these dangerous waters since 1861. Nearby, the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald lies about 17 miles north-northwest of Whitefish Point, where the ship sank with all 29 crew members aboard in 1975.

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Cape Hatteras Lighthouse — Buxton, North Carolina

Picture riding your bicycle around the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. That would be the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton, North Carolina, rising nearly 200 feet above the ground with its distinctive black-and-white spiral daymark.

Built to warn mariners of the shifting underwater sandbars known as the Diamond Shoals, the beacon protects a treacherous stretch of the Outer Banks where the warm Gulf Stream collides with the Virginia Drift, a branch of the Labrador Current. This volatile maritime intersection, known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic," has been the site of hundreds of shipwrecks.

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Split Rock Lighthouse — Two Harbors, Minnesota

For its first 15 years, until the local highway arrived in 1924, the Split Rock Lighthouse was entirely cut off from land traffic and could only be reached by water —leaving the structure perched on a 130-foot sheer cliff overlooking the vast, rugged waters of Lake Superior in Two Harbors, Minnesota.

By 1938, thanks to improved roadways, it had become so popular that the U.S. Lighthouse Service described it as "probably the most visited lighthouse in the United States." Nearly 100,000 visitors came that year.

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Bodie Island Lighthouse — Nags Head, North Carolina

The true magic of the Bodie Island Lighthouse in Nags Head, North Carolina, lies at its crown. It features a rare first-order Fresnel lens, a remarkable glass-and-brass masterpiece designed to focus light into a powerful beam. Today, the light’s distinctive pattern can be seen for roughly 19 miles out to sea.

For nearly a century, keepers and their families lived in isolation on the grounds, tending to the oil lamps and winding the clockwork mechanisms by hand. Legend has it that the spirits of these dedicated keepers still linger , watching over the grounds to ensure the light never goes out.

1

"Yes, Hell is a Place on Earth"

Image: Peter Leong

People driving from Lansing to Ann Arbor can take a slight detour and "go through Hell." And Hell lives up to its name, playfully. Founded in Michigan in the 1830s (legend has it that one of the settlers said, "Call it Hell, for all I care!"), this tourist hotspot leans into the joke.

You can "get married in Hell," mail postcards from the Hell Post Office , or grab a souvenir from the Hell Hole Diner. The town even freezes over in winter—because, of course, Hell can freeze over.

2

"Because!"

Image: Danika Perkinson

Why’s name comes from a nearby Y-shaped intersection , but its motto takes full advantage of the pun.

Originally called "Y," this Arizona town had to add an "H" to comply with the state’s three-letter minimum for place names. Today, Why (population: around 160) is a desert oddity whose motto says it all: Because. That’s the only explanation it’s willing to give.

3

"The Town Too Tough to Die"

Image: Andreas Rasmussen

That’s the nickname of Tombstone, Arizona. This Wild West legend earned its motto after surviving fires, shootouts, and near abandonment. Founded in 1879 as a silver boomtown, Tombstone soon became infamous for the gunfight at the O.K. Corral.

When the mines dried up, the town rebranded itself as a living museum of cowboy lore . Today, actors reenact gunfights daily, and the Bird Cage Theatre—once called "the wickedest nightspot between Basin Street and the Barbary Coast"—still stands.

4

"The Town That Was"

Image: Colin Lloyd

Few mottos are as haunting as that of Centralia, Pennsylvania. In 1962, a coal mine fire ignited beneath the town and has burned ever since, turning streets into smoke-filled cracks and forcing nearly everyone to leave.

Today, fewer than ten residents remain in this near-ghost town , where graffiti-covered Route 61—the "Graffiti Highway"—attracts urban explorers. It’s said that the underground fire could continue burning for another 250 years.

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"The Most Exciting Place to Live"

Image: ALEKSEY KUPRIKOV

Don’t be fooled by the name of Boring, Oregon—its motto is a cheeky nod to its reputation, but the town was actually named after 19th-century settler William Boring .

Every year, the town hosts the "Boring Fest" and sells "Boring, OR" merch. Ironically, the surroundings of Boring are anything but dull: you’ll find stunning trails and ski resorts to explore near Mt. Hood!

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"No Fear Here"

Image: Jon Tyson

Coward, South Carolina, would like everyone to know they’re no scaredy-cats. Named after a railroad official , the town has embraced its ironic potential with a motto that flips the script.

Located along the "Old Stage Coach Road," Coward is now a quiet pit stop with a sense of humor. No cowards here—just a town that knows how to laugh at itself.

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"A Nice Place to Live"

Image: Sterling Lanier

In the heart of Amish Country, Intercourse , Pennsylvania, gets its eyebrow-raising name from an old term for " crossroads ." The town leans into the jokes (yes, they sell T-shirts) but keeps it wholesome with a motto that highlights its quiet charm.

Visitors come for the buggy rides, homemade jam, and, of course, the chance to say they’ve been to Intercourse.

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"Not What You Expected"

Image: Jason Leung

A fitting motto for Surprise, Nebraska. Founded in the 1880s, the town’s origin story has been lost to time , and with a population of around 40, it’s a surprise it’s still on the map at all. That’s exactly what the motto jokes about.

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"The Town Without a Frown"

Image: Yuyang Liu

Happy, Texas, boasts one of the most wholesome town names—and a matching motto. This Panhandle town of 600 lives up to its name with a smiley-face water tower and an annual "Happy, Texas Day" celebration.

Founded in the 1890s, Happy got its name from cowboys who found water here after a drought.

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"The Last Word in Hospitality"

Image: vamshi vanaparthi

How do you pronounce Zzyzx, a town in California? It’s "Zye-zix." This Mojave Desert spot was once a health spa run by a self-proclaimed "doctor" who invented the name to be the last word in the dictionary.

Today, it’s a research center—and yes, it remains the last alphabetical town in the US, just as intended.

11

"High and Dry Since 1854"

Image: Aleksandra Sapozhnikova

That’s funny! But irony alert: Waterproof, Louisiana, is ironically prone to flooding. Named after a local plantation owner’s boast that his land was "waterproof," the town’s motto leans into the joke. After multiple floods, the residents have learned to take it in stride.

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"A Beautiful Mistake"

Image: Sarah Kilian

Finally, we have the quaint town of Accident, located in Maryland. Founded in 1774 after a land surveyor "accidentally" marked the wrong spot , Accident embraces its quirky origin story.

Today, it’s a charming Appalachian town, best known for its humorous name.

1

Movie etiquette slides: The "don’ts" of early cinema

Image: Alex Litvin

Long before "silence your phones" became a common phrase, the audience was advised to mind their manners with whimsical "movie etiquette" slides. These slides, from the early 1900s, reminded theatergoers to behave properly while in the establishment. Suggestions like "Applaud with hands only" were a gentle nudge to stay courteous—after all, what else would one applaud with, right?

Another classic recommendation: "If annoyed when here, please tell the management," a precursor to modern customer service advice.

2

America’s birth certificate: The map that named a continent

Image: Chris Lawton

Does America have a birth certificate? Not exactly, but something like that—hear this out. It’s actually a map that holds the unique honor of using the name "America" for the very first time . Created by Martin Waldseemüller in 1507, it has a lengthy Latin title and shows an emerging understanding of the globe, especially the newly discovered Western Hemisphere and Pacific Ocean.

For the first time, a cartographer separated the Americas from Europe and Asia, recognizing them as distinct continents. The Library of Congress acquired the map in 2003 and is often referred to as America’s "birth certificate."

3

A Monopoly prequel: The Office Boy

Image: Jaciel Melnik

Before Monopoly was monopolizing (pun intended) family game nights, Parker Brothers tested the waters with a lesser-known board game called "The Office Boy." Released in 1889, this early game was all about climbing the corporate ladder , reflecting the "American Dream" narrative popular at the time.

Players began as humble stock boys and had to work their way up to the head of the firm, with virtues like integrity and promptness helping them along, while carelessness could set them back. Pretty much like real life, huh?

Although "The Office Boy" never reached the same iconic status, it’s a fascinating precursor to Monopoly and you can take a look at it at the Library of Congress.

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Locks of famous hair: A snip of history

Image: Taylor Smith

It might sound strange today, but saving locks of hair from notable figures was a common practice in the past. The Library of Congress holds strands from historical figures like Thomas Jefferson, Walt Whitman, and James Madison.

Along with the locks, you can also learn some interesting facts. For example, Jefferson’s hair was cut at his deathbed by his family, while Whitman’s came courtesy of his housekeeper, who took the liberty of snipping a few strands. These tiny, personal (maybe too personal) belongings have lost their shine over the years, but they still connect visitors to some of the most influential figures in history.

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Bizarre health labels: Fat-Ten-U tablets, anyone?

Image: Jenelle

We might find it hard to believe at times, but societies do change. Want to see how? Take a look at advertisements from a certain era, and you’ll notice the early 20th century had its fair share of questionable health products—some of them can be found at the Library of Congress.

For example, one product you can take a look at is "Loring’s Fat-Ten-U Food Tablets," which promised to help skinny folks gain weight quickly . The accompanying ads featured dramatic before-and-after illustrations of people plumping up into "rosy" health with these tablets.

Compare that with today, and you’ll see that marketing, fads, and science have certainly come a long way, don’t you think?

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The first road map: Paving the way for American travelers

Image: LouisMoto

We’ve mentioned the first map to name America as a continent, but have you ever wondered who the first person to draw a roadmap of the US was? Well, you can learn about that at the Library of Congress.

Back in 1789, when George Washington became president, Christopher Colles published what is now considered the first road map of the United States . His guide, titled A Survey of the Roads of the United States of America , helped travelers navigate the relatively new nation. Rather than displaying large swathes of territory, each page zoomed in on short stretches of road, making it much easier to navigate.

Of course, if you look at it today, it is outdated, but back then, it made traveling around the country a lot easier!

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Culinary advice for motorists: Gourmet on the go

Image: Debby Hudson

One doesn’t usually—or immediately—place a motorist in a kitchen, right? But we guess this is here to prove us wrong!

When early motorists hit the road, there weren’t fast-food chains or convenience stores on every corner. This posed a problem, but the solution came around rather quickly: The Motorist’s Luncheon Book by May Southworth, published in 1923, provided travelers with the advice they needed to plan their meals on the go. The book suggested packing emergency supplies like sardines, canned frankfurters, and even "bacon in jars" and some recipes to cook on the road.

If you’re ever out of ideas in the kitchen, you might want to get a quick look at this book!

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Jefferson’s vanilla ice cream recipe: Founding Father of desserts

Image: Hidden

Wait, Jefferson—as in the Founding Father? That’s right. Thomas Jefferson may have helped write the Declaration of Independence, but he also knew how to make a mean vanilla ice cream.

Among his vast collection of papers at the Library of Congress is his personal recipe for the classic dessert . The recipe is as simple as it gets: just "good cream," egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla. Jefferson, known for his love of French cuisine, likely picked up this ice cream-making skill while serving as a diplomat in Paris. While the recipe is quite detailed, it’s a reminder that even the most powerful figures in history had a sweet tooth. You could honor him by making this for your loved ones tonight!

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The first known book printed in America: The Bay Psalm Book

Image: Aaron Burden

We all know what the first printed book in the world was, right? But what about the first printed book in America? Here’s what you need to know about it.

North America’s first printed book, The Whole Booke of Psalmes , also known as The Bay Psalm Book , dates back to 1640, just two decades after the Mayflower landed. This hymnal was created in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and contains psalms translated from Hebrew into English—but with a twist: the spelling and grammar were, well… creative by modern standards.

The book has no music notes, just the lyrics for worshippers to follow along with. Though simple in appearance, it pretty much marks a milestone in American printing and religious history.

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Helen Keller’s plea to Alexander Bell: A message of hope

Image: Anne Nygård

As you probably already know, Hellen Keller was both deaf and blind. But that was never an obstacle to her journey of self-improvement and activism for the rights of the disabled. She is, still today, one of the most influential figures in history.

Now, concerning this article, here’s the fascinating artifact’s history: In 1907, Helen Keller sent a telegram to Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone and an advocate for the deaf. In it, Keller, who was both deaf and blind, asked Bell to join her in delivering a speech , hoping he would repeat her words aloud for the audience. This small but powerful telegram is now part of the Library of Congress’s collection and you can take a look at it to learn about the deep bonds formed between two icons of American history.