1

Disney: A signature of magic

Image: Gui Avelar

Some logos inspire happiness at first glance, don’t you think? Walt Disney’s logo is a perfect example for us. It’s playful and inviting, and that’s because it’s modeled after Walt Disney’s very own signature, or at least an artistic version of it.

The truth is that Walt’s actual handwriting looked pretty different from the logo we know today because he changed his signature frequently, making it nearly impossible to determine if this version was ever truly his. In any case, it was very successful, and if you ask us, this logo screams "happily ever after."

2

McDonald’s: Golden arches or hidden symbol?

Image: Janet Ganbold

The moment you see a golden "M," your mouth starts watering, doesn’t it? However, the famous Golden Arches weren’t always part of McDonald’s logo history.

Back in the 1950s, they were part of the restaurant’s architecture, we mean actual arches on either side of the building!

When designing a logo, the company leaned into that imagery to create something unforgettable. Well, they definitely did it! And we’re lovin’ it!

3

Coca-Cola: Scripted for success

Image: Efekan Akyüz

That classic Coca-Cola logo has remained surprisingly consistent since 1887. The secret? A font called Spencerian Script, which was highly fashionable back in the late 19th century.

The smooth, flowing letters give it a friendly, approachable feel, it’s like an invitation to "have a Coke and a smile."

Over the years, the brand played with design elements (remember the old glass bottles?), but the logo’s handwritten charm never wavered. The old-school way truly is the best way in some cases.

4

Dove: A symbol of softness

Image: Akshay Bandre

Some logos are so powerful, that you can almost taste them. In this case, you can smell and feel it at the same time. Have you ever noticed the graceful bird on Dove products? That dove isn’t just for show, it represents peace, gentleness, and care , which is exactly what the brand aims to evoke.

When Dove first launched in 1955, its messaging was all about moisturizing and being kind to your skin. The logo, paired with the brand’s soothing colors, reinforces that sense of softness. It’s one of those designs that just feels good, even before you try the products.

5

Amazon: The smile that points the way

Image: Christian Wiediger

The story behind the name is quite fascinating, but let’s focus on the logo. Amazon’s logo isn’t just a smile—it’s a smile with a purpose. Look closely, and you’ll notice the arrow stretches from "A" to "Z," symbolizing the company’s goal to offer everything you could ever need.

And that curved arrow? It’s designed to look like a grin, giving the brand a friendly, customer-first vibe. With a logo this clever, it’s no surprise they’ve grown into an online shopping powerhouse. This is the kind of logo we like—what about you?

6

Google: The colors of curiosity

Image: sarah b

At first glance, one might think Google just put together the letters, chose random colors, and launched the site. But that’s definitely not the case—this logo is packed with meaning.

To begin with, they are not random colors, they are primary colors, chosen to represent creativity and approachability .

As for the unexpected green "L," it’s a nod to the idea that Google likes to break the rules (in a good way, of course). Over the years, the company has refreshed the logo’s font and shading, but the vibe remains the same. And let’s not forget about the festive Doodles—they’re genius!

7

Starbucks: From the sea to your cup

Image: Athar Khan

That green mermaid on your Starbucks cup? She’s actually a two-tailed siren, inspired by an old Norse woodcut. Why a siren, you may ask? Well, the brand wanted to evoke the allure of coffee as something irresistible —like a siren’s call.

Over time, the logo has evolved, losing the "Starbucks Coffee" text to let the siren shine on her own. Curious enough, the first design included the name of the company on the outer part of the circle, but they decided to eliminate that and let the siren do all the luring work on her own!

8

FedEx: The arrow you didn’t see

Image: Jan Rosolino

FedEx has one of the sneakiest logos in the business world. Between the "E" and the "X," there’s a hidden arrow that represents speed and precision . And once you see it, you can’t unsee it!

This wasn’t the original version, though. Designed in 1994, the logo is a masterclass in subtlety and clever branding, much like Amazon’s. It’s a perfect fit for a company that prides itself on delivering packages quickly and efficiently.

9

Domino’s: Three dots, infinite pizza

Image: Miroslav Denkov

Speaking of logos you can taste, right? Domino’s logo features three dots, which represent the first three locations of the pizza chain .

Originally, the company planned to add a new dot for every store they opened. Can you imagine if they had kept that idea? They quickly realized that wouldn’t work with their explosive growth.

Paired with the iconic red and blue colors, the logo is as comforting as a fresh box of pizza. And let’s be real—who doesn’t love their pizza?

10

Tesla: An electric secret

Image: Tesla Fans Schweiz

Tesla’s sleek, futuristic logo isn’t just a fancy "T"; it’s actually a nod to the company’s cutting-edge tech. The "T" is designed to resemble a cross-section of an electric motor, tying into Tesla’s mission of revolutionizing transportation .

Pair that with its clean lines and modern vibe, and you’ll see that the logo feels as innovative as the cars themselves. It’s a perfect example of branding that matches the product: bold, forward-thinking, and undeniably cool. What do you think?

11

Levi’s: A stitch in time

Image: Mnz

Few pieces of clothing are as iconic as a pair of Levi’s, right? That’s because both the item and the logo are equally simple, bold, and instantly recognizable .

The classic red tab is the result of eight redesigns. The first version of the logo included two horses pulling in opposite directions of a pair of jeans, trying to rip them—and failing, of course! But that was just the beginning.

The logo we know today was introduced by the same designer who worked on Coca-Cola’s script and the inspiration was the stitching on the back pocket of the jeans. The rest, as they say, is comfortable and durable history!

12

Pepsi: A logo full of energy

Image: Ja San Miguel

This article comes to an end with a classic brand. Pepsi’s logo has gone through dozens of iterations, but the current design—a red, white, and blue globe—is packed with meaning.

The wavy lines represent energy and dynamism, while the patriotic colors nod to its American roots, naturally. And if you were doubtful that it represents our country, you can read the 27-page redesign manifesto from 2008, which reportedly cost millions and came with a full explanation of its symbolism!

1

Raven Rock Mountain Complex

Image: Ilagam

Did you know that in the 1950s, the US government carved out a secret underground city that could survive a nuclear attack? It’s called an "underground Pentagon", and very much like Area 51, it is one of the government's most classified projects.

This military complex and nuclear bunker is located near Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania, 768 feet below the ground. It’s protected by 23.5 ft thick 30-ton doors built on top of springs to survive the shock from a blast. Raven Rock has five buildings with 15 floors big enough to live and work. The base has everything it needs to keep running, like a cafeteria, a barbershop, water generators, and even a medical center.

2

SubTropolis

Image: mwewering

Below Kansas City, Missouri, lies the world's largest underground business complex. SubTropolis is a structure located inside a mine north of the Missouri River. It was carved out of limestone some 135 to 185 feet underground and covers a total of 55 million square feet.

Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt built this subterranean city in the 1960s. It has offices, storage space, and even factories. Over 1,600 people work here every day, largely because SubTropolis remains cool all year, making it an ideal location for businesses. Fun fact: some of Hollywood’s most beloved masterpieces are kept here, including the original film reels of Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz.

3

Underground Atlanta

Image: Ronny Sison

Underground Atlanta is a historic spot in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. It was built in the late 1800s, right after the Civil War, as a commercial district centered around the railroad. In the 1920s, viaducts were built and the streets were raised, creating a second level of streets, buildings, and shops.

During Prohibition, the abandoned underground space served as the best spot for speakeasies and juke joints. For decades, people forgot about the hidden city, but in the 1960s, it was brought back to life as a fun place for music bars and nightlife.

4

New York City Subterranean World

Image: Photographer: unknown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Under America’s most populous city, there's a whole hidden world. For example, beneath Little Italy and the Public Library, there are secret vaults. Beyond the subway millions of people use daily, there is City Hall station, opened in 1904 and closed in 1945. It's a hidden gem with stained glass and mosaics that you can still visit by staying on the 6 train past the last stop.

But that’s not all! There are trading tunnels in SoHo and old cattle tunnels in the Meatpacking District. Also, in 1897, there were mail tubes built around the city to send letters between post offices that operated until the 1950s. Some of these underground spaces go as deep as 800 feet!

5

Permafrost Tunnel Research Facility

Image: Paxson Woelber

A large part of the land in the northern hemisphere is Permafrost, so it makes sense that there is a research facility specially built to study it. The Permafrost Tunnel in Alaska is the best place to learn about frozen soil that's over 40,000 years old.

The long tunnel was dug from 1963 to 1969 to study how to build and mine in frozen environments. Inside the facility, scientists study ice, ancient plants, and even bones from animals like mammoths. The tunnel shows different layers of earth, uncovering frozen ground from different time periods that help scientists anticipate what might happen as the world gets warmer.

6

The Greenbrier Bunker

Image: Alex Holzreiter

The Greenbrier Bunker in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, is a secret underground facility beneath a luxury hotel that has hosted numerous US presidents and famous guests. It was built during the Cold War to protect the US Congress in the event of a nuclear attack. The bunker was designed to house all 535 members of Congress and their staff for a long time.

This classified underground facility remained a secret until 1992, when a Washington Post article exposed it. Today, visitors can take tours to see special rooms, blast doors, and decontamination areas.

7

The Caverns

Image: jymy duhomme

Would you attend a concert underground? If you travel to Tennessee is totally possible! The Caverns, formerly known as Bluegrass Underground, is a very cool spot in Grundy County, Tennessee. Lying deep in a cave 333 feet underground, this concert venue with natural acoustics is the perfect place for live music.

People come from all over to hear a variety of performances, especially Bluegrass music. The Caverns can accommodate up to 1,200 people standing up and are equipped with state-of-the-art sound and lights. The cave's cool and quiet atmosphere makes the experience extra special!

8

Crystal City Underground

Image: Gustavo Alejandro Espinosa Reyes

Beneath the neighborhood of Crystal City, near Washington, DC, lies a network of shops, restaurants, and offices. It opened in 1976 and was designed to feel like an old shopping village with cobblestone streets and antique glass windows.

The underground space covers 150,000 square feet and connects several buildings. It's a popular spot for office workers and visitors, especially when the weather is bad. Unfortunately, in 2024, the shops closed, ending their retail era. Yet, the underground walkways and connections to the Metro remain open for pedestrians.

9

Los Angeles Prohibition Tunnels

Image: Alpha Perspective

In the 1920s, during Prohibition, people had to find ingenious ways around the restrictions on selling and consuming alcohol. That's why they built about 11 miles of underground tunnels right under Los Angeles.

Many of these subterranean sites are now closed, but you can still find a few hidden entrances around the city. You can even go on a tour to explore the tunnels and learn about their secret history.

10

Havre Beneath the Streets

Image: Đào Việt Hoàng

After a big fire in 1904 destroyed Havre’s business district in Montana, many shops moved underground. They used the old steam tunnels to stay safe from fires and bad weather. For years, the tunnels were busy with people and stores, such as saloons, drugstores, laundromats, and even a brothel. But today it is completely silent.

Fortunately, you can still visit what is left of this hidden city to see old shops and learn how people stayed safe and worked over 100 years ago. It's like going back in time!

11

Cheyenne Mountain Complex

Image: See page for author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

One of the safest places in the world is right here in America, more specifically in El Paso County, Colorado. Hidden inside a mountain, Cheyenne Mountain Complex was built in the 1960s to protect the US military from nuclear attacks.

The bunker stands under 2,000 feet of solid Granite, making it super strong and safe. It was once the command center for NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense Command). The complex has blast doors that weigh 25 tons each and can withstand a nuclear blast. It also has its own power, water, and food supply. People could survive there for months!

12

Forestiere Underground Gardens

Image: Levi Clancy, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

A Sicilian immigrant called Baldassare Forestiere spent 40 years digging and building a series of subterranean structures by hand in Fresno, California. Inspired by Roman catacombs and old wine cellars, he created around 65 rooms, tunnels, and courtyards to escape the hot summer sun.

The Gardens have fruit trees, grapevines, fishponds, and even a chapel. Some of the trees are more than 90 years old! Today, Forestiere Underground Gardens is a Historical Landmark you can visit if you want to discover a true underground paradise.

1

The original plan included full-body figures

Image: Thomas Shockey

Mount Rushmore was supposed to be even more colossal than it already is. Sculptor Gutzon Borglum envisioned the four presidents carved from the waist up .

He even made plaster models showing Abraham Lincoln's coat folds and Teddy Roosevelt’s hand clutching his lapel. But as costs went up, Congress said: "heads only, please."

2

Charles Rushmore was just a curious New Yorker

Image: Maarten van den Heuvel

Back in 1925, when the mount was about to be carved into a monument, Charles Rushmore wrote a letter explaining why the peak bore his name. He recalled that in the 1880s he was a young New Yorker working in the area, and fell fond of that particular granite peak .

When he asked the locals about it, they informed him that it had no name, but that if he wished so, they would just start calling it Rushmore Peak, or Mount Rushmore, or the likes. Years later, that very name had been inscribed in the public domain to designate the peak.

3

Yes, there’s a hidden room behind Lincoln’s head

Image: Laura Nyhuis

Behind Abraham Lincoln’s hairline lies a hidden chamber, part of Borglum’s lofty idea for a "Hall of Records." This room was meant to house foundational American documents like the Constitution or the Declaration of Independence.

Instead of that, in 1998, a titanium box was placed inside, filled with copies of important documents and biographies, as a time capsule to preserve the treasure of knowledge for future generations.

4

Thomas Jefferson was moved

Image: Dave Baraloto

Jefferson was originally supposed to go to Washington’s right, but after 18 months of chiseling , the granite betrayed them. Cracks and flaws made the site unworkable.

Borglum made the painful decision to blast Jefferson’s half-formed face clean off and start anew on Washington’s left.

5

The mountain was almost a monument to western heroes

Image: Timberly Hawkins

Before presidents took over, the mountain was pitched as a giant tribute to the Wild West . South Dakota historian Doane Robinson wanted to see frontier legends like Lewis & Clark carved into the Black Hills.

But when Borglum came aboard, he had a grander (and more politically bankable) idea: four presidents to symbolize national unity and expansion.

6

A woman’s face was almost added

Image: Tom Fournier

In the 1930s, there was serious talk of honoring Susan B. Anthony alongside the Founding Fathers, as a nod to the women’s suffrage movement.

Borglum wasn’t opposed to the idea, but Congress quickly nixed it, stating that only U.S. presidents could be included.

7

The workers were mostly local miners and loggers

Image: Pixabay

They were neither sculptors nor artists. Most of the workforce came from nearby Keystone, South Dakota: miners, loggers, and hard-up laborers looking for work during the Great Depression.

Borglum trained them himself. There were no safety harnesses, and yet, remarkably, no one died on the job.

8

Dynamite did 90% of the work

Image: Alexander Paramonov

To carve the faces of Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln, workers used carefully timed dynamite blasts to remove over 450,000 tons of rock. They got so precise, they could blast within inches of where the final surface would be.

The last details, like wrinkles, pupils, or Roosevelt’s glasses, were done with jackhammers and chisels.

9

The noses are disproportionate

Image: Dudubangbang Travel

Standing in front of the mountain, the faces seem alright. But that’s a trick of perspective. Each presidential nose is a whopping 20 feet long .

If the sculptures had included full bodies as planned, each figure would have stood 465 feet tall. That’s taller than the Statue of Liberty and most downtown skyscrapers.

10

Teddy Roosevelt was the most controversial pick

Image: Dudubangbang Travel

Washington, of course. Jefferson, made sense. Lincoln, sure. And Teddy? Some critics raised their eyebrows at Borglum’s fourth choice. Roosevelt had only recently passed away in 1919, and many questioned whether he'd stood the test of time.

But Borglum defended the decision Roosevelt’s role in breaking up monopolies, conserving national parks, and engineering the Panama Canal. Plus, Borglum had met him personally and was a fan.

11

It was supposed to have inscriptions

Image: Dan Pick

Borglum had grander plans than just four giant heads. He wanted to carve a massive inscription next to them, a timeline of America’s most important milestones , chiseled straight into the mountain. In time, the idea was scrapped for practical and aesthetic reasons.

12

The visionary died before completion

Image: Lisa Reichenstein

Gutzon Borglum, the visionary behind it all, didn’t live to see his masterpiece finished. He died in March 1941, just as the construction was reaching its end. His son, Lincoln Borglum (yes, named after that Lincoln), took over the project.

Still, with WWII drawing resources elsewhere, funding was slashed, and Lincoln had to wrap things up quickly . Some features, like Lincoln’s ear, were never fully detailed.