1

From trail to theater capital

Image: Christian Lendl

Before Broadway was packed with theaters, it was a Native American trail cutting across Manhattan. The Dutch later called it "the Gentlemen’s Street," and eventually the name "Broadway" stuck because of its unusual width. Did you know that?

2

Theater superstitions

Image: Gwen King

Broadway has its own share of taboos. For example, whistling backstage was once a no-no, since stagehands used whistles as signals. Saying the word "Macbeth" inside a theater is also believed to bring bad luck , so actors usually call it "the Scottish Play." Even in modern times, performers still keep these superstitions alive—just in case.

3

Why it’s called the Great White Way

Image: Martin Sanchez

All those glowing signs around Times Square gave Broadway its sparkling nickname. Starting in the early 1900s, electric lights lit up the blocks between 41st and 53rd Streets, dazzling visitors and creating the famous "Great White Way." Today, it’s still one of the brightest spots in New York City.

4

The first Broadway musical

Image: Kyle Head

In 1866, a play called The Black Crook made history. After a fire destroyed another theater, producers combined a ballet and a melodrama , creating a six-hour spectacle of music, dancing, and over-the-top staging. It became a runaway success and is often called the very first Broadway musical.

5

What counts as "on Broadway"

Image: Andreas M

People often think "on Broadway" just means any theater on that street, but it’s actually trickier than that . A show is considered Broadway if the theater has 500 or more seats and meets certain contract rules. Only a handful of actual Broadway theaters are physically on Broadway itself, which can be confusing for first-time visitors.

6

Phantom holds the record

Image: Rodrigo dos Santos

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera holds the crown as Broadway’s longest-running show. With more than 13,000 performances , it kept audiences hooked for decades. Some orchestra members even played the same music eight times a week for years, perfecting their own unique coping routines. Can you imagine doing that?

7

Cats and its mountain of yak hair

Image: Roman Suslov

During its long run, Cats became famous for something other than the catchy songs. The costume crew went through over 3,200 pounds of yak hair for wigs alone . It certainly paid off, as the play also became one of the biggest shows in Broadway’s history. Talk about commitment to authenticity.

8

The Lion King roars the loudest at the box office

Image: Iván Díaz

Since its 1997 debut, The Lion King has been Broadway’s biggest earner , pulling in over a billion dollars in ticket sales. With its breathtaking puppetry and Elton John’s music, it managed to win over both theatergoers and families who grew up with the movie.

9

Carrie, the musical failure

Image: Samuel Regan-Asante

Even if we’ve mentioned the greatest on Broadway, we must say not every show becomes a hit . In 1988, Broadway tried to turn Stephen King’s horror novel Carrie into a musical. Let’s just say it didn’t land, and if you’ve read the book, you can imagine why. Critics compared it to disasters of epic scale, and it closed after only five performances. One thing is for sure: Even the flops are big on Broadway.

10

Chicago’s real inspirations

Image: Sawyer Bengtson

The hit musical Chicago may feel like pure entertainment, but its leading ladies were inspired by real 1920s women accused of murder. Beulah Annan and Belva Gaertner were both acquitted after trials that captured the public’s imagination. Their stories of crime, fame, and scandal became the backbone of the show.

11

Why theaters skip row I

Image: Vlah Dumitru

Maybe you’ve never noticed, but many theaters go from row H to J, and that’s not because of superstition. The reason is that the letter I looks too much like the number 1 , which can make ticketing confusing in dimly lit theaters. Some places also skip O or Q for similar reasons. It’s all about keeping the seating simple for audiences. Do you agree with this policy?

1

Dundas Castle, Roscoe, New York

Image: Annie Spratt

Also known as Craig-e-Clair, this castle was built by Ralph Dundas in the early 20th century. It is an architectural marvel of stone and copper.

Dundas died before the castle was completed, and his wife was reportedly committed to a sanitarium shortly after. Consequently, no member of the Dundas family ever actually lived in the mansion. This has led to the "Ghost of Dundas Castle" legends, with locals claiming to see a woman in white wandering the unfinished halls, waiting for a housewarming party that never happened.

2

Rockwell House, Milledgeville, Georgia

Image: Clem Geiss

Built in 1838, the Rockwell House is a stunning example of Federal-style architecture, but its beauty is shadowed by a dark past. It was originally built for Colonel Samuel Rockwell, a prominent lawyer.

Local lore whispers about the "Rockwell Ghost," believed to be a young girl who died during a yellow fever outbreak. However, the house’s most tangible secret lies in its survival; it has endured multiple fires and periods of extreme neglect. In recent years, it has become a focal point for preservationists who uncovered hidden structural reinforcements that suggest the house was built to be an impenetrable fortress of its era.

3

Elda Castle, Ossining, New York

Image: Nitrogel

If the name David Abercrombie sounds familiar, it’s because he co-founded the clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch . But in the 1920s, he also built this granite castle, named Elda (an acronym of his children’s names), as a secluded retreat.

The castle features a network of spiral staircases and open-air porches designed to blend the indoors with the rugged wild. Its abandonment, however, is a sheer tragedy. After the family moved out, the castle was used as a research facility and later fell victim to vandals. Legend has it that a fire in the 1940s was started by squatters, leaving behind a charred stone husk that resembles a medieval ruin more than a 20th-century home.

4

Mongo's Castle, Memphis, Tennessee

Image: Denny Müller

A stark contrast to the classical mansions of the South, Mongo’s Castle was the passion project of Mongo Bebe, a man who built his home out of scrap stone, Ashlar blocks, and found materials.

The house is a maze of folk-art eccentricity. The builder intended it to be a community center and a symbol of African-American heritage and self-reliance. It stands today as a decaying puzzle, with many neighbors still unsure of the structural logic behind its towering, uneven walls.

5

Bannerman's Castle, Pollepel Island, New York

Image: Leonard G., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Rising from the Hudson River, this castle was never intended to be a home; it was a giant advertisement and warehouse for Francis Bannerman VI’s military surplus empire.

In 1920, 200 tons of gunpowder and shells exploded in the castle’s powder house, blowing out a significant portion of the walls. The ground is still considered unstable due to the remnants of military munitions, and the inscriptions on the walls are actually warnings and advertisements for the Bannerman business. Do you dare visit this mansion?

6

Castle Mont Rouge, Rougemont, North Carolina

Image: Florian Delée

This whimsical, onion-domed castle looks like it belongs in the Russian countryside rather than the North Carolina woods. It was designed by sculptor Robert Mihaly, but he ended up abandoning the project in the early 2000s following a personal tragedy and financial hurdles.

The castle remains an "empty sculpture," filled with intricate marble work and unfinished turrets. The bizarre architectural fusion lacks a standard floor plan, making it nearly impossible to convert into a functional residence without destroying its artistic integrity.

7

Ha Ha Tonka Castle, Camdenton, Missouri

Image: Hannah McBride

Robert Snyder, a wealthy Kansas City businessman, began building this European-style castle in 1905. He wanted a retreat that overlooked the breathtaking Ha Ha Tonka Spring.

Yet, Snyder never got to see his dream finished; he was killed in one of Missouri’s first recorded automobile accidents just a year after construction began. His sons finished the castle, but it was gutted by a fire in 1942. There’s a hidden network of caves beneath the castle, which were rumored to be used by outlaws and later as a natural "refrigerator" for the estate’s kitchen.

8

Carleton Island Villa, Cape Vincent, New York

Image: Tama66

This once-magnificent villa was built for William Wyckoff, who made a fortune with the Remington Typewriter Company.

The Secret: Wyckoff’s dream turned into a nightmare on the very first night he stayed in the house. He suffered a massive heart attack and died in his sleep. His wife had passed away a month prior, leaving the villa to a son who had no interest in it. The house has stood empty for over 70 years, its secret being the tragic "cursed" timing that prevented it from ever functioning as a family home.

9

Dicksonia Plantation, Lowndesboro, Alabama

Image: Theo Bickel

Dicksonia was a quintessential antebellum mansion, featuring the massive columns and wrap-around porches synonymous with the Old South.

Unlike many plantations that were destroyed during the Civil War, Dicksonia survived the conflict only to be destroyed by a mysterious fire in 1939. Its "ghost pillars," however, remained standing long after the wooden house burned away. These towering brick columns became a haunting landmark , representing the structural skeletons of a forgotten social order.

10

Wyndcliffe, Rhinebeck, New York

Image: Peter Herrmann

This house is the literal origin of the phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses." Though often referred to as a "Mystery Mansion" by urban explorers, this is the ruin of Wyndcliffe, the estate of Elizabeth Schermerhorn Jones.

Elizabeth’s mansion was so grand and intimidating that it prompted her neighbors—including the Astors—to build even larger homes to compete. The secret of Wyndcliffe is the psychological impact of its architecture; it was built to inspire envy, and its current state of absolute decay is a poetic commentary on the fleeting nature of social status.

1

If it’s not in use, turn it off

Image: Chris Haws

We start the list with this well-known advice: turn off the lights when nobody is in the room .

Additionally, switch off appliances completely rather than leaving them on standby, as standby mode continues to consume electricity. Most computers have energy-saving settings that automatically turn off the computer and screen after a period of inactivity.

2

Keep the temperature where you need it

Image: Natalia Y.

Whenever you are heating or cooling a room, remember to close the doors and windows that connect to other unoccupied parts of the building . This way, the heating or cooling equipment you are using will not require more energy than is necessary to maintain the desired temperature where you are.

During cooler months, ensure your curtains or blinds are properly sealed to keep the cold out. In warmer months, keep your curtains closed during the day to prevent heat from entering.

3

Wash and dry clothes once the basket is full

Image: engin akyurt

Avoid using your washing machine when your laundry basket is only half full; instead, use it when you have accumulated a full charge. Also, remember to select the appropriate washing cycle to optimize energy use.

On a related note, clothes dryers consume a significant amount of energy, so consider hanging clothes outside to dry or using a fan to help dry them indoors.

4

Save energy in the kitchen

Image: Jason Briscoe

Your kitchen offers many energy-saving opportunities. The fridge, one of the most energy-intensive appliances, runs 24/7 for obvious reasons but measures can be taken to make it a more efficient device. The ideal fridge temperature for the fridge is between 35° and 38°F. Make sure the door seal is tight, with no gaps or cracks that allow cold air to escape.

As for cooking, always put frozen food in your fridge in the morning to thaw out and reduce cooking time in the evening. Whenever possible, use a microwave, as it consumes significantly less energy than an electric oven. Plan to cook more and have leftover meals for the next day or the week ahead. Keep leftover meals in the freezer for convenience and minimal waste.

5

Smart heating and cooling

Image: Everett Pachmann

It may be tempting to adjust the thermostat a degree or two above or below the recommended settings depending on the season, but there is good reason to avoid doing that. Every degree above 20 can increase your heating bill by up to 10%. In winter, set your thermostat between 18 and 20 degrees. In summer, aim for 26 degrees or higher.

Additionally, some ducted systems allow you to disable heating or cooling in unoccupied rooms, which can help save energy.

6

Use energy-saving LED lights

Image: Anton Belashov

LED lighting has been around for a while and can save up to 80% on lighting costs. LED bulbs consume less power and last longer, which means that users spend less money and time replacing them.

Another perk, LEDs generate very little heat compared to incandescent and halogen bulbs, which convert much of their energy into heat. This can reduce cooling costs, especially in warm climates.

7

Solar energy

Image: Andreas Gücklhorn

The energy given to us by the sun can be harvested in solar panels that reduce the amount of energy we need to buy from the electricity company . Similarly, solar hot water systems can minimize gas usage, reducing reliance on gas-fired water heaters.

Solar panels and solar hot water systems used to be very expensive and had to be replaced much more often but, their costs have dropped significantly in recent years, making them more accessible.

8

TV settings

Image: Jonas Leupe

Today's high-definition televisions use around 60% less energy than earlier models. However, some Internet-ready models consume extra power even when turned off due to a "quick start" feature that enables faster boot-up . You can disable that option in your television's settings .

While perusing through the settings, you can also see if your model has an automatic brightness control, which will adjust the picture brightness to the level of light in the room. This can make a big difference in energy consumption.

9

Efficient appliances

Image: Vlad Zaytsev

Most of today's new appliances use half the energy of those from a couple of decades ago. If you're thinking of buying a new one, look for products with the Energy Star label, as they typically use 10 to 40 percent less energy than other models.

If you are going to buy a new computer, keep in mind that laptops use significantly less energy than desktop versions.

10

Insulate your roof

Image: Erik Mclean

Temperature affects air in different ways: heat rises, while cool air sinks. This means that if a house's roof is not properly insulated, heat will escape in the winter, and the cold from outside will seep in through the roof.

An insulated ceiling can make a big difference to your energy bills . Effective ceiling insulation can save up to 20% on cooling and heating costs.