Invented by one of America’s Founding Fathers, this musical instrument became the center of a medical malpractice scandal.

The Atlas Obscura team answers audience questions about all things solo travel.

Actor and comedian Paul Scheer can’t go back to these places without cringing.

Charlie’s Place was revolutionary, and that meant it was dangerous.

Opened in 1911, Ota Tofu makes its products following a traditional, time-consuming recipe—but it’s worth the wait.

August 26th, 1950 was the night that changed Myrtle Beach. It changed Charlie and the impact reverberated throughout the south.

This art installation has been lovingly looked after for decades by a single caretaker.

Her art asserted joy in a difficult political climate.

Australian lyrebirds can imitate car horns, chainsaws ... and beautiful flute music.

Listeners to the Atlas Obscura podcsat share their stories of life-changing trips.

There’s much mystery surrounding Charlie Fitzgerald and who he was before Myrtle Beach. Before he was Charlie Fitzgerald he was Lucious Rucker. So who is Lucious Rucker?

Roaming Madrid in the 1880s, Paco the dog was a friend to artists and writers who chronicled his adventures in the newspapers.

For decades, Rolando Pujol has traveled across the country to photohraph historic roadside attractions. These are some of his favorites.

This luxurious edition of the Persian poetry collection went down with the Titanic in 1912.

London Bridge was falling down, so the city put it up for auction.

This global guide to McDonald’s covers everything from Thailand’s corn pie à la mode to Sweden’s ski-thru window on the side of a mountain.

Charlie Fitzgerald loaned money to white folks in town to bend the rules in his favor. How long until he became a target?

Dance at Charlie’s Place wasn’t just dance; it captured the spirit of an era defined by both segregation and creativity. When white audiences arrived for the music, these moments sparked shifts that transformed Myrtle Beach and resonated far beyond its borders.

Simplicity can be powerful in the right architect’s hands.

Pulau Tiga, best known as the original ‘Survivor’ island, was as much of a character on the show as the contestants were.

Port Royal, Jamaica was a haven for pirates and privateers—until it was swallowed by the sea.

After being told Black cowboys didn’t exist, Paul Stewart set out to prove they did—and found enough evidence to fill a museum.

At the height of segregation when everywhere else was divided, Black and white people danced together to the biggest R&B acts of the time at Charlie’s Place.

When you first left home, where did you go? Across the country? Abroad? AO listeners call in with their stories.