Bizarre Facts About U.S. Monuments

Here’s what your history teachers never made you aware of regarding many of the United States’ most popular landmarks and national parks. Use them to show off your knowledge to history buff colleagues or impress your family with your new facts on your next U.S. road trip. Some of these secrets may truly surprise you.

In 1969, the Americans who felt that the New York side of the falls was losing its appeal decided to create a massive dam and temporarily dried it. This led to the discovery of thousands of coins to the delight of collectors. Unfortunately, it also revealed the bodies of a male and female. In fact, officials report that approximately 40 people jump or fall to their death in the river annually…wow!!

Believe it or not, Just a mere 20 people a day are granted access to the wilderness region, plus you must apply for a permit based on a lottery system to ensure you’re one of them. In other words, they can’t let too many people get lost in there.

Bartholdi built the Statue of Liberty as a reference to one of the ancient world’s seven wonders, the Colossus of Rhodes, which stood at the harbor entrance of the Greek island of Rhodes and was likely nearly 100 feet tall. In 1855, he proposed a figure in the shape of a veiled Egyptian peasant woman for the Egyptian city of Port Said. The idea was dismissed because it was too costly, but Bartholdi ran with it, and the Statue Of Liberty was born. The irony is almost suffocating in the new atmosphere of anti-Syrian fervor.

The Liberty Bell Museum, which records the poor bell’s journey in 1777, is now housed in the church in question. It was removed so the British wouldn’t be able to melt it, or any other bells, down for munitions and buried under dung and hay in a wagon. It was left for at least a year under the floorboards, which doubtless didn’t help its luster.

The so-called “Know-Nothing Group” despised both immigrants and Catholics and took offense at the Pope’s donation of a stone from Rome for the structure. So they stormed the monument to snatch the stone and take charge of the site, just like any fair political party would. They kept it until 1858 but only added four feet to its height during that period because Congress, understandably, refused to give them any funds to help expand it. The nation only regained the site after the Know-Nothings disbanded.

After the initial dynamiting, workers had to hand-drill the granite of the mountain’s surface to extract small bits at a time, using a method known as “honeycombing,” which involves drilling a series of tiny holes close together and then scraping the material in chunks. Passing tourists tried to buy it, but the workers allegedly pretended they weren’t allowed to sell it until the tourists named an utterly absurd amount. For a piece commemorating the American Dream, this is a cozy little earner.

When the new curators redecorated it in splashy paint as part of a renovation project, they apparently got a lot of flak. They were, however, strictly adhering to Jefferson’s original decorating scheme. The interior rooms of Monticello were extremely vibrantly painted, especially in a very chic “chrome yellow” that was the height of elegance and cost up to $5 per pound. Visitors could complain about headaches, but Jefferson seemed to enjoy himself.

The marshy flats where the Washington Memorial and park were eventually constructed were originally seriously dodgy, according to the Washington Post. “I’ll never let a monument to Abraham Lincoln be erected in that goddamned swamp as long as I live,” Republican Congressman Joe Cannon, a vital opponent of the initiative, said. One of the major issues? It was full of dumped bodies, according to the cops. Although the proposals were finally carried out, Honest Abe may have lifted a marble eyebrow.

Most bridges were black or silver at the time of the bridge’s construction in the 1930s. Still, Morrow persuaded the War Department — which was the agency granting permission during that period — that the whole bridge should be painted in the bold hue. So, what is the current name of what has become a well-known paint color? “International orange,” to put it simply.

Despite this, Yellowstone was established as a national park just three years following their discovery. That is prior to places like Montana, Wyoming, and even Idaho being declared as official states, yet the park quickly became a popular tourist destination.

It contains 762,000 signatures (mostly from children who enrolled at St. Louis schools also during that era). However, don’t hold your breath for the list to be made public too soon. The capsule is indefinitely soldered inside the arch and will not be opened for the duration of the structure’s life.

The green coating, on the other hand, preserves the statue against further corrosion and injury. The statue was originally a genuine copper shade.

The majority of people have dusty boxes in their basements. According to Thrillist, the President has a cellar that comprises of a flower store, a dentist’s service, a carpenter’s workshop, and even a bowling alley (in relation to the Situation Room, whereby he gets to meet with advisors during catastrophes).

They used to make walking routes, which have now been transformed into hiking trails. The Havasupai, who have roughly 670 living members, depend on tourism to sustain their reservation.

According to NPS, the tree has a volume of slightly more than 52,500 cubic feet, is 274.9 feet tall above its base, has a circumference of 102.6 feet at the ground, and a diameter of 6.9 feet at its widest branch.

USGS states that the mountain snowpack stores less water and started melting a minimum of two weeks ahead of the original time during the spring. Losing glaciers negatively affects the ecosystem and terrain beauty of the park, which is treasured by the scores of visitors. Be sure to visit the Glacier National Park soon if you want to see the remaining glaciers before they’re gone.

Rainbow Bridge, the world’s largest stone arch, is located in Arches National Park. It stands 290 feet in height and a thickness of forty-two feet at its highest point. Local native tribes are familiar with the bridge. According to the National Park Service, more than 85 thousand people from different continents visit each year.

Only on Valentine’s Day do weddings take place at the Observatory. Another interesting thing is that the Empire State Building does have a High Roller 103rd floor. It’s a “Top Deck” that conceals a very small space that is not open to the public.

The Hoover Dam, stands at 725 feet, is one of the most impressive structures in modern history, as well as one of the most dangerous during construction. In the decade following its completion, it was responsible for 600 minor earthquakes. About 100 employees died during construction, and reports suggest that several of them are lying under the building’s concrete facade.

Devils Tower isn’t only a sight to behold from a distance. On the ethereal rock, over a hundred rock climbing pathways have been built, not even including the wooden ladder system that two local ranchers made popular. They are clearly visible even now.

The gilded grasshopper weathervane atop Faneuil Hall has more to it than meets the eye. In its tiny belly, this city emblem conceals a time capsule filled with coins, newspapers, and notes from previous Boston mayors.

It’s possible that the inhabitants of Alcatraz compelled several people to plant daisies back in the day, so it’s only normal that flower planting has become a serious business here. Yes, the inmates cared for their flowers alongside the nurses, and the vibrant gardens are still flourishing today.

Actually, mountain watchers promise they can see the outline of an individual with a pronounced chin and nose who appears to mirror our 16th president from some locations in town. In late October, the reflection is said to be noticeable as well.

Although this stunning gorge in Northern Arizona remains largely unknown to others, social media is assisting in its promotion. However, since it is situated on Navajo territory, it is only reachable via an arranged tour.

It works out that all the framework was influenced by “The Feminine One,” a wood statue depicting an abstract female shape with hands extended upward. Going into this structure is not for the faint of heart as it is really tall.

I.M. Pei, the project’s lead architect, also designed something identical for the Louvre in Paris, which, although initially contentious, seems to have become just about as much a staple of the museum as that of the Mona Lisa.

The mysterious rocks and desolate buttes of South Dakota’s Badlands are hard to ignore; however, this desolate landscape was also not always the same. The whole area was once under the waters of a shallow sea, which explains why so many fossils have been discovered buried there.

The walls were originally painted in a variety of colors, including pink, red, brown, and yellow, but they’ve all changed to their current sandstone hue. Either way, it is still attractive and attracts many visitors to admire its lovely design.

When the developers of the “Hollywoodland” area tried to get their message across in 1923, they chose to erect a giant sign in the hills. The sign soon lost a few letters. However, it has come to represent a city, an industry, and millions of people’s hopes and aspirations.

This shifting mountain artwork honoring Native Americans’ lives and traditions is still under construction. However, that doesn’t imply it’s new to the scene. Actually, the first rock explosion happened in 1948, and five people who survived the Little Big Horn battle were in attendance.

Anish Kapoor’s artwork has long been considered a landmark in Chicago, and it’s difficult to fathom it’s only been here since 2006. And besides, did you happen to notice that in Karamay, China, there’s a replica? And though the one in Karamay is described as a “huge oil bubble,” it has enraged Cloud Gate’s sculptor to the point where he has threatened to sue.

You’ve undoubtedly heard Route 66 called “The Mother Road,” however did you know it comes from John Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath? Throughout the novel, he explains the dire voyage west of Americans escaping the Dust Bowl’s catastrophe and how Route 66 rescued them.

Huge vaults were constructed within the anchors of the Brooklyn Bridge in an effort to recoup some of the bridge’s expense, which would then be leased out as wine cellars. Indeed, it is said that the foundation of the bridge previously housed several of the city’s finest wines.

The dunes of gypsum that help compensate White Sands Historic Site look like candy, but they’re not. The grains brush against one another, causing scratches that mirror the sun and give off an appearance of being white.

The architects are said to be partly influenced by cigarettes—specifically, many of them protruding at various heights from a pack—while contemplating the designs for the Sears Tower (as it had been identified to many of us until 2009).

Every year in late February, Yosemite’s most beloved rock formation hosts a fiery festival. Visitors will see a “Firefall” cascading down El Cap at this time of year, which is caused by the sunset drizzling its orange hue on the waterfall, which cascades over the rock’s summit.

However, St. Louis Cathedral is more than just a landmark of New Orleans; it is also the country’s oldest continuously operating Roman Catholic church. It is officially a Cathedral-Basilica, having earned the designation following a visit by Pope John Paul II.

This icon on the periphery of The Strip, which has been greeting tourists to Sin City as of 1959 and also pays homage to the state of Nevada, is one of the city’s most enduring landmarks. The word “welcome” is surrounded by seven silver dollars. They are supposed to pay homage to Nevada, which is the Silver State.

The Santa Monica Pier is not only a playland of thoroughly modern Californian beachside fun, though it’s where Route 66 officially ends. Indeed, nearly every single day, you’ll see someone taking a selfie after completing the incredible cross country journey.

The French chateau-inspired Biltmore Estate might just be the country’s biggest private home, but it isn’t the sole record holder on the estate. The Biltmore Estate winemaker is the most popular in the United States, with more than 500 thousand guests on a typical basis.