Curated journeys through America's most fascinating history. Each collection maps the real locations behind the stories - from jazz birthplaces to mob hideouts, haunted mansions to civil rights landmarks.
From the screaming halls of Eastern State Penitentiary to the tortured chambers of the LaLaurie Mansion, explore America's most haunted locations on an interactive map.
→Visit the real locations behind America's most infamous crimes and celebrity tragedies. The Black Dahlia, Manson murders, O.J. Simpson, John Lennon, and more.
→The casinos that built the Strip, from El Rancho Vegas to the Stardust. Demolished landmarks, Rat Pack hangouts, mob history, and the neon signs that defined an era.
→The birthplace of jazz, Creole cuisine, and American civil rights. From Congo Square to Ruby Bridges' school, explore the locations that shaped the Crescent City.
→Follow Scarface through 1920s Chicago. Speakeasies, mob headquarters, the St. Valentine's Day Massacre site, and the places that defined the gangster era.
→Drive the Mother Road through Illinois. Historic gas stations, diners, motels, and roadside attractions from the golden age of American road trips.
→The restaurants that defined Chicago dining. Charlie Trotter's, Hot Doug's, the Pump Room, Henrici's, and more - the ones we miss the most.
→The Blues Brothers, Ferris Bueller, The Untouchables, Home Alone - see where Chicago's most famous movie scenes were actually filmed.
→When It Was curates collections of historic locations that tell a story bigger than any single place. Each collection maps the real addresses behind America's most fascinating history - the speakeasies where jazz was born, the mansions where ghosts still walk, the casinos that built Las Vegas, and the lunch counters where the civil rights movement began.
Unlike static history articles, our collections are interactive. Every location is plotted on a custom-styled map with full details: addresses, dates, descriptions, and what's there now. Filter by category, switch between map and list view, and click through to explore each location on our full map with historical photos and community stories.
We're constantly building new collections. Upcoming themes include Historic Detroit (Motown, auto industry, and urban renewal), Nashville's Music Row (the studios and honky-tonks that built country music), and Philadelphia's Founding History (where American democracy was born). Want to suggest a collection? Contact us.