Drought Reveals City Submerged Under Reservoir

Indiana's Monument City was submerged half a century ago, when the Salamonie Lake reservoir was built. But severe drought has brought water levels down by so much—more than 12 feet—that the hidden city has been revealed. Though there’s not much to see (dirt roads, building foundations, bricks—and you have to know where to look), the phenomenon has brought quite a few curiosity-seekers—so many that officials had to close the area, the Indianapolis Star reports.

One local resident points out that those who live in the area know that the same phenomenon can be viewed in the winter and early spring, when water levels are lower. But out-of-towners, apparently, don’t know that. "Everybody thinks it's the city from Atlantis," says a Department of Natural Resources director. "It's nothing real big." The department became concerned when people “from here, there, and anywhere” started “collecting artifacts,” says a spokesperson. Now, though the grounds are closed, you can still see the site from a nearby bluff—but it’s been very crowded lately. (More strange stuff stories.)