AMERICA IS FULL OF LEGENDARY LANDMARKS... BUT DO WE REALLY KNOW THEM? CRISSCROSS THE U.S. WITH DISCOVERY FAMILY CHANNEL THIS SUMMER AND UNCOVER THE "SECRETS OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE PLACES" BEGINNING SUNDAY, JULY 3

- Eight-part Series Kicks-off in Time for Independence Day with Secrets of the Statue of Liberty on Sunday, July 3 at 6/5c -

(Miami, FL) - Was the Statue of Liberty actually modeled after a man? Why was the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco nearly painted with yellow and black stripes that resembled a bumble bee? Does the U.S. government even own the land on which Mount Rushmore sits? Is there any truth to a recent report that all 336 of Alcatraz's jail cells will be transformed into luxury micro-apartments? This summer, Discovery Family Channel uncovers the secrets, mysteries and surprisingly little-known stories behind some of the most iconic locations in America. On Sunday, July 3 at 6/5c, SECRETS OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE PLACES reveals fascinating facts that will forever change how you think and feel about America's favorite places.

From San Francisco's infamous Alcatraz Island Prison to New York City's historic Grand Central Terminal, SECRETS OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE PLACES travels the U.S. in search of new and astonishing revelations surrounding America's most beloved historical icons with interviews and commentary from historians, U.S. National Park Service members, conspiracy theorists, artists and pop culture experts. Throughout the eight-episode season, the series will visit famous structures and places including the Statue of Liberty, Central Park and Grand Central Terminal (New York), the Lincoln Memorial (Washington, D.C.), Hollywood Boulevard, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz (California) and Mount Rushmore (South Dakota).

New episodes premiere Sundays at 6/5c beginning July 3 with encore airings every Tuesday at 11/10c.

Statue of Liberty premieres Sunday, July 3 at 6/5c

Did you know that the conventional wisdom that the statue was a gift from the French government is incorrect? Just how damaged was Lady Liberty by the first terrorist attack on America during World War I? Meet a man who spent decades of his life climbing to the top of the statue to maintain it. And get a rare look at how the Coast Guard keeps a constant watchful eye over Lady Liberty.

Lincoln's Washington premieres Sunday, July 10 at 6/5c

Are there secret messages contained at the Lincoln Memorial? You'll be shocked to know that Abraham Lincoln often traveled around Washington, D.C. alone - without a security detail. Visit an often-overlooked Washington, D.C. cottage where Lincoln spent nearly a quarter of his presidency. And would you believe almost 50 years before the Lincoln Memorial was built on the National Mall, a little-known controversial statue served as the nation's landmark to honor Lincoln?

Mount Rushmore premieres Sunday, July 17 at 6/5c

What did it take to carve the four presidents heads - sixty feet tall each - into solid granite? Who decided which presidents would be immortalized? As massive as the presidents are on Mount Rushmore, there's an even bigger mountain carving of Native American warrior Crazy Horse underway just a few miles away.

Alcatraz premieres Sunday, July 24 at 6/5c

What was it really like to do hard time in America's most notorious prison? One of the last surviving former Alcatraz inmates gives his first-ever TV interview and shatters many myths surrounding the famous prison. Meet a U.S. Marshal who is still investigating The Great Escape of 1962 during which three inmates vanished from the island and were never seen again.

Golden Gate Bridge premieres Sunday, July 31 at 6/5c

The Golden Gate Bridge is the most photographed and most famous bridge in the world. Its "International Orange" color is iconic, but few know the color was chosen by a strange fluke. The bridge has endured earthquakes with grace, but it almost collapsed on its 50th anniversary when 500,000 people partied on the span to celebrate. Did you know there's evidence that the Japanese navy came very close to destroying Golden Gate Bridge during World War II?

Grand Central Terminal premieres Sunday, August 7 at 6/5c

No train station has more tracks and platforms than New York City's Grand Central Terminal. Get rare access behind Grand Central's 14-foot in diameter clock - with a face that is the world's largest piece of Tiffany glass. Why did Nazi spies try to gain access to Grand Central's basement during World War II? And is it true there's a secret train track for use by U.S. Presidents only?

Hollywood Boulevard premieres Sunday, August 14 at 6/5c

Acclaimed film critic and Hollywood historian Leonard Maltin lends his expertise and commentary to uncovering the secrets behind Hollywood Boulevard. For the first time ever, the complete manufacturing of a Walk of Fame star is filmed from beginning to end. Explore the secrets and mysteries of the most famous movie theater in the world - Grauman's Chinese Theater, where movie stars are immortalized in the courtyard's concrete. What secret message is the iconic Capitol Records building flashing to the world with its blinking rooftop beacon? And why is the Hollywood sign almost guarded like Fort Knox?

Central Park premieres Sunday, August 21 at 6/5c

Central Park spans 843 acres, forming an oasis of green tranquility in the city that never sleeps. But how much of Central Park is made by nature and how much is engineered by man? Why are some parts of the park so secret that even city officials don't know how to reach them? What do the codes mean on each of the park's lamp posts? Learn the little-known story of how an entire village vanished from the park. And is it true that Central Park is home to more species of birds than almost anywhere else?

SECRETS OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE PLACES is produced by Indigo Films for Discovery Family Channel. For Indigo Films, David M. Frank is the executive producer and Paul Sauer is the series producer. To learn more, go to http://www.discoveryfamilychannel.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/DiscFamily and on Twitter @DiscoveryFamily.

About Discovery Family Channel

The leading television destination for families in the United States, Discovery Family is available in more than 66 million U.S. homes and is a joint venture of Discovery Communications and Hasbro. Discovery Family is programmed with an inspirational mix of original series, family-friendly movies, and programming from Discovery's non-fiction library and Hasbro Studios' popular animation franchises, including MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC, LITTLEST PET SHOP and the Emmy-winning TRANSFORMERS RESCUE BOTS. The fun and approachable entertainment choice for women and families to share and spend time together, Discovery Family attracts children and their parents with the highest quality, real-world content that appeals to the entire family in the Home and Design, Food and Lifestyle genres in Primetime and award-winning animation programming in Daytime. In April 2016, Discovery Family was named Brand of the Year in the Kids' TV category and ranked highest in "Trust" and "Love" in the Kids' TV category in the 28th annual Harris Poll EquiTrend(R) Study.

About Indigo Films

INDIGO FILMS is an independent television production company with a long-standing reputation for developing and producing exceptional programming across a wide variety of genres. Founded in 1997 by David M. Frank, Indigo Films has grown since then to become a leader in non-fiction television. From high-end recreations to action packed cinema verite - our programs demonstrate the best in dramatic story telling and visual entertainment.