Curious City
Episodes
A Day In Marriage and Civil Union Court
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reporter Araceli Gómez-Aldana spent the day in Marriage and Civil Union Court in downtown Chicago, where she met all kinds of couples who were there ...
What's life like in Chicago-area trailer parks?
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Chicagoans live in two-flats, three-flats, bungalows and skyscrapers. And hundreds of households live in Chicago’s only trailer park, Harbor Point E...
From Killer Hawks To A TV Takeover: Historic Chicago Pranks
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago historian Paul Durica shares famous ruses, hoaxes and stunts pulled by (and on) local media.
When Disco Ruled Chicago’s Dance Scene
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How disco evolved in Chicago in the 1970s in two distinct ways: On the near north side as part of the city’s emerging Queer nightlife scene. And on ...
Why Aren’t There Any Federal Indian Reservations In Illinois?
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Unlike many states in the Midwest, including Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, Illinois doesn’t have any federally recognized Indian reservations. Yet a...
Jerk Food Finds a Home in Chicago
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Even though the Jamaican population in Chicago is relatively small, the city is flush with restaurants serving jerk-style foods. Why are there so many...
The Life and Legacy of Alice Hamilton
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Scientist Alice Hamilton’s investigations into toxins in Chicago’s factories led to some of the first workplace safety laws in the country. She wa...
Two Southside families trace their roots back to Chicago’s earliest days
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve never heard of the Atkinsons or the Bernsteins. But these are two historic Chicago families and in big and small ways, they have left their m...
Honoring Black History in Chicago: The impact of Ida B. Wells on Politics and Cadillac Baby on the Blues
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reporter Arionne Nettles brings us two stories honoring Black History in Chicago: The legacy of Ida B. Wells who empowered Black people to claim polit...
Car Window Tinting Laws are Complicated (and hard to enforce)
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Curious City takes a look at the growing popularity of car window tinting in Illinois. We find out what the state law says about how dark automobile w...
Police accountability and the power of Chicago’s mayor
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With the death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers, the people and mechanisms that hold cops accountable are in the spotlight once...
Is There A Way To Save Altgeld Gardens’ Memorial Wall?
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The uncertain fate of a hand-lettered memorial wall in the Far South Side Altgeld Gardens community has Curious City digging into how such memorials a...
Why once migratory geese are now permanent Chicago residents
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Geese have the only flights in and out of Chicago that aren’t delayed. But seriously…we find out why the once-migratory Canada geese decided to ma...
The Avalon Regal Theater's Eclectic History And Troubled Future
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Avalon Regal Theater in South Shore has almost a century of cultural significance. Since 2003, it’s sat mostly empty. What will happen to it?
What’s it like to be a snow plow driver in Chicago?
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A Chicago snow plow driver who’s been on the job for 40 years tells us what it’s like to keep the roads clear of snow and ice. Plus, we find out a...
Fried Shrimp, Cricket and K Streets: The 2022 Holiday Grab Bag
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We put all of the questions that you submitted in 2022 - nearly 700! - into a giant bag, and we’ve pulled a few out to answer all at once including...
Two for the Winter Season
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We revisit two questions from winters past: how the city breaks up the winter ice on the Chicago River, and in honor of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah...
We look at the past-and present-of tree planting in Chicago
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This week we dive into the history of tree planting in Chicago, find out why trees are so important to us and our city, and talk to people who are wor...
Curious City Turns 10!
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the spirit of our show, and our inquisitive listeners, we decided to ask some about ourselves and Curious City’s humble beginnings, with founder ...
Chicago's Biodiversity, From Eastern Red Bats To Prickly Pear Cacti
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We start in the Chicago loop, then head south to the Powderhorn Prairie and Marsh to discover the area's rich flora and fauna.
Watch out, big grocery chains – co-ops are coming
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Unlike other cities and towns in the Midwest, food co-ops never really caught on in Chicago. But with grocery chain mega mergers and the sky-high pric...
How Devon Avenue Became Chicago’s Little India
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Devon Avenue has long been known as Little India, but the diverse West Ridge strip has become home for many and is still evolving today.
Lions and tigers and Chicagoans! How we all stay warm through Chicago winters
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We've been experiencing some warm days in and around Chicago. But winter is coming. This week, we've got a couple of classic Curious City stories abou...
We answer your questions about voting for judges
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s election season. And Injustice Watch’s Maya Dukmasova joins us to answer your last-minute questions about that lengthy part of the ballot lot...
The Haunting of Rainbow Road in Barrington, Illinois
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A house on Rainbow Road in Barrington, Illinois is shrouded in mystery. Former residents say they’ll never return. Some locals say memories of the p...
Chicago’s Golden Age of Pro Wrestling
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From carnival shows to the early days of television. In this week’s episode: How pro wrestling grew up in America and had a flashy, sporty heyday i...
Faith-based organizations often work together to support Chicago’s immigrants
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, Chicago has received a steady stream of refugees who have made the city home after escaping war and political conflict. They have come fr...
Coming out later in life
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Former WBEZ host Tony Sarabia produced an audio documentary titled “Unlocking The Closet'' back in 2000. Tony, who came out later in life, wanted to...
Dunning Asylum A 'Tomb For The Living'
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For a long time, Chicagoans were scared of Dunning. The very name “Dunning” gave them chills. People were afraid they would end up in that place. ...
How So Many Chicago Bars Got Old Style Signs
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve likely seen these signs hanging outside bars in Chicago. Pale yellow, almost white with the red-white-and-blue Old Style logo in thebig top ...
Illinois is abuzz with bees, but their future is uncertain
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A listener noticed her garden didn’t seem to have as many bees as usual buzzing about this summer. She wondered if the population in Illinois was on...
Chicago teens went to dance and find connection at Medusa’s
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Medusa’s was “like a community center for weirdos and freaks and everybody else in between,” say some Chicagoans who went there as teens in the ...
Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain and Why the City’s Got So Many Alleys
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Growing up, one listener heard tales about how an engineer was hidden inside Chicago’s Buckingham Fountain in order to make sure the water spouts ou...
The Underground Railroad in Chicago and Illinois
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Abolitionists in Chicago and Illinois helped freedom seekers reach Canada, and freedom.
What happened to Chicago's Japanese community?
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Lakeview once had a thriving Japanese community, but it fell victim to a push for assimilation. As one Japanese-American puts it: “You had to basica...
Birdwatching Off The Beaten Path In Chicago
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Tips and tricks for spotting and enjoying birds in Chicago, from far flung marshes, to one birder’s window.
How to Start a Community Garden in Chicago
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Find out how the folks behind El Paseo Community Garden in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood changed a contaminated site into a space for neighbors to gro...
Chicago in 1910, and the City’s Long Rivalry with New York
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A tourist to Chicago in 1910 might have gone to see hogs being butchered, sought illicit pleasure in Chicago’s vice district, or simply enjoyed the ...
Florence Price and the Chicago Black Renaissance
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As a classical composer and a Black woman, Florence Price blended African and European music into a new style of symphonic music.
Four Dances Invented in Chicago and One Traditional Dance Chicagoans Keep Alive
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We track down the band members, musicians and dancers who popularized dances in Chicago, and meet the people who keep La Danza Azteca alive in Pilsen.
How the “Red Summer” of 1919 led to a more segregated Chicago
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Curious City takes a deep dive into how Chicago’s powerful white institutions – from the police and the politicians to the banks and the realtors ...
Traveling Parties: A Queer Chicago Culture of Partying as Resistance
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The history of traveling queer parties in Chicago is rooted in exclusion and racism. This week, we spoke with Pat McCombs and Vera Washington — long...
Are there guardian angels at the Chicago Public Library?
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Thinking about the next book you want to read? Librarians are way ahead of you. Find out how new books make their way in the Chicago Public Library sy...
Nicky's And The Big Baby: A South Side Burger Mystery
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Dozens of unconnected fast food joins serve up the same popular Chicago cheeseburger under the same name.
The Hard Work of Collecting Scrap Metal for a Living
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago's scrap metal industry relies on small scale collectors, called scrappers, who scout for metal castoffs to sell and recycle.
The Story Behind “Go Cubs Go” And The Man Who Wrote It
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Folk singer Steve Goodman grew up going to Cubs games in Chicago, and this diehard fan had a lifelong goal—to write a hit song about baseball. This...
Putting on a Chicago race requires fees, permits and patience
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Each year tens of thousands of people take part in 5ks, 10ks, half-marathons and all kinds of walking and running events in Chicago. But how does one...
Signs of Spring: From Screechy Recorders To Sprouting Weeds
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Two sure signs of spring in the Chicago area are end-of-year band concerts at schools, and plants beginning to grow. This week we revisit a couple of ...
How often do judges get voted out of office?
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Editor's note: This episode has been updated with new statements from Judge Matthew Coghlan. Every election, after breezing through their choices for ...
The Story Of Chicago’s Polish Constitution Day Parade
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For more than a century, Chicago’s Polish community has celebrated Polish unity and identity at the annual Polish Constitution Day Parade. This yea...
What Happened To The Crows?
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A listener thought she’d noticed a change in Chicago’s crow population. And she was right. Twenty two years ago, the crow population of Illinois ...
The Fight For Disability Rights In Chicago
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, when Mike Ervin sees other wheelchair users about to board the bus or enter a train station in Chicago, he wants to catch up to them and sa...
Are Chicagoans True Midwesterners?
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Geographically, Chicago is smack in the middle of the Midwest. But not everyone seems to think that’s enough to make us “real” Midwesterners. Is...
What's It Like To Be In A Youth Orchestra?
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
This season 800 students will be a part of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra’s programs. They’ll come from across the state of Illinois but als...
Chicago Teens Open Up About Race Stereotypes And Dating
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Students from different racial and ethnic backgrounds may go to the same high school, but this doesn’t guarantee they won’t cling to stereotypes a...
What Happens When A Pothole Damages Your Car
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago’s streets are covered in asphalt and the city pays out a lot of money to drivers whose cars have been damaged by the poor condition of our r...
A Quest To Find Chicago’s ‘Lizard Mound’
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A Curious City fan asked us about an odd detail on an old Chicago map. Was it really a Native American burial mound? Producer Jesse Dukes went on a qu...
The History Behind Chicago's Free Theater
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Free Theater was an ensemble group that put on non-traditional, avant-garde theatrical productions in Chicago from 1968 to 1974. Like its name sug...
Do real people win WBEZ pledge drive giveaways?
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One Curious City listener was skeptical about whether real people actually win WBEZ’s pledge drive giveaways. They do. But there’s a little more t...
Chicago's Old Morton Salt Warehouse Becomes A Music Venue
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago has budgeted about 18 million dollars for salt for the winter 2022. And the city gets all that salt from one vendor: Morton Salt. Now, the co...
An Aldi closes and a Chicago neighborhood is reeling from the impact
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Last year the Garfield Park Aldi closed after 30 years, leaving thousands of West Siders without a nearby grocery store where they can buy affordable,...
The Origins of Chicago’s Rivalry With New York
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago’s got a new ad campaign the city hopes will showcase Chicago’s influence around the globe. It reminded us of a question we answered about ...
People Who Quit Their Jobs During COVID Share Their Stories
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
By now you’ve probably pretty familiar with that term the “Great Resignation.” We asked our listeners why they quit their jobs and how they’re...
What Is Life Like In Chicago-Area Trailer Parks?
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Chicagoans call lots of places home. We live in two-flats, three-flats, bungalows and skyscrapers. And hundreds of households live in Chicago’s only...
Are There Any Nuclear Fallout Shelters Left in Chicago?
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
During the Cold War, many Americans were convinced that the end was near, building concrete bunkers to protect themselves from a nuclear attack. Whate...
How Do Chicagoans Cope With Winter Stress? Especially Now?
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Curious City’s new reporter Adriana Cardona-Maguigad braves the freezing temperatures to find out how Chicagoans are getting through the stress of w...
A Day At Marriage and Civil Union Court
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Reporter Araceli Gómez-Aldana spent the day in Marriage and Civil Union Court in downtown Chicago where she met all kinds of couples who were there t...
Chicago Rat Tales: Live at the Hideout
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we head to the Hideout in Chicago for an evening of storytelling around rats. Jesse Dukes, Curious City’s lead rat reporter shares s...
A Bygone Chicago Nightclub And Christmas Tree Vendors
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode we’re revisiting a couple of holiday stories. Reporter Monica Eng answers a question about a shuttered Chicago jazz bar tha...
Without Native Americans, Would We Have Chicago As We Know It?
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Native Americans farmed, developed trade routes and took advantage of Chicago’s geography before anyone else settled in the region. Yet Chicago hist...
Why Aren't There Any Federal Indian Reservations In Illinois?
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Chicago region was home to a number of Native American nations, and Illinois’ native history is rich and varied. But unlike neighboring states l...
Do Speed Humps Work?
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Every driver in Chicago has probably encountered a speed hump (yep, they are officially known as humps, not bumps) at some point while traversing the ...
What's Up With All Those Billboard Ads For Lawyers?
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Lawyer selfies line the interstate between Illinois and Indiana. Curious City took a road trip and counted almost a hundred in one stretch of I-90/94....
Chicago Movie Locations
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago has served as the backdrop for blockbuster films like “The Blues Brothers,” “The Dark Knight,” and “The Break-Up.” But just when d...
The Making Of Polish Chicago
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We all know Chicago has a strong Polish community. But how did it get that way? And just how Polish is this city, really? Reporter Jesse Dukes finds t...
A Split Pea Dilemma And The Chicago-Style Hot Dog
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A listener noticed that diner after diner seemed to serve split pea soup every Wednesday. So is he really onto something? Reporter Linda Lutton invest...
The Halloween Episode: Munger Road
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
On this week’s episode Curious City investigates the origins of the Munger Road haunting. Like any good ghost story, there are several versions of t...
Chicago Is Where Black Cinema Took Root
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago was like Hollywood before Hollywood became the movie capital we know today. And Black directors were an important part of that early industry....
The Pilsen Episode
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood was first settled by Irish and German immigrants who were soon supplanted by a large influx of Czech immigrants. They ...
Three Buildings That Survived The Great Chicago Fire
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Great Chicago Fire, which lasted from October 8th to October 10th, 1871, destroyed most of Chicago from what is today Roosevelt Road up to Fullert...
Lucy Parsons, The 'Goddess Of Anarchy'
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Called "more dangerous than a thousand rioters" by the Chicago Police Department, Lucy Parsons was a radical socialist, a labor organizer, and a power...
What’s The History Of Religious Exemptions To Vaccines?
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While resistance to vaccine mandates goes back 200 years but state laws allowing for religious exemptions were rare until the 1960s. And faith leaders...
Why Are The Cicadas So Loud And Chicago’s Livestock
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The cicadas seem really loud this year around one listener’s home. But are they louder than usual? Are there more of them? Producer Jason Marck find...
The White Sox Logo And How The Chicago Bears Got Their Nickname
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When a 22-year-old executive came up with the iconic White Sox logo, he probably never imagined it becoming a hip-hop fashion sensation. Nearly 27 ye...
How Do Chicago’s Most Tenacious Weeds Grow?
02 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Tenacious weeds like buckthorn, milkweed and goldenrod grow everywhere in Chicago from railroad tracks to sidewalk cracks. Reporter Natalie Dalea find...
A Chicago Historian Tackles Your Questions About The City
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Historian Dominic Pacyga shares his encyclopedic knowledge of Chicago history and answers questions about everything from breweries to slaughterhouses...
Chicago’s Fishing Industry And Some Stargazing Spots
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Chicago once had a booming commercial fishing industry. Lawrence’s Fish and Shrimp is one of the last vestiges of that industry--serving up all kind...
Chicago’s Steak And Lemonade Combo And Those Structures On The Lake
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The beef sandwich and slushy drink combo are sold together all across the South and West sides of Chicago. Reporter Monica Eng tracks down the guy who...
The Union Workers Who Created Those Infamous Rat Balloons
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Scabby the Rat is now common on picket lines around the world, but the balloon started right here in the Chicago area. This week on the show, we dig i...
Paletas and Paleteros: The Art of the Cart
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Paletero Victor Cruz says selling popsicles takes “patience.” Curious City learns the tricks of the trade.
Where Did Chicagoans Go To Drink During Prohibition?
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This week on Curious City, we’re visiting the spots where Chicagoans would enjoy their beer and spirits during Prohibition.
Chicago’s Tornado-Proof Delusion
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In 1967 a tornado hit the Chicago suburb of Oak Lawn. It’s been a defining moment in the village’s history. Thirty three people were killed that d...
How Clean Is The Water At Chicago’s Beaches?
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s that time of the year where we can all finally hit the beach. But our listeners have a lot of questions about Chicago’s beaches. Like, how cl...
What’s The Deal With ‘Midwest Nice?’
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The common stereotype for Midwesterners is that we’re polite, friendly...and passive-aggressive. But is there any truth to that? Reporter Andrew Mer...
What’s Happening With Chicago’s Toxic Lead Service Lines?
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Illinois passed a new law last month that sets a deadline for the state to replace all of its toxic lead service lines -- those pipes that deliver dri...
A Gardener Pushes For Legislation To Help Extend The Growing Season
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Last year we met Elmhurst gardener Nicole Virgil, who was fighting for the right to put up a hoop house in her garden. A hoop house is an inexpensive ...
“Living In Gotham City.” How Some Musicians Survived A Shuttered Industry
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As Illinois reopens, Chicago area artists Lori Lippitz of the Maxwell Street Klezmer Band, Lynne Jordan of Lynne Jordan and the Shivers, Juan Dies of ...
What’s The History Of Chicago-Style Giardiniera?
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Curious City’s Monica Eng investigates the origins of Chicago’s favorite spicy condiment: giardiniera. This humble jar of veggies packed in oil h...
Why Chicago Suburb Names Lie About Their Elevation
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In the notoriously flat Chicago region, what gives with names like Chicago Heights, Mount Prospect and Park Ridge?
Safe At Work: The Life Of Alice Hamilton
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Scientist Alice Hamilton’s investigations into toxins in Chicago’s factories led to some of the first workplace safety laws in the country. She wa...