It is one of the most popular tourist destinations not only in Chicago but in all of Illinois, although its use has changed numerous times since it was built more than 100 years ago. Today we’re talking about the history of …
They were some of the biggest comic actors of their time, influencing comedians for generations to come. Today we’re talking about the Marx Brothers in Chicago. We’ll also talk about what happened to some of the places the M…
It has been called “eighty acres of Hell” and was one of the deadliest Confederate prisons of the Civil War. Today’s we’re talking about Chicago’s Notorious Camp Douglas. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup …
It was a two BILLION dollar catastrophe without a single fatality that brought portions of the city to a standstill. Today’s we’re talking about the Great Chicago Flood of 1992. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of…
She worked on John F. Kennedy’s presidential campaign, was guided through Chicago politics by Richard J. Daley, and became the first female mayor of Chicago. Today we’re discussing Jane Byrne, whose story is part of the upco…
45 years ago, one of the most horrifying transportation accidents in Chicago happened downtown at the height of rush hour. This is the story of the CTA Derailment of 1977. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup…
He served as a Chicago policeman for more than 32 years and was Chicago’s chief of police for four, but Francis O’Neill is probably better known for his efforts in preserving the music of his homeland. Today we’re talking ab…
It was called “The Madhouse on Madison” and had the reputation as being “The Loudest Arena in the NBA,” but this venue hosted much more than just some of the most memorable sports events in the city’s history and had an unus…
In what was then primarily farmlands 39 miles outside of Chicago, a gun battle erupted between federal law enforcement agents and an outlaw on the run, resulting in chaos and death. This is the story of Baby Face Nelson and …
Some of the most successful record companies headed by African Americans over the last century were started right here in the greatest city in the world. Today we’re discussing Chicago’s Black-Owned Record Labels (Part One).…
The World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893 showcased the people and cultures from 46 countries on 690 acres of land south of downtown Chicago a little more than 20 years after the Great Fire of 1871 decimated the city. 27 mill…
It started out as a search for info about his ancestors and turned into a book detailing one Illinois infantry’s involvement in the war that pit the United States of America against the Confederate States of America. This is…
In 1855, when city policies in Chicago threatened to interfere with livelihood of German and Irish immigrant saloon owners and the consumption of beer by immigrants on their one day off, a full-on uprising was not far behind…
In 1988, two attractive young students attending a prominent suburban Chicago religious school disappeared, setting off a frenzied search that lasted months before the truth about what happened to them was revealed. Enjoy th…
In the late 1940s and well into the 1950s, Chicago was plagued by fires that had one key thing in common – they took place at often unsafe, downtrodden hotels, injuring and even killing those who were already down on their l…
It is the venue by the lake that has hosted music concerts, religious events, civil rights protests, sports competitions, and much more for nearly 100 years. In this episode we tackle Soldier Field. Show some love for the po…
It is without a doubt one of the most amazing urban-built waterfronts anywhere, and it is right here in Chicago. In their book Lakefront: Public Trust and Private Rights in Chicago , authors Joseph D. Kearney and Thomas W. M…
Her last name is well known around the city, but do you know the story behind Chicago's Saint, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini? Listen and learn, Chicago history fans! Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of co…
Chicago Tribune writer Rick Kogan called Mother Chicago: Truant Dreams and Specters Over the Gilded Age “one of the most revelatory, provocative, frightening books I've ever read about Chicago." In this episode, I talk with …
On October 20, 1974, one of the biggest heists in U.S. history happened here in Chicago. This is the story of the Great Purolator Armored Express Heist. Chi-Outreach Holiday Gift-Away - Make a difference this holiday to thos…
In November of 2020, Chicago’s WTTW debuted a new special called Chicago From The Air , narrated by Geoffrey Baer and produced by Eddie Griffin. Utilizing drones and the skills of local pilots, Chicago From The Air gave view…
Jack Johnson not only became the first African American heavyweight championship boxer but who also lived (and loved) in Chicago and opened the wildly popular Café de Champion before tragedy and the government forced its clo…
2020 marked the 60th anniversary of one of the biggest stories of police misconduct Chicago had ever seen up until then, shocking residents and even city officials. Today we’re discussing The Summerdale Police Scandal. Parad…
There are approximately 1,500 shipwrecks on the bottom of Lake Michigan. Of those lost, none resulted in as great a loss of life as the one that went down on September 8, 1860, off the shores north of the city of Chicago. To…
