Curious City

Latest Episodes:

Why Aren’t There Any Federal Indian Reservations In Illinois? Mar 16, 2023

Show notes

Unlike many states in the Midwest, including Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, Illinois doesn’t have any federally recognized Indian reservations. Yet all around the state, in the names of cities, rivers, streets and sports teams, there are reminders that we are living on land where Native Americans once farmed, traded and made their home. So why doesn’t Illinois have any reservations? The answer requires a look back at the region’s history beginning in the 1700s.

Jerk Food Finds a Home in Chicago Mar 09, 2023

Show notes

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? And what is authentic jerk cuisine?

The Life and Legacy of Alice Hamilton Mar 02, 2023

Show notes

Scientist Alice Hamilton’s investigations into toxins in Chicago’s factories led to some of the first workplace safety laws in the country. She was known for her “shoe leather” epidemiology, wearing out the soles of her shoes from all the trips she made to Chicago homes, factories and even saloons to figure out what was making people sick. Reporter Edie Rubinowitz has her story.

Two Southside families trace their roots back to Chicago’s earliest days Feb 23, 2023

Show notes

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 mark on this city.

Honoring Black History in Chicago: The impact of Ida B. Wells on Politics and Cadillac Baby on the Blues Feb 16, 2023

Show notes

Reporter Arionne Nettles brings us two stories honoring Black History in Chicago: The legacy of Ida B. Wells who empowered Black people to claim political power here. And the tale of Cadillac Baby, Nettle’s grandfather, who helped establish and nourish the Blues industry in Chicago.

Car Window Tinting Laws are Complicated (and hard to enforce) Feb 09, 2023

Show notes

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 windows can be, who enforces these laws -- or not -- and why some people have safety concerns about them.

Police accountability and the power of Chicago’s mayor Feb 02, 2023

Show notes

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 again. It’s something we talk about often here in Chicago. Later this month, city residents will be voting for mayor, and whoever wins that race will sit at the head of a large-and growing-police accountability system. We’ll take you in a deep dive into that system, and update you on how a years-long battle for more citizen involvement in that system is finally coming to fruition.

Is There A Way To Save Altgeld Gardens’ Memorial Wall? Jan 26, 2023

Show notes

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 and other valued local murals and artwork might be saved from destruction, even if they are not officially national landmarks.

Why once migratory geese are now permanent Chicago residents Jan 19, 2023

Show notes

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 make Chicago their permanent home, why these birds have become a nuisance, and what’s being done to keep their population in check.

The Avalon Regal Theater's Eclectic History And Troubled Future Jan 13, 2023

Show notes

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?