Curious City

Latest Episodes:

Displaced: When The Eisenhower Expressway Moved In, Who Was Forced Out? Nov 18, 2018

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The Ike was the city’s first superhighway. In this special presentation, people affected open up about how it scattered ethnic neighborhoods and changed many lives forever.

Steak And Lemonade: What Are The Origins Of This Chicago Food Combo? Nov 11, 2018

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The beef sandwich and slushy drink are sold together all across the South and West sides. We track down the guy who put the two together.

Did All Chicagoans Support The Civil War? Nov 04, 2018

Show notes

The story of Irish-American draft resisters, African-Americans who defied the odds in order to fight, and women who found alternate ways to support the war.

From Stockyards To Speakeasies: A Chicago Historian Tackles 5 Questions About The City’s History Oct 28, 2018

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Dominic Pacyga shares his encyclopedic knowledge of Chicago history and answers questions about everything from “gin joints” to stockyards.

How Vacant Chicago Storefronts Rise From The Dead As Halloween Costume Stores Oct 21, 2018

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We unearth the business model behind these seasonal shops, and get the scoop on what costumes will be most popular this season.

Why Doesn’t Chicago Have More Co-Op Grocery Stores? Oct 14, 2018

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We learn that, despite the current paucity of food co-ops, the city actually has a strong food co-op history — and there may be more on the horizon.

Gone Fishin’: What Happened To Chicago’s Booming Commercial Fishing Industry? Oct 07, 2018

Show notes

Chicago once had a booming commercial fishing industry. Lawrence’s Fish and Shrimp is one of the last vestiges of that industry.

Who Is Billy Sunday In The Popular Sinatra Song, ‘Chicago?’ Sep 30, 2018

Show notes

Billy Sunday was an influential preacher within the American evangelical movement. How'd he end up in a song sung by Sinatra?

How Political Clout And Union Power Created Chicago’s Lead Water Problem Sep 16, 2018

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Chicago continued to use lead pipes long after many cities banned them. We look at the politics and personalities behind it.

Daley vs. Little Italy: Did The Mayor Drop UIC On The Neighborhood Out Of Spite? Sep 09, 2018

Show notes

Why did Richard J. Daley push for the UIC campus to rise from the heart of a long-standing ethnic neighborhood? In this special Curious City presentation, reporter Monica Eng examines the pervasive suspicion that the mayor’s choice rose from a political spat or — even worse — from disdain for the Italian-American community. Click here for the full story.

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