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Chicago History Podcast

From theater, music, sports, and architecture to true crime, disasters and the people behind it all, we discuss Chicago history and learn a little bit more about the greatest city in the world.

Recent Episodes

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Episode 820 - People Wasn't Made To Burn: The James Hickman Story
Feb. 21, 2026

Episode 820 - People Wasn't Made To Burn: The James Hickman Story

Send a text An unbearable loss pushes one man past the breaking point, ending in murder. But was it justified? Listener discretion is advised. Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! Buy more than one and get a personalized video thank you. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave …
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Sundown Towns of Chicago with Ernest Crim III
Feb. 14, 2026

FROM THE ARCHIVES - Sundown Towns of Chicago with Ernest Crim III

Send a text Here's a FROM THE ARCHIVES episode originally released on Feb 18, 2023. Many towns in the Chicago area were established to be all-white, keeping out Blacks, Asians, Jews, Native Americans, and others, allowing minorities to work in those towns but not live there. Those individuals also …
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Episode 819 - Frozen in Time: Chicago's Ten Coldest Days
Jan. 24, 2026

Episode 819 - Frozen in Time: Chicago's Ten Coldest Days

Send us a text Chicago’s cold weather can be brutal, and it has been for more than 150 years since it started being tracked. Here are ten of Chicago's coldest days. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Need music for YOUR projects? Aud…
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Chicago's Skid Row Flophouse Fires
Dec. 19, 2025

FROM THE ARCHIVES - Chicago's Skid Row Flophouse Fires

Send us a text 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, threadbare hotels, injuring and even killing those who were already down on their luck. This is the story of Chicago’s Skid Row Flophouse Fires.…
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Episode 818 - Chicago's Deadly December: The Crash and Conspiracies of United Flight 533
Dec. 6, 2025

Episode 818 - Chicago's Deadly December: The Crash and Conspiracies of United Flight 533

Send us a text On a cold and snowy day in December 1972, United Airlines flight 533 crashed into a neighborhood near Midway Airport, resulting in 45 deaths. The tragedy was soon followed by conspiracies. Was the plane brought down to silence those who might jeopardize powerful people in the governm…
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Episode 817 - Chicago's Bloodshot Records with author Rob Miller
Nov. 21, 2025

Episode 817 - Chicago's Bloodshot Records with author Rob Miller

Send us a text Author Rob Miller (one of the founders of Chicago's Bloodshot Records) joins me to discuss his new book, “The Hours Are Long But The Pay Is Low: A Curious Life in Independent Music.” www.robmillerwriting.com Get Rob's book here: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p088964 Save …
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Recent Blog Posts

Episode 611 - Frances Glessner Lee, The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, and Crime Scene Investigation
March 19, 2023

Episode 611 - Frances Glessner Lee, The Nutshell Studies of Unexplain…

You can view a full-sized model of Frances Glessner Lee's "Dark Bathroom" nutshell for free on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00am to 4:00pm through Friday, April 14, 2023 at Glessner House. Details here: https://www.glessnerhouse.org/For more abou…

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Episode 608 - Sundown Towns of Chicago
Feb. 18, 2023

Episode 608 - Sundown Towns of Chicago

Honestly, I have enough to do a second and possibly a third episode addressing the many areas in and around Chicago that tried their hardest (and often succeeded) in keeping Black American families from settling there. Here's more from my guest host…

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New Episodes Coming Soon!
Nov. 24, 2022

New Episodes Coming Soon!

I neglected to mention at the end of season five of the Chicago History Podcast that I would be taking a little break. The good news is I'll be back soon with new stories about the Greatest City in The World.Thanks for listening, for your support,…

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Reviews

Great and often unknown Chicago Stories

"This is a wonderful collection of Chicago history, well presented and produced. I just started listening and am happy to have many episodes to explore."

squirehogg | Sept. 5, 2024

CHP

"Great insight and format, very informative and still interesting stories. And that Mr. Henry, quite the sexy voice."

Smkt747 | Feb. 7, 2025
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