Episodes

In 1937, 83 years before the current pandemic forced kids to find ways to learn outside of the traditional classroom, Chicago school child learned by radio. This is that story and the story of polio in Chicago. #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoSchools #ChicagoPandemic #ChicagoPolio #ChicagoPodcasts #ChicagoRadio Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https://lovethepodcast.com/chicagohistorypod Chicago History Podcast Clothing, Mugs, Totes, & More (your purchase helps support the podcast): https://www.teep...

He was a manager at a Coca-Cola bottling plant, married, with two teenage sons living the good life in suburban Naperville, IL in 1967. When a bomb exploded aboard a plane on which his wife Jeanne was flying, Earle T. Cook quickly became the focus of the FBI investigation. #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoTrueCrime #TrueCrime #AirplaneBombings #NapervilleIL #MurderForHire #StandByYourMan Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https://lovethepodcast.com/chicagohistorypod Chicago History Podcast Clothing, Mu...

There was a time when in order to receive blood at a hospital, it needed to be donated directly from a donor to the recipient. One man changed that with the invention of a way to store blood in a "blood bank." Along the way, that man spoke out against fake "cures" that did more harm than good and also tried to make children's medicine a little easier for kids to swallow. This is the story of Dr. Bernard Fantus and The Blood Bank. Thanks to listener Sara for the suggestion! #ChicagoHistory #Chica...

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a familiar sight near the river and Clark Street was the Rouse Simmons, also known as The Christmas Tree Ship, and its captain Herman Schuenemann, who became known to families as Captain Santa. During a trip from upper Michigan to Chicago in November of 1912, all of that changed. Thanks to listener Liz for the suggestion! #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoPodcasts #ChicagoHolidays #RouseSimmons #CaptainSanta #ChristmasTreeShip Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https:/...

In November of 1990, a film about a young boy accidentally left at home at Christmas who defends his house against burglars became a worldwide sensation. This is the story of Home Alone . #HomeAlone #JohnHughes #JohnCandy #MacauleyCulkin #HolidayMovies Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https://lovethepodcast.com/chicagohistorypod Chicago History Podcast Clothing, Mugs, Totes, & More (your purchase helps support the podcast): https://www.teepublic.com/user/chicago-history-podcast https://teesp...

On Memorial Day, May 25th, 1981, a 25-year-old year old sport climber dressed as comic book hero Spider-Man used a system of suction cups and other climbing gear to scale the outside of the 110-story Sears Tower, which at that time was the tallest building in the world . He came back later that year to climb the John Hancock Center. This is the story of Spider-Dan Goodwin, who was kind enough to let us interview him for this episode. Dan Goodwin: www.dangoodwin.co www.tripleblack.com "Chemo Craz...

In this episode we'll cover a holiday story from Chicago's past and then welcome a special guest - Amanda Scotese, founder of Chicago Detours. Chicago Detours has entertained and educated tens of thousands of tourists and locals with in-person and virtual Chicago history tours. Their latest offering is the Virtual Holiday Stories Happy Hour! The YouTube version of this episode is available at: https://youtu.be/w_LlnaZIjvM Chicago Detours: https://www.chicagodetours.com/ Love the podcast? Leave u...

For a city long defined by fire, nothing could have prepared Chicago for the tragedy at the Catholic grade school Our Lady of the Angels on December 1, 1958. Chicago Fire Commissioner Robert Quinn may have summed things up most succinctly when he said of the fire at the time, “It was the worst thing I have ever seen or ever will see.” Reference Materials Used For This Episode Include: To Sleep With The Angels by David Cowan and David Kuenster https://smile.amazon.com/Sleep-Angels-Story-Fire/dp/1...

Chicago's Wicker Park neighborhood is home to many beautiful homes, including ones in an area called Beer Baron Row. In this episode we discuss how this name came about and the murder of John Henry Raap, a prominent German American businessman and resident on Beer Baron Row. Reference Materials Used For This Episode Include: Wicker Park From 1673 thru 1929 by Elaine A Coorens http://culturelady.com/index.html Beer: A History of Brewing in Chicago by Bob Skilnik https://www.amazon.com/Beer-Histor...

In this episode we talk with WTTW's Geoffrey Baer and Eddie Griffin about their new project, Chicago From The Air , which takes audiences on a bird’s eye tour of Chicago’s landmarks, neighborhoods, and suburbs, shot entirely by drone camera. Chicago From The Air premieres Thursday, November 19th on WTTW. For those not in the area, go to wttw.com for more information on how you can watch this online. The YouTube version of this interview is also available at: https://youtu.be/p-hJwxMvork #Chicago...

In May of 1970, those driving past Wrigley Field were greeted with an unusual sight – a Native American teepee, surrounded by smaller tents and groups of people. This was just the beginning of the Native American protests in Chicago of the 1970’s . #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoNativeAmericans #WrigleyField Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https://lovethepodcast.com/chicagohistorypod Chicago History Podcast Clothing, Mugs, Totes, & More (your purchase helps support the podcast): https://www.teepub...

A hitchhiking ghost, walking along a lonely stretch of road in a white dress on her way to a cemetery. To many Chicagoans, the mere mention of the name "Resurrection Mary" will give the listener chills. Was there a Mary? If so, who was she and how and when did the lore of Resurrection Mary get started? What about the cemetery around which the tale revolves and the town in which the cemetery is based? All this and more in this episode of the Chicago History Podcast! #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoGhost...

Halloween is coming! Enjoy this episode about Chicago's ghoulish past, including tales of forgotten cemeteries, grave robbers, mob graveyards, and more. Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https://lovethepodcast.com/chicagohistorypod Hidden Truths: https://hiddentruths.northwestern.edu/ Chicago History Podcast Clothing, Mugs, Totes, & More (your purchase helps support the podcast): https://www.teepublic.com/user/chicago-history-podcast https://teespring.com/stores/chicago-history-podcast Chicag...

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Lincoln Park had a “High Bridge” which rose 75 feet over the south lagoon water. As much appeal to sightseers as the big beautiful bridge had, it also had a dark appeal, quickly earning it the dubious name “Suicide Bridge.” Viking Ship at Good Templar Park in Geneva, IL: https://vikingship.us/tours-of-viking/ Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https://lovethepodcast.com/chicagohistorypod Chicago History Podcast Clothing, Mugs, Totes, & More (your purchase hel...

On a cold day in 1932, a Chicago cop named William Lundy was gunned down at a speakeasy in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Two men were sent to prison for the crime, but did prosecutors get the right men? 11 years later, a classified ad placed in the newspaper by the mother of one of the men blew this case wide open. The is the story of Joe Majczek, Tillie Majczek, and Ted Marcinkiewicz. Love the podcast? Leave us a review! https://lovethepodcast.com/chicagohistorypod Chicago History Podcast...

The Ferris Wheel, a marvel of engineering, first appeared at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. This is the story of what happened to the wheel after the fair closed. Chicago History Podcast Clothing, Mugs, Totes, & More (your purchase helps support the podcast): https://www.teepublic.com/user/chicago-history-podcast https://teespring.com/stores/chicago-history-podcast Chicago History Podcast (chicagohistorypod@gmail.com): https://www.facebook.com/Chicago-History-Podcast-107482...

Not long after The Beatles invaded America and kids everywhere picked up guitars and drumsticks and formed their own bands, enterprising individuals all over Chicago and the suburbs saw… opportunity. This is the story of Chicago's Teen Rock Clubs of the 60’s. Additional Reading (using these links to purchase these items helps support the podcast): The Who: Concert File by Joe McMichael and "Irish" Jack Lyons Kindle - https://amzn.to/34YBSqA Paperback - https://amzn.to/2YVDpd5 The Chicago Music S...

On this episode we discuss a few things you may not know about Labor Day and Chicago’s role in how Labor Day as a holiday came to be. Additional Reading (your purchase using the links below helps support the podcast): Death in the Haymarket: A Story of Chicago, the First Labor Movement and the Bombing that Divided Gilded Age America by James Green (Paperback edition) - https://amzn.to/356LGiz (Kindle edition) - https://amzn.to/2QUtArN The Haymarket Tragedy by Paul Avrich (Paperback edition) - ht...

Provident Hospital, the first owned-and-operated African American hospital not just in Chicago but in the country, Dr. Daniel Hale Williams, the African American surgeon who performed the first open-heart surgery, and Emma Reynolds, the first African American woman to be admitted to the Medical College of Chicago at Northwestern University are all discussed in episode 119. Enjoy! Further Reading (purchasing books through these links helps support the production of this podcast): City of Scoundre...

That beautiful fountain on Columbus Drive that you see when driving on Lake Shore Drive has an amazing history behind it. This is the story of the Clarence Buckingham Memorial Fountain, Clarence's sister Kate, and Edward H. Bennett, the architect behind it. Edward H. Bennett Digital Collection: http://edwardbennett.lakeforest.edu/exhibits/show/edward--h--bennett-collection-/chicago/grant-park http://edwardbennett.lakeforest.edu/bennettexhibit Chicago History Podcast (chicagohistorypod@gmail.com)...

This is the story of "Big Bill" Thompson, a bigger-than-life character who served as Chicago mayor for three terms and is viewed as one of the most corrupt politicians Chicago has ever seen. Further reading (purchasing these items through these links help support our efforts): "City of Scoundrels: The 12 Days of Disaster That Gave Birth To Modern Chicago" by Gary Krist (https://amzn.to/3g0okNa) "Big Bill of Chicago" by Lloyd Wendt and Herman Kogan (https://amzn.to/310OJq4) "Big Bill Thompson, Ch...

In 1962, three of the country's top entertainers traveled to a venue at 2855 N. Milwaukee Ave. near Northbrook to perform for a who's who of Mafia notables. This is the story of Villa Venice. Additional Reading (your purchase through these links helps support the show): "Mafia Spies: The Inside Story of the CIA, Gangsters, JFK, and Castro” by Thomas Maier (https://amzn.to/2PzmdoS) "Sinatra: The Chairman" by James Kaplan (https://amzn.to/2EWh9sw) "Mafia Princess: Growing Up in Sam Giancana's Fami...

There was a time you could sit in your car and watch a movie on a giant screen. Crazy, I know. Wait - what? Drive-ins still exist? In this episode we discuss drive-in movies and their history in the Chicagoland area. Additional Reading: Drive-in Theaters: A History from Their Inception in 1933 by Kerry Seagrave (https://amzn.to/2EsQjbv) Chicago History Podcast (chicagohistorypod@gmail.com): https://www.facebook.com/Chicago-History-Podcast-107482214277883 https://twitter.com/chicago_pod https://w...

Six years after the closing of the World's Fair of 1893, on 10 acres near the University of Chicago, a new outdoor entertainment venue opened called Sans Souci. Sans Souci and Midway Gardens, although all but forgotten, paved the way for outdoor entertainment for generations to come. Chicago History Podcast (chicagohistorypod@gmail.com): https://www.facebook.com/Chicago-History-Podcast-107482214277883 https://twitter.com/chicago_pod https://www.instagram.com/chicagohistorypod/ Chicago History Po...