Send us a text Anthony Bourdain tasted the wormwood-infused liquor Malört for his TV show “The Layover” and said, “its brash nature" created “a possibility that I could get all stabby and belligerent.” Today we're talking abo...
Send us a text This episode's guest is Mitchell Bisschop, who wrote and stars in the play "Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago," which runs Sept. 5-29, 2024, at the Chopin Theatre. Mitchell and I discuss celebrated newspaper c...
Send us a Text Message. He arrived in Chicago from Boston in the mid-1800s and set up an Eye and Ear Infirmary to help those in need. Hear the story of Dr. Edward Lorenzo Holmes and his efforts to help the less fortunate in C...
Send us a Text Message. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but when this Chicago-born department store heir died mysteriously at the age of 20, things really got weird. #ChicagoHistory #MontgomeryWard #MysteriousDe...
Send us a Text Message. Chinese entrepreneurs in the 1970s as well as refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia transformed an area on the city’s north side by opening restaurants, bakeries, pharmacies, and social service agencies. ...
Send us a Text Message. Planning to visit Navy Pier this summer? Here is the history of one of the most popular tourist destinations not only in Chicago but in all of Illinois. * Written and recorded before FlyOver Chicago wa...
Send us a Text Message. For you fans of true crime stories, here's an episode from January 2021. He was a manager at a Coca-Cola bottling plant, married, with two teenage sons living the good life in suburban Naperville, IL i...
Send us a Text Message. Long before NASCAR came to Chicago, this town had races, racers, and racetracks. Today we're talking about Chicago's Motor Speedways. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www...
Send us a Text Message. Danny Sotomayor, a fiery, openly gay AIDS activist, was a man on a mission. Today we discuss Sotomayor with Dan Andries, the writer and producer of the WTTW documentary "The Outrage of Danny Sotomayor....
It was an innovative idea in its day - a 200 store indoor shopping center 35 miles outside of Chicago with a 31-ride amusement park in the middle. Unfortunately, once you throw in costly delays, waning attendance, lackluster ...
It is the largest train robbery in U.S. history, and it occurred just 32 miles north of Chicago. Hear how the Rondout Train Robbery unfolded 100 years ago in June 1924. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: ...
It was one of the defining moments for the United States during World War II - the capture of a German U-boat on the Atlantic Ocean. Hear the story and the event's many Chicago connections before the 80th anniversary of the e...
Captured World War II enemy combatants were often brought back to the United States to be housed in facilities across the country, including here in Illinois. Today we’re discussing Chicago’s World War II POW Camps. Show your...
It is one of the oldest original ballparks in the country, and with that lengthy run is an interesting history as well. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave...
His funeral was the largest in Chicago since that of Abraham Lincoln. Who was Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin, and how did his connection to secret Irish organizations lead to his murder? Show your support of the show for the cost o...
No sport is more closely identified with Chicago than 16-inch softball. Enjoy the history of 16" softball along with some insights about the game from a few guys who know it best - the 16" Softball Hall of Fame co-founder Al ...
With all the talk of the Chicago Bears plans for a new stadium by the lake, it seemed like a good time to revisit this episode about the Bears' current home, Soldier Field. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup...
Friend of the podcast Geoffrey Baer is BACK with a new special on WTTW called "Chicago Mysteries." Listen as Geoffrey and I discuss a few of the stories from the program. https://www.wttw.com/mysteries Show your support of th...
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 Chic...
Connie Fairbanks, author of "Chicago's West Loop: Then and Now," joins me on this episode as co-writer and co-host as we discuss five Chicago parks named for women. Purchase Connie Fairbanks' book "Chicago's West Loop: Then a...
She grew up in a small town in Illinois in the late 1800s and became known worldwide as an activist, reformer, and winner of a Nobel Peace Prize. This is the story of Jane Addams and Hull House. Want to help support the show?...
Local author Cynthia Pelayo's new book masterfully blends dark Chicago history and fairy-tale horrors. Listen as the author and I discuss her life growing up in Chicago and her exciting new book about two sisters and a killer...
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 cof...
Three! Three! Three episodes in one! Enjoy. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner...
