How bubblers, boats, and brawn keep the city safe each winter

Icebreakers of the Chicago River

A half day from ... what? Why this suburban myth is not even half true, and why the same mistake was made again 600 miles away.

Half Day Road and the Origins of a Semantic Slip-up

How Chicago’s Polish community won a Revolutionary War hero a holiday ... in a state he never stepped in. (Rebroadcast) 


The rise of Casimir Pulaski Day [Rebroadcast]

If everybody agrees that buildings like the Tribune Tower and Wrigley Buildings are beautiful, why don’t we keep building in that style? 

Why Don’t Chicago’s New Buildings Look Like its Classics?

If this retail mystery is keeping you up at night, here are answers. Plus: Have we hit peak mattress? Warning: More puns ahead! 


Why Does Chicago Have So Many Mattress Stores?

The village insists a decades-old rule to fight blockbusting continues to protect a precious suburban commodity: diversity. 

Not in Your Front Yard: Why ‘For Sale’ Signs are Banned in Oak Park

Back in the 1940s, Chicago school kids took local field trips that would be unthinkable today. 

Little Eddie’s Field Trip: The Union Stock Yards Through the Eyes of an Eighth Grader

Just in time for tax deadlines, here’s how the state spends more than it takes in. It’s worse than you thought. Also, very weird. 

Illinois has no budget, so where do state tax dollars go, anyway?

Why Illinois DMVs have literally hundreds of portraits of Secretary of State Jesse White.

Jesse White: A Man of Many Portraits

Yes, tornadoes can hit Chicago. Why do so many people think otherwise? 

Chicago's Tornado-Proof Delusion.

Each migratory season leaves a flurry of birds dead at the feet of skyscrapers. But does that make a dent in the bird population?

Chicago’s Killer View: The Skyline’s Toll On Migratory Birds

Combine gangster-era liquor laws with a twist of modern creativity, add a dash of laid-back spirit, and you’ve got a cocktail that makes Chicago the BYOB capital of the country.

Why Chicago BYOBs Like Nobody’s Business

The city’s pushing pedestrian-friendly design, but it’s left one consideration at the curb. 


Mixed Signals: Do Chicago’s Crosswalk Buttons Actually Work?

The city’s cagey on estimates, but suggests you bring your best walking shoes.

Escape from Chicago: How Long Would It Take to Evacuate?

Sisters seek details about their grandfather’s Chicago baseball team, and his killing by a white police officer in 1925.

Why a Black Man Lost His Life for Baseball in the Age of the Negro Leagues

The quest to recreate a favorite fried chicken dish, plus tips and tricks from Chicago’s top recipe sleuths.

How To Track Down an Elusive Chicago Recipe

What will happen to Chicago's Willis Tower in 150 years? The answer has to do with the fate of Chicago in 2166.

The Willis Tower In 150 Years: Adapted, Demolished or Abandoned?

What do you wonder about Chicago, the region and its people? Pose your question to Curious City and we’ll get investigate together, with answers online, in a weekly podcast, and on WBEZ 91.5 FM. Our website: http://wbez.org/curiouscity

Popular tracks by Curious City