Jul 06 2023 | 00:23:14
The bitter liquor has been around for about a century, but Malört’s rise to Chicago icon status is a more recent story.
Curious City
Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.
Jun 29 2023 | 00:16:57
We waltz with the musicians and dancers who popularized dances in Chicago, and we feel the beat with the people who keep La Danza Ateca alive in Pilsen.
Jun 22 2023 | 00:24:22
When someone dies in Cook County and there’s no one to identify or claim the body, a small army of people from the public and private sectors work to find out who the person is, if they have any relatives or friends, and ultimately give them a dignified burial.
Jun 15 2023 | 00:19:06
A New York transplant loves everything about Chicago, but misses the easy access to a big slice of pizza on a paper plate. Our city’s tavern style and deep dish don’t lend themselves to the “slice to go” concept, but slice shops have gained traction over the last few years. We go on a hunt for the city’s best slice, and even get initiated into an underground pizza club.
Jun 08 2023 | 00:21:58
The huge, gleaming Baháʼí House of Worship for North America definitely stands out from its suburban lakefront surroundings. It’s the oldest Baháʼí temple in the world, and it’s also known as the holiest. But why is it in Wilmette, Illinois? That answer involves a trip to the temple, a celebrity run-in, and some good old-fashioned research.
Jun 01 2023 | 00:29:22
In the 1960s, Chicago was becoming known as a center for Karate teaching and international tournaments, and the main person behind this movement was John Keehan. In the last of this two part series, we delve into Keehan’s devolution into a persona he created, Count Dante. He was at the center of Chicago’s “Dojo Wars,” which would end up taking a dark turn.
May 25 2023 | 00:32:49
In the 1960s, Chicago was becoming known as a center for Karate teaching and international tournaments, and the main person behind this movement was John Keehan. He was a revered black belt instructor who was also often an instigator in Chicago’s “Dojo Wars,” a series of brawls and incidents between competing martial arts schools. In part one, we follow Keehan’s rise as a sensei, and his efforts to bring more violence to the art, both on and off the mats.
Move Over Mayor. Adios Aldermen. Regular Citizens Can Propose Laws In Chicago And We’ll Tell You How
May 18 2023 | 00:15:47
Brandon Johnson was just sworn in as Chicago’s new mayor. Johnson was known as a union and community organizer who believes average people should have more say in how their government works. Which is why we thought this story from 2021 about how any citizen can introduce new laws here in Chicago was the perfect pairing to inauguration week.
May 11 2023 | 00:23:32
Carolina Sandoval was on one of the first buses from Texas to Chicago last fall. We follow her journey here from Venezuela, discovering how she’s found some sense of independence as the situation for new arrivals continues to evolve amid a growing crisis.
May 04 2023 | 00:31:12
In April, Carol’s Pub was packed with Curious City fans eager to learn about the history of Uptown saloons and the importance of beer and tavern culture to Chicago. Knowledge flowed from the stage, brews flowed from the taps and great music flowed from the Hoyle Brothers. We’ll take you inside the event on this week’s episode of Curious City.
Apr 27 2023 | 00:21:37
Samuel Gompers fought for the eight-hour work day and helped create child labor laws. But for all he achieved, he was also fiercely anti-immigrant. We explore Gompers' life, legacy, and the statue built to this complicated man.
Apr 20 2023 | 00:15:57
Curious City is joined by Reset’s Claire Hyman who went on a search for Swedish Egg Coffee in Chicago. Along the way she discovers its history, finds multiple recipes, and enlists a barista to brew up a batch.
Apr 13 2023 | 00:23:17
Reporter Araceli Gómez-Aldana spent the day in Marriage and Civil Union Court in downtown Chicago, where she met all kinds of couples who were there to say “I do” and a clerk that’s helped thousands of couples tie the knot over the last 50 years. She’s seen it all, including brides left at the altar at the last minute, and Chicagoans lining up for hours to wed on the same day as Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Apr 06 2023 | 00:35:43
Chicagoans live in two-flats, three-flats, bungalows and skyscrapers. And hundreds of households live in Chicago’s only trailer park, Harbor Point Estates. Beyond the city’s borders, there’s another 18,000 mobile homes in our metro area. Reporter Linda Lutton answers a question about what life is like in Chicagoland mobile home communities, as told by residents themselves.
Mar 30 2023 | 00:20:32
Chicago historian Paul Durica shares famous ruses, hoaxes and stunts pulled by (and on) local media.
Mar 23 2023 | 00:34:00
How disco evolved in Chicago in the 1970s in two distinct ways: On the near north side as part of the city’s emerging Queer nightlife scene. And on the southside in warehouses, underground clubs, and even in Catholic schools where it laid the foundation for house music.
Mar 16 2023 | 00:23:01
Unlike many states in the Midwest, including Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa, Illinois doesn’t have any federally recognized Indian reservations. Yet all around the state, in the names of cities, rivers, streets and sports teams, there are reminders that we are living on land where Native Americans once farmed, traded and made their home. So why doesn’t Illinois have any reservations? The answer requires a look back at the region’s history beginning in the 1700s.
Mar 09 2023 | 00:20:12
Even though the Jamaican population in Chicago is relatively small, the city is flush with restaurants serving jerk-style foods. Why are there so many? And what is authentic jerk cuisine?
Mar 02 2023 | 00:16:25
Scientist Alice Hamilton’s investigations into toxins in Chicago’s factories led to some of the first workplace safety laws in the country. She was known for her “shoe leather” epidemiology, wearing out the soles of her shoes from all the trips she made to Chicago homes, factories and even saloons to figure out what was making people sick. Reporter Edie Rubinowitz has her story.
Feb 23 2023 | 00:28:01
You’ve never heard of the Atkinsons or the Bernsteins. But these are two historic Chicago families and in big and small ways, they have left their mark on this city.
Feb 16 2023 | 00:18:41
Reporter Arionne Nettles brings us two stories honoring Black History in Chicago: The legacy of Ida B. Wells who empowered Black people to claim political power here. And the tale of Cadillac Baby, Nettle’s grandfather, who helped establish and nourish the Blues industry in Chicago.
Feb 09 2023 | 00:21:33
Curious City takes a look at the growing popularity of car window tinting in Illinois. We find out what the state law says about how dark automobile windows can be, who enforces these laws -- or not -- and why some people have safety concerns about them.
Feb 02 2023 | 00:21:36
With the death of Tyre Nichols at the hands of Memphis police officers, the people and mechanisms that hold cops accountable are in the spotlight once again. It’s something we talk about often here in Chicago. Later this month, city residents will be voting for mayor, and whoever wins that race will sit at the head of a large-and growing-police accountability system. We’ll take you in a deep dive into that system, and update you on how a years-long battle for more citizen involvement in that system is finally coming to fruition.
Jan 26 2023 | 00:38:04
The uncertain fate of a hand-lettered memorial wall in the Far South Side Altgeld Gardens community has Curious City digging into how such memorials and other valued local murals and artwork might be saved from destruction, even if they are not officially national landmarks.
Jan 19 2023 | 00:12:31
Geese have the only flights in and out of Chicago that aren’t delayed. But seriously…we find out why the once-migratory Canada geese decided to make Chicago their permanent home, why these birds have become a nuisance, and what’s being done to keep their population in check.
Jan 13 2023 | 00:30:15
The Avalon Regal Theater in South Shore has almost a century of cultural significance. Since 2003, it’s sat mostly empty. What will happen to it?
Jan 05 2023 | 00:18:44
A Chicago snow plow driver who’s been on the job for 40 years tells us what it’s like to keep the roads clear of snow and ice. Plus, we find out about the time Chicago made a Floridian class of kids thrilled when we shipped them a bunch of... our snow.
Dec 29 2022 | 00:19:40
We put all of the questions that you submitted in 2022 - nearly 700! - into a giant bag, and we’ve pulled a few out to answer all at once including Where to find the best Shrimp, the history of Cricket Hill, all the lettered streets west of Pulask, and more.
Dec 22 2022 | 00:17:51
We revisit two questions from winters past: how the city breaks up the winter ice on the Chicago River, and in honor of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, the history of Chicago’s Jewish migration throughout the city and beyond.
Dec 15 2022 | 00:19:09
This week we dive into the history of tree planting in Chicago, find out why trees are so important to us and our city, and talk to people who are working to get trees planted in the neighborhoods that need them most.