Ranked #1
The Story Of Dunning, A 'Tomb For The Living'
The Story Of Dunning, A 'Tomb For The Living'
In both life and death, the people who ended up at the notorious asylum and poor farm were some of Chicago’s least fortu... Read more
30 Apr 2013
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10mins
Ranked #2
Why Chicago Lightning Bugs Light Up One Neighborhood But Not the Next
Why Chicago Lightning Bugs Light Up One Neighborhood But Not the Next
A listener’s nostalgia for catching lightning bugs as a kid lead her to wonder: Are there any left these days? Our exper... Read more
16 Jul 2017
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4mins
Ranked #3
What Happened To Chicago’s Japanese Neighborhood?
What Happened To Chicago’s Japanese Neighborhood?
Lake View once had a thriving Japanese community, but it fell victim to a push for assimilation. As one Japanese-America... Read more
13 Aug 2017
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12mins
Ranked #4
Which Natural Disasters Are Most Likely To Hit Chicago?
Which Natural Disasters Are Most Likely To Hit Chicago?
The good news is Chicago probably won’t be hit by hurricanes and earthquakes. But the area is becoming more vulnerable t... Read more
15 Oct 2017
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12mins
Ranked #5
Why Chicago's Chinatown Is Practically Invisible On Apartment Rental Sites
Why Chicago's Chinatown Is Practically Invisible On Apartment Rental Sites
The listings are there — just in Chinese. Is this a form of discrimination, or a way to preserve a neighborhood's charac... Read more
29 Oct 2017
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7mins
Ranked #6
City Of Big Agriculture: Here Are The Crops Chicago Was Once Famous For
City Of Big Agriculture: Here Are The Crops Chicago Was Once Famous For
The city deserves cred as an industrial giant, but it was also the first city of flowers, a pickle powerhouse and the he... Read more
20 Aug 2017
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8mins
Ranked #7
Push Carts, Popsicles, And Patience: How To Be A Paletero In Chicago
Push Carts, Popsicles, And Patience: How To Be A Paletero In Chicago
Being a paleta vendor may seem like a sweet life, but we learned that selling Mexican popsicles is anything but a walk o... Read more
27 Aug 2017
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8mins
Ranked #8
What’s The Deal With ‘Midwest Nice?’
What’s The Deal With ‘Midwest Nice?’
The common stereotype for Midwesterners is that we’re polite, friendly...and passive-aggressive. But is there any truth ... Read more
12 Jan 2020
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8mins
Ranked #9
Curious City: The Nazis' Neighborhood
Curious City: The Nazis' Neighborhood
Was there ever a Nazi neighborhood in Chicago? In this special Curious City mini-documentary and online presentation (co... Read more
23 Apr 2017
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22mins
Ranked #10
Boystown: How Chicago Got Its Gay Neighborhood
Boystown: How Chicago Got Its Gay Neighborhood
Political activism and businesses helped shape the city's gay neighborhood, but there's a debate about its future.
7 May 2017
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12mins
Ranked #11
The Rise of Casimir Pulaski Day
The Rise of Casimir Pulaski Day
How Chicago’s Polish community won a Revolutionary War hero a holiday ... in a state he never stepped in.
25 Feb 2015
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12mins
Ranked #12
Curious City: The Mystery Collection
Curious City: The Mystery Collection
Answers to listeners' questions about the mysterious side of Chicago that lies beyond the soaring skyscrapers and the sh... Read more
18 Dec 2015
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Ranked #13
Weird And Wonderful Things You Might Not Know About Chicago
Weird And Wonderful Things You Might Not Know About Chicago
What associations do you make with Chicago? Da Bears? Shady politics? Wacky weather? If you feel that list is getting st... Read more
23 Dec 2014
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52mins
Ranked #14
Building Skyscrapers on Chicago's Swampy Soil
Building Skyscrapers on Chicago's Swampy Soil
Engineers once compared Chicago’s soggy soil to jelly cake. How did they build a forest of skyscrapers on it?
28 May 2017
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8mins
Ranked #15
Doors Closing! Life As A CTA Rail Operator
Doors Closing! Life As A CTA Rail Operator
Long hours, fatigue, and boredom can be hazards of the job. But former rail operators say there’s a lot to love about dr... Read more
24 Jun 2018
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13mins
Ranked #16
Deconstructing The Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Deconstructing The Chicago-Style Hot Dog
Chicago-style hot dogs are a beloved culinary masterpiece: A snappy all-beef wiener, steamed poppy seed bun, yellow must... Read more
5 Mar 2017
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8mins
Ranked #17
Why The 1992 Loop Flood Is The Most Chicago Story Ever
Why The 1992 Loop Flood Is The Most Chicago Story Ever
How clout, corruption, and construction without permits led to half the Loop being evacuated.
21 Aug 2016
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13mins
Ranked #18
To Chicago, With Love: What Do Transplants Love About The City?
To Chicago, With Love: What Do Transplants Love About The City?
One Chicagoan wants to know what people who moved to Chicago love about the city. From fireflies to marathons, here’s wh... Read more
10 Feb 2019
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10mins
Ranked #19
To Dibs Or Not To Dibs? The Essential Chicago Question
To Dibs Or Not To Dibs? The Essential Chicago Question
We answer your most pressing questions about Chicago’s controversial winter tradition.
15 Dec 2019
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9mins
Ranked #20
Curious City: The Mystery Collection
Curious City: The Mystery Collection
Answers to listeners' questions about the mysterious side of Chicago that lies beyond the soaring skyscrapers and the sh... Read more
31 Dec 2017
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52mins