Curious City

WBEZ Chicago

Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.

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659 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes659

Newest first

Wednesday · 20 min
“Like getting paid to party”: The life of cover bands on the Chicago festival circuit
Once summer hits, local cover bands are busy working Chicago’s many street festivals. What’s life like for cover band musicians? Curious City spoke with three bands that are regulars on the local festival circuit: The Gingers, Too Much Molly Band, and Dancing Queen: An ABBA Salute.
July 22 · 14 min
Is that a lobster in the Chicago River?
It’s an invasive species that doesn’t seem harmful at first glance. But if they go unchecked, these little things can disrupt local ecologies.
July 15 · 16 min
‘Give while you live’: Who is Museum of Science and Industry founder Julius Rosenwald?
The Museum of Science and Industry was renamed in 2024 in recognition of megadonor Ken Griffin. The museum’s original founder, Julius Rosenwald, did not want to put his own name on the institution.
July 8 · 21 min
A good lake, not a Great Lake
For a brief moment in the 1990s, Lake Champlain was known as the sixth Great Lake. The lake wedged between Vermont and New York doesn’t quite measure up to the five Great Lakes. So how did this happen? Curious City partners with the Points North podcast from Interlochen Public Radio to bring you the story.
July 1 · 25 min
Why does Chicago have so little love for the ‘Watchdog’ of the lakefront?
The name Aaron Montgomery Ward might sound familiar, either from the chain of now-defunct department stores that once bore his name or as the catalog guy who revolutionized mail-order shopping over 150 years ago. His lesser-known legacy, perhaps, is his drawn out fight over Grant Park. Ward spent 22 years and upwards of $1 million in today’s dollars fighting to keep Chicago’s premier downtown park “forever open, clear and free” from buildings. But why did he do it? And why isn’t he celebrated more for his crusade?
June 24 · 22 min
Is This Your Card? A Brief History Of Chicago-style Magic
Chicago-style magic is close up, funny and usually performed at a bar or restaurant. We learn about its history and talk to several magicians who are part of the tradition. This episode was originally published in 2024.
June 17 · 15 min
Where did the term 'Chicagoland' come from?
Where did the term 'Chicagoland' come from?
June 10 · 19 min
How did Hollywood Beach become Chicago’s ‘gay beach’?
How did Hollywood Beach become Chicago’s ‘gay beach’?
June 3 · 15 min
Why does Chicago use Comic Sans on some elevator inspection certificates?
Comic Sans often signals levity or sarcasm. The font is occasionally used for a key phrase in some official city elevator inspection certificates. That’s caused concern for some Chicagoans, including at least two Curious City listeners.
May 27 · 22 min
Does Chicago have a Filipino neighborhood?
Does Chicago have a Filipino neighborhood?
May 20 · 19 min
Why are there helicopters flying over my neighborhood every night?
Curious City listeners wondered if helicopters they heard buzzing around their Chicago neighborhoods at night were part of the federal government’s immigration enforcement. There is some truth to that, but it turns out odd helicopter flights have been a curiosity long before Midway Blitz.
May 13 · 30 min
Why does Chicago have a monument named for fascist leader Italo Balbo?
Why does Chicago have a monument named for fascist leader Italo Balbo?
May 6 · 17 min
Standing on history: Who built Chicago’s WPA sidewalks?
Have you ever noticed a branded stamp in the sidewalk? Keen-eyed Chicagoans have found some that date back to Depression-era infrastructure projects by the Works Progress Administration. Who were the workers behind the WPA and why did they brand Chicago sidewalks? We explore the labor history under our feet.
April 23 · 18 min
‘This is how I speak’: The influence of the Black Chicago accent
‘This is how I speak’: The influence of the Black Chicago accent
April 22 · 6 min
How has the Black Chicago accent retained its Southern roots?
How have Black Chicagoans kept so many features of the Southern dialect? To answer starts with the Great Migration.
April 9 · 15 min
The story of the Lady Elgin, the deadliest shipwreck in Great Lakes history
The story of the Lady Elgin, the deadliest shipwreck in Great Lakes history
April 8 · 6 min
What are Chicago area lighthouses used for?
Lighthouses were manned by keepers until automation took over. Now, preservationists are working to restore Chicago’s most iconic one.
March 26 · 15 min
How early Black Chicagoans used photography to redefine their image
How early Black Chicagoans used photography to redefine their image
March 25 · 6 min
What was Chicago's first art gallery?
What was Chicago's first art gallery? Curious City investigates. Nowadays, it’s easy to see and experience art all over Chicago. But where did it all begin, and who was allowed to show their art?
March 18 · 24 min
Chicago came under martial law after the Great Fire. Did it help?
Chicago came under martial law after the Great Fire. Did it help?

Curious City

“Like getting paid to party”: The life of cover bands on the Chicago festival circuit

Is that a lobster in the Chicago River?

‘Give while you live’: Who is Museum of Science and Industry founder Julius Rosenwald?

A good lake, not a Great Lake

Why does Chicago have so little love for the ‘Watchdog’ of the lakefront?

Is This Your Card? A Brief History Of Chicago-style Magic

Where did the term 'Chicagoland' come from?

How did Hollywood Beach become Chicago’s ‘gay beach’?

Why does Chicago use Comic Sans on some elevator inspection certificates?

Does Chicago have a Filipino neighborhood?

Why are there helicopters flying over my neighborhood every night?

Why does Chicago have a monument named for fascist leader Italo Balbo?

Standing on history: Who built Chicago’s WPA sidewalks?

‘This is how I speak’: The influence of the Black Chicago accent

How has the Black Chicago accent retained its Southern roots?

The story of the Lady Elgin, the deadliest shipwreck in Great Lakes history

What are Chicago area lighthouses used for?

How early Black Chicagoans used photography to redefine their image

What was Chicago's first art gallery?

Chicago came under martial law after the Great Fire. Did it help?