Curious City

WBEZ Chicago

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

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30 episodes
weekly
Avg 18 min
English

Episodes 30

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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?

Showing 21–30 of 30 episodes