City Beautiful? Why Some Chicago Neighborhoods Have Viaduct Art and Others Don't
Murals beautify some viaducts, while others are left bare and dirty. Why the disparity?
Nov 27, 2016•8 min
Curious City
Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.
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Episodes
Tips For Hunting Chicago’s Long-lost Recipes
The city's top recipe sleuths share their secrets as we recreate a divine, but elusive, fried chicken dish .
Nov 20, 2016•9 min
The Swinging Times of Chicago's Revolving Doors
Tempted to ignore the revolving door? Here are the revolutions that made the city a magnet for this seemingly simple device.
Nov 11, 2016•8 min
Do Lotto Dollars Really Fund Education?
Schools are really crimped for cash. Hold up, wasn’t the lottery supposed to help with that?
Nov 06, 2016•13 min
Second City: The Origins of Chicago’s One-way Rivalry with New York
There was a time Chicago gave New York a run for its money. How did we end up the Second City?
Oct 30, 2016•10 min
Fighting For Scraps: What It Would Take For Chicago To Get Citywide Composting
Minneapolis and San Fran do it. Even Oak Park’s got a program. What gives? Photos of how municipal composting works in Oak park, interviews and the prospects for change in Chicago.
Oct 23, 2016•9 min
From Rust to Repurposed: A Second Life for Chicago’s Abandoned Bikes
That sorry-looking bike on the curb could end up in the hands of a local kid or even a family overseas. Full story with additional interviews and photos: http://wbez.is/2dgqDAf
Oct 16, 2016•5 min
Daley vs. Little Italy: Did the Mayor Drop UIC on the Neighborhood Out of Spite?
Why did Richard J. Daley push for the UIC campus to rise from the heart of a long-standing ethnic neighborhood? In this special Curious City presentation, reporter Monica Eng examines the pervasive suspicion that the mayor’s choice rose from a political spat or — even worse — from disdain for the Italian-American community. Click here for the full story.
Oct 09, 2016•12 min
From Rails to Trails: The Economic Impact of Chicago’s Repurposed Railways
As The 606 stokes fears of economic displacement, the city wants to repurpose more rail lines. What's the state of research on this?
Oct 02, 2016•9 min
The Making Of Polish Chicago
This Curious City special mini-documentary answers how the Polish became one of Chicago’s largest and most influential ethnic groups. And, come to think of it, is there anything to the claim that the city has the most Poles outside of Warsaw?
Sep 18, 2016•27 min
The Painters Who Give Chicago's Grocery Signs The Human Touch
Craftsmanship and economics combine to keep the city's tradition of distinctive hand-painted signs alive in the digital age.
Sep 11, 2016•8 min
How Chicago Beaches Get and Keep That Nice Fine Sand
Here’s why you shouldn’t that "sand between your toes" experience for granted!
Sep 04, 2016•9 min
Displaced: When The Eisenhower Expressway Moved In, Who Was Forced Out?
The Ike was the city’s first superhighway. In this special presentation, people affected open up about how it scattered ethnic neighborhoods and changed many lives forever.
Aug 28, 2016•13 min
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.
Aug 21, 2016•13 min
Why Is Gambling Banned On The CTA?
Commuters are regularly hit with the announcement “Gambling is prohibited on CTA trains.” We find the reason behind the rule and look for those who inspired it.
Aug 14, 2016•13 min
Zeppelin Poseurs: Why Chicago's Airship Dreams Never Took Off
In the 1920s, the city was head over heels for airships. So why did it let this once-futuristic technology float away?
Aug 08, 2016•13 min
A Tale of Resale: How Big Chains’ Produce Ends Up in Local Grocery Stores
When one Chicagoan found brand-name Brussels sprouts at a bargain produce market, she had to wonder: How did these get here? And why are they so cheap?
Jul 31, 2016•9 min
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 experts say they’re around, just really, really fickle.
Jul 25, 2016•5 min
The Heart Of The City: Finding Chicago’s Geographic Center
It smells like garbage and gym shoes, but, surprisingly, the city’s geographic center says a lot about Chicago’s soul.
Jul 18, 2016•9 min
Hidden in Plain Sight: Inside Downtown Chicago's Windowless, Doorless Buildings
Here’s a peek at what goes on inside some of these “mystery buildings” and how their architectural disguises have evolved over the decades.
Jul 10, 2016•13 min
Getting to the Bottom of Lake Michigan's Legendary 'Shark Attack'
Rumor has it a young George Lawson was attacked by a shark while swimming at a Chicago beach in 1955. Is it true, or just a bunch of bull shark?
Jul 01, 2016•9 min
Stories Behind CTA ‘L’ Lines’ Strange Curves, Dips and Twists
Here’s who and what to blame if you spill your coffee on your commute.
Jun 13, 2016•9 min
What Killed The Cook County Fair?
Before it fizzled out, the summer shindig’s blue ribbons, plump pumpkins and animal shows united a large, diverse county.
Jun 06, 2016•9 min
The Killing Of Fred Goree: A White Cop, A Buick And Segregation In The Age Of Negro League Baseball
Sisters seek details about their grandfather’s Chicago baseball team, and his killing by a white police officer in 1925 .
May 30, 2016•14 min
Escape From Chicago: How Long Would It Take to Evacuate?
The city’s cagey on estimates, but suggests you bring your best walking shoes.
May 23, 2016•13 min
Mixed Signals: Do Chicago's Crosswalk Buttons Actually Work?
The city’s pushing pedestrian-friendly design, but it’s left one consideration at the curb.
May 16, 2016•9 min
Why Chicago BYOBs Like Nobody’s Business
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.
May 09, 2016•13 min
Chicago’s Killer View: The Skyline’s Toll On Migratory Birds
Each migratory season leaves a flurry of birds dead at the feet of skyscrapers. But does that make a dent in the bird population?
May 02, 2016•9 min
Chicago’s Tornado-Proof Delusion
Yes, tornadoes can hit Chicago. Why do so many people think otherwise?
Apr 25, 2016•14 min
Illinois Has No Budget, So Where Do State Tax Dollars Go, Anyway?
The answers are crazy. We’ll have fun looking. But you’ll probably be pretty mad by the end. Things are worse than you thought. The bad news: We’re paying out billions more than we take in. Just without setting priorities. The state comptroller — who makes the payments — calls it “ad hoc” and “ridiculous.” The worse news: We’re still letting billions of dollars in services go totally unfunded. And: We’re breaking the non-profits that provide those services. Full story, complete with charts....
Apr 11, 2016•27 min
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