This Synagogue’s Story Mirrors The History Of Jewish Migration Across Chicago
We trace one synagogue’s migration, from the Maxwell Street neighborhood to North Lawndale to West Rogers Park.
Aug 26, 2018•14 min
Curious City
Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.
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Episodes
What Happened To The East Chicago Residents Forced Out By Pollution?
More than 1,100 people had to move due to pollution. We follow two of them as they fight to find housing.
Aug 19, 2018•12 min
What Are The Costs Of Chicago’s Air And Water Show?
The city says the show generates millions of dollars in business. But some listeners wonder whether it’s worth the environmental costs.
Aug 12, 2018•5 min
Skyscraper Central: Why Are So Many of Chicago's Tallest Buildings Located Downtown?
We find out why downtown became the go-to destination for Chicago’s tallest buildings, and whether that might change in the future.
Aug 05, 2018•10 min
An Extended Interview With Actor And Improviser T.J. Jagodowski
Lots of famous comedians got their start in Chicago. Actor and improviser T.J. Jagodowski talks with Jimmy Carrane about why that’s the case.
Jul 29, 2018•18 min
What Officials Are(n't) Doing About Chicago’s Lead Pipes
Chicago has the nation's most extensive network of lead service lines, but city officials say drinking water is safe.
Jul 22, 2018•13 min
How The 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition Played Into Chicago’s Rivalry With New York
In this live podcast episode, two actors playing New York and Chicago duke it out over who will host the coveted 1893 World’s Fair.
Jul 15, 2018•14 min
Why Do Chicago Beaches Ban Flotation Devices?
One Chicagoan wonders why Chicago beaches ban things like rafts and boogie boards. But experts say there's good reason to leave them at home.
Jul 08, 2018•6 min
How Does Chicago Track Its Coyotes?
Chicago is home to an estimated 2,000 coyotes. To learn how they survive, Curious City joined researchers as they tracked down pups.
Jul 01, 2018•14 min
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 driving an 'L' train.
Jun 24, 2018•13 min
How Pollution Seeped Into The Lives Of East Chicago Residents
When pollution invaded Ezell Foster’s East Chicago neighborhood, he found himself stuck between industry and a bureaucracy.
Jun 17, 2018•14 min
WPLN’s 'The Promise': A Beautiful Day In The Projects
We curate an episode from WPLN’s podcast, ‘The Promise,’ a series about life in the James Cayce Homes, a public housing complex in Nashville.
Jun 10, 2018•28 min
Nerdette: Comedian John Hodgman Really Loves Malört
We curate an episode of the WBEZ podcast, Nerdette, featuring an interview with comedian John Hodgman and the very Chicago story of Malört.
Jun 03, 2018•31 min
Special Training For School Police: How Do Young People Feel About It?
As lawmakers move to require additional training for police in Illinois schools, five young people weigh in on whether it will make a difference.
May 27, 2018•13 min
Seeing Blue: Will Chicago's New LED Streetlights Do More Harm Than Good?
Do LED lights cause cancer? Can they really reduce crime? One kid is so concerned about LED streetlights that he called Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
May 20, 2018•12 min
Sweet Success: How Chicago's Mexican Bakeries Stay Competitive
Lots of Mexican bakeries can be found near one another in neighborhoods like Pilsen. So how do they stay in business?
May 13, 2018•9 min
What A Murder In My Family Reveals About Chicago’s Chinese Gangs
Editor’s Note: This story was first published in 2018. On a warm September night, a gunman walked into a West Side restaurant, greeted the manager, and shot him three times. Hours after the murder, Chicago cops were still trying to figure out if the shooting was gang-related, the Chicago Tribune reported. This may sound a lot like Chicago in 2018. But the murder actually happened in 1936. The alleged gangs were Chinese — and the killer was after my family. That’s one of the reasons I recently to...
May 06, 2018•10 min
What Are Chicago’s Oldest Laws?
Looking around Chicago today, you won’t find many stink balls or cannons—but did you know the city has ordinances regulating both? When these laws were first passed more than a century ago, aldermen may have believed they posed a real threat. But today, these old laws don’t seem to make a whole lot of sense. Logan Square resident Ty McCarthy was wondering whether Chicago had any outdated laws on the books. So he asked Curious City : What are some of Chicago’s oldest and weirdest laws? To find so...
Apr 28, 2018•9 min
Which Historical Monuments Have Sparked Controversy In Chicago?
From a statue honoring police to a tribute to Confederate prisoners, these monuments have raised debate over how history is represented.
Apr 22, 2018•9 min
Map Quest: Searching for Chicago’s ‘Lizard Mound’
A Curious City fan asked us about an odd detail on an old Chicago map. Was it really a Native American burial mound?
Apr 15, 2018•14 min
Mold-A-Rama-Rama! The Secrets Behind Chicago's Plastic Souvenir Empire
How a Chicago-area family turned cheap plastic souvenirs into a nostalgia empire.
Apr 08, 2018•9 min
Seeing Red: What’s Up With That Stoplight On North Lake Shore Drive?
The light near Chicago Avenue causes mile-long backups. City officials are proposing a solution, but you might be in traffic for a while.
Apr 01, 2018•6 min
Picture This: Did The Art Institute of Chicago Ever Rent Out Paintings?
Robert K. Elder would love to decorate the walls in his living room with original paintings from the Art Institute of Chicago. So he was floored when a friend told him that her mom rented two pieces of artwork back in the day. This was hard for Robert to imagine. Like, what would that even look like? Someone strolling onto Michigan Avenue with a rented Monet stuck in his or her backpack? Curious City looked into whether this story has any truth to it.
Mar 25, 2018•8 min
From Blizzards To Heat Waves: Is It Actually Harder To Predict Weather In Chicago?
Beach weather one day and freezing rain the next: Chicago weather can be unpredictable, but how do we compare to other cities?
Mar 18, 2018•10 min
9 Chicago Pizza Mysteries Solved
You asked about square slices, where the pepperoni goes, and the origins of the pizza puff. We dish it deep on nine questions you kneaded to know.
Mar 08, 2018•14 min
Bed Rest And Sputum Tests: Inside Chicago's Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium
Former patients recall the tests, treatments, and trauma nearly 250,000 Chicagoans experienced over the sanitarium's near 60-year-long existence.
Mar 01, 2018•13 min
How 1920s Chicago Public School Design Reflects Changes In Education
More public elementary schools were built in the 1920s than in any other era. Their design reflected new ideas about child development and health.
Feb 22, 2018•8 min
Not In Your Front Yard: Why ‘For Sale’ Signs Are Banned In Oak Park
The village insists a decades-old rule to fight blockbusting continues to protect a precious suburban commodity: diversity.
Feb 18, 2018•8 min
How Often Do People Defend Themselves With A Gun?
For more than 20 years, researchers have tracked how often Americans defend themselves with a gun. So why can’t they agree on an answer?
Feb 11, 2018•13 min
What's It Like To Live In Chicago's Loop?
A family, a dog owner and tenants of a men's hotel explain why the Loop offers a sense of community amid the hustle and bustle.
Feb 04, 2018•12 min
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