Curious City

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

  1. -3 j

    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?

    26 min

  2. 24 juin

    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.

    22 min

  3. 17 juin

    Where did the term 'Chicagoland' come from?

    There’s no New York-land or Boston-land, so why does the Chicago metropolitan area have its own unique name? It turns out this has been a question on the minds of many Curious City listeners. To learn more, we looked at the origins of this term, how its meaning has changed over time and the media mogul — or Colonel — behind it all. This episode originally aired in 2023.

    16 min

  4. 10 juin

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

    The stretch of beach that starts where DuSable Lake Shore Drive ends wasn’t always as vibrant or as ‘gay’ as it is today. Its transition was spearheaded by Jerry Marcoccia, who was searching for a sense of belonging in the 1990s. "You can't talk about this beach being gay without including me,” he said.

    20 min

  5. 3 juin

    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.

    16 min

  6. 27 mai

    Does Chicago have a Filipino neighborhood?

    A concentrated Filipino community area is not as easy to spot as neighborhoods like Chinatown or Little Village. In this episode, we’ll look at the long history Filipinos have had in Chicago stretching back to the early 1900s. We’ll also look at how Filipino restaurants have made a mark across the city in recent years, from Jefferson Park to Pilsen. Originally published in February 2025.

    22 min

  7. 20 mai

    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.

    19 min

  8. 13 mai

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

    There’s an ancient Roman column in Chicago hidden in plain sight near Soldier Field. It was a gift given by Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini during the 1933-1934 Chicago World’s Fair, commemorating a daring transatlantic flight to the fair by Italian Air Marshal Italo Balbo. In a time when controversial monuments get removed, why does this one still stand?

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

Informations

  • Création
    WBEZ Chicago
  • Années d’activité
    2012 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    655
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2015 Chicago Public Media
  • Site web de l’émission
    Curious City

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