Chicago History Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Back soon with new episodes! Until then, enjoy this bonkers story originally released in December 2021. On October 20, 1974, one of the biggest vault thefts in U.S. history happened here in Chicago. This is the story of the Great Purolator Armored Express Heist. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Anything purchased through the links below may generate a small commissio...

Send us Fan Mail For many coming into the city from the west, the drive on the Eisenhower Expressway under that massive building at Van Buren is truly a sight to behold, but few seem to know much about its history. Today we’re talking about Chicago's Old Main Post Office. Originally released in September 2021. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Up your cocktail game for the holidays with...

Send us Fan Mail The Chicago White Sox have called three primary sites home since the team’s founding in 1900, and each plot of earth carries layers of history older than the game of baseball. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Need music for YOUR projects? Audiio has got you covered. Try a free trial here: https://audiio.com/pricing?oid=1&affid=481 Check out author / baseball historian Jacob Pomrenke's webpage: https...

Send us Fan Mail Originally released January 15, 2022. In 1988, two attractive young students attending a prominent suburban Chicago religious school disappeared, setting off a frenzied search that lasted months before the truth about what happened to them was revealed. Want to start a podcast of your own? Do it through Buzzsprout like I did and you can get a $20 gift card! https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=968401 Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee an...

Send us Fan Mail Some of histories biggest rock acts first performed in the Chicago area at music venue in a suburban strip mall in Schaumburg. This is the story of B'Ginnings. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Need music for YOUR projects? Audiio has got you covered. Try a free trial here: https://audiio.com/pricing?oid=1&affid=481 Items related to this episode (purchasing anything through these links helps support our e...

Send us Fan Mail Genealogist Nicka Sewell-Smith joins me to discuss her connections to Chicago and "The Women Who Built Chicago" bus tour, launched for Women's History Month in partnership with Ancestry, which highlights overlooked women's contributions. Tickets for the bus tour: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dilla-and-ancestry-present-the-women-who-built-chicago-bus-tour-tickets-1983596857598 Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! Buy more than one and get a personalized video thank ...

Send us Fan Mail Jun Fujita was a pioneering Japanese-born photographer who made his way to Chicago to become widely regarded as the first Japanese American photojournalist. Hear more about Fujita's life in Chicago from Graham Harrison Lee, Fujita's great-nephew and author of the book Jun Fujita: Behind the Camera. Preorder a copy of the second printing of the book from the publisher (and save $10): https://hatandbeard.com/products/jun-fujita-behind-the-camera-by-graham-harrison-lee-002 Follo...

Send us Fan Mail An unbearable loss pushes one man past the breaking point, ending in murder. Listener discretion is advised. Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! Buy more than one and get a personalized video thank you. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collec...

Send us Fan Mail Here's a FROM THE ARCHIVES episode originally released on Feb 18, 2023. Many towns in the Chicago area were established to be all-white, keeping out Blacks, Asians, Jews, Native Americans, and others, allowing minorities to work in those towns but not live there. Those individuals also needed to be gone by sundown. Find all things Ernest Crim III at ernestcrim.com. Signed copies of Mr. Crim's book “The ABC’s of Affirming Black Children" can be found at https://www.ernestcrim...

Send us Fan Mail Chicago’s cold weather can be brutal, and it has been for more than 150 years since it started being tracked. Here are ten of Chicago's coldest days. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Need music for YOUR projects? Audiio has got you covered. Try a free trial here: https://audiio.com/pricing?oid=1&affid=481 Items related to this episode (purchasing anything through these links helps support our efforts at ...

Send us Fan Mail In the late 1940s and well into the 1950s, Chicago was plagued by fires that had one key thing in common – they took place at often unsafe, threadbare hotels, injuring and even killing those who were already down on their luck. This is the story of Chicago’s Skid Row Flophouse Fires. Originally released in January 2022. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Up your cocktai...

Send us Fan Mail On a cold and snowy day in December 1972, United Airlines flight 553 crashed into a neighborhood near Midway Airport, resulting in 45 deaths. The tragedy was soon followed by conspiracies. Was the plane brought down to silence those who might jeopardize powerful people in the government? Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! Buy more than one and get a personalized video thank you. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on...

Send us Fan Mail Author Rob Miller (one of the founders of Chicago's Bloodshot Records) joins me to discuss his new book, “The Hours Are Long But The Pay Is Low: A Curious Life in Independent Music.” www.robmillerwriting.com Get Rob's book here: https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p088964 Save 30% with the following code: F25UIP Get your Brick of Chicago 2026 Calendar! Purchasing items through the links below helps support our efforts at no additional cost to you: The Hours Are Lon...

Send us Fan Mail Please enjoy this FROM THE ARCHIVES + EXTRAS episode from the summer of 2022. One man was robbed more than 190 times, knocked unconscious at least four times, and had an eardrum burst aboard Chicago’s L, each time with Chicago cops nearby watching, all in the name of public transportation safety. This is the story of Chicago’s Mass Transit Decoy Squad of the 1970’s. Show some love for the podcast for a one-time cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https:...

Send us Fan Mail The Spyglass Murder of Margaret Gallagher, the killing and dismemberment of Judith Mae Andersen, the execution-style murder of Chicago Alderman Ben Lewis, and the roadside disappearance of Tammy Jo Zywicki are all part of this episode on Chicago's unsolved murders. Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com...

Send us Fan Mail Halloween is coming! Enjoy this episode about Chicago's ghoulish past, including tales of forgotten cemeteries, grave robbers, mob graveyards, and more. Expanded and re-recorded from the original, released Oct. 2020.. Pamela Bannos / Hidden Truths: https://hiddentruths.northwestern.edu/ Want to help support the podcast? Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Anything purchased through the links below may generate a small commission for this podcast at ...

Send us Fan Mail Chicago has had its share of bizarre incidents resulting in death, including the Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Want better sleep? Try the most delicious alternative to melatonin and sleeping pills that helps you fall asleep, stay asleep, and wa...

Send us Fan Mail Here's one originally released in August 2021 that you may not have heard. Enjoy. He was the son of one of the wealthiest men in Chicago, and on one fateful night he was shot under mysterious circumstances. Was Marshall Field Jr.'s death an accident or something much darker that was covered up by powerful forces? Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Need music for YOUR projects? Audiio has got you covered. Try a free tr...

Send us Fan Mail If you're planning on walking through Lincoln Park anytime soon, you may be curious about all the statues you'll find. With the help of contributor Connie Fairbanks, we discuss the story behind many of the creations you'll see, and tell you about the ones that were once there but are no longer. You can purchase Chicago's West Loop: Then and Now by Connie Fairbanks from the author at: https://www.conniefairbanks.com/ or through this Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3BzEPxt Want ...

Send us Fan Mail In August of 1925, an opulent cinema opened on Broadway just north of Lawrence Avenue. Joining me today to discuss the history of that theater is Robert Loerzel, one of the authors of the recently released book The Uptown: Chicago's Endangered Movie Palace. https://www.robertloerzel.com/blog/ Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Uptown, The: Chicago's Endangered Movie Palace by Robert Loerzel & James Pierce ...

Send us Fan Mail The return of One on Every Corner, where we discuss a neighborhood drinking establishment, the neighborhood around it, and more. Joining me for this episode is writer Leigh Giangreco and Four Moon Tavern owners Matt Kozlowski and Robbie Lane. @leighgiangreco.bsky.social‬ Four Moon Tavern - @fourmoontavern on Insta Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Want better sleep? Try the most delicious alternative to melat...

Send us Fan Mail There is more to Chicago than the Bean, The Loop, and Navy Pier. Joining me in this episode to discuss his photography, what he loves most about Chicago, and the recently-released book "Chicago: The Loop & Beyond" is Nenad Spasojevic. Nenad Spasojevic - https://www.nenadspasojevic.com/ Insta: nenad.spasojevic Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Items Related to This Episode (purchasing these items through th...

Send us Fan Mail In what was then primarily farmlands 39 miles outside of Chicago, a gun battle erupted between federal law enforcement agents and an outlaw on the run, resulting in chaos and death. This is the story of Baby Face Nelson and The Battle of Barrington. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Amazon Affiliate Links (anything you buy - not just this stuff - through these links he...

Send us Fan Mail The 103th anniversary of one of the most violent labor battles in the U.S. is June 21-22, 2025. This is the story of the Herrin Coal Massacre of 1922. *Originally released as episode 508 in June 2022. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Looking for gift ideas for the history nerd in your life AND a way to help the show? https://www.podpage.com/chicago-history-podcast/sup...

Send us Fan Mail It is a Chicago Landmark called an “exemplification of the cultural, economic, social, and historical heritage of the City of Chicago.” With the help of author Keir Graff, today we’re discussing Chicago’s Fine Arts Building. Chicago's Fine Arts Building: Music, Magic, and Murder by Keir Graff https://amzn.to/4kNSjud Order a SIGNED COPY from Exile in Bookville (based in the Fine Arts Building). Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.c...

Send us Fan Mail Chicago is known for industry – stockyards, steel mills, and more, but this city had another that thrived for nearly 150 years. Today we’re discussing the Rise and Fall of Chicago’s Brickyards. Get out and see the city with Will Quam on a Brick of Chicago tour! Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Items related to this episode (purchasing anything through these links helps support our efforts at no additional co...

Send us Fan Mail Chicago's Buckingham Fountain is being turned on for the season on Saturday, May 10, 2025, so this seems like the perfect time to discuss the history of how the fountain came to be in this enhanced and re-recorded version, with an all-new section about Queen Elizabeth II's historic 1959 visit to the city. Edward H. Bennett Digital Collection: http://edwardbennett.lakeforest.edu/exhibits/show/edward--h--bennett-collection-/chicago/grant-park Chicago History Podcast Clothing, ...

Send us Fan Mail Discussing their book "Don't Go: Stories of Segregation and How To Disrupt It" are authors Tonika Lewis Johnson and Maria Krysan. Folded Map Project: https://www.foldedmapproject.com/ Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Further reading (purchasing these items through these links helps support our efforts at no additional cost to you): Don't Go; Stories of Segregation and How To Disrupt It by Tonika Lewis J...

Send us Fan Mail ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2020. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Lincoln Park had a “High Bridge” which rose 75 feet over the south lagoon's water. As welcoming to sightseers as the big beautiful bridge was, it also had a dark appeal, quickly earning it the dubious name “Suicide Bridge.” Viking Ship at Good Templar Park in Geneva, IL: https://vikingship.us/ Amazon Affiliate Links (anything you buy - not just this stuff - through these links helps benefit the show at n...

Send us Fan Mail It is Women's History Month! Here's a look at five pioneering women in Chicago's history: Chicago founder Kitihawa du Sable, women's suffrage activist Grace Wilbur Trout, Vivian Gordon Harsh, Chicago's first Black librarian, Union activist Rev. Addie L. Wyatt, and Elisabeth A. Martini, Chicago's first woman architect. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Further reading (purchasing these items through these link...

Send us Fan Mail Just in time for St. Patrick's Day 2025, here's a little history about Chicago's connection to preserving Irish music, originally posted in March of 2022. He served as a Chicago policeman for more than 32 years and was Chicago’s chief of police for four, but Francis O’Neill is probably better known for his efforts in preserving the music of his homeland. Today we’re talking about Police Chief Francis O’Neill – Chicago’s Savior of Irish Music. Show some love for the podcast f...

Send us Fan Mail Originally released in September of 2021, this episode has been enhanced with additional music and sound effects. Sixteen years before Al Capone came to Chicago and long before anyone could blame violence on video games, three boys just out of their teens became robbers and worse in Chicago with brazen acts of thievery and wanton killings. Today we’re discussing the Automatic Trio and the Car Barn Murders. Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacof...

Send us Fan Mail For Black Americans seeking to escape enslavement in the first half of the 1800s, Chicago was often an important stop on their path to freedom. Today we’re discussing the Underground Railroad in Illinois. Network to Freedom Listings: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/undergroundrailroad/ntf-listings.htm Graceland Cemetery (Chicago) Underground Railroad Activists https://www.gracelandcemetery.org/underground-railroad-activists/ Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffe...

Send us Fan Mail While not from here, their connection to this city is undeniable and Chicago’s influence most certainly contributed to their rise as one of the most successful musical acts of all time. Today we’re talking about the Jackson Five. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Further reading (purchasing these items through these links helps support our efforts at no additional cost to you): Michael Jackson: The Magic, The...

Send us Fan Mail This is a revised, expanded, and re-recorded version of an episode that was originally released in 2020. William "Big Bill" Thompson was a larger-than-life character who served as Chicago mayor for three terms and is viewed as one of the most corrupt politicians this great city has ever seen. Robert Loerzel's piece on Eugene Williams in the August 2019 Chicago Magazine: https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/August-2019/Searching-for-Eugene-Williams/ Show your love of this pod...

Send us Fan Mail An area once called Dunkley’s Grove was considered for a new stadium for the Chicago White Sox, not in old-timey days – in 1986! Was Edison Park named for Thomas Edison? Dunton, Sagone, Hartford… and where was Cleaverville? Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Send me an email with whatever is on your mind: chicagohistorypod AT gmail.com Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right...

Send us Fan Mail Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Send me an email with whatever is on your mind: chicagohistorypod AT gmail.com Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sca_ref=1270971.MO4APpJH1k Affiliate Links (anything you buy through...

Send us Fan Mail Their killings stand out as one of Chicago's most infamous unsolved crimes. Today we’re discussing the Grimes Sisters Murders. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Send me an email with whatever is on your mind: chicagohistorypod AT gmail.com Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portlan...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever been to Grossdale? Praha? Maybe Swedetown? How about Gregg's Milk Station? I’m sure you’ve been to Hardscrabble, right? Today we’re discussing Chicago’s Forgotten Towns, Neighborhoods, and Names. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Send me an email with whatever is on your mind: chicagohistorypod AT gmail.com Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: ...

Send us Fan Mail On this Great Chicago Fire-themed episode we discuss one home not destroyed by the fire – the Ogden mansion – and learn little more about the person who once owned it, what happened to that area immediately after the fire, and what is on that site now. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Up your cocktail game for the holidays with Portland craft syrups! https://portlands...

Send us Fan Mail WTTW's Eddie Griffin is back to discuss one of Chicago's darkest sports stories - the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. The new season of Chicago Stories begins September 20th. https://interactive.wttw.com/chicago-stories Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game w...

Send us Fan Mail Anthony Bourdain tasted the wormwood-infused liquor Malört for his TV show “The Layover” and said, “its brash nature" created “a possibility that I could get all stabby and belligerent.” Today we're talking about Malört, the truly Chicago booze. Show your love of this podcast for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your ...

Send us Fan Mail This episode's guest is Mitchell Bisschop, who wrote and stars in the play "Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago," which runs Sept. 5-29, 2024, at the Chopin Theatre. Mitchell and I discuss celebrated newspaper columnist Mike Royko, Chicago newspapers, growing up in Barrington, IL as a theatre nerd, and how this one-man play came together. Don't worry if you don't know much about Mike Royko - I include a (somewhat) brief bio before the interview. Tickets to Royko: The Toughest...

Send us Fan Mail He arrived in Chicago from Boston in the mid-1800s and set up an Eye and Ear Infirmary to help those in need. Hear the story of Dr. Edward Lorenzo Holmes and his efforts to help the less fortunate in Chicago. West Loop: Then and Now by Connie Fairbanks Buy it from the author: https://www.conniefairbanks.com/shop-1 Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in th...

Send us Fan Mail He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but when this Chicago-born department store heir died mysteriously at the age of 20, things really got weird. #ChicagoHistory #MontgomeryWard #MysteriousDeath #Wards #DepartmentStores #TrueCrime Want to help support the show? Buy Me A Coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or ...

Send us Fan Mail Chinese entrepreneurs in the 1970s as well as refugees from Vietnam and Cambodia transformed an area on the city’s north side by opening restaurants, bakeries, pharmacies, and social service agencies. Today we’re discussing Chicago’s Little Saigon with author Erica Allen-Kim. Building Little Saigon: Refugee Urbanism in American Cities and Suburbs by Erica Allen-Kim Buy it from the publisher: https://utpress.utexas.edu/9781477329719/ Show your support of the show for the co...

Send us Fan Mail Planning to visit Navy Pier this summer? Here is the history of one of the most popular tourist destinations not only in Chicago but in all of Illinois. * Written and recorded before FlyOver Chicago was installed Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Amazon Affiliate Links (anything you buy - not just this stuff - through these links helps benefit the show): BOOKS: Navy ...

Send us Fan Mail For you fans of true crime stories, here's an episode from January 2021. He was a manager at a Coca-Cola bottling plant, married, with two teenage sons living the good life in suburban Naperville, IL in 1967. When a bomb exploded aboard a plane on which his wife Jeanne was a passenger, Earle T. Cook quickly became the focus of the FBI investigation. #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoTrueCrime #TrueCrime #TrueCrimePodcast #AirplaneBombings #NapervilleIL #MurderForHire #StandByYourMan ...

Send us Fan Mail Long before NASCAR came to Chicago, this town had races, racers, and racetracks. Today we're talking about Chicago's Motor Speedways. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sca_ref=127097...

Send us Fan Mail Danny Sotomayor, a fiery, openly gay AIDS activist, was a man on a mission. Today we discuss Sotomayor with Dan Andries, the writer and producer of the WTTW documentary "The Outrage of Danny Sotomayor." The Outrage of Danny Sotomayor (WTTW) https://interactive.wttw.com/chicago-stories/outrage-of-danny-sotomayor/video The Outrage of Danny Sotomayor (YouTube) https://youtu.be/UQUxHdWHeKs?si=lql4W2Eg9XAdb3lO Get out and explore Chicago this summer with Tours With Mike: ht...

Send us Fan Mail It was an innovative idea in its day - a 200 store indoor shopping center 35 miles outside of Chicago with a 31-ride amusement park in the middle. Unfortunately, once you throw in costly delays, waning attendance, lackluster store selection, competition, and a trapeze death, that's when trouble starts. This is the story of Old Chicago, billed at the time as the "world's first enclosed combination theme park and shopping center," which in five years went from the next big thi...

Send us Fan Mail It is the largest train robbery in U.S. history, and it occurred just 32 miles north of Chicago. Hear how the Rondout Train Robbery unfolded 100 years ago in June 1924. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups...

Send us Fan Mail It was one of the defining moments for the United States during World War II - the capture of a German U-boat on the Atlantic Ocean. Hear the story and the event's many Chicago connections before the 80th anniversary of the event (June 4, 1944), and then see the submarine at the Museum of Science and Industry. #ChicagoHistory #USNavy #MuseumOfScienceandIndustry #U505Submarine #WorldWarII U-505 Live Submarine Tour: https://www.msichicago.org/explore/whats-here/exhibits/u-505...

Send us Fan Mail Captured World War II enemy combatants were often brought back to the United States to be housed in facilities across the country, including here in Illinois. Today we’re discussing Chicago’s World War II POW Camps. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game wit...

Send us Fan Mail It is one of the oldest original ballparks in the country, and with that lengthy run is an interesting history as well. Hear all about the area before the ballpark was even built and much more. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrup...

Send us Fan Mail His funeral was the largest in Chicago since that of Abraham Lincoln. Who was Dr. Patrick Henry Cronin, and how did his connection to secret Irish organizations lead to his murder? Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://po...

Send us Fan Mail No sport is more closely identified with Chicago than 16-inch softball. Enjoy the history of 16" softball along with some insights about the game from a few guys who know it best - the 16" Softball Hall of Fame co-founder Al Maag, Hall of Fame President Ron Kubicki, and Hall of Fame Vice President Ray Topps. #Chicago #History #ChicagoHistory #ChicagoSports #16InchSoftball 16-Inch Hall of Fame: https://www.16inchsoftballHoF.com Order "The Greatest Game on Dirt" and help supp...

Send us Fan Mail With all the talk of the Chicago Bears plans for a new stadium by the lake, it seemed like a good time to revisit this episode about the Bears' current home, Soldier Field. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Up your cocktail game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sca_ref=1270971.MO4APpJH1k Anything purchased through the links below ...

Send us Fan Mail Friend of the podcast Geoffrey Baer is BACK with a new special on WTTW called "Chicago Mysteries." Listen as Geoffrey and I discuss a few of the stories from the program. https://www.wttw.com/mysteries Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland cr...

Send us Fan Mail Not long after The Beatles invaded America and kids everywhere picked up guitars and drumsticks and formed their own bands, enterprising individuals all over Chicago and the suburbs saw… opportunity. This is the story of Chicago's Teen Rock Clubs of the 1960’s. Additional Reading (anything purchased through these links - not just the items listed - may generate a small commission and help support the podcast at no additional cost to you): The Who: Concert File by Joe McMich...

Send us Fan Mail Connie Fairbanks, author of "Chicago's West Loop: Then and Now," joins me on this episode as co-writer and co-host as we discuss five Chicago parks named for women. Purchase Connie Fairbanks' book "Chicago's West Loop: Then and Now" from the author: https://www.conniefairbanks.com/ Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3BzEPxt Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Anything purcha...

Send us Fan Mail She grew up in a small town in Illinois in the late 1800s and became known worldwide as an activist, reformer, and winner of a Nobel Peace Prize. This is the story of Jane Addams and Hull House. Want to help support the show? Buy Me A Coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Art for this episode courtesy of Rebecca Demos - https://www.instagram.com/bhillgie/ Virtual Tours of Hull House: https://www.hullhousemuseum.org/ Additional Reading and Items Related to th...

Send us Fan Mail Local author Cynthia Pelayo's new book masterfully blends dark Chicago history and fairy-tale horrors. Listen as the author and I discuss her life growing up in Chicago and her exciting new book about two sisters and a killer dumping men into the Chicago River. cinapelayo.com YouTube version: https://youtu.be/r32m2jwrxHc Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Forgotten Si...

Send us Fan Mail Her last name is well known around the city, but do you know the story behind Chicago's Saint, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini? Listen and learn, Chicago history fans! Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sca_ref=1270971.MO4APpJH1k Anything purchased through the ...

Send us Fan Mail Three! Three! Three episodes in one! Enjoy. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sca_ref=1270971.MO4APpJH1k Affiliate Links (anything you buy - not just this stuff - through these link...

Send us Fan Mail Jack Johnson not only became the first Black American heavyweight championship boxer but who also lived (and loved) in Chicago and opened the wildly popular Café de Champion before tragedy and the government forced its closure. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sc...

Send us Fan Mail He has been called the first international African American sports superstar and in his time was the biggest star of any sport. Although he wasn’t born in Chicago, some of Marshall "Major" Taylor's most lasting accomplishments occurred here. Want to read more about "Major" Taylor? (purchasing through the links below may help support the podcast at no additional cost to you) The World's Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports...

Send us Fan Mail Bartender, poet, musician, artist, and more. Sergio Mayora and the art of Weeds Tavern. In the Weeds: How Bartender, Poet, Musician and Artist Sergio Mayora Cultivated One of the Most Important Taverns in Chicago History by Dave Hoekstra (New City, November 2022) https://www.newcity.com/2022/11/01/in-the-weeds-how-bartender-poet-musician-and-artist-sergio-mayora-cultivated-one-of-the-most-important-taverns-in-chicago-history/ Trope Publishing: https://trope.com/ Show your ...

Send us Fan Mail Enjoy this episode originally posted in January 2021. In 1937, 87 years before the current pandemic forced kids to find ways to learn outside of the traditional classroom, Chicago school children took classes by radio while trying to stay safe from the threat of polio. Support the show for the cost of a cup of coffee. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistor...

Send us Fan Mail Enjoy this story from July 2020. Six years after the closing of the World's Fair of 1893, on 10 acres near the University of Chicago, a new outdoor entertainment venue opened called Sans Souci. Sans Souci and Midway Gardens, although all but forgotten, paved the way for outdoor entertainment for generations to come. Support the show for the cost of a cup of coffee. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lo...

Send us Fan Mail A series of tragedies prompted one Chicago suburb to change the way trains travel through their city. This is the story of Connecting Winnetka to Chicago. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collectio...

Send us Fan Mail Just days before Christmas in 1910, a fire broke out at the stockyards in Chicago that resulted in the highest loss of life of firefighters due to a building collapse, a grim claim held for nearly 91 years before being surpassed on 9/11. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail ...

Send us Fan Mail In October 1960, Prince Akihito of Japan visited Chicago for 21 hours. Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley presented the prince with a diplomatic gift: 18 bluegill. What happened next would change the underwater world of Japan forever. Today's episode is from Points North, part of Northern Michigan's Interlochen Public Radio. https://www.interlochenpublicradio.org/podcast/points-north Need a healthful alternative to coffee? Check out noonbrew.co/TOMMYHENRY and save 15% off your...

Send us Fan Mail A holiday-themed episode from 2020. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, a familiar sight near the river at Clark Street was the Rouse Simmons, also known as The Christmas Tree Ship, and its captain Herman Schuenemann, who became known to families in Chicago as Captain Santa. During a trip from upper Michigan to Chicago in November of 1912, all of that changed. Need a healthful alternative to coffee? Check out noonbrew.co/TOMMYHENRY and save 15% off your first order. Show y...

Send us Fan Mail Geoffrey Baer is back on the podcast to discuss his latest program for WTTW - The Most Beautiful Places in Chicago 2. https://interactive.wttw.com/most-beautiful-places-in-chicago YouTube version: https://youtu.be/9q4JKk0t3bA?si=VZJNeWARwdqSaXri Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your...

Send us Fan Mail With the recent crash of a Yellow Line L train into a snow removal machine (?), it seems like a good time to repost this episode. In the 1970s, one of the most horrifying transportation accidents in Chicago happened downtown at the height of rush hour. This is the story of the CTA Derailment of 1977. Show some love for the podcast for the cost of a cup of coffee and help offset production costs: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Amazon Affiliate Links (anything y...

Send us Fan Mail In May of 1970, those driving past Wrigley Field were greeted with an unusual sight – a Native American teepee, surrounded by smaller tents and groups of people. This was just the beginning of the Native American protests in Chicago in the 1970s . Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktai...

Send us Fan Mail Women and poison. Chicago's history is thick with these killers. Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail game for the holidays with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sca_ref=1270971.MO4APpJH1k Need music for YOUR projects? Audiio has got you covered. Tr...

Send us Fan Mail He was an African American performer who went from humble beginnings to become a huge movie star based on a single character, but soon his Hollywood standing, his personal fortunes, and his acceptance by fellow Blacks collapsed. Today we’re discussing Chicago Connections: Lincoln Perry, aka Stepin Fetchit. The interview with DeWitt Fleming Jr. (Lincoln Perry in A Wonderful World) starts around the 22:47 mark. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://w...

Send us Fan Mail This story of sibling rivalries, suicides, arson, missing heiresses, and murder was originally presented at a members-only event at the Chicago History Museum. Thanks to my co-writer and co-host for this episode, Anna Mason (@annadotmason). Anna's piece on the Medinah Temple for WBEZ's Curious City can be found here. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone ...

Send us Fan Mail It was a Civil War prison in Richmond, VA, housing thousands of Union soldiers captured during that war. After the war, someone thought the building would make a good tourist attraction in… Chicago. This is the story of the Libby Prison War Museum. Get tickets to the Cats in Action Bingo Benefit (October 2nd at 7pm in Chicago): tinyurl.com/CIABingo Support the show for the cost of a cup of coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Additional Reading and Items Rel...

Send us Fan Mail Producer Eddie Griffin and I discuss the new season of Chicago Stories on WTTW. The reversal of the Chicago river, candy companies of the city, and more! Watch episodes of Chicago Stories on the PBS app or online at wttw.com/chicagostories YouTube version of this can be found here: https://youtu.be/rqL3GoBCCJ0 Get tickets to the Cats in Action Bingo Benefit (October 2nd at 7pm in Chicago): tinyurl.com/CIABingo For the cost of a cup of coffee, you can help support the show...

Send us Fan Mail The true Chicago crime story that inspired the film "Call Northside 777." On a cold day in 1932, a Chicago cop named William Lundy was gunned down at a speakeasy in the Back of the Yards neighborhood. Two men were sent to prison for the crime, but did prosecutors get the right men? 11 years later, a classified ad placed in the newspaper by the mother of one of the men blew this case wide open. The is the story of Joe Majczek, Tillie Majczek, and Ted Marcinkiewicz. Get ticke...

Send us Fan Mail This really could have been a six or eight-part podcast experience as there is SO MUCH Polish history in Chicago. Here are more things of interest regarding this subject. Enjoy. Get tickets to the Cats in Action Bingo Benefit (October 2nd at 7pm in Chicago): tinyurl.com/CIABingo Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://w...

Send us Fan Mail Chicago's Polish history is far too extensive for one episode, but I'm hopeful this gives you a nice overview. Enjoy. Get tickets to the Cats in Action Bingo Benefit (October 2nd at 7pm in Chicago): tinyurl.com/CIABingo Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream ga...

Send us Fan Mail FROM THE ARCHIVES from October, 2020: On Memorial Day, May 25th, 1981, a 25-year-old year old sport climber dressed as comic book hero Spider-Man used a system of suction cups and other climbing gear to scale the outside of the 110-story Sears Tower, which at that time was the tallest building in the world. He came back later that year to climb the John Hancock Center. This is the story of Spider-Dan Goodwin, who was kind enough to let me interview him for this episode. Dan...

Send us Fan Mail In the summer of 1980, two new large entertainment venues, one indoor and one outdoor, opened in the Chicago area at which those seeking amusement could see live music and more. Both of those and many others made for a busy summer of entertainment in the Greatest City in the World. Want to help support the show for a one-time donation of a few bucks? Buy Me A Coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the l...

Send us Fan Mail It is the 30th anniversary of one of the BEST action films shot in the Greatest City in the World, so today Kelli from Chicago Movie Tours and I are talking about all things "The Fugitive" in Chicago. The train derailment scene (North Carolina): https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-fugitive-train-wreck-sylva-north-carolina Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the mic...

Send us Fan Mail An archive episode from way back in August 2020. Enjoy! There was a time you could sit in your car and watch a movie on a giant screen. Crazy, I know. Wait - what? Drive-ins still exist? In this episode we discuss drive-in movies and their history in the Chicagoland area. Additional Reading (your purchase using this link helps support the podcast): Drive-in Theaters: A History from Their Inception in 1933 by Kerry Seagrave (https://amzn.to/2EsQjbv) Chicago History Podcast...

Send us Fan Mail I had the pleasure of speaking with local author Jessica Mlinaric about her book Chicago Scavenger: The Ultimate Search for Chicago's Hidden Treasures. Have a listen, and get a copy of the book for yourself! Chicago Scavenger: The Ultimate Search for Chicago's Hidden Treasures by Jessica Mlinaric https://amzn.to/3K7WJvo Secret Chicago: A Guide To The Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure by Jessica Mlinaric https://amzn.to/3pSrHRx Not For Tourists Guide To Chicago by Various https:/...

Send us Fan Mail The Chicago area has seen many weather events that have resulted in catastrophic destruction and death. Today's we're discussing Chicago's Terrifying Tornadoes. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/col...

Send us Fan Mail Chicago introduced the first ever Ferris Wheel at the World's Fair of 1893, but... whatever happened to it? Listen for the full story. Want to help support the show? Buy me a coffee! https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Affiliate Links (anything you buy - not just this stuff - through these links helps benefit the show): 3D Wood Ferris Wheel Building Kit Puzzle https://amzn.to/3JPdgV3 Mr. Ferris and His Wheel by Kathryn Gibbs Davis and Gilbert Ford (ages 5-9) https:...

Send us Fan Mail With Chicago air quality ranging from "Unhealthy" to "Very Unhealthy" to "Downright Unbreathable" most of this week, I thought I'd drag out this episode from the archives. During a time of tuberculosis and cholera taking a deadly toll on Chicago's children, "Fresh Air" sanitariums were built to help provide children and mothers relief from the heat, with access to food, milk, and health services. One of those buildings was built on a man-made island, and both the building an...

Send us Fan Mail A little more from the Archie's interview and GOOD NEWS for fans of vintage signs in Chicago. Archie's Bar: https://www.facebook.com/ArchiesBar Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrups! https://portlandsyrups.com/collections/all?sca...

Send us Fan Mail A family-run corner bar in Humboldt Park celebrating 80 years of being in business? One location, yet so many stories. Guest host: Tyler Henry Archie's Bar: https://www.facebook.com/ArchiesBar Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craft syrup...

Send us Fan Mail Special guest Mike McMains (Tours with Mike) helps me break down the history of Chicago LGBTQ Pride Events. Enjoy! See the city in an all new way on a Tours with Mike tour! https://tourswithmike.com/ Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland craf...

Send us Fan Mail Two murders. One paved the way for fingerprint use to determine the identity of a criminal. The other cut short the life of a farmer. Those responsible for the horrible deeds ended up in the same place. Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohistorypod.com Up your cocktail or Sodastream game with Portland cr...

Send us Fan Mail One from the archives for your Memorial Day weekend listening. Enjoy. It was an industry that at one time employed 700,000 workers, including 200,000 here in the Chicago area. Italians, Poles, Mexicans, African Americans, and others willing to put in a long and sometimes dangerous day’s work found good pay and a career working at the steel mills. Then gradually, it went away… but not before one fateful Memorial Day protest turned deadly. YouTube Short: Chicago's U.S. Steel ...

Send us Fan Mail What's the deal with those big Schlitz globes on the sides of buildings around the city? Have a listen and find out! Spectacular Failures Podcast - Schlitz Goes Bad, Then Worse https://www.spectacularfailures.org/episode/2019/07/01/schlitz-beer-goes-bad-then-worse Show your support of the show for the cost of a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chicagohistory Leave me a voice message - just click on the microphone in the lower right corner here: https://www.chicagohisto...