Here’s how Chicago got so many Old Style signs
We uncover the history and bask in the glow of a ubiquitous Chicago bar sign.
Listen — 16:01
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Curious City
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WBEZ’s Curious City series is an ongoing news experiment at WBEZ, online and on the radio dial around Chicago at 91.5 FM. Our mission is to include the public in editorial decision-making, make journalism more transparent and strengthen multimedia coverage about Chicago, the surrounding region and its people (past or present).
Curious City airs on Thursdays during All Things Considered on WBEZ
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Think your house is haunted? Tell us about it!
WBEZ’s Curious City wants to hear your spine-tingling stories of unexplained sights and sounds, spiritual cleansings and other spooky things.
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Illinois is abuzz with bees, but their future is uncertain
Some species of bees are doing OK. Others are not. Experts explain how everything from climate change to how we garden is impacting bees.
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Listen — 14:1330 years ago, teens could dance and find connection at a club called Medusa’s
Medusa’s was “like a community center for weirdos and freaks and everybody else in between,” say Chicagoans who went there as teens.
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Listen — 24:27How does Buckingham Fountain work? And why does Chicago have so many alleys?
The 150-foot fountain downtown and around 1,900 miles of alleys are both iconically Chicago. And there’s a fascinating history behind each one.
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Listen — 18:40Were there Underground Railroad stops in Chicago?
The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 turned Chicago from a destination to a stop on the Underground Railroad.
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Listen — 19:53What happened to Chicago’s Japanese neighborhood?
Lake View once had a thriving Japanese community, but it fell victim to a push for assimilation.
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Listen — 17:03Some of Chicago’s best birdwatching spots might surprise you
There’s more to Chicago-area birdwatching than Montrose Point. Local birders shared their tips for birding off the beaten path.
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Listen — 19:57How do you start a community garden in Chicago?
As Pilsen changes, volunteers strive to keep the community garden a space where longtime residents can find ease and wellbeing.
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Listen — 23:31Chicago’s rivalry with New York shaped both cities
There was a time Chicago gave New York a run for its money. So how did we end up as the Second City?
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Listen — 23:50
