Curious City

  • Sharpen the pencils!

    As we start our investigation on the economics of higher ed, we could use your help.

  • Two homes, one city

    With the help of a public housing resident, we begin our look at what separates — and possibly connects — life on either side of Chicago’s social divide.

  • What Do Aldermen Really Do?

    Sure, they pass laws and vote on city budgets. But there’s so much more. Think: Pregnancy tests and pigeon poo.

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  • How the Dan Ryan changed the South Side

    It’s almost difficult to imagine Chicago’s South Side without the highway line drawn through its midsection. Why did it land there, and did it create or just reinforce a racial divide?

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  • History’s toll on Chicago buildings

    One listener was taken aback over the Prentice Hospital flap. She asked what other important buildings have been lost. Let’s get a list started.

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  • What was the South Side like before the Dan Ryan?

    South Sider Ryne Holmquist had lots of opportunities to ponder his Curious City question while he was stuck in traffic on the Dan Ryan Expressway. Yes, we have maps, but we need your stories to help …