Curious Citizen Jim Brady from West Suburban River Forest says he’s always found bridge houses on Chicago’s rivers fascinating, not just to look at but also to let his imagine run wild as to what goes on inside. So naturally he asked us, “Who stays in guard houses along Chicago rivers, and what do they do all day?” 

WBEZ’s Chris Bentley jumped at the chance to report this story. He’s also an architecture buff and has long appreciated the variation in bridgehouse design. Chris and Jim are pairing up to find answers and you can follow their adventures via this reporter’s notebook below. If you are a bridgetender, you know one, or you have stories about the goings-on inside those mysterious structures, please comment below! We’d love to get in touch. 

Curious City is a news-gathering experiment designed to satisfy the public’s curiosity. People like you submit questions, vote for their favorites, and WBEZ reports out the winning questions in real time on Facebook, Twitter and the reporter’s notebook above.