IT’S HISTORY

This episode reveals the intriguing history behind Chicago's iconic Carbide & Carbon Building. Since its construction in 1929, this impressive Art Deco skyscraper has witnessed secrets and transformations. With a facade that evokes luxury and mystery, the building has evolved from housing an industrial corporation to becoming a luxurious hotel. Step into the era of jazz and prohibition, where echo...

Saint Elmo, Colorado, once a thriving mining town nestled in the Rocky Mountains, experienced a meteoric rise and a swift fall that left it an evocative relic of the past. Established in 1880 during the silver boom, it quickly burgeoned with over 2,000 residents, bustling with saloons, hotels, and a vibrant community. However, as silver veins depleted and the allure of other mining opportunities b...

Marktown, located in East Chicago, Indiana, is a historic planned community designed by architect Howard Van Doren Shaw in 1917. It was originally conceived as a model industrial community for the Mark Manufacturing Company. The neighborhood was intended to provide housing for workers of the nearby steel mills and other industrial plants, integrating residential, commercial, and recreational space...

California's Children's Pool in San Diego, also known as the Children's Pool Beach, is a small, sandy beach area in La Jolla with a unique history. Originally constructed in 1931, the pool was created through the donation of Ellen Browning Scripps, a prominent philanthropist. She funded the construction of a seawall to provide a safe, protected area where children could swim without the dangers of...

The LaSalle Street Tunnel in Chicago, completed in 1871, was one of the city's earliest subterranean infrastructure projects, designed to alleviate congestion and provide a crucial crossing under the Chicago River. The tunnel, constructed by the private LaSalle Street Tunnel Company, was initially intended for pedestrian and carriage use, facilitating easier movement between the north and south si...

The USS *Inaugural* (AM-242) was an Admirable-class minesweeper of the United States Navy, launched in 1944 during World War II. Designed for detecting and removing naval mines, the ship played a crucial role in ensuring safe passage for Allied naval forces. It served primarily in the Pacific Theater, participating in the clearing of mines from various harbors and sea lanes, which was vital for th...

The Riviera Casino, opened in 1955 on the Las Vegas Strip, was one of the city's first high-rise resorts and a symbol of mid-century glamour and sophistication. Initially designed to attract high rollers and celebrities, the Riviera hosted iconic performers such as Liberace, Frank Sinatra, and Dean Martin. Despite its early success, the casino struggled with financial instability, changing ownersh...

Rhyolite, a boomtown in Nevada, sprang to life in 1905 following the discovery of gold in the region by prospector Shorty Harris and his partner E.L. Cross. The town rapidly grew, boasting a population of up to 10,000 people at its peak, complete with infrastructure such as banks, a school, and even a stock exchange. However, the prosperity was short-lived; by 1911, the gold mines began to deplete...

The Rookery, an iconic building in Chicago's financial district, was completed in 1888 and designed by the architectural firm of Burnham and Root. Notable for its combination of Moorish, Romanesque, and Venetian architectural styles, the building's most famous feature is its light-filled central atrium, redesigned in 1905 by Frank Lloyd Wright. Beneath this historic landmark lies a little-known un...

The 1964 New York World's Fair featured an innovative monorail system, symbolizing futuristic urban transportation. Manufactured by American Machine and Foundry, the monorail offered visitors a glimpse into the potential of mass transit. The sleek, elevated trains ran on a one-mile loop around the fairgrounds in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, showcasing the fair's theme of "Peace Through Understand...

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Pawtucket Station, located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, is a historic train station with a rich history dating back to its construction in 1916 by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. Designed in the Beaux-Arts style, it served as a bustling hub for passengers and freight, reflecting the city's industrial prominence in the early 20th century. The station witnessed a decline in usage post-...

The Brewster-Douglass Housing Projects in Detroit, constructed between 1935 and 1955, were among the first federally funded public housing projects in the United States. Initially intended to provide decent, affordable housing for African American families, they symbolized hope and progress during a period of rampant racial segregation and economic disparity. Named after prominent African American...

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The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, commonly known as the Santa Fe Railway, was chartered in 1859 to serve the rapidly expanding western United States. Its initial goal was to link Atchison and Topeka in Kansas with Santa Fe, New Mexico, facilitating commerce and settlement. Under the leadership of Cyrus K. Holliday and later William Barstow Strong, the railway expanded significantly, beco...

Saltair was a resort built on the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake in Utah, first opening its doors in 1893. It was conceived by the Mormon Church and local businessmen as a place for wholesome recreation and quickly became a popular destination, renowned for its massive dance floor and scenic location. The original resort was destroyed by fire in 1925 and was rebuilt only to suffer repeated...

The Texas City Disaster, one of the worst industrial accidents in U.S. history, occurred on April 16, 1947, when a fire on the SS Grandcamp, docked in the Port of Texas City, caused its cargo to explode. The blast triggered a chain reaction, causing further fires and explosions on nearby ships and in industrial facilities. This tragic event highlighted the dangers of transporting hazardous materia...

In 1960, a significant mid-air collision occurred over New York City, involving two commercial airliners. The incident took place on December 16th when United Airlines Flight 826, traveling from Chicago to New York City, and TWA Flight 266, en route from Ohio to New York City, collided in mid-air. The United Airlines flight subsequently crashed in the Park Slope neighborhood of Brooklyn, while the...

The Lucin Cutoff Trestle Bridge, an engineering marvel of its time, was completed in 1904 by the Southern Pacific Railroad to provide a more direct route across the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Designed to replace the original rail route that circumnavigated the lake, the trestle was a significant infrastructure project, stretching over 12 miles across the lake's western edge. This wooden trestle sign...

San Francisco's docks have a rich history that began during the California Gold Rush in 1849 when the city's natural harbor became a bustling gateway for ships carrying prospectors and goods. Rapid growth ensued, and by the late 19th century, the waterfront was lined with piers and warehouses, supporting the booming trade and industry. The docks played a crucial role in World War II, serving as a...

The Aon Center, originally known as the Standard Oil Building, is a prominent skyscraper in Chicago completed in 1973. Designed by Edward Durell Stone and Perkins and Will, the building was initially clad in Italian Carrara marble. It soon proved problematic due to its thinness and susceptibility to cracking under Chicago's weather conditions. In 1974, a marble slab fell, prompting a significant s...

The Blue Ridge Tunnel, completed in 1858, was a significant engineering feat of its time, designed by French engineer Claudius Crozet. Stretching nearly a mile under the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia, it was part of the ambitious Blue Ridge Railroad project intended to connect the Shenandoah Valley to eastern Virginia's rail network. Upon completion, the tunnel was the longest in the United Sta...

The Pulaski Skyway, an iconic elevated highway in New Jersey, was opened in 1932 as a critical component of the route linking Jersey City and Newark. Named after Revolutionary War hero General Casimir Pulaski, this 3.5-mile-long structure was designed to alleviate traffic congestion and facilitate industrial growth in the burgeoning port cities. Constructed during the Great Depression, the Skyway...

The collapse of California's St. Francis Dam stands as a tragic reminder of the devastating power of engineering failures. On March 12, 1928, the dam catastrophically failed, sending billions of gallons of water rushing through the Santa Clara River Valley. The colossal wave of destruction claimed the lives of over 400 people and caused extensive damage to property and infrastructure downstream. T...

On September 15, 1958, tragedy struck when Central Railroad of New Jersey (CNJ) commuter train #3314 suffered a catastrophic derailment on the Newark Bay lift bridge in Newark Bay, New Jersey. Ignoring restrictive and stop signals, the train careened off the bridge, plunging both diesel locomotives and the first two coaches into the bay, claiming the lives of 48 passengers and injuring 48 more. Th...