Curious City

Are there fallout shelters left in Chicago? 19.08.2015 13:46 ↓

There are plenty, but let’s just say they’re not ready for a nuclear apocalypse.

Where are Chicago's Poor White Neighborhoods? 12.08.2015 13:24 ↓

Poverty touches all races in Chicago, but it's more visible among blacks and Latinos. Here's why that happens and why it matters.

Shoes on a Wire: Untangling an Urban Myth 05.08.2015 9:16 ↓

From teenage mischief to possible drug markets, a search for the real reasons sneakers end up on power lines.

Chicago's Best Stargazing Spots 22.07.2015 9:27 ↓

Chicago’s notorious light pollution hides the stars, but here’s where you have a fighting chance to peek at the heavens.

Here's Harold! (The Robot Edition) 15.07.2015 9:10 ↓

The DuSable Museum says — creepy or not — its Harold Washington robot will teach you a thing or two about the city’s first African-American mayor.

What Really Happens to Chicago's Blue Cart Recycling? 01.07.2015 13:26 ↓

The program is no sham, but a good number of recyclables still head to landfills.

In Chicago, Eternal Rest Ain't So Eternal 18.06.2015 9:27 ↓

How often do the dead make way for planes, parks and other local development? More than you'd think.

Beyond The Rattle And Clatter: When The CTA 'L' Is Your Neighbor 10.06.2015 9:08 ↓

Living near the CTA means life in a rattling fishbowl, but some Chicagoans adapt.

The unsung hero of urban planning who made it easy to get around Chicago 20.05.2015 13:21 ↓

Unsung urban planning hero Edward Brennan tamed a chaotic 19th-century street-numbering system.

Were Chicago's Public Schools Ever Good? 13.05.2015 13:10 ↓

We start an era-by-era search for the district’s ‘golden age’ and wonder: Could it be right now?

The Legacy Of Michael Jordan In Chicago 01.04.2015 9:08 ↓

The city rode high when ‘His Airness’ played for the Bulls. But what did he leave behind?

Chicago's forgotten Civil War prison camp 11.03.2015 12:43 ↓

Camp Douglas’ deadly reputation was kept in shadows but now there’s a surprising movement to bring it to light .

Building Skyscrapers on Chicago's Swampy Soil 04.03.2015 9:17 ↓

Engineers once compared Chicago’s soggy soil to jelly cake. How did they build a forest of skyscrapers on it?  

The Rise of Casimir Pulaski Day 25.02.2015 12:26 ↓

How Chicago’s Polish community won a Revolutionary War hero a holiday ... in a state he never stepped in.

No Conspiracy Required: The True Origins Of Chicago's February Elections 18.02.2015 9:01 ↓

Sure, the timing’s awful for campaigning and voting, but it wasn’t some trick concocted by the Democratic Machine. In fact, it was meant to empower voters.

When Will Chicago Get Its Next Supertall Skyscraper? 28.01.2015 8:55 ↓

A Chinese developer wants to alter the city skyline and break a dry spell in a field we once dominated.

When is Chicago-area Traffic the Worst? 09.01.2015 8:56 ↓

Let our info about the Let our info about the worst hours, days and seasons for road congestion steer you clear from a traffic-induced personal hell. 

Wherefore art thou Romeoville? 29.12.2014 13:12 ↓

The Chicago suburbs of Romeoville and Joliet were once named Romeo and Juliet. We explored why.

Weird And Wonderful Things You Might Not Know About Chicago 23.12.2014 52:40 ↓

What associations do you make with Chicago? Da Bears? Shady politics? Wacky weather? If you feel that list is getting stale, here’s a list of new ones to consider!

Could Truant Officers Return To Chicago Public Schools? 13.11.2014 13:19 ↓

A state task force likes the idea, but one former officer says the proposed job description could be a bit too much.

Campus police: real deal or rent-a-cops? 05.11.2014 12:40 ↓

Our case study: The U of C, where a private force polices 65,000 Chicagoans on and off campus.

We Ain't Afraid Of No (Chicago) Ghosts! 30.10.2014 13:35 ↓

What makes these notable ghost stories tick? Even if you don’t believe them, you’ll never forget them.

Real Estate And Religion: The Tale Of Seventeenth Church Of Christ, Scientist 22.10.2014 13:32 ↓

How a modest congregation at Seventeenth Church of Christ, Scientist built and maintained an improbably cool concrete oasis in such an improbable location.   

Chicago Without The Fire 06.10.2014 ↓

Historians consider our “what-if” scenario about a city that escaped the 1871 blaze. Would the Loop be a livable neighborhood? Would the skyline be so strident? And would there be such a thing as the Chicago spirit?

A Second Act For The Uptown Theater? 19.09.2014 12:46 ↓

As Chicago's former grand movie palace turns 90, the question remains: What can be done to restore it?