Dominic Pacyga shares his encyclopedic knowledge of Chicago history and answers questions about everything from “gin joints” to stockyards.
Curious City - How Vacant Chicago Storefronts Rise From The Dead As Halloween Costume Stores
We unearth the business model behind these seasonal shops, and get the scoop on what costumes will be most popular this season.
Curious City - Why Doesn’t Chicago Have More Co-Op Grocery Stores?
We learn that, despite the current paucity of food co-ops, the city actually has a strong food co-op history — and there may be more on the horizon.
Curious City - Gone Fishin’: What Happened To Chicago’s Booming Commercial Fishing Industry?
Chicago once had a booming commercial fishing industry. Lawrence’s Fish and Shrimp is one of the last vestiges of that industry.
Curious City - Who Is Billy Sunday In The Popular Sinatra Song, ‘Chicago?’
Billy Sunday was an influential preacher within the American evangelical movement. How'd he end up in a song sung by Sinatra?
Curious City - How Political Clout And Union Power Created Chicago’s Lead Water Problem
Chicago continued to use lead pipes long after many cities banned them. We look at the politics and personalities behind it.
Curious City - Daley vs. Little Italy: Did The Mayor Drop UIC On The Neighborhood Out Of Spite?
Why did Richard J. Daley push for the UIC campus to rise from the heart of a long-standing ethnic neighborhood? In this special Curious City presentation, reporter Monica Eng examines the pervasive suspicion that the mayor’s choice rose from a political spat or — even worse — from disdain for the Italian-American community. Click here for the full story.
Curious City - Daley vs. Little Italy: Did The Mayor Drop UIC On The Neighborhood Out Of Spite?
Why did Richard J. Daley push for the UIC campus to rise from the heart of a long-standing ethnic neighborhood? In this special Curious City presentation, reporter Monica Eng examines the pervasive suspicion that the mayor’s choice rose from a political spat or — even worse — from disdain for the Italian-American community. Click here for the full story.
Curious City - Hidden in Plain Sight: Inside Downtown Chicago’s Windowless, Doorless Buildings
Here’s a peek at what goes on inside some of these “mystery buildings” and how their architectural disguises have evolved over the decades.
Curious City - Hidden in Plain Sight: Inside Downtown Chicago’s Windowless, Doorless Buildings
Here’s a peek at what goes on inside some of these “mystery buildings” and how their architectural disguises have evolved over the decades.