Curious City - How Devon Avenue Became Chicago’s Little India
Devon Avenue has long been known as Little India, but the diverse West Ridge strip has become home for many and is still evolving today.
Curious City - Lions and tigers and Chicagoans! How we all stay warm through Chicago winters
We've been experiencing some warm days in and around Chicago. But winter is coming. This week, we've got a couple of classic Curious City stories about staying warm. One features folks who work outside during the bitter Chicago winters, the other features some furry friends from the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Curious City - We answer your questions about voting for judges
It’s election season. And Injustice Watch’s Maya Dukmasova joins us to answer your last-minute questions about that lengthy part of the ballot lots of voters avoid: judges.
Curious City - The Haunting of Rainbow Road in Barrington, Illinois
A house on Rainbow Road in Barrington, Illinois is shrouded in mystery. Former residents say they’ll never return. Some locals say memories of the property still chill their blood. So, what really happened at 92 Rainbow Road?
Curious City - Chicago’s Golden Age of Pro Wrestling
From carnival shows to the early days of television. In this week’s episode: How pro wrestling grew up in America and had a flashy, sporty heyday in Chicago.
Curious City - Faith-based organizations often work together to support Chicago’s immigrants
For decades, Chicago has received a steady stream of refugees who have made the city home after escaping war and political conflict. They have come from countries like Bosnia, Sudan, Iraq and Afghanistan. More recently, several thousand asylum seekers came to the city on buses from Texas. Many of the institutions and organizations helping these newcomers to resettle are faith-based. On this week’s episode we take on a question about how faith-based groups approach this kind of work from a listener who works with refugees through his church.
Curious City - Coming out later in life
Former WBEZ host Tony Sarabia produced an audio documentary titled “Unlocking The Closet'' back in 2000. Tony, who came out later in life, wanted to share the stories of others who’d also finally felt ready to take this step. The documentary recounts the coming out stories of queer people who grew up in the 1950s and early ‘60s. While a lot has changed, many queer Americans still don’t have a safe space to come out. Curious City pulls this documentary out of the archives to recognize October 11 – National Coming Out Day.
Curious City - Dunning Asylum A ‘Tomb For The Living’
For a long time, Chicagoans were scared of Dunning. The very name “Dunning” gave them chills. People were afraid they would end up in that place. Today, the Chicago neighborhood, out on the city’s Far Northwest Side, looks like a middle-class suburb. You’d never know there was once an asylum there. On this episode we revisit the history of the Cook County Infirmary, later known as Chicago State Hospital but to most, simply “Dunning.”
Curious City - How So Many Chicago Bars Got Old Style Signs
You’ve likely seen these signs hanging outside bars in Chicago. Pale yellow, almost white with the red-white-and-blue Old Style logo in thebig top square with a bottom partition that reads “Bottles and Cans,” “Cold Beer,” “Cerveza Fria” or even “Package Liquor”. Well there’s a reason so many of those signs still light up Chicago bars. Reporter John Fecile uncovers this mystery in this week’s episode.
Byzantium And The Crusades - DISCOUNTED BOOK ANNOUNCEMENT – The Roman Revolution
This is just to let you know that you can get my ebook called The Roman Revolution, which accompanies the first part of my new podcast on the Fall of the Roman Empire, at a discounted price at Amazon for the next few days (until 29th September). It focuses on the transition from the classical Roman Empire to Constantine's Christian-centred empire run out of Constantinople. It's priced at 99 cents or pence in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Links to it on Amazon by country are below.
Link to US
Link to UK
Link to Canada
Link to Australia
Please take a look at my website nickholmesauthor.com where you can download a free copy of The Byzantine World War, my book that describes the origins of the First Crusade.