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Chicago History Podcast

From theater, music, sports, and architecture to true crime, disasters and the people behind it all, we discuss Chicago history and learn a little bit more about the greatest city in the world.

Recent Episodes

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Oct. 12, 2024

Episode 722 - Chicago's Forgotten Towns, Neighborhoods, and Names

Send us a text Have you ever been to Grossdale? Praha? Maybe Swedetown? How about Gregg's Milk Station? I’m sure you’ve been to Hardscrabble, right? Today we’re discussing Chicago’s Forgotten Towns, Neighborhoods, and Names.…
Oct. 5, 2024

FROM THE ARCHIVES - The Great Chicago Fire - Ogden Mansion, The Barracks, and Newberry Library

Send us a text On this Great Chicago Fire-themed episode we discuss one home not destroyed by the fire – the Ogden mansion – and learn little more about the person who once owned it, what happened to that area immediately af…
Sept. 15, 2024

Episode 721 - The Black Sox Scandal of 1919 with WTTW's Eddie Griffin

Send us a text WTTW's Eddie Griffin is back to discuss one of Chicago's darkest sports stories - the Black Sox Scandal of 1919. The new season of Chicago Stories begins September 20th. https://interactive.wttw.com/chicago-st…
Sept. 8, 2024

Episode 720 - Malört: A Truly Chicago Booze with author Josh Noel

Send us a text Anthony Bourdain tasted the wormwood-infused liquor Malört for his TV show “The Layover” and said, “its brash nature" created “a possibility that I could get all stabby and belligerent.” Today we're talking ab…
Aug. 31, 2024

Mike Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago with writer and actor Mitchell Bisschop

Send us a text This episode's guest is Mitchell Bisschop, who wrote and stars in the play "Royko: The Toughest Man in Chicago," which runs Sept. 5-29, 2024, at the Chopin Theatre. Mitchell and I discuss celebrated newspaper …
Aug. 24, 2024

Episode 718 - Dr. Edward Holmes and the Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary with Connie Fairbanks

Send us a Text Message. He arrived in Chicago from Boston in the mid-1800s and set up an Eye and Ear Infirmary to help those in need. Hear the story of Dr. Edward Lorenzo Holmes and his efforts to help the less fortunate in …
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Recent Blog Posts

Episode 611 - Frances Glessner Lee, The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death, and Crime Scene Investigation

You can view a full-sized model of Frances Glessner Lee's "Dark Bathroom" nutshell for free on Fridays and Saturdays from 11:00am to 4:00pm through Friday, April 14, 2023 at Glessner House. Details here: https://www.glessnerhouse.org/ For more abou…

Episode 608 - Sundown Towns of Chicago

Honestly, I have enough to do a second and possibly a third episode addressing the many areas in and around Chicago that tried their hardest (and often succeeded) in keeping Black American families from settling there. Here's more from my guest host…

New Episodes Coming Soon!

I neglected to mention at the end of season five of the Chicago History Podcast that I would be taking a little break. The good news is I'll be back soon with new stories about the Greatest City in The World. Thanks for listening, for your support,…
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