Chicago History Podcast

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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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March 14, 2025

FROM THE ARCHIVES - Police Chief Francis O'Neill, Chicago's Savior of Irish Music

Send us a text Just in time for St. Patrick's Day 2025, here's a little history about Chicago's connection to preserving Irish music, originally posted in March of 2022. He served as a Chicago policeman for more than 32 years...

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March 1, 2025

Episode 804 - Chicago Crime: The Automatic Trio and the Car Barn Murders

Send us a text Originally released in September of 2021, this episode has been enhanced with additional music and sound effects. Sixteen years before Al Capone came to Chicago and long before anyone could blame violence on vi...

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Feb. 22, 2025

Episode 803 - Illinois' Underground Railroad

Send us a text For Black Americans seeking to escape enslavement in the first half of the 1800s, Chicago was often an important stop on their path to freedom. Today we’re discussing the Underground Railroad in Illinois. Netwo...

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Feb. 15, 2025

Episode 802 - Chicago Connections: The Jackson Five

Send us a text While not from here, their connection to this city is undeniable and Chicago’s influence most certainly contributed to their rise as one of the most successful musical acts of all time. Today we’re talking abou...

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Feb. 8, 2025

Episode 801 - Unchecked Graft: Chicago Mayor William "Big Bill" Thompson

Send us a text This is a revised, expanded, and re-recorded version of an episode that was originally released in 2020. William "Big Bill" Thompson was a larger-than-life character who served as Chicago mayor for three terms ...

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Nov. 30, 2024

Episode 725 - Chicago's Forgotten Towns, Neighborhoods, and Names, Part 2

Send us a text An area once called Dunkley’s Grove was considered for a new stadium for the Chicago White Sox, not in old-timey days – in 1986! Was Edison Park named for Thomas Edison? Dunton, Sagone, Hartford… and where was ...

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Recent Blog Posts

March 19, 2023

Episode 611 - Frances Glessner Lee, The Nutshell Studies of Unexplain…

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…

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Feb. 18, 2023

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…

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Nov. 24, 2022

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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Reviews

Great and often unknown Chicago Stories

"This is a wonderful collection of Chicago history, well presented and produced. I just started listening and am happy to have many episodes to explore."

squirehogg | Sept. 5, 2024

CHP

"Great insight and format, very informative and still interesting stories. And that Mr. Henry, quite the sexy voice."

Smkt747 | Feb. 7, 2025

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