Chicago History Podcast
Stories from history of the Greatest City in the World - Chicago. The places, events, and the people behind it all.
Episodes
On a cold and snowy day in December 1972, United Airlines flight 553 crashed into a neighborhood near Midway Airport, resulting in 45 deaths. The tragedy was soon followed by conspiracies. Was the plane brought down to silence those who might jeopardize powerful people in the government?
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Author Rob Miller (one of the founders of Chicago's Bloodshot Records) joins me to discuss his new book, “The Hours Are Long But The Pay Is Low: A Curious Life in Independent Music.”
Get Rob's book here:
https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p088964
Save 30% with the following code: F25UIP
Get your Brick of Chicago 2026 Calendar!
Purchasing items through the links below helps support o...
Please enjoy this FROM THE ARCHIVES + EXTRAS episode from the summer of 2022.
One man was robbed more than 190 times, knocked unconscious at least four times, and had an eardrum burst aboard Chicago’s L, each time with Chicago cops nearby watching, all in the name of public transportation safety.
This is the story of Chicago’s Mass Transit Decoy Squad of the 1970’s.
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The Spyglass Murder of Margaret Gallagher, the killing and dismemberment of Judith Mae Andersen, the execution-style murder of Chicago Alderman Ben Lewis, and the roadside disappearance of Tammy Jo Zywicki are all part of this episode on Chicago's unsolved murders.
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Halloween is coming! Enjoy this episode about Chicago's ghoulish past, including tales of forgotten cemeteries, grave robbers, mob graveyards, and more. Expanded and re-recorded from the original, released Oct. 2020..
Pamela Bannos / Hidden Truths:
https://hiddentruths.northwestern.edu/
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Anything purchase...
Chicago has had its share of bizarre incidents resulting in death, including the Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914.
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Want better sleep? Try the most delicious alternative t...
Here's one originally released in August 2021 that you may not have heard. Enjoy.
He was the son of one of the wealthiest men in Chicago, and on one fateful night he was shot under mysterious circumstances. Was Marshall Field Jr.'s death an accident or something much darker that was covered up by powerful forces?
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If you're planning on walking through Lincoln Park anytime soon, you may be curious about all the statues you'll find. With the help of contributor Connie Fairbanks, we discuss the story behind many of the creations you'll see, and tell you about the ones that were once there but are no longer.
You can purchase Chicago's West Loop: Then and Now by Connie Fairbanks from the author at:
https://www...
In August of 1925, an opulent cinema opened on Broadway just north of Lawrence Avenue. Joining me today to discuss the history of that theater is Robert Loerzel, one of the authors of the recently released book The Uptown: Chicago's Endangered Movie Palace.
https://www.robertloerzel.com/blog/
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Uptown, Th...
The return of One on Every Corner, where we discuss a neighborhood drinking establishment, the neighborhood around it, and more. Joining me for this episode is writer Leigh Giangreco and Four Moon Tavern owners Matt Kozlowski and Robbie Lane.
@leighgiangreco.bsky.social
Four Moon Tavern - @fourmoontavern on Insta
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There is more to Chicago than the Bean, The Loop, and Navy Pier. Joining me in this episode to discuss his photography, what he loves most about Chicago, and the recently-released book "Chicago: The Loop & Beyond" is Nenad Spasojevic.
Nenad Spasojevic - https://www.nenadspasojevic.com/
Insta: nenad.spasojevic
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In what was then primarily farmlands 39 miles outside of Chicago, a gun battle erupted between federal law enforcement agents and an outlaw on the run, resulting in chaos and death. This is the story of Baby Face Nelson and The Battle of Barrington.
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Amazon A...
The 103th anniversary of one of the most violent labor battles in the U.S. is June 21-22, 2025. This is the story of the Herrin Coal Massacre of 1922.
*Originally released as episode 508 in June 2022.
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Looking for gift ideas for the history nerd in your life A...
It is a Chicago Landmark called an “exemplification of the cultural, economic, social, and historical heritage of the City of Chicago.” With the help of author Keir Graff, today we’re discussing Chicago’s Fine Arts Building.
Chicago's Fine Arts Building: Music, Magic, and Murder by Keir Graff
Order a SIGNED COPY from Exile in Bookville (based in the Fine Arts Building).
Chicago is known for industry – stockyards, steel mills, and more, but this city had another that thrived for nearly 150 years. Today we’re discussing the Rise and Fall of Chicago’s Brickyards.
Get out and see the city with Will Quam on a Brick of Chicago tour!
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Items related to this episode (purchasing anyth...
Chicago's Buckingham Fountain is being turned on for the season on Saturday, May 10, 2025, so this seems like the perfect time to discuss the history of how the fountain came to be in this enhanced and re-recorded version, with an all-new section about Queen Elizabeth II's historic 1959 visit to the city.
Edward H. Bennett Digital Collection:
http://edwardbennett.lakeforest.edu/exhibits/show/edward--h--be...
Discussing their book "Don't Go: Stories of Segregation and How To Disrupt It" are authors Tonika Lewis Johnson and Maria Krysan.
Folded Map Project:
https://www.foldedmapproject.com/
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Further reading (purchasing these items through these links helps support our efforts at no additional cost to ...
ORIGINALLY RELEASED IN OCTOBER 2020.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Lincoln Park had a “High Bridge” which rose 75 feet over the south lagoon's water. As welcoming to sightseers as the big beautiful bridge was, it also had a dark appeal, quickly earning it the dubious name “Suicide Bridge.”
Viking Ship at Good Templar Park in Geneva, IL:
https://vikingship.us/
Amazon Affiliate Links (anything you b...
It is Women's History Month! Here's a look at five pioneering women in Chicago's history: Chicago founder Kitihawa du Sable, women's suffrage activist Grace Wilbur Trout, Vivian Gordon Harsh, Chicago's first Black librarian, Union activist Rev. Addie L. Wyatt, and Elisabeth A. Martini, Chicago's first woman architect.
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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 and was Chicago’s chief of police for four, but Francis O’Neill is probably better known for his efforts in preserving the music of his homeland. Today we’re talking about Police Chief Francis O’N...
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