Curious City
Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.
WBEZ’s Curious City series is an ongoing news experiment at WBEZ, online and on the radio dial around Chicago at 91.5 FM. Our mission is to include the public in editorial decision-making, make journalism more transparent and strengthen multimedia coverage about Chicago, the surrounding region and its people (past or present).
Curious City airs on Thursdays during All Things Considered on WBEZ
Recent
Names like DuSable and Joliet are cited in the history books. But it was Native Americans who first set the foundation for Chicago.
Tracking down the oldest family-owned business is tougher than it sounds. We found two contenders that predate the Chicago fire.
Frogs have been on the decline in the Chicago area. The health of the frog population tells us a lot about the health of our environment.
It’s spooky season when we often visit haunted houses and think about the paranormal. But is it OK for that staged, spooky fun to take place in a real prison?
Visitors say they’ve seen unexplained movement on the prison grounds. But do ghost stories detract from the specter of a truly dark history?
The term “Chicagoland” is often associated with car commercials and TV weather reports. But its origins are newsy and stretch back nearly 100 years.
The job is full of heavy lifting, tight turns and stinky smells. But the members of this all-women garbage crew say their bond keeps them going.