Chicago History Podcast
Stories from history of the Greatest City in the World - Chicago. The places, events, and the people behind it all.
Episode 825 - Murder Mansion: The Rouse Family Killings
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In June of 1980, millionaire couple Bruce and Darlene Rouse were killed in their Libertyville mansion while their children slept not far away. Could one of them have been responsible for the slayings?Â
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Chicag's Unsolved Crimes & M...
Episode 824 - Peshtigo 1871: A Town Consumed with author Deborah Hufford
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This week marks the anniversary of one of the worst fires in United States history, one that started on October 8, 1871. No, it isn't the Great Chicago Fire. The Peshtigo Wisconsin Fire was far worse. Listen to how it developed, the Chicago connections, and stick around for my conversation with author Deborah Hufford, whose new historical novel "The Fire Born" is set in Peshtigo.
The Fire Born by Deborah Hufford
https://amzn.to/4dlNfvf
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Great Purolator Armored Express Heist, The
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Back soon with new episodes! Until then, enjoy this bonkers story originally released in December 2021.
On October 20, 1974, one of the biggest vault thefts in U.S. history happened here in Chicago. This is the story of the Great Purolator Armored Express Heist.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Chicago's Old Main Post Office
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For many coming into the city from the west, the drive on the Eisenhower Expressway under that massive building at Van Buren is truly a sight to behold, but few seem to know much about its history. Today we’re talking about Chicago's Old Main Post Office.
Originally released in September 2021.
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Episode 823 - Ground Beneath the Diamonds: A History of Chicago's White Sox Ballparks, The
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The Chicago White Sox have called three primary sites home since the team’s founding in 1900, and each plot of earth carries layers of history older than the game of baseball.Â
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Bizarre Story of the Missing Wheaton Bible College Couple, The
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Originally released January 15, 2022.
 In 1988, two attractive young students attending a prominent suburban Chicago religious school disappeared, setting off a frenzied search that lasted months before the truth about what happened to them was revealed.
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Episode 822 - B'Ginnings: Where Schaumburg Rocked The Suburbs
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Some of histories biggest rock acts first performed in the Chicago area at music venue in a suburban strip mall in Schaumburg. This is the story of B'Ginnings.
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SPECIAL EPISODE - The Women Who Built Chicago with genealogist Nicka Sewell-Smith
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Genealogist Nicka Sewell-Smith joins me to discuss her connections to Chicago and "The Women Who Built Chicago" bus tour, launched for Women's History Month in partnership with Ancestry, which highlights overlooked women's contributions.
Tickets for the bus tour:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dilla-and-ancestry-present-the-women-who-built-chicago-bus-tour-tickets-1983596857598
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Episode 821 - Behind the Camera: Jun Fujita's Chicago with author Graham Harrison Lee
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Jun Fujita was a pioneering Japanese-born photographer who made his way to Chicago to become widely regarded as the first Japanese American photojournalist. Hear more about Fujita's life in Chicago from Graham Harrison Lee, Fujita's great-nephew and author of the book Jun Fujita: Behind the Camera.
Preorder a copy of the second printing of the book from the publisher (and save $10):
https://hatandbeard.com/products/jun-fujita-behind-the-camera-by-graham-harrison-lee-002
Follow author Graham Lee on Instagram.
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Episode 820 - People Wasn't Made To Burn: The James Hickman Story
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An unbearable loss pushes one man past the breaking point, ending in murder. Listener discretion is advised.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Sundown Towns of Chicago with Ernest Crim III
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Here's a FROM THE ARCHIVES episode originally released on Feb 18, 2023.
Many towns in the Chicago area were established to be all-white, keeping out Blacks, Asians, Jews, Native Americans, and others, allowing minorities to work in those towns but not live there. Those individuals also needed to be gone by sundown.
Find all things Ernest Crim III at ernestcrim.com. Signed copies of Mr. Crim's book “The ABC’s of Affirming Black Children" can be found at https://www.ernestcrim.com/shop.
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Episode 819 - Frozen in Time: Chicago's Ten Coldest Days
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Chicago’s cold weather can be brutal, and it has been for more than 150 years since it started being tracked. Here are ten of Chicago's coldest days.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Chicago's Skid Row Flophouse Fires
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In the late 1940s and well into the 1950s, Chicago was plagued by fires that had one key thing in common – they took place at often unsafe, threadbare hotels, injuring and even killing those who were already down on their luck. This is the story of Chicago’s Skid Row Flophouse Fires.
Originally released in January 2022.
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Episode 818 - Chicago's Deadly December: The Crash and Conspiracies of United Flight 553
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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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Episode 817 - Chicago's Bloodshot Records with author Rob Miller
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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.”
www.robmillerwriting.com
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!
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Chicago's Mass Transit Decoy Squad of the 1970s plus EXTRAS
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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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Episode 816 - Ghosts of the City: Chicago's Unsolved Murders
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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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Episode 815 - Chicago's Ghoulish Past - Expanded and Re-Recorded
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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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Episode 814 - Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914, The
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Chicago has had its share of bizarre incidents resulting in death, including the Pain Fireworks Company Explosion of 1914.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Mysterious Death of Marshall Field Jr., The
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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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Episode 813 - Lincoln Park's Statues, Sculptures, and Oddities
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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.conniefairbanks.com/
or through this Amazon link:
https://amzn.to/3BzEPxt
Want...
Episode 812 - Chicago's Uptown Theater with author Robert Loerzel
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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, The: Chicago's Endangered Movie Palace by Robert Loerzel & James Pierce
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<...Episode 811 - One on Every Corner: Four Moon Tavern, Roscoe Village, and the Pencil Factory Strike with writer Leigh Giangreco
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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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Episode 810 - Chicago: The Loop & Beyond with photographer Nenad Spasojevic
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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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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Baby Face Nelson and The Battle of Barrington
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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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FROM THE ARCHIVES - Herrin Coal Massacre, The
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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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Episode 809 - Chicago's Fine Arts Building with author Keir Graff
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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
https://amzn.to/4kNSjud
Order a SIGNED COPY from Exile in Bookville (based in the Fine Arts Building).
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Episode 808 - The Rise and Fall of Chicago’s Brickyards
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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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Episode 807 - Chicago's Buckingham Fountain and Queen Elizabeth II's 1959 Visit
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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--bennett-collection-/chicago/grant-park
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Episode 806 - Don't Go with authors Tonika Lewis Johnson and Maria Krysan
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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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Don't Go; Stories of Segregation and How To Disrupt It by Tonika Lewis Johnson and M...
FROM THE ARCHIVES - Lincoln Park's High Bridge / Suicide Bridge
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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/
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Episode 805 - Five Pioneering Women of Chicago
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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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Reverend Addie Wyatt...
FROM THE ARCHIVES - Police Chief Francis O'Neill, Chicago's Savior of Irish Music
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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’Neill – Chicago’s Savior of Irish Music.
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Episode 804 - Chicago Crime: The Automatic Trio and the Car Barn Murders
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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 video games, three boys just out of their teens became robbers and worse in Chicago with brazen acts of thievery and wanton killings. Today we’re discussing the Automatic Trio and the Car Barn Murders.
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Episode 803 - Illinois' Underground Railroad
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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.
Network to Freedom Listings:
https://www.nps.gov/subjects/undergroundrailroad/ntf-listings.htm
Graceland Cemetery (Chicago) Underground Railroad Activists
https://www.gracelandcemetery.org/underground-railroad-activists/
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Episode 802 - Chicago Connections: The Jackson Five
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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 about the Jackson Five.
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Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story by J...
Episode 801 - Unchecked Graft: Chicago Mayor William "Big Bill" Thompson
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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 and is viewed as one of the most corrupt politicians this great city has ever seen.
Robert Loerzel's piece on Eugene Williams in the August 2019 Chicago Magazine:
https://www.chicagomag.com/city-life/August-2019/Searching-for-Eugene-Williams/
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Episode 725 - Chicago's Forgotten Towns, Neighborhoods, and Names, Part 2
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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 Cleaverville?
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Episode 724 - Chicago Mob Stories - The Handshake Murder of Dean O'Banion
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Episode 723 - Chicago Horror: The Grimes Sisters Murders
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Their killings stand out as one of Chicago's most infamous unsolved crimes. Today we’re discussing the Grimes Sisters Murders.
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