Seasons & Episodes
The Great Chicago Fire
On October 10, 1871, Chicago awoke to an unrecognizable landscape: where 48 hours earlier there had been a vibrant city,
Ida B. Wells
There are few Chicago historical figures whose life and work speak to the current moment more than Ida B. Wells, the 19t
Inventing Improv
Chicago’s greatest cultural export just might be improvised theater, which was born at Jane Addams’ Hull House durin
Jane Byrne
As a woman once again occupies the fifth floor of City Hall, Chicago Stories remembers the city’s first female mayor.
Downtown Disasters
Two very different disasters occurred in the heart of Chicago’s Loop 90 years apart. First, the deadliest building fir
The Real Mad Men of Chicago
The real Mad Men of Chicago became leaders of the advertising world, creating iconic figures like the Marlboro Man, Char
The Union Stockyards
At the end of the 19th century, Chicago completely transformed the way Americans eat, and the Union Stockyards on the So
Our Soldiers, Our Lady of Guadalupe
This is the story of pride and heartbreak in a close-knit South Side community. Our Lady of Guadalupe, Chicago’s first
The Birth of Gospel
Tracing the birth and growth of gospel music in Chicago in the 1930s. Thomas A. Dorsey, "The Father of Gospel", wrote on
Angels Too Soon: The School Fire of ’58
On December 1, 1958, a devastating fire swept through Our Lady of the Angels school in Chicago's Humboldt Park neighborh
The Race to Reverse the River
From the city’s earliest days, Chicago residents and businesses alike dumped their waste directly into the Chicago Riv
Pullman and the Railroad Rebellion
In 1864, the powerful industrialist and engineer George Pullman brought luxury to overnight train travel with his revolu
The Boss and the Bulldozer
Longtime Chicago mayor Richard J. “Boss” Daley had a lofty vision for Chicago’s downtown, and didn’t let anythin
Jane Addams: Together We Rise
Jane Addams, born into wealth and privilege, had been intrigued by social reform since a visit to a settlement house in
Candy Capital
Brach. Mars. Wrigley. These are just a few of the candy companies that have called Chicago home. At the time of the 1893
The Outrage of Danny Sotomayor
Danny Sotomayor was a man on a mission. The fiery openly gay AIDS activist, political cartoonist, and organizer took to
The Rise and Fall of the Mail Order Giants
In an age before online commerce and Amazon, the catalog was king – and two Chicago mail order giants were responsible
Deadly Alliance: Leopold and Loeb
In 1924, after several months of meticulous planning, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old
The Black Sox Scandal
It's the most notorious scandal in baseball history. Eight Chicago White Sox players are charged with throwing 1919's Wo
Amusment Parks
Dive into the history of Chicago’s amusement parks and the role the city played in shaping the amusement industry. Exp
The Young Lords of Lincoln Park
Before Lincoln Park was known for its multimillion-dollar homes, the neighborhood was the beating heart of Chicago’s P
The Making of Playboy
Playboy, a brand now synonymous with sex, was launched by Hugh Hefner in the 1950s in Chicago. Hefner bought the iconic
When the West Side Burned
In the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, chaos erupted on Chicago’s West Side. Grief turned int
Al Capone's Bloody Business
During Prohibition in Chicago, infamous mobster Al Capone built his empire. His gang became sprawling criminal empire, o
House Music: A Cultural Revolution
Explore the origins of house music, which began in Chicago’s underground party scene as a safe space for gay people an
Legendary Blizzards
It takes a lot to stop the city of Chicago. But two deadly blizzards in 1967 and 1979 did just that.
Inside the Tylenol Murders
One of the most infamous crimes in American history: seven Chicagoans died after taking Tylenol.
Rod Blagojevich
Trace the political rise and fall of Rod Blagojevich – the Chicagoan known as "Blago."
Iconic Foods
Explore how Chicago has become one of the world’s great food cities.
Marshal Field's
Discover the rise and fall of the legendary department store Marshall Field’s.
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