Curious City

577
Arts #151

Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.

Recent Episodes
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Recent Reviews
  • Disappointed on the NW side
    Barbie & Ken ride a snow plow
    I have to admit this show runs hot and cold. Either the topic is great or it’s kinda stupid. But the Snow Plow driver show was a new category. It was like listening to two high schoolers in a media class. I didn’t even get the whole way thru. “Gee whiz! That snow sure can get cold and you didn’t even wear gloves. Thee hee hee.”
  • CubanMuse
    Highly recommended!
    I appreciate all the good work you put in to make an awesome podcast, it helps people like me to learn more about history, urban legends, and historical events/places. 🇨🇺🇺🇸
  • eb ramírez
    Informative
    Love learning something new
  • spiritual reminders
    Love the show
    I've been to the Baha'i Temple a number of times. Loved hearing the backstory. Love so many of the shows. So fun to learn more about the city I live in. Thanks!!! Love, Tom
  • handsomepete78
    Informative
    I wish some of the episodes were a bit longer and would go further in-depth
  • chireader1234
    Police accountability and the election
    Thank you for this episode about the history and inner workings of the city boards/councils as they relate to police accountability. I was caught off guard learning we are voting on council members but this put everything in perspective—including the magnitude of the mayoral election in Chicago.
  • CR Barrett
    Interesting Stories
    I grew up in Chicago in the 1950s and 60s. I love Chicago history and you bring it to life in just a few minutes. The story of Dunning hit home. I took psychiatric nursing there in 1966. My father's aunt was a patient there until it closed and she was placed in a nursing home. Thanks for telling the stories that would be forgotten.
  • ETHS 73
    Member of Chicago diaspora
    Great stories about the real Chicago-merci
  • da real savannah
    Tennessee listener
    I never heard this podcast before and I thought about giving it a try because I’m going to Chicago one day when I grow up. Savannah grace Birchfield, 16 years old. I was born in Pensacola, Florida on October 12, 2005.
  • REZNIL JANNERY
    Wonderful
    Always interesting and well presented. TYVM
  • chicagoanlistener
    See a sinus doctor please!
    Lisa lutten, sorry for my insensitive remarks but enough is enough! please blow your nose, get a hold of Flonase or nasocort or see an ENT for that horrible stuffed up nose! Please!
  • fredo mac
    Informative But Irritating
    I love discovering information about Chicago—the unique history, the stories behind local traditions, trends and how they started, etc, but the hosts are extremely irritating. So much so that I think about unfollowing every time I listen, and I would I I could find something similar. The hosts are simultaneously condescending, , pseudo-intellectual, elitist, and insulting. It’s like listening to your 12-year old tell you how ignorant you are. I suppose that is to be expected, considering the producers. I would explain, but I don’t need to. A few listens will demonstrate. The recent Halloween episode describing a suburban haunted road myth is a good example.
  • Lauren92lofggbvvgh
    Great info about our great city!
    I love the stories this pod covers and shares with its audience! I do wish there were fewer repeated stories and fewer corporate sponsors/ads, but it's overall good info that I keep coming back for.
  • georgiebea23
    Soothes my homesickness
    Helps me feel connected to Chicago even when I’m not there anymore
  • funkman2000
    Where’s the history?
    Used to be more episodes on Chicago history, it’s a lot more current issues being discussed these days
  • Merrimack-Kid
    Missing episodes
    Where is the episode about the city expansion and the “gulping” up of neighborhoods? Where is the episode focusing on either Blue Island, Oak Park, or Evanston and why they choose not to join the city?
  • SoMuchAwesome
    Good Stuff
    Anytime someone asks me for a podcast recommendation, I recommend this one.
  • Lady_Shakespeare
    Chicago Enthusiasts, Tune In!
    Or if you just like history and human interest stories! Every episode of this podcast has a fun or interesting story about Chicago, its geography, its people, its history, etc. I love to learn about the great city in which I live, and there are a huge range of topics covered, so I’m always getting something new. Really love it and I recommend it to my friends!
  • Steverino 34
    TN listener
    I live in Tennessee and enjoy listening to this podcast. I get to learn so much history and random facts about the great city of Chicago.
  • Mr.Gal
    Great city specific podcast for infrastructure nerds
    This is a great podcast for anybody who’s ever lived in, or loved Chicago. And a lot of the stories will be interesting to folks who don’t have a deep link to Chicago, because they talk about the hidden side of things that are common to all cities. Infrastructure nerds from everywhere will love a lot of the episodes about how a city functions.
  • Sir Geometric
    Terrible music production
    That song that starts of “I was born on the south side”, is the worst 10 second snippet of production I have ever heard. It’s embarrassing.
  • Smackjacks
    So In Love
    I’ve almost finished bingeing all the episodes since I’ve discovered the show. It’s just more proof that Chicago is the best big city & the research is amazingly well thought out
  • RaquelTorre
    Ida B Well episode is amazing
    THAT IDA B WELLS EPISODE WAS EVERYTHING! But the Ending was my favorite. Y’all should do those little bonuses all the time. The host was the bomb!
  • FriendlyNeighborhoodSpiderPig
    A Guide Of Chicago For Chicagoans
    I have lived by and eaten at a Nicky's for most of my life and without this show I don't think I ever would have truly appreciated the history and the story behind the place. In a time where the idea of neighborhoods and local oral history is eroding, this podcast helps fill that void by telling stories of places we take for granted and helping us find places we never would have known about.
  • Mark. Galassini
    Great!
    How about, the hardest ticket to get in Chicago... Bozo a ten year waiting list. Ray Rayner, Dirty Dragon show... Future subjects to do??!!! Thank you
  • Tiddly Wink
    Keep up the good work!
    I am passionate about my beloved city’s cultural history and I love that this podcast is too!
  • Rachael from Oregon
    Curious ➡️ Informed
    I’ve been living in East Lakeview in Chicago for a year and a half now as a grad student at Northwestern. I’m a transplant from the Pacific Northwest and know next to nothing about the Midwest let alone Chicago. I’ve particularly enjoyed learning about what the heck an “Alderman” is and what they do, the corrupted origin of the lead in our water and that that is why water fountains in public parks run constantly, and that there are coyotes in the city 😮. Thanks WBEZ!
  • chipsahoy10
    Love it!
    The podcast is all about Chicago (the city that I live in). I love that they talk about all of the topics possible and the CTA noise.
  • Irving679
    Good stories but many glitches
    These questions are super interesting and the answers are well-researched. Unfortunately there are often technical glitches, e.g. this weeks episode on the civil war was cut off in the middle, and some episodes from the archive have played nothing at all.
  • Plodder5462
    Weird, obscure and usually great
    This is a podcast for true Chicagoans who have curiosity about things they see or hear every day. Myths are debunked. The Half Day Road episode was particularly great at this. History is revealed. Not every episode hits the bullseye but most do. Love it.
  • HappyAtWork
    If she says KAHN-shaws, one more time, I’m gonna lose it
    As a Mexican American, that makes up per of the 30% Latino population of Chicago, I am amazed that you couldn’t find one voice working on curious city that could at least advice you to say something so ubiquitous as ‘Conchas’. I am a fan of many national radio shows and I wanted something more local, as a producer of a local radio station; wanted to see my what else is out there. And the lack of diversity speaks for itself.
  • Andysupe
    Great!
    Essential listening for curious Chicagoans
  • Pizgurl
    Love it!
    So glad I discovered this podcast! Every episode I've listened to so far has been really interesting. I've enjoyed the topics and all of the interviews with Chicagoans. Keep 'em comin!
  • Ktmmcc24
    Makes me miss Chicago!
    5 stars for the 4 Star City!
  • Fish de Schaumburg
    A podcast for natives of Chicago
    If you live in Chicago then you must listen. And enjoy. Maybe connect dots you didn't before. I love it and learn something new every episode. In my opinion. Thank you.
  • Jenna and Bunny
    No Need to Live in Chicago to Enjoy
    I do not live in or anywhere near Chicago and this podcast is awesome. The information is fascinating and well presented and while definitely centers around Chicago, there's a lot of topics that are more broadly applicable in understanding America and the history of our cities. Either way, it's one of my favorites to listen to. Check it out.
  • Edwardsarah
    So informative!
    Such great questions answered and so helpful to learning more about Chicago!
  • ACE161989
    A MUST listen for any Chicagoan
    If you're a Chicagoan, love Chicago, or like random tidbits of history this podcast is for you! Thank you WBEZ for producing this show!
  • mjdpu
    Great for Chicagoans
    Such interesting stories!
  • Kalebbn
    New
    I'm new to the city and this is a perfect way to get to know the area and its history!
  • ReallyGoodAppReviewer
    Can't listen?
    For some reason, I'm getting an error when I try to listen or download an episode. I can listen to other WBEZ podcasts, so not sure what's up...
  • Cabira
    Cute and quick chicago stories
    Makes me nostalgic for living in Chicago. Short and interesting stories and what goes on beneath the surface in Chicago.
  • Dcholew
    Real Deal
    You have to love hometown history. Particularly when it is filled with those factoids that makes you seem smart around out of town guests. Keep up the great work.
  • betelgeuse29
    Excellent podcast!
    Just moved to Chicago after having lived in the suburbs my whole life. There's a ton I didn't know about the city, and I'm thankful for this informative and interesting podcast to provide me with great episodes about Chicago!
  • simone53
    new favorite podcast
    Discovered this gem early this morning and have now binge-listened to months of episodes, each one a delight! For someone who is new to Chicago, it’s the perfect mix of history and contemporary stories about all those questions we wonder about, but often don’t have the time or resources to get answered. So fun.
  • R3miel7
    Love it
    As a Chicagoan, this is amazing! I can't wait to listen to all the episodes
  • NCHoya
    Just Moved to Chicago
    I found Curious City shortly after my family decided that we were moving to Chicago, and now I’ve listened to every episode all the way back to the beginning. Everything is more interesting when you know more about it; WBEZ does a great job of bringing some of the richness and depth of this great city to life. Thanks!
  • NinjaRori
    Well Produced
    I'm not from Chicago, but I love to visit. It's my favorite american big city and I enjoy learning about it.
  • dancingbear317
    A must for Chicagoans
    Love this podcast! I'll be submitting my question soon!
  • JeffWagg
    Great for new Chicagoans
    I moved to the big city with a little bit of fear and a lot of questions. Curious City helps with both. It’s a good day when a new episode is released.
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