Reflections on the Chicago Rat Hole, One Year Later
The man who drew attention to a rodent-shaped crevice in a Roscoe Village sidewalk looks back at the whimsy and woe it generated.
Custom Placements: City Life Lead
Our Most Popular Stories of 2024
In the last year, readers couldn’t get enough of our food-centric packages, the story of a suburb’s dark secret, and the careful craftsmanship behind knives and ramen.
Why Do So Many Street Names on the Northwest and West Sides Begin With K, L, M, N, O, and P?
Edward P. Brennan, the father of the city’s grid numbering system, had another clever idea for keeping street names straight.
Photo Gallery: 2024 Chicagoans of the Year Celebration
On Monday, Chicago feted its 2024 Chicagoans of the Year at the Dalcy in the Fulton Market District. The event — sponsored by AARP Chicago, the Dalcy, and Casamigos — was MC’ed by Bill Kurtis, the journalist, television producer, narrator, and news anchor (and judge and scorekeeper for NPR’s Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me!). Honorees Matt DeMatteo, Christy George, and … Read more
Why Does the City’s Border Extend North of Howard Street in Rogers Park?
When Rogers Park was annexed to Chicago, in 1893, Howard Street became the city’s boundary with Evanston. The little 80-acre neighborhood just north of Howard along the lake was known as Germania, after the German immigrants who had settled there. But Germania had a problem. It was cut off from the rest of Evanston by … Read more
Game of Zones
Chicago desperately needs more housing. But when it comes to building apartments, the city is its own worst enemy.
The Monkey Retirement Home
In rural Indiana, a former Chicago zookeeper runs a sanctuary for rescued primates.
Bob Sirott
The WGN radio host, 75, on his TV news stints, social awkwardness, and love of root beer floats
The “Weird Beauty” of the North Side’s Queer Nightlife
Photographer Erik M. Kommer captures the unbridled joy of drag queens and club kids at the venues they love.