Jean Baptiste Point du Sable was a man without a home, a country, or a culture. He was an outsider everywhere he went. He simply wanted a chance to make a life […]
How a Man Without a Country Created a Quiet Place of Refuge
The Surprising Legacy of the Man Who Betrayed Al Capone
In the world of organized crime, there were few more respected and feared than Easy Eddie. His intellect, business savvy, and ruthlessness made him a natural for Chicago’s underworld crime syndicate. Anyone […]
The Cookbook That Was Recalled Because of an Explosive Recipe
When you hear about a product being recalled by the manufacturer, it typically is a device with a defective part, a toy that is a choking hazard, or food that has become […]
The First Driver to Exceed 100 km/h and His Freaky Prediction About His Death
It seems that every week brings reports of new advancements with electric vehicles. It’s easy to think electric cars are a new phenomenon, but they are nearly as old as the automobile, […]
Why Do Thousands of Mysterious Arrows Cover the USA?
You can be driving through what appears to be the middle of nowhere when you see it. With no explanation as to its presence in that place, you will find a massive […]
If You Enjoy Fresh Milk, Thank Al Capone
In the shady world of organized crime, no name struck greater freak and respect than that of Al Capone. The notorious Chicago mobster presided over an empire of bootleg alcohol, gambling, and […]
Relive the Wonder of the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair
In 1893, Chicago threw a big party in honor of the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the New World. It was a spectacular affair. For five months, people from all […]
The Armless Wonder Who Rose Above Her Circumstances
By just about every standard of society, no one should have heard about Kathryn M.R. Smith (1882-1967). Horribly disfigured at the hands of an abusive alcoholic father, the girl who went by […]
What is the Real Reason Chicago is Known as the “Windy City”?
A city’s nickname can be just as powerful of an identifier as its proper name. Mention “Sin City,” and people think of Las Vegas. If you talk about the “Big Apple,” people […]
How a Wobbly Chair Saved FDR’s Life
On February 15, 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was in Miami, Florida. Having just won the presidential election three months earlier, he was still 17 days away from being inaugurated as the 32nd […]
Des Moines: the City That Got Its Name from a Practical Joke
The city of Des Moines is a jewel in the middle of Iowa. With skyscrapers breaking up the monotony of the prairie horizon and the gold-domed Iowa State Capitol building reflecting the […]
Take to the Skies With These Fun Facts About Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport
Anyone who travels by airplane in the United States will inevitably travel through Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. Although millions pass through O’Hare every year, few take the time to contemplate some of […]
Proof that Being a Criminal Mastermind Isn’t a Genetic Trait
Most people have heard of Al Capone, the notorious mob boss who ran Chicago from his criminal headquarters during the waning years of Prohibition. Less well known is Capone’s eldest brother, James, […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 