Chicago History & Nostalgia

A close-up, authentic shot of a Chicago-style hot dog served in a white paper boat, featuring a poppy seed bun loaded with yellow mustard, neon green sweet relish, sport peppers, chopped onions, sliced tomatoes, and a dill pickle spear.

The Real Reason Chicago Banned Ketchup on Hot Dogs

Why is ketchup on a Chicago hot dog an unforgivable sin? Discover the gritty 1929 history, the ballpark fly trap theory, and the city’s ruthless food rule.

A humorous, photoshopped image of a giant Jeppson's Malört bottle towering over the downtown Chicago skyline next to the Willis Tower.

The Bizarre History of Jeppson’s Malört in Chicago

by Struan Hogg

Prohibition cops let Carl Jeppson sell his liquor because it tasted too bad to be illegal. Uncover the bizarre history of Chicago’s infamous Malört.

A hand lifting a gooey center square of tavern-style cheese pizza off a wooden board, creating a long cheese pull. A lit candle, a ceramic Halloween pumpkin, and a cozy plaid blanket are visible in the background.

Why Real Chicagoans Only Eat Square-Cut Pizza

by Struan Hogg

Deep-dish is a tourist trap. Discover the real history of Chicago’s tavern-style pizza—a cracker-thin, square-cut bar trick invented to sell more beer.

An illustration of a massive whirlpool spinning in the Chicago River next to the wooden pilings of the Kinzie Street Bridge, representing the 1992 underground flood.

How a Secret Tunnel Flooded the Entire Chicago Loop

by Struan Hogg

In 1992, a 12-inch mistake punctured a secret underground railroad, sending 250 million gallons of the Chicago River into the Loop.

A brown historical marker titled Hidden Truths stands in the foreground, with the massive 1858 stone Couch Tomb and its black iron fence visible among the trees in Chicago's Lincoln Park.

The 50-Ton 1858 Tomb Hiding in Lincoln Park

by Struan Hogg

Thousands of Chicago joggers pass this 50-ton 1858 crypt every day. Uncover the bizarre legal loophole that left a lone millionaire’s tomb standing in Lincoln Park.

An AI-generated conceptual illustration of a bridge over the Chicago River, representing the area where the 2004 Dave Matthews Band tour bus incident occurred.

The Day Dave Matthews Band Dumped on Chicago Tourists

by Struan Hogg

In 2004, a Dave Matthews Band tour bus dumped 800 pounds of septic waste onto a packed Chicago river cruise. Read the unbelievable true story of the disaster.

The massive German U-505 submarine displayed outdoors on the lawn of the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, featuring a vintage 1950s car parked nearby to show the warship's immense scale.

The Haunted WWII Submarine Hidden In Chicago

by Struan Hogg

Deep beneath Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry sits the U-505. Discover the haunted history and dark WWII secrets of this 251-foot submarine.

The Secret Cow Path Hidden in Chicago’s Loop

by Struan Hogg

There is a 22-story skyscraper in the middle of downtown Chicago that is legally required to let cows walk through … Read more

15 Iconic Chicago Skyscrapers and the Wild Stories Behind Them (One Marble Mistake Cost $80 Million to Repair)

by Struan Hogg

The wild stories behind 15 iconic Chicago skyscrapers, from a faceless rooftop goddess to sloshing water tanks to an $80M marble blunder you walk past all the time.

12 Jaw-Dropping Scandals That Shocked Chicago

by Struan Hogg

From a $1B parking meter disaster to the Dave Matthews Band incident, discover the 12 most jaw-dropping historical and modern scandals that shocked Chicago.