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Artwork for Curious City

Curious City

WBEZ Chicago
Chicago
Black Cinema
The Railroad Porter
Black History Month
William D. Foster
Snow Plow Drivers
Oscar Micheaux
Rats
Department Of Streets and Sanitation
Black Exploitation Films
Herb Jeffries
Graffiti
Art
Street Art
Addiction
Birds
The Walnut Room
Blizzard Of 1967
Silent Film Era
American Negro Exposition

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

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes637Founded13 years ago
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ArtsEducation

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Artwork for Curious City

Latest Episodes

Chicago — like so many other frigid American cities — can’t seem to kick its dependence on road salt. In our last episode, we learned how winter weather on both ends of the thermometer can impact the local economy. Some businesses come out on top dur... more

Each Chicago winter’s wintery-ness has big implications for your sanity and your wallet. That led one Curious City listener to ask us if mild winters have a noticeable effect on the local economy.

For decades, the FBI was a man’s world. Anybody else was just living in it, especially the administrative staff. In the last episode, we learned how the bureau recruited high school girls for clerical work during the 1940s. But for decades women were... more

For a few decades starting in the 1940s, the FBI recruited high school girls for clerical work. A Chicago Catholic school was a go-to spot to make new hires.

Key Facts

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Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Gayle Wald
Professor of American Studies at George Washington University and author of 'This Is Rhythm, Ella Jenkins, Children's Music and the Long Civil Rights Movement'.
George Washington University
Episode: How Ella Jenkins’ Chicago childhood shaped her iconic children’s music
Elizabeth Ty Breland
Associate professor of history at the University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago
Episode: What's the first Chicago public school named in honor of a Black person?
Zuleika Benides
Artist of the mural at Berlin nightclub
Episode: What’s the story behind Berlin nightclub’s huge mural?
Monte Beauchamp
Award-winning art director, illustrator and graphic designer
Krampus expert
Episode: Krampus is coming: The Christmas demon’s Chicago connection
Anton Seals, Jr.
Co-founder and lead steward of Grow Greater Englewood.
Grow Greater Englewood
Episode: How one organization is transforming Englewood’s vacant lots
Kim Kelleher
Assistant manager at Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital
Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital
Episode: Does your iguana need x-rays? A local exotic animal hospital can help
Lamor Gatineo
Practice manager at Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital
Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital
Episode: Does your iguana need x-rays? A local exotic animal hospital can help
John Ginley
Professional pilot and FAA-designated pilot examiner
Self-employed
Episode: Two-and-a-half minutes: Pilot John Ginley’s dance with disaster
Cedric X. Cow
A former student of Dr. Margaret Burroughs
Episode: The unsung legacy of Margaret Burroughs: ‘We called her mama’

Host

Erin Allen
Host of a show exploring various aspects of Chicago's culture and history, often inviting community questions and contributions.

Reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars from 776 ratings
  • What about now?

    The city is currently having its citizens kidnapped en mass. ANY Chicago-centric show should be featuring this!

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Bedpost#4
    United States5 months ago
  • Can do better

    Show has interesting topics but averaging 7 minutes a show, 2 and a half of which are ads or plugs for other shows, not really worth my time.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    Klauski57
    United Statesa year ago
  • Curiously Void of Information

    Overall, it’s been enjoyable listening to the various aspects of this wonderful city, however the show lacks so much detail now!

    The shorter episodes, and in particular this last one on traffic are a complete waste of time.

    Never did the episode go into the history of Chicago traffic or highway systems, touched on the backstory of the application and its development, or really explained how it works.

    It fell short in so many ways- there was a depth of info that could have been useful and qui... more

    Apple Podcasts
    4
    Bluefinkillie
    United Statesa year ago
  • Interesting Episodes

    I love how these short episodes delve into an aspect of Chicago history/culture!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    BCguy94
    United Statesa year ago
  • Quick n easy n fun Chicago tidbits.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    estellax
    a year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Listeners appreciate the unique focus on Chicago's history and culture, often noting the engaging storytelling and community aspects of the content.
Some critiques mention the brevity of episodes, suggesting that deeper dives into topics would enhance the experience.
Overall, the podcast is regarded as a valuable resource for both locals and those interested in learning more about Chicago's diverse narratives.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

No cars, no road salt: How one Midwestern community avoids salt all winter
Q: How are packages delivered? Is it the horse and buggy situation as well?
Supplies are delivered via a journey involving freight boats and then transported on large wagons pulled by horses.
No cars, no road salt: How one Midwestern community avoids salt all winter
Q: How do you get there again?
Usually you take a ferry, but in winter when the water freezes, you book a flight over Lake Huron.
When is it no longer ‘cooler by the lake’?
Q: So is lake effect snow more toward the southeast?
Yes, lake effect snow tends to hit Northwest Indiana and Michigan harder than Chicago because the conditions for it, such as cold air hitting the relatively warmer lake, favor those regions.
Two-and-a-half minutes: Pilot John Ginley’s dance with disaster
Q: What do you remember doing and thinking once you got safely on the ground?
John remembers an awesome Chicago police officer helped manage traffic and ensured their safety immediately after landing.
‘Friendship set to music’: Curious City goes square dancing on the South Side
Q: Do you have to sing as a caller?
Yes, it is part of being a caller even though not all callers sing.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Curious City

What is Curious City about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This podcast offers a unique exploration of Chicago, focusing on various aspects of the city's culture, history, and landscape. With episodes covering topics ranging from the experiences of women in the FBI to the quirky traditions that shape the city, the content often highlights underrepresented stories and encourages community engagement. By inviting listeners to submit questions about Chicago, the podcast not only provides answers but fosters a sense of connection among residents. The discussions tend to mix personal narratives with historical context, making the content relatable and informative while preserving a strong focus on Chicago's identity.

Where can I find podcast stats for Curious City?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Curious City. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Curious City and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Curious City get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Curious City, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Curious City?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Curious City, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Curious City have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Curious City has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Curious City?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Curious City:

1. This American Life
2. Decoder Ring
3. Throughline
4. Radiolab
5. Reveal

How many episodes of Curious City are there?

Curious City launched 13 years ago and published 637 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Curious City?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Curious City?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Curious City from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Curious City?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Curious City. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Curious City?

Recent guests on Curious City include:

1. Gayle Wald
2. Elizabeth Ty Breland
3. Zuleika Benides
4. Monte Beauchamp
5. Anton Seals, Jr.
6. Kim Kelleher
7. Lamor Gatineo
8. John Ginley

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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