What’s With All the K, L, M, N, O, P Street Names? Answered by Edward McClelland Edward P. Brennan, the father of the city’s grid numbering system, had another clever idea for keeping street names straight. Read more
Why the City Extends North of Howard in One Spot Answered by Edward McClelland We can thank a little-remembered event: the annexation of Germania. Read more
The Origins of “We Don’t Want Nobody Nobody Sent” Answered by Edward McClelland Once upon a time, it was nearly impossible break into Chicago’s machine politics. Read more
What’s Chicago’s Oldest Bar? Answered by Edward McClelland We'll give you a hint: This spot remained open as a soda fountain during Prohibition, but it was actually a speakeasy whose owners distilled gin in bathtubs upstairs. Read more
How Did the Bears Get Their Name? Answered by Edward McClelland They were once the Chicago Staleys (imagine that logo). Read more
The Chicago Origins of “Smoke-Filled Room” Answered by Edward McClelland A report of how Warren G. Harding became the Republicans’ nominee became shorthand for insider politics. Read more
Why Does Chicago’s Flag Have Six-Pointed Stars? Answered by Edward McClelland You see them on tattoos, dog collars, and elsewhere — but why do those red stars have six points? Read more
The Story Behind Chicago’s First Murder Answered by Edward Robert McClelland The perpetrator of Chicago’s first (documented) homicide was not punished; in fact, he has a street named after him. Read more
Why Isn’t Mount Greenwood Cemetery Part of Chicago? Answered by Edward Robert McClelland The cemetery’s ‘residents’ won't exactly take advantage of what taxes pay for. Read more
Why Do Chicagoans Say “Jewels” Instead of “Jewel”? Answered by Edward Robert McClelland Old habits die hard. Read more
