About this season
An original documentary series from Chicago PBS affiliate WTTW uncovering the city’s fascinating history. Each story presents an entertaining and intriguing tale about a person or event that shaped Chicago. The series reflects the rich diversity and breadth of human experience that shaped this great American city.
Episodes (8)
1. Deadly Alliance: Leopold and Loeb
Aired 20 September 2024 • 56 min
In 1924, after several months of meticulous planning, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb kidnapped and murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks for the thrill of committing a "perfect crime."
2. The Black Sox Scandal
Aired 27 September 2024 • 54 min
It's the most notorious scandal in baseball history. Eight Chicago White Sox players are charged with throwing 1919's World Series--ruining the reputations and careers of some of the game's greatest players and breaking a nation's heart.
3. Amusment Parks
Aired 4 October 2024 • 56 min
Dive into the history of Chicago’s amusement parks and the role the city played in shaping the amusement industry. Explore Riverview Park, Ravinia, Santa’s Village, Kiddieland, and more
4. The Young Lords of Lincoln Park
Aired 11 October 2024 • 55 min
Before Lincoln Park was known for its multimillion-dollar homes, the neighborhood was the beating heart of Chicago’s Puerto Rican community, and the base of operations for a band of Puerto Rican revolutionaries known as the Young Lords.
5. The Making of Playboy
Aired 18 October 2024 • 57 min
Playboy, a brand now synonymous with sex, was launched by Hugh Hefner in the 1950s in Chicago. Hefner bought the iconic Playboy mansion in Chicago’s Gold Coast where his raucous parties became the stuff of legend. He also opened the first of 30 Playboy clubs in Chicago, outfitting cocktail waitresses in heels and bunny tails.
6. When the West Side Burned
Aired 25 October 2024 • 57 min
In the wake of the assassination of Martin Luther King in 1968, chaos erupted on Chicago’s West Side. Grief turned into anger as protests, riots, looting, and fires consumed some neighborhoods. Audio-narrated descriptions of key visual elements are available.
7. Al Capone's Bloody Business
Aired 1 November 2024 • 56 min
During Prohibition in Chicago, infamous mobster Al Capone built his empire. His gang became sprawling criminal empire, often embattled in bloody conflicts that would cement Capone as one of America’s most notorious gangsters.
8. House Music: A Cultural Revolution
Aired 8 November 2024 • 52 min
Explore the origins of house music, which began in Chicago’s underground party scene as a safe space for gay people and people of color.