Gurnee, IL Arts & Culture and More

publisher · 6.0K followers

Church on Harlem goes back to Harlem

In 1890, when the United States had 42 states and Benjamin Harrison was President, the German Baptist Church was formed (now Forest Park Baptist) after breaking from the First Baptist Church of Chicago. A newspaper clipping from 1904 states, “The work of German Baptists dates back to the early seventies, at which time several members located in Oak Park and Harlem erected a small edifice at the corner of Franklin Street and Marengo Avenue which afterwards sold and was from that time used as a Mission Sunday School.”

Oak Park, IL · 3d

WBEZ

Patti LaBelle on staying ‘spontaneous’ and living her best life at age 82

In her 1991 TV special “Going Home to Gospel,” Patti LaBelle’s soprano voice fills the sanctuary of Quinn Chapel AME Church as she celebrates a long list of Chicago legends. She performs a rousing rendition of “Who’s on the Lord’s Side” with an exuberant Ricky Dillard, who...

publisher · 12.7K followers

WTTW - Chicago PBS

Caroling, Trees and the Christkindlmarket — Celebrate the Holidays With These Classic Chicago Traditions

From a mug of hot glühwein at the Christkindlmarket to a trip to the Walnut Room’s Great Tree, there are some Chicago activities that have become iconic holiday traditions. Read on for opportunities to shop, snack, carol and ride holiday trains. Christkindlmarket. The beloved German-style market is returning...

rockdocumented.com

publisher · 2.7K followers

Jim Peterik was born on November 11, 1950

Jim Peterik was born on November 11, 1950, in Berwyn, Illinois. He became the singer and guitarist behind The Ides of March’s “Vehicle,” then helped establish Survivor as a keyboardist and songwriter. His collaboration with Frankie Sullivan on “Eye of the Tiger,” written for the 1982 film Rocky III, connected those songwriting skills to a very specific challenge: giving a boxer’s comeback its musical pulse.

Berwyn, IL · 3d

Hyde Park Herald

Hyde Park Stories: Jackson Park History Part II

A brief look at the eras of Jackson Park History and what they left behind. Part I covered the creation of Jackson Park as part of the South Park Commission (SPC), a taxation district run by a board of wealthy individuals appointed by the governor of Illinois but subject to voter referendums. Part II covers the Chicago Park District era.

Chicago, IL · 4d

WGN News

partner publisher · 99.3K followers

At Your Service: Gary Sinise talks about family’s military history and shares late son Mac’s music

At Your Service highlights Chicagoland's hometown heroes — both active and retired veterans — along with the latest military news and developments.

partner publisher · 14.7K followers

History Snob

Chicago Couldn't Move The Bean, but It Once Lifted an Entire City Block

Chicago has never been a city that shies away from unusual ideas, but its latest attempt to move a major landmark didn't exactly go according to plan. On November 8, 2026, hundreds of people gathered in Millennium Park to push the city's famous Bean sculpture seven inches to the left. Despite their enthusiasm, the 110-ton stainless steel structure didn't budge. The event was inspired by an internet conspiracy theory claiming someone was trapped inside the sculpture, but it also brought attention to a fascinating piece of Chicago history. More than 160 years earlier, engineers successfully lifted an entire row of enormous buildings several feet into the air. Unlike the recent gathering, this extraordinary undertaking wasn't a joke, and it actually worked. Why Chicago Once Needed to Raise Its Buildings During the mid-1800s, Chicago had a serious problem with its geography, particularly the swampy land on which much of the city stood. Its streets frequently turned into muddy disasters whenever it rained, making even ordinary transportation surprisingly difficult. Some roads became so waterlogged that horse-drawn wagons could barely navigate them, creating constant headaches for residents and businesses. Unfortunately, the muddy streets were only part of the problem, as the city's relatively

publisher · 6.0K followers

WBEZ

From Irish pub to Chicago blues hub: What happened to Biddy Mulligan’s?

In Rogers Park, a block from the lake, weeds are growing in front of a shuttered Irish pub. A sign above the door reads Mulligan’s Cafe, but a marquee above that identifies this closed business by another name: Biddy Mulligan’s. This unassuming storefront was once a hot spot for blues fans on Chicago’s North Side in the 1970s and 1980s.

partner publisher · 99.3K followers

WGN News

Chicago Architecture Club unveils vision to revive State Street

It's been honored in song, but "State Street, that great street" is far from it's glory days, and the Chicago Architecture Club is now sharing ideas for how to revive its fortunes.

pymnts.com

Richard Posner, Pioneer of Law and Economics, Dies

Richard A. Posner, the influential federal appeals court judge and legal scholar whose application of economic theory to the law transformed American jurisprudence, died Tuesday at age 87, according to the University of Chicago Law School. Posner, who served for 36 years on the US Court of Appeals for the...

partner publisher · 102.2K followers

Prime Timer

Chicago Fire season 15 episode 6 recap: The probies find new homes as Violet receives unexpected news

A still from the episode (Image via Instagram/@nbconechicago) Life at Firehouse 51 rarely slows down, but Chicago Fire season 15 episode 6 ("Over the Edge") shifts the spotlight from roaring blazes to tough career transitions. Following the emotional 300th milestone, the episode largely focuses on where candidates Marcus Burke, Hollis, and Jansen will land next, according to IMDb. As permanent positions aren’t plentiful across the Chicago Fire Department, Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide are trying to keep their recruits off of the floater pool. Meanwhile, paramedic Violet Mikami got life-changi...

partner publisher · 102.2K followers

Prime Timer

Chicago Med season 12 episode 6 recap: Ripley and Asher challenge Sloan as Gaffney faces a crisis

Chicago Med (Image Via Instagram/@nbcchicagomed) Chicago Med season 12 episode 6, titled Lessons in Chemistry, tests the hospital's moral compass while packing heart-wrenching moments for a few characters. The episode premiered on November 11, 2026. Dr. Caitlin Lenox (Sarah Ramos) returns after settling down with Dr. Mitch Ripley (Luke Mitchell), but romance isn't the only thing on her mind. Dr. Hannah Asher (Jessy Schram), meanwhile, aims to keep a patient and her pregnancy safe when she begins to deteriorate, a decision that causes friction with Gaffney's dictatorial policies. Dr. Daniel Cha...

chicagoonthecheap.com

Illuminate 900 Shops Holiday Event

Chicago’s tallest holiday tree will be the center of the 10th annual Illuminate 900 tree-lighting event, benefiting the Make-A-Wish Foundation on November 19, 2026, at the 900 N. Michigan Shops in the Gold Coast neighborhood. Get ready for the ultimate holiday extravaganza with music, performances, food, crafts and of...

partner publisher · 5.3K followers

Axios Chicago

Alley cafes and plants in the Pedway: 3 ideas to transform Chicago's State Street

From more green space to interactive installations, three winning proposals reimagine what could make Chicago's State Street "that great street" once again. Why it matters: The plans could help breathe new life into a part of the Loop that was once a retail, cultural and social attraction. Driving the news: The Chicago Architectural Club, World Business Chicago and other civic organizations on Wednesday announced the winners of this year's Burnham Prize . Context: In April, the groups called for ideas for "The Future of State" — ways to make State Street a vibrant, inviting and modern urban center. Zoom in: The three winning projects take different approaches to best utilize what already exists along State Street, as well as what new infrastructure is needed. Thickness: From Corridor to Urban Field focuses on the spaces between the buildings. It would turn parking lots into green space, alleys and the Pedway into spots to meet and drink and build elevated walkways to move through the Loop. Unlocking State Street centers on the Chicago Federal Center block, a Mies van der Rohe-designed complex surrounded by Dearborn, Clark and Adams Streets and Jackson Boulevard. The plan would move the security barriers that exist around

partner publisher · 193.4K followers

ABC 7 Chicago

Cook County Sheriff's Office transforms prison transport bus into mobile library for children

A former prisoner transport bus has been transformed into a mobile library, bringing thousands of books to children in Cook County communities with limited access to reading resources.

Cook County, IL · 3d

irm.org

IRM Acquires Train of CB&Q Gallery Cars

The Illinois Railway Museum has acquired a second complete and operational train of bi-level “gallery cars.” The three stainless-steel Chicago Burlington & Quincy cars, including two coaches and a cab car, arrived at the Museum on November 11, 2026. Cars 702 and 709 were built by the Budd Company of Philadelphia in 1950 and were among the very first gallery cars ever constructed. Cab car 791 was built in 1965 and was part of the Burlington’s original order for cab cars, which enabled the railroad to inaugurate push-pull commuter service.

partner publisher · 866.0K followers

Parade

In 1982, Someone Walked Into Chicago Drugstores, Laced Tylenol Bottles With Cyanide, and Put Them Right Back on the Shelf; Nobody Knows Who or Why

Nobody broke in. Nobody tampered at the factory. They died. Seven people died. No one’s ever been charged.

partner publisher · 193.4K followers

ABC 7 Chicago

ABC7 Chicago's Ryan Chiaverini celebrates 100 years of Route 66 with road trip from pier to pier

ABC7 Chicago's Ryan Chiaverini celebrated 100 years of Route 66 with a road trip from pier to pier.