What Is the Oldest Town in Illinois?
The answer dates back to 1703, when the French controlled the Illinois Country. That year a Jesuit group established its mission along the east bank of the Mississippi River to...
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Budget Beaters
A few modest proposals for closing Chicago’s $1.15 billion deficit. You’re welcome.
Chicago Is Organizing for All
Everyday Chicagoans are proving to be the first line of defense against the federal incursion into their city.
We’re the Great Pumpkin State, Charlie Brown
Not only are we No. 1 in production, but we're about three times as big as other producing states.
Map Games
Illinois Democrats have long worked state legislative lines to their advantage. Now comes a push for a fairer process.
Has Chicago Ever Had a Republican Mayor?
Yes, several — the GOP was the party of Lincoln, after all — but it’s been nearly a century. Chicago’s last Republican chief was William Hale “Big Bill” Thompson, who served from 1915 to...
Is Pipe Smoking Making a Comeback?
Maybe it’s the young people, maybe it’s the need to de-stress, but Chicago’s (and America’s) oldest tobacconist is doing more business in pipes these days.
Make Some Noise for Your Illinois Bears
If the Bears want to leave the city, they should have to drop Chicago’s name.
The Birth and Death of the Machine
Clout City, a new book by historian Dominic A. Pacyga, traces the rise and fall of Chicago-style politics. Here’s what we learned.
A New Novelist’s Quiet Lit Fest Debut
Even Jonathan Franzen had to start somewhere.