DN-0071189, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum. Closing the music library of DJ "Pretty White Jeebus" for a spell, we're getting back to the photographs of yesteryear. The forecast calls for a lot of blech this weekend, and there better be a lot of flowers next month after the rain that's come down this week. Digressing, the shot is of the 1st Illinois, 149th Field Artillery marching north in the rain on......

Considering the intense scrutiny this year’s historical presidential race is under, it seems an appropriate time to take closer look at what exactly everyone is fighting for. The Chicago History Museum is doing just that this month in a two-part series titled “The American Presidency,” which examines our nation’s highest office from the perspective of its audiences. In the first installment, taking place tonight, author and historian Richard Ellis will explore the great tradition of......

On March 4, 1837, Chicago officially became a city, first mayor William B. Ogden presiding. Fast forward 171 years later, and we're still kicking. In honor of our fine city's birthday, the Chicago History Museum is throwing a party tomorrow complete with Eli's cheesecake, Chicago style hot dogs, the Chicago Children's Choir, and "historical re-enactors". Admission to the museum is free between 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Also if tomorrow happens to be your birthday,......

It should be a lighter than normal traffic day tomorrow, President’s Day. No mail delivery. Most banks, federal offices, city offices and state offices will be closed. School will be out. Courts will not be in session, and you won’t be able to pick up something to read at the library. The third Monday of February is the day we recognize the men (and hopefully one day, women) who have served our country as president.......

The listed events were chosen by the editors of Chicagoist and brought to you by the 2009 Toyota Corolla. Food/Drink: Get an early start to Valentine's Day with a champagne dinner at Café Matou this evening. Chef Charlie Socher will prepare a five-course dinner featuring dishes from the Champagne region, paired with Champagne wines selected by Wine Director James Rahn. 1846 N. Milwaukee, 7 p.m. Cost is $95 (all inclusive); RSVP at 773.384.8911. Art:......

Born on January 15, 1929, Martin Luther King would have been 79 this year. In 1984 an act of Congress made the third Monday of this month Martin Luther King Day. With most government offices closed today, there are a plethora of events honoring his memory. The Chicago Park District is holding a series of events dedicated to his legacy. The University of Chicago is hosting panels and speakers all week, with a series of......

DN-0085338, Chicago Daily News negatives collection, Chicago History Museum The weather forecast calls for a lot of "brass bra cold" this weekend. It won't stop people from going out and enjoying their weekend, although some serious consideration should be given to hibernating on the couch with movies, a bottle of wine, and a comforter. Take, for example, these two men who thought it was a great idea to dress in Native American dress and......

There are sixty bridges spanning the Chicago River throughout the city, as we found out last month at the annual B News neighborhood pub quiz. We know about the larger bridges downtown, and we stop to stare at them when the spans are raised to allow boats to pass. However, the majority of bridges spanning the river are smaller ones allowing traffic to pass between neighborhoods. We tend to overlook those bridges. This is......

In a day packed with college football bowl games, the coolest televised sporting event on New Year's Day had to be watching the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins play an NHL game outside in Buffalo, in front of over 71,000 fans. It brought the game back to its roots, played outside on frozen ponds and lakes throughout the Midwest and Canada. Now imagine that same game outside, only featuring two of the NHL's "Original......

Now that we have a day job and commute to work every morning, we have ample opportunity to sit on the train and get our fifty cents worth reading the Sun-Times. We're huge fans of Tom McNamee's "The Chicago Way" column, as it's one of the few regular features in any of the city's newspapers that successfully reflects on the city's rich past in a way that engages present-day readers. McNamee's most recent column, on......

Our servers drank a big glass of bitch juice this morning, but things appear to be shaping up at this point. New York Times blogger and CPS teacher Will Okun wrote today about taking his class to meet Chicago Defender photographer Worsom. Bad news for Blago: His top political fund raiser was indicted today on federal tax fraud charges. he charges against Chris Kelley have nothing to do with politics or with the Blagojevich......

'Tis the season for free champagne tastings. Get started tonight at the Artisan Cellar (located on the first floor of the Merchandise Mart) with a sample of some rare bubblies from 4-6 p.m. Learn all about the history of smothered foods from author Wilbert Jones, the author of Smothered Southern Foods. Jones' lecture, "Smothered - Southern Style" is being held Saturday at the Chicago History Museum, sponsored by the Culinary Historians of Chicago. The lecture......

This week, we're taking another visit back to our childhood stomping grounds on the Northwest side. But we're going way back, waaayyy back to 1917. Our father's side of the family immigrated to America from Greece four years earlier, settling in Greektown. Our mother's side of the family was at least a decade away from moving to the East Village from Virginia. The photo you're looking at at the top of this entry is......

The Reeling Film Festival is in its last days, but there's still time to catch what's sure to be one of the most fascinating movies in the program. Quearborn & Perversion, a new documentary by Columbia College alum Ron Pajak, tells stories of lesbian/gay Chicago life spanning the years 1924-1974. It's surely a beautiful irony of history: what is today the epicenter of the Viagra Triangle was, in the 50's, the epicenter of gay life;......

Once a Second City performer, always a Second City performer...right? Rachel Dratch and Tim Meadows, both mainstage alumns, will be at the Chicago History Museum tonight for a panel about improv. Kevin Dorff, another Second City performer and now an on-strike writer for Conan O'Brien, moderates, and there will be real live sketch and improv to boot. Tickets are $12 ($10 for members) and the show starts at 6:30. We can't believe we missed last......

Let's face it: we're spoiled when it comes to movies. Not only do the best (and worst) theatrical releases play here, but we also have scads of film festivals to choose from year-round. No sooner are CIFF and the Korean Film Festival over than Reeling is upon us. Since 1981, Reeling, Chicago's gay and lesbian film festival, has been unspooling a vitally diverse cross-section of queer filmmaking. This year's schedule includes nearly 70 programs,......

Nostalgic for the pre-Mapquest world? Do your dogeared city guides and abused atlases sit proudly on your bookshelves? Have we got an event for you. The citywide Festival of Maps kicks off tomorrow, and is a tribute to those simpler, flatter world guides we’d consult constantly before the internets helped us find the best non-highway crosstown routes quicker than you could say "Western Avenue." It’s the first fest of its kind, and is a collaboration......

Chicagoist loves Stuart Dybek, from back before he received his "genius grant" and now even more so. Continuing with our coverage, Dybek will be speaking tonight at the Chicago History Museum with Donna Seaman of Open Books, as part of their Chicago Treasures series. Chicago Treasures focuses on the symbiotic Chicagoans who define the city and whose work is likewise defined by Chicago. Tonight, Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark St.,......

Throughout our time writing for Chicagoist, we have been lucky enough to go to many a special event. From food expos to chocolate and wine tastings, we have had the opportunity to see a side of food commerce that many never do. We think it's a pretty good and interesting side. Its main purpose, as we see it, is to get the word about a new product out to the masses. The best way......

Might as well start this week's installment off by pointing out that Taste of Greece is happening this weekend in Greektown. Half of us (the paternal half) is excited about this. The festival runs from noon until 11 p.m. tomorrow and Sunday. If you are heading to Greektown this weekend, consider attending Alexa Ganakos' Greektown in All Its Glory lecture at the Chicago History Museum before going, sponsored by the Culinary Historians of Chicago.......

Chicago History Books?...

Here's a trivia question for you: what is North America's oldest competitive international film festival? Answer: the Chicago International Film Festival, which has been going strong for 43 years. A lot has changed since 1964 (well OK, there's still a Daley in the mayor's office). For a great peek at the past there's nothing better than the photographs of Gary Stochl. But, we digress. Much of the credit for CIFF's longevity must go to Michael......

The International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) is holding its annual Cookbook Expo this weekend in Chicago. And, for the first time, they're opening it up to the public. This is your chance to hobnob with some of your favorite cookbook authors and chefs, who will be on hand to sell and sign their latest books. The event runs from 5-6 p.m. tomorrow at the Hilton Chicago. Even though it's free, reservations are required; e-mail......

Happy Birthday! The City of Chicago will officially celebrate its 170 years today. We've got the official Birthday bash as well as other events to keep you busy this weekend. Admission is free today to the Chicago History Museum from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. for the City of Chicago birthday celebration. The official birthday for the city isn't until March 4 (the date the city was incorporated), but being the social butterflies they are,......

Chicagoist would have liked to have been a fly on the wall at this particular auction: In a heated bidding war that ended late Wednesday, Ripley's (of "Believe It or Not!" fame) sniped our own Chicago History Museum at the last second. The coveted item? A warped, weather-beaten 119-year-old gallows. Not just any gallows, however ... The five-noose set was built specifically for four of the convicts from the Haymarket Riot of 1886. After that......

Chicagoist is biased about our beloved town and its music scene, but that’s only because we know it’s the best. Starting this weekend, the Chicago History Museum has a new exhibit opening featuring the best of “Sweet Home Chicago”. Jazz, gospel, country, blues, and folk music are all represented in this collection curated by Alison Eisendrath. The exhibit showcases some pieces that never seem to make it into other exhibits, but are really diamonds in......

No, "Chicago Treasures" is not a citywide treasure hunt. It’s a lecture series — spawned by the Chicago History Museum and hosted by "Eight Forty-Eight"s Steve Edwards — that brings together two influential Chicagoans for a conversation centered on a single theme. This Thursday’s segment will pair local chef Rick Bayless with Rafael Pulido, aka “El Pistolero,” a Spanish language radio personality, for a discussion about the deepening connections between Mexico and Chicago. Bayless is......

It’s that time of year -- leaves are falling, radiators are clunking, and the Chicago Humanities Festival is raring to go. We love the fest, we really do. Chicagoist even worked for them for a few years. We don't want to look in gift horses' mouths, but we can't help wishing they would un-stuffy it up a little bit. Maybe book some more fun guests and authors. (Neil Gaiman sold out in minutes a few......

Iva Toguri, a Chicago native once convicted of treason for allegedly being one of the voices of the infamous Japanese radio siren "Tokyo Rose" during World War II, died at the age of 90 on Tuesday. She had run her family's store, J. Toguri Mercantile near Belmont and Clark for 50 years since the war. Toguri had been visiting a relative in Japan when Pearl Harbor was bombed. Stuck in the country, she took a......

All year we’ve been hearing the hype and the promises. This week, two Chicago cultural institutions invite the public to see the results of their high profile face lifts. The venue once known as the Chicago Historical Society regularly provided modest, helpful insights into local and regional history. Now it’s been renovated and renamed the Chicago History Museum, sporting 16,000 shiny new square feet for robust programming, heeding Burnham’s command to “Make no small plans.”......