Chicago Time Machine with Geoffrey Baer
In this new special, Geoffrey Baer, WTTW’s intrepid tour guide, takes us on a journey through our region’s rich history via a brand new vehicle. Aided by archival film and photographs, innovative special effects, and a found “time machine,” Geoffrey gives us a unique view of incredible moments of the past that happened in seemingly ordinary places that many of us frequent every day.
The Collinwood Disaster: The worst school fire in United States history.
in 1908 the worst school fire in United States history occurred claiming the lives of 175 people and forever changing the the face of a community.
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Hidden Chicago with Geoffrey Baer
Some are mysterious, some are beautiful and some are just plain bizarre! Geoffrey Baer takes you all over the Chicago region in search of often-overlooked fragments of our history. Many are in places you pass by every day. But when you learn their hidden stories you're sure to say I never knew that!
South of Chicago: Suburbs, Steel Mills, Shoreline with Geoffrey Baer
In the region South of Chicago, everything seems bigger than life - the heroes and villains, the bridges, boats and buildings, and even people's dreams. In this Chicagoland tour program, host and writer Geoffrey Baer takes you on a tour along the waterways, highways and railways of Chicago's South Suburbs and Northwest Indiana.
Chicago's Lakefront with Geoffrey Baer
The eyes of the world were on Chicago's Lakefront on election night 2008 as tens of thousands of people gathered there to celebrate with President-Elect Barack Obama. Chicago's lakefront is unique in the world. It's a seventeen-mile-long people's paradise that belongs to all of us.
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Hidden Chicago 2 with Geoffrey Baer
In this sequel to WTTW's popular Hidden Chicago special, Geoffrey Baer explores dusty attics, deep tunnels and the candy aisle at Walgreen's in search of fascinating fragments of Chicago's past and little-known stories behind things we see and use every day.
Southwest Suburbs: Birthplace of Chicago with Geoffrey Baer
Host and writer Geoffrey Baer travels by train, tugboat and 1958 Edsel as he takes viewers on a journey through the Southwest Suburbs.
Chicago USA. 3rd Largest City in the US
I've always wanted to visit Chicago. It is the 3rd largest city in the US .
Let's see what it's like in 2021!
The Chicago River Tour with Geoffrey Baer
In the epic drama that is Chicago’s history, the Chicago River has played many roles, by turns hero, villain, and underdog. The most iconic river scenes lie near the river’s confluence with Lake Michigan, the junction that gave rise to the city itself, where skyscrapers now exalt the river’s banks and form a spectacular canyon of stunning architecture.
Visit the interactive website to see and learn much more:
Documentary Sections:
00:00:00 ➤ Intro
00:02:18 ➤ The First Settlers: Jean Baptiste Point DuSable
00:04:31 ➤ Fort Dearborn
00:05:42 ➤ Wrigley Building
00:07:12 ➤ London Guarantee Building
00:08:05 ➤ Tribune Tower
00:09:34 ➤ 333 N. Michigan Avenue
00:10:10 ➤ The Chicago River's Bridges
00:11:59 ➤ Wacker Drive
00:12:54 ➤ Trump International Hotel and Tower
00:14:08 ➤ AMA Plaza
00:15:15 ➤ Marina City
00:17:30 ➤ Merchandise Mart
00:18:26 ➤ Wolf Point
00:19:09 ➤ 333 W. Wacker Drive/Sauganash Hotel
00:20:32 ➤ River Point
00:21:11 ➤ 150 N. Riverside
00:22:08 ➤ Boeing Building
00:22:39 ➤ Samuel Insull/Civic Opera House
00:25:29 ➤ Enwave Chicago Ice Factory
00:25:54 ➤ Post Office
00:26:58 ➤ Sears Tower (Now Willis Tower)
00:29:16 ➤ Chicago Portage
00:31:17 ➤ Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal
00:32:27 ➤ How Chicago Reversed Its River
00:35:24 ➤ Illinois and Michigan Canal
00:36:15 ➤ Bridgeport
00:37:09 ➤ Union Stockyards/Bubbly Creek
00:39:20 ➤ Pilsen
00:42:29 ➤ Chinatown
00:46:49 ➤ River City
00:48:03 ➤ Riverline
00:48:26 ➤ O'Leary Family Barn/Great Chicago Fire
00:51:37 ➤ Geoffrey Baer's Childhood Home/Trail Tree Park
00:53:03 ➤ Chicago Botanic Garden
00:53:47 ➤ Skokie Lagoons
00:54:58 ➤ Edgebrook
00:55:35 ➤ Bohemian National Cemetery
00:56:27 ➤ North Shore Channel
00:58:28 ➤ Baháʼí House of Worship
01:00:41 ➤ Grebe and Company Shipyard
01:01:09 ➤ Riverview Park
01:01:56 ➤ Julia C. Lathrop Homes
01:02:31 ➤ Lincoln Park
01:03:15 ➤ Goose Island
01:04:38 ➤ Montgomery Ward's
01:06:14 ➤ River North
01:08:42 ➤ Great Chicago Flood of 1992
01:10:44 ➤ Riverwalk
01:12:43 ➤ Riverwalk: Jetty
01:14:09 ➤ Friends of the Chicago River
01:16:26 ➤ Eastland Disaster
01:18:04 ➤ Riverwalk: River Theater/111. W. Wacker Drive
01:19:43 ➤ Riverwalk: Cove and Marina/Leo Burnett Building
01:20:58 ➤ Vietnam Memorial/Jewelers Building
01:22:12 ➤ Seventeenth Church of Christ Scientist
01:22:34 ➤ The Sands/Streeterville
01:24:38 ➤ Illinois Center
01:25:56 ➤ Natalie DuBois
01:27:09 ➤ Chicago River Dyed Green/St. Patrick's Day
01:27:46 ➤ Centennial Fountain
01:28:21 ➤ Aqua Tower/Lakeshore East
01:29:32 ➤ Ogden Slip
01:30:10 ➤ Lake Shore Drive
01:31:46 ➤ Lake Michigan/Navy Pier
Chicago's South Side with Geoffrey Baer
Explore Chicago's South Side neighborhoods with the people who call them home. This new WTTW documentary hosted by Geoffrey Baer traces the history and culture of neighborhoods south of I-55. From Ashburn to Auburn, Hyde Park to Hegewisch, Woodlawn to Washington Park, you'll learn about the events that shaped communities and meet the people who created the true identity of Chicago's South Side.
The story of the South Side of Chicago is a story of immigrants and of migrants, of workers and unions, of political dynasties and sports legacies, art and commerce, progress and struggle.
It is a story of Irish, German, Italian, Polish, Chinese, Lithuanian, Croatian, Slovakian, Mexican and African Americans, of blue collars and brownfields, of White Sox and Black Sox – and of one Red Bridge.
Above all, the story of Chicago’s South Side is a story of neighborhoods – a rich patchwork quilt of neighborhoods, each with its own origin story, identity, culture, and heroes. And while some South Side neighborhoods might seem defined by how much things stay the same, most demonstrate how much in Chicago continuously evolves.
Explore some of the South Side’s neighborhoods and their stories, with even more at:
Chicago by 'L' with Geoffrey Baer
Geoffrey Baer hops on the CTA's famous Red, Blue, Green, Brown, Orange, Yellow, Pink, and Purple Lines to bring you a fascinating exploration of the colorful and diverse neighborhoods that Chicagoans access via the city's storied elevated train system.
Get more of Chicago by 'L' on the interactive website at
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Documentary Chapters:
00:00 Intro
02:11 Purple Line: Wilmette
Baha’i House of Worship, the North Shore Channel, and more
05:21 Purple Line: Evanston
Northwestern University, the Frances Willard House, and more
08:02 Yellow Line: Skokie
Skokie Swift and more
11:09 Red Line: Rogers Park
Glenwood Avenue Arts District, the Madonna della Strada chapel, and more
13:18 Red Line: Andersonville
Swedish American Museum
14:07 Red Line: Asia on Argyle
Geoffrey Baer visits the Argyle Night Market, a weekly pan-Asian street food market. He talks to Hac Tran to learn about the community’s Asian roots and culture.
17:05 Red Line: Uptown
20:14 Red Line: Wrigleyville
Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs: learn about the history of the surrounding neighborhood and take a peek at the game from the nearby rooftop bleachers.
23:44 Red Line: Chinatown
Ping Tom Park and more
26:31 Red Line: Guaranteed Rate Field (Sox Park)
Geoffrey Baer throws the first pitch at a White Sox game at Guaranteed Rate Field. Learn about the history of the team and meet the groundskeeper, “the Sodfather.”
29:12 Red Line: Vegan Soul Food
Geoffrey Baer talks to Arel Israel and Lori Seay, who run Original Soul Vegetarian on 75th Street. The vegan soul food restaurant was founded by their parents in 1982.
32:04 Red Line: 95th/Dan Ryan Dance Party
At the redesigned 95th Red Line Station, which is home to AESOP, a DJ booth that stands for “An Extended Song of Our People.”
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33:42 CTA's Train Body Shops
The Skokie Maintenance Facility, the city’s largest body shop where ‘L’ trains go for tune-ups and overhauls.
34:54 Pink Line: Near West Side
Union Park, the United Center, Cook County Hospital and the Illinois Medical District
38:06 Pink Line: Pilsen
Learn about the community’s Mexican heritage and burgeoning arts scene.
41:54 Pink Line: North Lawndale
Douglas Park, the industrial history of the community, and historic K-Town
45:46 Pink Line: Cicero
History of the community including the old Western Electric factory
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47:14 Blue Line: Forest Park
Community cemeteries, 16-inch softball, and the Ferrara Candy Company
52:56 Blue Line: Little Italy
53:57 Blue Line: 'L' Tunnel Performers
56:08 Blue Line: Wicker Park
Old Polonia, Margie’s Candies, and shuffleboard at The Royal Palms
59:58 Blue Line: Logan Square
1:01:15 Blue Line: Jefferson Park
1:02:30 Blue Line: Rosemont
1:04:43 Blue Line: O'Hare
History of O'Hare International Airport
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1:06:42 Green Line: Woodlawn
World’s Fair and Lorraine Hansberry’s connection to the community
1:08:54 1920s-Era 'L' Train
1:12:37 Green Line: Englewood
Organizations working to bring hope to the community
1:15:55 Green Line: Bronzeville
1:21:01 Green Line: Illinois Institute of Technology
1:23:15 Green Line: Motor Row
1:23:50 Green Line: Clarke House
1:25:09 Green Line: South Loop
The community’s historic homes and colorful murals
1:26:49 The Voice of the CTA
Lee Crooks, the voice of the CTA’s announcements; Crooks has been recording the voiceovers, like “doors closing” or “next stop,” since 1998.
----------------
1:29:05 Haymarket Square
1:30:44 Green Line: Garfield Park
Garfield Park Conservatory
1:32:55 Green Line: Austin
1:35:37 Green Line: Oak Park
1:38:29 Orange Line: Midway
1:41:21 Orange Line: Back of the Yards
Union Stockyards
1:42:53 Orange Line: McKinley Park
1:43:37 Orange Line: Bridgeport
The community’s arts scene and Palmisano Park
1:45:27 CTA Control Center
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1:47:49 Brown Line: Albany Park
1:50:56 Brown Line: Lincoln Square/Ravenswood
1:51:55 Brown Line: Malt Row
1:53:27 Brown Line: Lakeview/Boystown
LGBTQ community in the neighborhood
1:54:38 Brown Line: Lincoln Park
1:55:43 Living Next to the 'L'
1:57:08 Brown Line: Old Town
St. Michael’s and more
1:59:32 Brown Line: River North
2:01:20 Brown Line: The Loop
The Loop’s towering skyscrapers and other landmarks
2:07:16 Riverwalk
Fox River Valley and Chain O'Lakes with Geoffrey Baer
Geoffrey Baer takes viewers on a trip along the historic Fox River from the Chain 'O Lakes in far northern Illinois, all of the way south to Aurora.
October 8: Great Chicago Fire, Part 1
October 8: Great Chicago Fire, Part 1
For the 149th Anniversary of the infamous fire, we’re following the flames in real-time over three days.
To find remnants of the GCF and see where it all began, check out our Great Conflagration Map here:
The myth that snowballed out of control was that the fire began when Mrs. Catherine O’Leary was milking a cow at night. The cow was startled as Catherine was milking her improperly and she kicked over a lantern that would ignite a stack of hay.
None of this is true. In fact, the reporter who made-up the whole story, Daniel Sullivan, admitted to it a few years later. But by then it was too late. The story had been fueled by anti-Irish sentiment in the city. Like the fire, it would not be contained.
It’s easier to have someone to blame and much harder to admit that this was just a freak occurrence; that we do not and will not ever know what started the fire. But, both experts and conspiracy theorists have pointed to the several neighboring fires around Lake Michigan as evidence that something bigger was going on.
Fires of October 8th, 1871:
-The Peshtigo Fire: In NE Wisconsin, a large forest fire consumed 12 cities. It is the deadliest wildfire in recorded history as it killed anywhere from 1500 to 2500 people! Cause of fire is unknown.
-The Port Huron Fire: Starting in Port Huron, MI, this fire killed at least 50 people. While not along Lake Michigan nominally, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are technically the same body of water. Cause of fire is unknown.
-The Holland Fire: Destroyed town of Holland, MI. Cause of fire unknown.
-Additional terrific fires occurred that night in Manistee, MI and Alpena, MI.
On the night of October 8th, witnesses in Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, & Indiana reported seeing “balls of flames” in the sky.
Help me out: What do YOU think caused all these mysterious fires?
Nervous by Kevin MacLeod
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Navy Pier: A Century of Reinvention with Geoffrey Baer
Join Geoffrey Baer as we explore iconic Navy Pier’s story. Since it opened as Municipal Pier in 1916, Navy Pier has been evolving in response to the changing needs of a city on a Great Lake — Chicago. Originally, Navy Pier was a port for steamer and shipping traffic. It promoted Chicago’s progress to the world, presented concerts and conventions, and once hosted a trade fair that enticed a visit from the Queen of England. The Pier’s history spans the terms of 17 United States presidents, including one who trained as a fighter pilot there; 18 Illinois governors, including one who went to college there; and 15 Chicago mayors, including its first African-American mayor, who held his inauguration there. The Pier served as a training center in both world wars, and was the one-time Chicago home of the University of Illinois. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Navy Pier launched the city’s signature ChicagoFests. And since the mid-1990s, the Pier has drawn crowds as an amusement destination, tour boat embarcadero, and home to a children’s museum and Shakespearean theater. As it has from the beginning, the Pier provides Chicago’s city dwellers and visitors alike the chance to stroll over half a mile near Lake Michigan, and view the majestic Chicago skyline from a unique, and very close-up, perspective. In 2016, to coincide with the celebration of its 100th birthday, Navy Pier underwent a major renovation and embarked on an ambitious program to ensure a greener, more sustainable urban landscape.
Take the full digital tour and explore even deeper here:
Chicago's North Shore with Geoffrey Baer
Host and writer Geoffrey Baer explores the history, architecture and little-known stories of Chicago's famous shoreline suburbs. The documentary covers communities from Evanston north to the Wisconsin border, including Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest, Lake Bluff, Deerfield, Northbrook, Glenview, Skokie and more.
Where In Chicago? with Geoffrey Baer
How well does your Chicagoland knowledge compare to the locals Geoffrey found on the street? Find out in this new trivia quiz show Where in Chicago. It’s a quiz, a history lesson, and a trip around our beautiful city, featuring a lot of humor and amusing contestants.
The Great Chicago Fire of 1871
Today we learn all about the Chicago Fire of 1871. The largest fire in the history of the United States. Hope you enjoy it!
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Long Road Ahead B by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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The Great Chicago Fire - 1871
???? Did you know? Great Chicago Fire was... #chicago #chicagohistory
The Great Chicago Fire was a devastating fire that broke out in Chicago, Illinois, on October 8, 1871. It burned for three days, destroying more than 17,000 buildings, killing approximately 300 people, and leaving over 100,000 people homeless.
The exact cause of the fire is still unknown, but it is believed to have started in or near a small barn owned by Patrick and Catherine O'Leary in the city's West Side. The fire quickly spread due to strong winds and drought conditions, and it was able to jump the Chicago River and spread to the city's business district.
Efforts to control the fire were hampered by a lack of resources, inadequate firefighting equipment, and communication problems. The fire department was also overworked and understaffed, and many firefighters were exhausted from fighting several smaller fires that had broken out earlier in the day.
The fire finally burned itself out on October 10, after rain helped to extinguish the remaining flames. In the aftermath, the city of Chicago was left in ruins. Many of its most prominent buildings and landmarks were destroyed, including the courthouse, the post office, and the opera house. The disaster also had a significant impact on the city's economy, as many businesses and industries were destroyed or disrupted by the fire.
Despite the devastation, the Great Chicago Fire also had some positive outcomes. The disaster prompted improvements in building codes and firefighting techniques, and it led to the creation of the modern fire department. The city was also able to rebuild quickly, and within a few years, it had largely recovered from the fire. Today, the Great Chicago Fire remains a significant event in American history and is remembered as a symbol of the city's resilience and determination.
The 1871 Great Michigan Fire
The Great Fires of 1871 - The summer of 1871 was dreadfully hot and dry in the #Michigan Thumb. Farmers watched their crops wither in the dry heat. In the fall, relief from the drought was no better. Folks began to worry that there were to be some lean winter months ahead. The heat and the lack of rain did not only affect eastern Michigan. The conditions stretched west into #Peshtico #Wisconsin and northern #Illinois including #Chicago. The whole region was a tinderbox for the great fire of 1871.
This is my first Ken Burns style video of one of Thumbwind's most popular posts
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