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HISTORY
Wisconsin’s Shipwreck Coast
America’s newest National Marine Sanctuary tells the tales of the Great Lakes.
Wisconsin’s Shipwreck Coast
America’s newest National Marine Sanctuary tells the tales of the Great Lakes.
Featured
PERSONAL HISTORY
Are You Staying in South Bend?
On identity, possibilities, and giving my hometown a chance.
CULTURAL STUDIES
Blessed Nativity of Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh
In the Carnegie Museum's holiday presepio, a mingling of the sacred and profane.
COMMENTARY
On Stony Island Avenue: Boulevard of Black Culture
Ayana Contreras on the creative legacy of the Chicago street.
RETROSPECTIVE
Belt’s Top Stories of 2021
Ten pieces our readers kept coming back to.
Belt’s Top Stories of 2021
Ten pieces our readers kept coming back to.
Independent, context-driven regional writing. Support Belt Magazine today. »
More Stories
The Best of Belt Magazine 2021
Our new anthology of regional writing, available exclusively to Belt members.
Mr. Jingeling is Coming (Back) to Town
The retail celebrity—and ‘Keeper of the Keys’ to Santa’s workshop—was staple of Cleveland’s Christmas scene.
A Very Rust Belt Reading 2021
Watch the full video of our December 16 event "A Very Rust Belt Reading" with Ed Simon, Vivian Gibson, and Gretchen Kalwinski.
Reimagining the Myaamia Storytelling Tradition
On Dungeons & Dragons & Diaspora.
The Best Rust Belt Books of 2021
A Belt critic's Rust Belt 'Lit List.'
The Reinvention of Vogue Fabrics
The Evanston, Illinois-based fabrics giant is closing its flagship retail location, marking the end of an era (but not the company).
A Visit to Milwaukee’s Last Public Drinking Well
The Pryor Avenue Iron Well is a remnant of the past—and maybe a glimpse of the future.
The History of American Music, as Recorded in Richmond, Indiana
How one Midwestern record company changed the course of popular music.
Greening West Woodlawn
The West Woodlawn Arboretum, in Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood, reflects a "new narrative" of "joy and abundance."
Searching for the Elusive Plum Dumpling
Could the dish reconnect me with my Slovak heritage?
The Bird Patrol
Chicago is the most dangerous city in the country for birds. Meet the people who want to change that.
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From the Archives
Climate Emergency and Environmental Justice in the Rust Belt
Stories on climate change, industrial legacies, and planning for a just future.
The Rubber Industry’s Toxic Legacy in Akron
The stories of workers and their families reveal "unintended consequences" for life and health in the community.
Rust Belt Recipes
Recipe: Snowballs For Your Cookie Table
Feeding the holiday spirit.
Recipe: Whiskey Cider from Detroit
Make it like the professionals at Detroit Farm and Cider.
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