Fire in Peshtigo
The deadliest fire in U.S. history happened one hundred and fifty years ago near Peshtigo, Wisconsin. You’ve probably never heard of it.
What Chicago’s Major Taylor Trail Could Be
Marshall Taylor was a cycling legend. Residents say the trail that bears his name is an asset in need of investment.
Jessica Hopper’s Regional Sensibility
The Chicago writer's "no bullshit" approach shines through in the revised edition of "The First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic."
There Is This We
Portraits and reflections on the legacy of Black women artists and arts workers in Chicago.
My Summer of Steel
Before my junior year of college, in 1972, I worked at the manufacturing plant where my father was a foreman. It was an education.
Riding the Fort Wayne Line
A proposed Amtrak route would restore passenger service between Chicago, Fort Wayne, Columbus, and Pittsburgh. Can new federal investment make it happen?
The Legend of Baby Huey
After fifty years and hundreds of hip hop samples, the iconic Chicago musician’s only record remains urgent and imperative listening.
Climate Emergency and Environmental Justice in the Rust Belt
Stories on climate change, industrial legacies, and planning for a just future.
Black Freedom, Black Joy: A Juneteenth Reading List
Honoring Black joy and freedom struggles in the Rust Belt.
Around Lake Michigan on the Circle Tour
Sixty years ago, my parents took us on a driving tour of Lake Michigan, the quintessential Midwest road trip.
“A City Upon a Hill”
In 1993, the Mississippi River destroyed the town of Valmeyer, Illinois. So residents moved it a mile uphill.
Worker-Owned Cooperatives and the Future of Rust Belt Labor
Amid declining union power and attacks on organized labor, some Rust Belt workers are turning to worker-owned cooperatives.