Amazing Chicago

Architectural splendor, industrial might, creativity, and leaders who helped shape a nation are just a few of the attributes that have made Chicago one of the greatest cities in America. Add to these the culinary and cultural contributions of almost two centuries of immigrants and migrants, and you have a magnificent urban tapestry in a city that features iconic landmarks and historical treasures, as well as oddities and curiosities that will astound you. In Amazing Chicago, you will read about them all, from the obvious to the hidden. Visit well-known landmarks like the Chicago Theater or the Union Stockyards Gate, learning the stories behind them. Then find lesser-known places like the Schoenhofen Brewery Complex, a Confederate graveyard, or the birthplaces of Walt Disney, Ernest Hemingway, and Oz. Learn about the many wonders provided by Chicago’s ethnic melting pot. The city’s blend of cultures created uniquely Chicago culinary delights like deep dish pizza and the Chicago tamale. Dive into music history, outlined by blues, jazz, and even country music, exemplified by the great Muddy Waters and, for a brief period, Louis Armstrong. Embrace Chicago’s haunted past, from ghostly wrecks and fires to houses filled with the anger of cheated souls to the remaining vestiges of gangsters like Al Capone. Amazing Chicago shares fascinating stories that are even stranger than fiction. Architectural marvels, landmarks, heroes, villains, and even ghosts are chronicled alongside beautiful photos to tell the story of this incredible city.

David Witter is a Chicago-based author and photographer who has written four books: Chicago Magic, A History of Stagecraft and Spectacle, Distilled In Chicago, A History, and the first and second editions of Oldest Chicago. His writing and photographs have appeared in many publications including Newcity, Chicago Reader, the Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune.