VAMONDE Seattle

Seattle is best known for popularizing genres of alternative rock such as grunge and being the origin of major bands like Nirvana, Alice In Chains, Soundgarden and Pearl Jam. Go on a journey through the timeline of music history in Seattle. (Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay )

Music History of Seattle

Seattle's music history begins in the mid-19th century.

Seattle's music history begins in the mid-19th century when the first European settlers arrived. In 1909, amidst the boosterism engendered by the city's first world's fair, the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition, the Seattle City Council adopted "Seattle, the Peerless City" (words by Arthur O. Dillon; music by Glenn W. Ashley) as Seattle's official song.

Seattle then became an important stop for vaudeville tours, put on by large chains like Pantages and Considine; the city also produced a major attraction in the exotic dancer Gypsy Rose Lee. 

By the 1920s, Seattle had also come to support a politically radical American folk scene, inspired in part by several lengthy stays in the region by folk singer Woody Guthrie and Ivar Haglund. 

The jazz scene was also a familiar tune in Seattle and included Jelly Roll Morton for several years in the early part of the century, as well as Vic Meyers, a local performer and nightclub owner who became Lieutenant Governor in 1932. E. Russell "Noodles" Smith, founder of the Dumas Club and the Entertainers Club, was another important name in the Seattle Jazz scene of the day.

Early musical establishments included the art school founded by Nellie Cornish, which saw residencies from both John Cage and Martha Graham, and the Seattle Symphony, which became embroiled in a controversy in the early 1940s when British conductor Thomas Beecham either described Seattle as a "cultural dustbin" or warned that it could become one.

Cover photo: Woody Guthrie, 1943. Image from Wikipedia
Content provided by Wikipedia 

Founding: 1800s–1945

Music author Steven Blush described the Seattle music scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s as crucial in its "vibe and ethic" which inspired grunge music. The earliest local alternative music scene was based around a gay glam theater group called Ze Whiz Kids, one of whose members, Tomata du Plenty, became a fixture in New York before returning in 1976 as part of The Tupperwares with long-time boyfriend Gorilla Rose; Blush described this as the first punk rock in the area. Tomata and Gorilla left for Los Angeles in 1977, but a new wave of local bands emerged in their wake, congregating at a local venue called The Bird. These bands included The Enemy, The Lewd, The Mentors, Chinas Comidas, The Telepaths, The Beakers, Red Dress, X‑15 and The Meyce.

Following The Bird, local punk centered around an old theatre called The Showbox, where touring bands from Los Angeles, New York, London and elsewhere played. Other, smaller venues included The Gorilla Room and Wrex, which later became Vogue. Hardcore punk, a loud, intense and angry form of punk, first came to Seattle in the band Solger, which formed in 1980. They were followed by The Fartz, who included Paul Solger of Solger, and became well known in hardcore scenes across the West Coast, and touring with Black Flag and the Dead Kennedys. The Fartz dissolved in 1982, just as their EP World Full of Hate was released by Alternative Tentacles. Other local bands included The Fags, The Refuzors, The Rejectors, The DT's and The RPA (Raging Peasant Army); both The Refuzors and The DT's (Delirium Tremens) were led by local Seattle legend Mike Refuzor. The Fastbacks were affiliated with the scene, but were not considered either hardcore or punk.

Also of note from this time frame is the national emergence of progressive heavy metal artists Queensrÿche (from Bellevue, a suburb of Seattle). The Smoldering Remains, a traditional new wave/punk power art trio threesome of three, from Tacoma, riveted the faithful with their zippy Nisqually Valley Liberty Cap fueled takes on pop culture in both The Gorilla Room and Tacoma's Pogo-a-Gogo. Fifteen selected bands of that era, including The Blackouts, The Pudz, the Fastbacks and the Fartz contributed songs to the first edition of the "Seattle Syndrome" compilation, released in late 1981 on Engram Records and regarded by music historian Stephen Tow as "a critical yardstick in the history of underground Seattle music".

Heart, fronted by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson of Bellevue, got their start in the Seattle area in local bands while still in their teens. Their fame was achieved while residing in Vancouver B.C. Canada, with their 1975 debut album Dreamboat Annie. Ann's boyfriend Mike Fisher, brother of original Heart guitarist Roger Fisher, was evading the Vietnam draft in Canada. Ann met and followed him to Vancouver. Mike was the band's original manager. Upon amnesty granted by President Carter, on January 21, 1977, Heart returned to the United States and signed with Capitol Records. Heart was inducted into the Rock and Rock Hall of Fame in April 2013.

Counterculture: 1975–1985

Grunge music faded but indie music stayed strong.

Even though the grunge era faded in the mid-90s, Sub Pop records maintained a strong presence in the indie music scene, signing and promoting Seattle- and Northwest-regional bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate, Modest Mouse, The Postal Service, Death Cab for Cutie, Band of Horses, The Head and the Heart, Shabazz Palaces, Fleet Foxes, and SixTwoSeven. In 2001, KCMU changed their call sign to KEXP-FM, and continues to be active in promoting independent and alternative Seattle music. Grunge-era venue The Crocodile Cafe, where Nirvana played some of their earliest live shows, closed in 2007 but reopened March 2009. Numerous local venues such as Neumos, The Showbox Theatre, The Vera Project, Chop Suey, The Comet Tavern and The Sunset Tavern also continue to showcase live performances of local bands.

In 1993, underground cult band Sun City Girls relocated to Seattle from Arizona, bringing with them influences of world music and psychedelic and experimental rock that became popular in 1995. Sun City Girls member Alan Bishop co-founded the record label Sublime Frequencies, which focuses exclusively on "acquiring and exposing obscure sights and sounds from modern and traditional urban and rural frontiers", especially from the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia; this brought a new awareness of world music traditions to the Seattle music scene. More local experimental groups formed, such as Climax Golden Twins and Kinski, and the scene attracted established groups such as Estradasphere.

Seattle has recently become home to (underground) hip hop, with Sir Mix-a-Lot followed by artists such as the Blue Scholars, Common Market, Oldominion, Jake One, and Macklemore. Experimental music has flourished with the improvisational groups We Paint With Sound, The Avant Garde Dogs, and the St. Bees Group. There is also a significant feminist punk scene in Seattle, led by bands such as TacoCat and Childbirth. We're sure that the music scene in Seattle will continue to experiment and change. 

Expansion: 1995–present

The duals between hardcore and metal music create grunge music.

Prior to the mid-1980s, the local hardcore and metal scenes were often violently confrontational with each other. The opening of the Gorilla Gardens venue changed that by offering two separate shows at the same time; as a result, both hardcore and metal were frequently played on the same nights. The softening of relations between the two groups helped inspire the look and sound of grunge, a term allegedly coined by Mark McLaughlin of the brief joke band Mr. Epp and the Calculations who gained some local notoriety.

In 1985, two local bands began their careers and later became well-known icons of the grunge music era: The U-Men and Green River. Local music author Clark Humphrey has attributed the rise of grunge, in large part, to the scene's "supposed authenticity", to its status as a "folk phenomenon, a community of ideas and styles that came up from the street" rather than "something a couple of packagers in a penthouse office" dreamed of, as well as Seattle's isolation from the mainstream record industry. Rebee Garofalo attributes to the unlikely rise of Seattle's alternative rock to the legacy of local rock left behind by The Ventures and Jimi Hendrix.

The grunge scene revolved around Sub Pop, a record label founded by Bruce Pavitt and Jonathan Poneman. Pavitt began with a local radio show and started releasing tapes of local bands. Radio stations like KJET, KGRG and KCMU and local music press like Backlash and Seattle Rocket and City Heat Magazine also played a vital role. Grunge's entrance into the mainstream is usually traced to the release of Nirvana's Nevermind in 1991, though others point to the signing of Soundgarden to A&M Records in 1988 and their Grammy-nominated Ultramega OK, and the release of a compilation album called Deep Six on C/Z Records in 1986. Though Soundgarden failed to bring in large national audiences at the time, record executives saw enough promise to send scouts out to the major bands, many of whom signed to large labels.

Nirvana Influences the Rise (and Fall) of Grunge Music in Seattle

The 1991 release of Nevermind catapulted the local scene into national fame. Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains and other grunge bands became bestselling groups; many of their earlier fans greeted this development with cries of selling out, and the bands themselves struggled with the irony of alternative rock bands entering the mainstream pop culture. Seattle grunge as national fare ended abruptly in a few years, however, beginning with the suicide of Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain in 1994.

During the 1990s other forms of music were also springing up in the land of grunge, almost as a counter musical movement, including industrial bands such as Kill Switch...Klick, Noise Box, and Sounds of Mass Production and ethereal bands like Faith & Disease and Sky Cries Mary Along with the punk-pop sounds of bands such as the Sea City Dolls.

Grunge music: 1985–1995

From jazz to dance to country rock and the rise of Jimi Hendrix.

Post World War II, venues such as Showbox, Washington Hall, Parker's, Odd Fellows Temple and Trianon were also major big band ballrooms, all of which eventually became major rock music venues.

Police officers also tolerated an after-hours jazz scene, based in Chinatown, Seattle and including most famously the Black and Tan Club. This period produced a few local performers of note, including Ray Charles, who recorded his first single and made his debut tv appearances and radio broadcasts in Seattle. Bumps Blackwell was also a bandleader in Seatlle whose band included the instrumentalist Quincy Jones. 

Changes to local regulations in 1949 prompted a shift from "private clubs" to "restaurant-lounge combinations" which "didn't support much in the line of creative nightlife" and even helped to drive out the city's jazz nightclub scene. 

The early 1960s saw Seattle become home to a local dance scene built around venues like the Trianon and Parker's. The city also became the major center for recorded popular music in the Pacific Northwest, and had the first American pop hit from the region with The Fleetwoods "Come Softly to Me" in 1959.

That same year, the DJ Pat O'Day began working for KJR, and then mounted a series of teen dances featuring bands like The Fabulous Wailers, later to become famous as The Wailers with hits like "Tall Cool One." The Wailers first album came out on Golden Crest Records; subsequent releases came out on Etiquette, the first record label owned by the band that recorded for it. The Wailers only had one more national hit, "Mau Mau", but released a long series of regionally popular recordings. Though The Wailers were very popular in the Seattle area, they were actually from Tacoma, as were several other regional bands including The Swaggerz.

O'Day worked with a number of local bands, several of whom had regional hits like The Frantics' "Werewolf" and "Straight Flush". The Frantics, The Wailers, and most other local rock bands in the Pacific Northwest were basically instrumental combos, with very limited vocals or none at all. The Ventures and The Viceroys were both largely instrumental, with the former gaining national acclaim as a surf band.

Though most of the regionally important bands in the 1960s were dominated by white men, Seattle also produced a few female country rock performers, most notably Merrilee Rush and Bonnie Guitar. 

Merrilee Rush, a Seattle native, was an American singer, best known for her recording of the song "Angel of the Morning", a Top 10 hit which earned her a Grammy nomination for female vocalist of the year in 1968. Bonnie Buckingham, better known as Bonnie Guitar, was an American singer, musician, and producer. She was best known for her 1957 country-pop crossover hit "Dark Moon". She became one of the first female country music singers to have hit songs cross over from the country charts to the pop charts.

Seattle's most famous black musical export is Jimi Hendrix, who began performing in the city but did not gain a national reputation until moving to England. Though Hendrix had to move to England to start his recording career, the reverse also became true for the musicologist Ian Whitcomb, who performed in the city in the 1960s. He recorded "This Sporting Life" with Gerry Rosalie of The Sonics, and the song became a major hit, and an early anthem for the gay community.

Postwar era: 1945–1975

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Plan your spring break family fun in Chicago! Check it out on the Choose Chicago channel on Vamonde.

Plan a family getaway the kids won't soon forget!

Spring Break Family Fun

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues."

Chicago History Museum

Explore some of the locations of the Chicago blues scene of the 1960s with this VAMONDE adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues." Southern black migrants brought the blues to Chicago, where the music helped them forge connections and transform an unfamiliar, often inhospitable city into a new home. The music was also transformed—electrified and amplified to compete with urban noise. The photography of Raeburn Flerlage captures the streets, clubs, homes, and studios where a community of musicians defined the Chicago blues sound.

AMPLIFIED: Chicago Blues

From a 20th century resurgence that rivaled the Harlem Renaissance, to spectacular displays of Victorian Era architecture, this South Side neighborhood is responsible for tremendous cultural and social advances that are not to be missed.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood. Discover why Bronzeville is more than just an artsy pocket on the South Side.

Bronzeville and Beyond

"How can I possibly be expected to handle school on a day like this?" We've all been there, even if we're not Ferris Bueller. After your mornings stretch, you look outside at the shining sun, soft breeze, and then wonder, "How can anyone expect me to handle work on a day like this?" So take the day off! While you're at it, follow in Ferris Bueller's footsteps too as Choose Chicago takes you through the film locations that made Ferris Bueller's Day Off such a wonderful adventure (but make sure Ed Rooney isn't on your tail).

It’s Ferris Bueller's Day Off! Take a day to explore the city, but don't get caught by the incredulous Principal Rooney! Kick it like a couple of wise-cracking high school kids at The Art Institute of Chicago and peer down from over 100 stories in the air with the Skydeck at Willis Tower. (Cover photo from @thiswashollywood via Instagram)

Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Chicago’s legendary Second City comedy troupe and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Join us as we explore the historic neighborhood and discover its many claims to fame.

As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to create the quintessential Old Town experience. Discover why this neighborhood has been home to immigrant families, gays, hippies and young professionals alike over the years.

Quintessential Old Town

The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company team up with Choose Chicago to how you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

The heart and soul of Chicago lies in its 77 vibrant neighborhoods, and going beyond the loop (Chicago’s downtown business district) will give you a much needed escape from the hustle and bustle of the skyscraper district. As part of the Beyond the Loop video series, The Second City and Goose Island Beer Company have teamed up with Choose Chicago to explore the local hotspots in Chicago’s Hyde Park neighborhood. Join us as we show you why even 120 years after the Columbian Exposition, Hyde Park is still a profound point of historical and social importance in Chicago.

Hyde Park: Obama's Neighborhood

The Budget Savvy Travelers

Temperatures are rising and the days are getting longer. This is a sure sign that schools will soon be out for summer vacation. Families looking for fun, affordable ways to keep kids busy during hot days will appreciate this guide that shares some great ways to cool off around Chicago—most are even free.

Best Places to Cool Off in Chicago

Craving a getaway, but short on vacation time or extra travel funds? Why not consider embarking on a culinary adventure? Chicago is a great city to experience the world through food! There are over 100 different neighborhoods in the city, each with its own unique flavors and traditions to share. Chicago has always celebrated a diverse array of people, cultures, and cuisines. Therefore, it's not surprising that Chicago consistently ranks high in top foodie destinations in the United States. For those of us that can’t book a plane ticket to satisfy our travel “craving,” taking a culinary adventure is truly the next best thing. Chicago offers a great opportunity to be carried away to a dreamy, distant place–if only through our palates alone.

Traveling the World Through Food | Chicago

Haley Guidry

Only have a short time to visit Chicago? No problem! With this guide, you can fit it all in - in just a weekend!

Spending a Weekend in Chicago

Looking for some free activities to explore in Chicago? You'll be surprised to learn that there are many things to do around the city that are absolutely free of charge!

6 Chicago Hidden Gems to Explore For Free

Wrigley Field holds the very identity of the Chicago Cubs. But Wrigley isn’t the only spot that embodies the spirit of the Cubbies. Lakeview is home to so many rich businesses that are full of North side pride!

Lakeview Chamber of Commerce

Wrigleyville isn’t the only haven for fans of the Chicago Cubs. Take an adventure “Beyond Wrigley” into West Lakeview to explore some of the neighborhood icons and local businesses that are full of Cubbies pride!

Beyond Wrigley

Glessner House

Glessner House -

An architectural treasure in Chicago

Glessner House - An architectural treasure in Chicago

Welcome to the Chicago Cultural Center, a landmark home of the arts.

The People's Palace

Chicago Architecture Center

Chicago has long been a laboratory for architectural innovation and experimentation. Let the Chicago Architecture Center lead you through the stories behind some of the city’s most significant skyscrapers. Come on an adventure to unlock the secrets of ten iconic Chicago Buildings.

Cover photo courtesy of Jessica Cabe

10 Iconic Chicago Buildings

Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce

An Adventure through all the Best Spots in the City

Must Visit Attractions in Chicago

Chicago has one of the most iconic skylines in the world. This insider guide shows you the best vantage points to capture a memorable photo of the skyline of Chicago. Best of all? These are all places that you can visit that are all free of charge.

Where to Find Chicago's Best Skyline Views for Free

Start on Chicago's South Side and travel back in time as you explore visit the homes of some of the most influential LGBTQ+ people in the city's vibrant history. Make your way through Washington Park and Woodlawn moving north towards Rogers Park.

Learn about Chicago's vibrant LGBTQ+ history on this cultural excursion through various parts of the City. This tour covers the historic markers and residences of some of Chicago's top LGBTQ+ luminaries. Find out how they left their marks from Washington Park and Woodlawn all the way up north to Rogers Park.

Explore Gay Chicago History: LGBTQ+ Landmarks Tour

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago.

The Magnificent Mile

Around every corner of The Magnificent Mile lie surprising pieces that make up the rich history of downtown Chicago. Unexpected turn-of-the-century ballrooms, lavish chandeliers, stained glass fit for royalty, atlases of the Renaissance, former mansions of America's elite, eclectic bars, iconic burger joints, classic cocktails, and unbeatable views make up our guide to the top hidden gems around the district.

The Magnificent Mile's Hidden Gems

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture.

Chicago is a city built of neighborhoods and cultures and Chinatown is the prime example. Just south of Chicago's Loop, Chinatown is bustling with people, traditional cuisine, and of course culture. Hop on the Red Line, a bus, or even a water taxi and discover one of Chicago's most unique neighborhoods.

Chicago's Chinatown

This adventure, based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929–1968," invites you to explore some of the locations Dr. King frequented in Chicago.

A Baptist minister and champion of nonviolent activism, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of the most influential figures of the civil rights movement. He spent considerable time in Chicago protesting racial discrimination, particularly in housing and education.
This VAMONDE adventure is based on the Chicago History Museum exhibition, "Remembering Dr. King: 1929-1968," and invites you to explore in person some of the locations King frequented in the city and to consider how Dr. King’s work remains relevant today, fifty years after his assassination.

Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago

Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian, on a journey through Humboldt Park to learn more about the role the 150-year-old park served as key experimental grounds for Jens Jensen's Prairie style of landscape architecture.

Julia Bachrach

Established 150 years ago, Humboldt Park can be thought of as a living landmark with layers of history that reflect contributions by important landscape designers, architects, and artists. The most noteworthy, Danish immigrant Jens Jensen (1860 – 1951), revered the indigenous scenery of the Midwest and created the Prairie style of landscape architecture. Humboldt Park provided important grounds for his process of experimentation. Jensen went on to design estates for prominent businessmen such as Julius Rosenwald, Harold Florsheim, and Henry Ford. Join Julia Bachrach, former Chicago Park District historian and author of "The City in a Garden: A History of Chicago’s Parks," on a journey to learn more about how Humboldt Park served as Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds.

Humboldt Park: Jens Jensen’s Experimental Grounds

The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. Get inspired by these galleries and their collections

Chicago Scene

Chicago is home to countless world renowned cultural institutions. The Art Institute of Chicago is no stranger to "best museums” list, but beyond Michigan Avenue there are many amazing galleries displaying works from heavy hitters like Keith Haring and Hebru Brantley. There’s something for everyone at these galleries, whether you’re simply an appreciator of art or a seasoned collector.

Art Galleries: Beyond The Museum Campus

Not your everyday Chicago adventure, these unique outings go inside, behind-the-scenes, and even underground to show off a different side of the city.

From the lair of a notorious Chicago gangster to the infectious groove of a legendary blues club, this adventure will have you socializing, singing, and exploring the city all day (and night!) long. Personally curated by the Vamonde team (a group of foodies, architecture buffs, music fanatics and bar-hopping explorers) this adventure will provide you with the incredible stories and secrets behind some of Chicago’s notorious and renowned spots. Did we mention gingerbread cookies at the Waldorf Astoria?

A Chicago Insider’s Adventure

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks.

American Writers Museum

Join the American Writers Museum on a journey through Chicago's neighborhoods to learn the fascinating stories of some of the city's literary landmarks. A special adventure created in honor of the 2017 American Library Association Annual Exhibition and Conference.

Chicago Literary Landmarks Hunt

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. Paul speaks with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Paul Natkin

Photojournalist Paul Natkin captures his love for music through the lens of his camera and has worked with the biggest names in music during his 40-year career. In this adventure,  Paul goes beyond the Chicago Blues Festival to speak with blues experts to help you explore Chicago’s blues scene past and present.

Beyond the Blues

The Gathering Spaces are a series of artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor, a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning Lake Shore Drive. Travel along the corridor to discover how the artists linked nature and culture.

Chicago Park District

The Gathering Spaces are a series of five artist-designed community areas along the Burnham Wildlife Corridor (BWC), a 100-acre ribbon of urban wilderness spanning both sides of Lake Shore Drive. The five Gathering Spaces reflect the nature and culture of the area and serve as assembly grounds and rest areas for people exploring the Corridor. The spaces were designed and created by teams of local artists in partnership with community-based organizations in the Chinatown, Bronzeville, and Pilsen neighborhoods. On this adventure, we'll travel along the BWC to get the inside scoop on the creative process, community goals, and environmental context of each Gathering Space.

Lakefront Gathering Spaces

Broadway in Chicago

With more than 200 theaters, Chicago is home to a rich and varied theater community, well known for a diverse mix of original productions that began here and then went on to Broadway and the world. Broadway In Chicago currently own many of the anchor theatres in Theatre District, including the CIBC Theatre (home of Hamilton), the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, the Cadillac Palace Theatre, and the James M. Nederlander Theatre which broke records when it housed Wicked from 2005-2009. Let Broadway In Chicago take you through a tour of the theatres that make up the Chicago Theatre District.

Chicago Historic Theatre District

Jason Brammer is known for his distinctive mixed media assemblage based works, surreal paintings and drawings, murals and site-specific installations. Join us as we take you across the city and unearth how some of your favorite works came to be.

Jason Brammer

Portals, Pyramids, & Octopods: The Art of Jason Brammer

You might have already heard about a few of these destinations, consider this your local guide to the Wicker Park bars that are in some way (think hidden entrance) or another (think no address) -- secret.

Holiday Jones Hostel

Because we’re terrible at keeping secrets and because Wicker Park has too many cool off-the-beaten-track places to explore, Holiday Jones Hostel has created this adventure to give you the inside scoop on the best lounges, dive bars, and speakeasies to visit and pretend like you’re a regular.

Wicker Park's Best Kept Secrets

The story of public housing is the story of America. Explore the untold stories of people who created community across racial and economic divides and confronted social injustice.

National Public Housing Museum

​The story of public housing is the story of America. This tour, curated by the National Public Housing Museum, introduces you to the heart of Chicago’s Near West Side with its vibrant communities, diverse cultures, and history of activism and resistance. Explore fascinating sites where public housing residents built community across racial and economic divides, restaurants and bakeries that continue to create delectable food from various cultures and learn about overlooked and invisible stories about where people studied, organized, and confronted social injustice. We recognize this land as being indigenous, and we follow the lead of the first peoples who, despite massive genocidal violence, have never relinquished the struggle for land, water, culture, their people.

This program is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The Near West Side and The Jane Addams Homes: Chicago's Ellis Island

The story of literary Chicago is one of overlapping communities; avant-garde, intellectuals, journalists, activists, artists, and migrants from places near and far.

​The story of literary Chicago is one of overlapping communities: ​avant-garde, intellectuals, journalists, activists, artists, and migrants from places near and far. The city's many newspapers, magazines, and literary journals have offered experience and exposure for aspiring writers. Programs at local libraries, bookstores, and cafes have connected writers with the reading public.

City of Writers

The American Writers Museum is the first national museum in the United States dedicated to engaging the public in celebrating American writers. Tap GO and check out 'Writers Hall' for a preview of the museum, but like any good page-turner, it‘ll only leave you wanting more. Plan a visit to unlock the exclusive, behind-the-scenes content for each exhibit.

Tucked away in the West Ridge community is a treasured place— Indian Boundary Park.  The 13-acre park was developed in two major phases—the first in 1916 and the second in the early 1920s. Plans for both phases were created by Richard Gloede, a landscape gardener and horticulturalist from Evanston.  Unlike other parks of the era that accommodated numerous athletic activities, Gloede and the Park Board sought to create a beautiful landscape for rest and relaxation.  The park has always had a seamless relationship with the adjacent neighborhood, and despite various changes over the years, Indian Boundary Park has always retained its special character.

Indian Boundary Park

Choose Chicago® is the official destination marketing organization for Chicago, Illinois. When you’re in Chicago, you’re home. With the countless experiences there are to have here, you're absolutely welcome to do any and all of them.

Music History of Seattle

Founding: 1800s–1945

Founding: 1800s–1945

Counterculture: 1975–1985

Counterculture: 1975–1985

Expansion: 1995–present

Expansion: 1995–present

Grunge music: 1985–1995

Grunge music: 1985–1995

Postwar era: 1945–1975

Postwar era: 1945–1975

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