Ep. 13 - Chicago, USA
Discover the amazing Windy City in this week's episode of The Friday Take Five. Delicious food, intriguing architecture, and a fascinating history of organized crime make Chicago a must listen episode and a can't miss travel destination.
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Transcription:
*Intro music*
Hey there and happy Friday again. Welcome to episode number 13 of The Friday Take Five. We’ve been doing this for more than 3 months now! Thank you so much for your support of the podcast. As usual, we’re doing our best to scratch an itch for travel and history aficionados alike, by adventuring to a new place, with a new story. I’m the host, Mark Moran, and it’s my hope that by the end of our time together you’ll be adding another great destination to your travel bucket list. A huge announcement today before we get started… The Friday Take Five store is now live! Visit our website at www.thefridaytakefive.com to get your merch as soon as possible. We have a launch promotion going now where you can get 20% off your order by using the promo code TFTF20 at checkout now through the end of the day May 8th. Now, let’s get into it with another adventure.
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In episode 13, we’re headed to the home of the deep dish pizza, the Windy City, Chi-town. That’s right, we’re headed to Chicago. Chicago is one of my favorite US cities. I’ve been probably 7 or 8 times now, and each time to some degree it feels like I know what to expect, but there’s also always something new and exciting to discover. Most tourist guides will tell you “have” to dos while in the city. Stop at Lou Malnati’s or Giordano’s for deep dish pizza, take in Navy Pier and the Sears/Willis Tower, see the Bean. I feel like each time I go I still end up doing all of these things because they’re good fun and I will eat pizza any and everywhere, but there’s always something “new” to me anyway, to try as well.
Last time I went to Chicago I was there for business and I got to try the incredible Publican Quality meats deli for an amazing Porchetta sandwich. The time before that, my fiancée and I got to experience the wonders of Do-Rite donuts, which had both vegan options for her and a chicken donut sandwich for me that resulted in a food coma.
Chicago is great for the folks looking for something old, or for something new. Shopping, art, music, food, culture… You’ll find it all easily visible in the Windy City. However, the most intriguing part of Chicago for me is something that isn’t quite so easily visible - the history of its underbelly.
The early 1910s… The leader of the Chicago Outfit, Jim Colosimo, began consolidating control of criminal activity in the Chicago area with the help of his lieutenant, Johnny Torrio. As the end of the decade neared, Torrio extended an invite to Al Capone, to join them from New York in their Chicago criminal ventures. With Colosimo’s death in 1920, Torrio took the helm.
Throughout the prohibition era, he and Capone grew the power and influence of the Chicago Outfit, at one point reaching a gang of 300-400 soldiers. Comparatively, the other major crime organization from the North side of the city led by Dean O’Banion was roughly half the size.
In 1925, both Capone and Torrio had attempts made on their lives. The attempts led to the retirement of Torrio and Capone’s ultimate ascent to power. Throughout the roaring 20s, Capone used violence to continually consolidate power. Multiple bombings along with the horrendous Valentine’s Day massacre, which was intended to eliminate rival Bugs Moran, have been attributed by many historians to Capone.
However, it wasn’t the violence that brought him down. Capone was arrested and convicted in 1931 on 3 counts of tax evasion. He was sentenced to 11 years in prison and later passed away due to apoplexy in 1947.
Capone fell from power, but the Chicago Outfit still continued to exercise its influence, by aligning with increasing legal entities including businesses and labor unions. The Outfit’s reach extended as far as Hollywood film productions and some even claim that the Outfit had a hand in boosting John F. Kennedy’s presidential bid.
They reached their height of power in the 60’s by using the Teamsters union pension fund to fuel a massive money laundering scheme in which the criminal syndicate was able to use funds to purchase influence across the country.
Since then, the power of the outfit has steadily declined. They aren’t quite so visible as they were during Capone’s era, but they’re definitely still around today! A quick google search will give the current bosses and underbosses of the crime organization.
However, the mere existence of the organization isn’t a reason to fear visiting Chicago. Chicago is a lovely city to take in to experience the old and the new. So grab deep dish pizza, take in the “Bean” in Millenium Park, grab a donut at Do-Rite, and appreciate the unique history of Chicago.
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Hey Fivers, thanks so much for listening to another episode. If you like what you’re hearing on the Friday Take Five, please take a moment to share this week’s episode with a friend and give us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcasting platform. Have your own stories of Chicago to share? We want to hear them so please follow us and give us a dm on socials @FridayTakeFive or email us at thefridaytakefive@gmail.com. Stay curious, stay adventuring, and have a great weekend!
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