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About: We bring curious people to explore, learn and interact on live, virtual events of Chicago history and architecture.
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marijuana Prohibition Jazz Era Devil's Weed
Answers to Tour Questions

The Role of Marijuana During Prohibition – Tour Questions Answered!

Folks always get excited when we talk about the Prohibition Era of entertainment history on our Historic Chicago Walking Bar Tour. Of course, we talk

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April 19, 2019
tour guide Alex Bean Chicago Detours
Detours One-offs

Get to Know Chicago Detours Tour Guide Alex Bean

Being a Chicago Detours tour guide is very often a terrific job. We get to show people around a city we love and illuminate its history

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April 10, 2019
Chicago Historic Wedding Venues Cultural Center
Chicago History

Best Historic Wedding Venues in Chicago

In March 2018, I got married in one of the best historic wedding venues in Chicago — the drop dead gorgeous Chicago Cultural Center. As

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April 3, 2019
Tim talking on Hideout Chicago stage for Badass women
Chicago History

Here’s What Happened at our Badass Women History Event 2019

Our “Badass Women of Chicago History” storytelling event on Friday, March 22 had good vibes all around and a packed house! We SOLD OUT with

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March 26, 2019
Edgar Miller Love Through the Ages Tavern Club mural Chicago nightlife history
Chicago History

Forgotten Chicago Nightlife History: Three Swanky 60s Clubs

Chicago nightlife history is full of fun and fascinating stories. From speakeasies in the ’20s to rooftop bars today, Chicago’s seen a lot of wild

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March 20, 2019
Auditorium Theater Louis Sullivan Dankmar Adler intricate designs
Architecture

The Amazing Architecture of the Auditorium Theater

Recently I wrote an article for the Detours blog listing the most overlooked beautiful buildings in Chicago. A few days later we received an email

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March 13, 2019
chicago womens history tillie on her bike
Chicago History

Stories of Four Badass Ladies of Chicago for Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month is a natural time to reflect on all the women who’ve made Chicago a world-class city. We’ve got some heavy hitters, of

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March 6, 2019
Contemporary Chicago

Book Tours for Your Chicago Conference Group

No one wants their Chicago conference experience to consist entirely of the whirlwind of massive expo halls and rushed meetings. Experiences and activities provide a

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February 27, 2019
Chicago History

Chicago Politics: The Machine, The Daleys, and What It Means for 2019

“Chicago politics” evokes images with the shadiest of connotations. Smoke-filled rooms. Stolen elections. Flagrant corruption. Mayors as powerful as pharaohs. Much of this is true.

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February 20, 2019
Al Capone's Chicago the Green Mill
Chicago History

Al Capone’s Chicago: 5 Sites He Actually Knew

Al Capone’s Chicago is a place of myth as much as fact. Oddly, it’s often reminded me of George Washington. Every sufficiently old building east

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February 13, 2019
Timuel Black Sacred Ground Bronzeville
Chicago History

Visit Timuel Black’s “Sacred Ground” During Black History Month

Timuel Black, who recently celebrated his 100th birthday, is an icon in Chicago. He has been active in Black politics and activism, always pushing to

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February 6, 2019
Architectural Photography

How to Survive (and Have Fun!) in a Chicago Polar Vortex

How do you prepare for record-breaking cold amidst a Chicago polar vortex? While we love adventuring in Chicago on walking, bus and boat tours during

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January 31, 2019
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January 16, 2021

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Ellen

Private Tour Coordinator and Tour Guide

There is no shortage of things to discover in Chicago—I love being an urban explorer and uncovering its hidden places. I have an MA in Public History from Loyola University Chicago, and I have worked as a museum educator and kindergarten teacher. My desire to learn new things fuels my passion for educating others, which I get to experience every day as a Chicago tour guide. I live in the northern neighborhood of Rogers Park.

“Our guide Ellen was exceptional and gifted with a great personal touch.”
Robert
GetYourGuide

Jen

Tour Guide

Whether you are a first-time visitor or a lifelong resident, the vibrant history and modern majesty of Chicago never ceases to amaze. I’m a graduate of Columbia College with an M.A. in Interdisciplinary Art. I’ve worked for many years as an educator at City Colleges of Chicago. As tour guide at Chicago Detours, I integrate my enthusiasm for culture and architecture with my passion as an educator. West Town/Noble Square area is home for me.

“Jen was a perfect storyteller and kept us spellbound for hours.”
Heather
TripAdvisor

Elyse

Tour Guide

With our Chicago neighborhoods, vibrant cultural institutions and nearly two centuries of larger-than-life stories, there’s never a dull moment here! I’m a fifth generation Chicagoan and a graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to guiding tours, I’m a creative writer and amateur genealogist. I also enjoy the city’s dynamic theater scene. You can also read overlooked stories from 19th-century newspapers on my “Second Glance History” blog. I live in River North.

Anthony

Tour Guide

Chicago is unique as it always evolves into the future while holding on to the past. I’m fascinated by how people latch on to old architecture but happily pave over others. My background is in theater and performance and I’ve been a tour guide here for more than 10 years. Currently I’m finishing my Master’s in Public History at Loyola University because I love to teach the history of this scrappy city. I’m in the Edgewater neighborhood.

Marie

Operations Coordinator and Tour Guide

Chicago’s history is so fascinating, you could spend a lifetime uncovering its secrets…I’m willing to give it a try! I have an M.A. in US History from the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and then pursued doctoral studies in Urban History at the University of Illinois at Chicago. I love to learn new aspects of Chicago’s rich history and then share my knowledge as a tour guide with Chicago Detours. I live in Ravenswood.

“Marie was a bubbling fountain of information and contagious enthusiasm.”
Lorit
TripAdvisor

Sonny

Operations Coordinator and Tour Guide

As a fourth generation Chicagoan, I have been living and loving Chicago by bike, on foot, public transit or automobile. I am a graduate of UIC where through the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, began my eagerness to understand the nature, history and impacts of urban planning and development. It is incredibly rewarding to give back to this wonderful city by helping out in the office of Chicago Detours. I live in the incredibly diverse neighborhood of Albany Park.
“Sonny was extremely knowledgeable about all things Chi-town.”
Wade K
TripAdvisor

Alex

Content Manager and Tour Guide

Chicago has so many neighborhoods, buildings, and by-ways that it’s hard to go long without seeing something new, or something familiar from a new angle. I studied Cinema History for my M.A. from the University of Chicago. I’ve worked as a culture writer for various publications and as an educator of the humanities at the City Colleges of Chicago. I’m thrilled to share my love of this city’s busy past and unique architectural spaces with Chicago Detours. I live in the Chicago neighborhood of Lincoln Park.

“Alex was fascinating to listen to. He clearly knows his history and it shows.”
Katie K
Yelp

Amanda Scotese

Executive Director and Tour Guide

I’m an interpreter of personal stories from the past and the city’s landscape. I love to imagine what originally happened inside old unmarked buildings, and what forces have shaped their design. I studied Chicago history, architectural history, and anything Chicago-related through my M.A. in the Humanities at the University of Chicago. My love for stories was enriched by my B.A. in Literature from the University of Michigan. I’ve written travel articles for publications like Rick Steves’ Italy best-selling travel guides, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, and The Chicago Food Encyclopedia. I live in the Chicago neighborhood of West Avondale.
“You can TELL Amanda is hyper-passionate about doing the research and getting the story that nobody’s heard before.”
Shelby F
Yelp

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