For Immediate Release
November 9, 2009

WTTW's Geoffrey Baer to host Hidden Chicago 2

New sequel explores more fascinating fragments of Chicago's past and little-known stories behind things we see and use every day.

Monday, November 30 at 7:30 pm on WTTW

Chicago, IL – November 9, 2009 – WTTW's popular tour program host Geoffrey Baer, following up his fascinating look at Hidden Chicago, returns with an all-new special. Hidden Chicago 2 takes viewers on a lively, informative trip through the dusty attics, deep tunnels, and even the candy aisle at Walgreen's to discover the seldom-told stories behind the everyday places, people, and things that came from Chicago and make our city unique. Hidden Chicago 2 premieres on Monday, November 30 on WTTW at 7:30 pm.

The program includes a segment about American icons invented or made in Chicago and its suburbs, including the Oscar statuette, the zipper, the fireman's pole (invented by Chicago's first African-American fire company), the window envelope, Lincoln Logs (invented by Frank Lloyd Wright's son John), Tinker Toys, and much more. Geoffrey also goes subterranean, showing us Deep Tunnel, carved through 4-million-year-old limestone 350 feet underground, the eerie abandoned freight tunnels under the Loop (which famously flooded in 1992), the pumps under Buckingham Fountain and more.

He visits opulent movie palaces, including the world's first, now a west side church. And explores Chicago Park District treasures such as Garfield Park's Conservatory and golden-domed administration building, a tiny neighborhood zoo, a field house with an amazing art gallery, and Chicago's smallest park…a patch of ground just a few feet across! Geoffrey also points out some amazing and beautiful building ornament that most Chicagoans don't stop to notice, a variety of quirky and charming hidden neighborhoods, including the South Side "garlows" (garage-sized bungalows with huge front lawns where planned homes were never built), and an English country village surrounded by steel mills in Northwest Indiana. He takes us to one-time "utopias" like the Pullman District, and north suburban Zion where police once carried bibles in their holsters instead of guns, and many other places that will transport viewers to a different world…all right here in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.

Geoffrey Baer's past WTTW tour programs include Chicago's Lakefront, Chicago by Boat: the New River Tour, Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History, Chicago by ‘L': Touring the Neighborhoods, and many others.

Hidden Chicago 2 is produced and written by Geoffrey Baer and Dan Protess. This presentation is made possible in part by Harris Bank. Generous support is also provided by the Joseph & Bessie Feinberg Foundation; the Walter E. Heller Foundation, in memory of Alyce DeCosta; with additional support from the Harriet K. Burnstein & Gand family; Ken Norgan; Judy and John McCarter; Peter Kelliher, Jr. and Diane Kelliher; and the Chicago Sun-Times.

About WTTW
For more than 50 years, audiences have turned to WTTW for distinctive programming that informs, inspires, educates, and entertains. It reaches 1.5 million weekly households over a four-state area, making it one of the most-watched public television stations in America. Recognized for its award-winning local and national productions, WTTW is committed to presenting the very best in cultural, nature, science, public affairs, and children's programming across its four distinct television channels: WTTW HD, WTTW Prime, its Spanish-language channel V-me, and WTTW Create. For more information about WTTW programming across all its platforms, please visit our web site at www.wttw.com.