While there may be a curfew on liquor sales now, history has taught us not to get between Chicago and its booze. On this day in 1855, the Lager Beer Riot ensued after mayor Levi Boone renewed enforcement of an old local ordinance mandating that taverns be closed on Sundays, which was seen as targeting German and Irish residents who worked a six-day week. Despite the ordinance, tavern owners continued to sell beer, resulting in 60 arrests. Saloon keepers united, mobilized, resisted, and restored the right to drink on Sundays. Learn more.

The Encyclopedia of Chicago

“The Encyclopedia of Chicago is no mere collection of fun facts. It is a work of stunning scholarly achievement.” — Tom McNamee, Chicago Sun-Times

Published by the University of Chicago Press, The Encyclopedia of Chicago is the result of a ten-year collaboration between the Newberry Library and the Chicago History Museum. This project brought together hundreds of historians, journalists, and experts on everything from airlines to Zoroastrians to explore all aspects of the rich world of Chicago and its surrounding metropolitan area. Explore the Encyclopedia.