Clint Cargile
History Correspondent, Host of "Drinkin' with Lincoln" and "This Week in Illinois History"Clint Cargile has worked as an English instructor, freelance writer, magazine editor, academic conference coordinator, landscaper, dish washer, car washer, dog washer, and veterinary assistant. He has a BA in English from the University of Alabama, an MFA in creative writing from Southern Illinois University, and an MA in history with a concentration in public history from Northern Illinois University. At WNIJ, he is the creator and host of the podcast Drinkin’ with Lincoln and the series This Week in Illinois History. He is the author of two history books, Five Mile Spur Line: A Railroad History of Sycamore, Illinois (2014) and In Search of a Fair Wind: The Sea Letters of Georgia Townsend Yates, 1891-1892 (2017). He lives with his wife and daughters in DeKalb, Illinois.
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The late, great actress Betty White might have ended up hot in Cleveland, but she was born right here in Illinois. Learn about Oak Park's very own Golden Girl on This Week in Illinois History.
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Thirsty for some fudge? This week, we revisit the story of Canfield’s Diet Chocolate Fudge Soda, the Chicago-based beverage that created a fad and a fizzle in the 1980s.
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The DeKalb winged ear logo is recognized around the world. Its origin traces back to one of the nation’s first organized farm associations.
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Cleaning up after your holiday parties? Pause to thank Illinoisan Josephine Cochrane for making your life a lot easier.
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No other character personifies early 20th-century, pop-culture Americana better than Raggedy Ann, the creation of Arcola, Illinois, native Johnny Gruelle.
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After a great flood nearly destroys one of Illinois’ oldest towns, the state takes a huge step. It moves the whole town to higher ground.
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Chester, Illinois native E. C. Segar spent years working as a struggling cartoonist until he created one of the world's most iconic characters: Popeye the Sailor.
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At the height of World War II, scientists in the U. S. raced to build a nuclear weapon before Germany. One of the first stages of this race, the harnessing of nuclear energy, took place beneath the grandstand of a football field in Chicago.
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Barbed wire may seem like a simple invention, but when it was invented in the 1870s, it changed the world, made millions for its creators and put DeKalb, Illinois on the map.
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Bessie Coleman had to travel to Paris, France to fulfill her dream of becoming a pilot. Though her life came to a tragic end, she inspired generations of Black women.