Bizarre Wicker Park - Bizarre Bucktown

Welcome to Gordon Meyer’s virtual walking tours of Wicker Park and Bucktown. Whether you’re a long-time resident, a newcomer, or just a fan of history, lore, and oddities, you’ll enjoy over an hour and a half of high-resolution video exploration — all filmed on location.

The Tours

Bizarre Wicker Park tells the fascinating stories of the snake oil tycoon, the beer baron, and the artists, radicals, and mobsters that built and shaped this energetic and historic neighborhood.

Bizarre Bucktown explores forgotten history and lore behind the neighborhood’s iconic factories, churches, and taverns. You'll hear about the hauntings, scandals, murders, and activism that belie the quiet residential streets.

Dark Tales of Bucktown are additional stories that expose the Bucktown neighborhood's deep secrets, strange mysteries, and shocking history. This add-on set of videos is suitable only for mature audiences. Consider yourself warned!

Your Guide

photo of Gordon Meyer wearing a top hat and holding a balloon that looks like a ghost

Hi, I'm Gordon. I've lived in the neighborhood since 2005. Over the last decade, I have helped thousands of visitors and residents discover the unique, unusual, and forgotten aspects of these popular neighborhoods, and I’d love to show you, too.

Preview

A brief sample of every story from all three tours.

Prices

Bizarre Wicker Park $15

(12 videos)

Bizarre Bucktown $15

(15 videos)

Bizarre Bucktown + Dark Tales $25

(25 videos)

All Tours Mega Bundle $35

(37 videos) Best Deal!

Reviews

Some of what people are saying about Gordon’s tours

One of Chicago's best walking tours. — Choose Chicago

Bucktown has lots of colorful stories. Gordon has done the research and tells them in a very entertaining fashion. — Ray

An engaging, thought-provoking and fun experience that is a welcome addition (and alternative) to Chicago’s standard roster of historical tour offerings. Bizarre Bucktown packs a lot of uncanny lore and little-known factual information into a compact mile of walking. — Meg

One of The Best Haunted Tours in Chicago — Time Out Chicago

The tour was truly wonderful, entertaining, and informative. Who would ever know the things that you pointed out? I’m still in shock over what you told us about Saint Mary of the Angels. — Nikki

You are a remarkable storyteller! — Chris

If you've never done a Bizarre Bucktown walking tour, you should do it. You'll love it. Gordon Meyer is an amazing storyteller. — Bucktown Chamber

The most delightful quirky neighborhood tour. A bit of history, a bit of local folklore, a fair bit of ghost stories, all with a sprinkle of some magic. Would definitely recommend to visitors and locals alike!. — Gina

I have lived in Bucktown 21 years and still learned more about my bizarre little community! — Cheryl

We’ve done several of Gordon’s tours and they are always entertaining, informative, and fun! — Lindsay

A walking tour that will not disappoint! This is an exciting and entertaining tour and Gordon is a gracious and knowledgable host. I had a blast. — Dan

I really enjoyed learning the history of the area, and Gordon is a wonderful storyteller! — Kelley

Answers

Do you offer guided walking tours?

I led in-person tours for eight years. These video tours represent almost the entirety of those events, which I am no longer conducting. However, you can obtain a copy of Bizarre 606, a self-guided walking tour of The 606/Bloomingdale Trail, by signing up for my mailing list.

Are the videos family friendly?

History isn’t pretty. The videos touch on numerous mature themes and are intended for adults, particularly the Dark Tales compilation. However, as each segment is provided as a separate video, concerned parents can skip any that they consider objectionable.

What do I get when I buy a video tour?

When you buy a tour, the Gumroad website (my storefront vendor) grants you access to all the high-res videos. You watch the videos using a web browser on any device, streaming them as often as you'd like. Gather your friends and family around to watch, no additional purchases are required. The optional Gumroad Library app can also be used to watch using a phone or tablet. An Internet connection is required for viewing; the videos aren’t downloadable.

What parts of the neighborhood are covered? ?

Refer to the map below for approximate locations. (Blue = Bizarre Bucktown, Black = Dark Tales, Red = Bizarre Wicker Park) For wider neighborhood coverage, consider my Bizarre Fact Files booklet series.

Map of Bucktown and Wicker Park with colored dots that indicate the tour areas. Primary centered around Walsh Park and Wicker Park.