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The 'Chicago Rat Hole' Sparked Internet Fervor in 2024. Now, Scientists Have Found the Culprit

Researchers clarified misconceptions about Chicago's 'rat hole,' revealing it is not as originally believed, correcting local historical narratives.

  • Researchers say they have debunked the origin of Chicago's 'rat hole', which local lore held as a longtime landmark, challenging its traditional story.
  • Local lore had long held that the 'rat hole' origin story circulated before researchers pursued historical records to clarify misconceptions in Chicago.
  • Using historical records, researchers examined documents related to the 'rat hole' and challenged the previously accepted origin story.
  • Local outlets covered the research and its conclusions, prompting Chicago residents and visitors to the 'rat hole' to reassess how they view the landmark.
  • The findings reshape the landmark's place in Chicago lore by correcting local historical narratives and changing how the 'rat hole' appears in future Chicago history accounts.
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26 Articles

KOATKOAT
+17 Reposted by 17 other sources
Center

The 'Chicago rat hole' sparked internet fervor in 2024. Now, scientists have found the culprit

Few city rats have left their mark on the public consciousness — and the urban landscape — like the one responsible for the famed "Chicago rat hole."

·Albuquerque, United States
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OANow.comOANow.com
+5 Reposted by 5 other sources
Center

Origin of Chicago's 'rat hole' debunked

Ah, rats! Researchers think they debunked the origin of Chicago's so-called "rat hole," one of the Windy City's weirdest local landmarks.

It was a gray squirrel trapped in the liquid concrete of the sidewalk.

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Bismarck Tribune broke the news in Georgia, United States on Saturday, October 18, 2025.
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