Chicago’s iconic Rat Hole along the 1900 block of West Roscoe Street in the Roscoe Village neighborhood is seen, Jan. 19, 2024, in Chicago. (Tyler Pasciak LaRiviere/Chicago Sun-Times via AP, File)
\n\nResearchers think they have debunked the origin of Chicago’s so-called “rat hole,” one of the Windy City’s weirdest local landmarks.
\n\nHold on. The rat hole wasn’t what you think. It wasn’t some back alley bar that served as a speakeasy for the city’s notorious gangster clientele or a tenement stuffed to the brim with junk. It was actually a full-body impression of an unlucky critter that got trapped in wet sidewalk cement in the city’s Roscoe Village neighborhood about 20 or 30 years ago. The imprint closely resembles that of a spread-eagled rat, complete with outlines of what appear to be tiny claws, arms and legs and even a tail.
\n\nThe rat hole went viral early last year after comedian Winslow Dumaine posted a photo of it on X. The post drew curious tourists to the site at all hours, with some leaving coins and other odd objects around the impression as a tribute.
\n\nThe constant traffic drew complaints from neighbors, though, and in April 2024 someone filled the…
Original source: https://apnews.com/business