Zach Nichols

Hi, I’m Zach! I was born and raised just outside of Chicago in Evanston, but have always had a deep love of the city, initially sparked by trips with family to the Field Museum, Lincoln Park Zoo, Shedd Aquarium, and Wrigley Field. Around the age of 12 I went to a summer day camp that was all about teaching kids how to use public transportation, leading us on excursions throughout downtown and the north side via the L and busses. A few years later I started taking filmmaking classes at Chicago Filmmakers, which allowed me to explore and learn about the Andersonville/Uptown neighborhoods and their rich cultural history, as well as their place in early filmmaking history (did you know Charlie Chaplin had a studio in Chicago?).

It was later in high school when obtaining a driver’s license and developing a passion for the outdoors, particularly fishing and hiking, that I began to really explore Chicago beyond the north side and began to develop a more well rounded understanding of the city. In particular, I developed a strong fascination with the far southeast side of Chicago, where habitat remnants of great ecological importance coexist side by side with the deep scars of decades of heavy industry, and where fascinating stories, legacies of highly diverse heritages, and delicious food can be found all over the place if one searches for them. Since high school I’ve spent a good bit of time away from the city, living in Wisconsin, Alabama, and Wyoming. But everywhere I go, Chicago has had an impact on me, and I always love to be back, and to continue to explore more of the city and its unique cultural fabric.

Expertise: Ecology/natural history, industrial/labor history, fishing