Explore hidden places in and around Chicago, above ground and underground. Every Chicagoan has a story, and we're letting you in on some of them. Enjoy the journeys in this video collection by Chicago Tribune photojournalist Chris Walker. “The Calumet Region has long been the sibling the parents didn’t pay attention to.”

— Mark Bouman, Ph.D., The Field Museum A come-back for the Calumet Long neglected and polluted, the Calumet River region is in the midst of a makeover, thanks to dedicated residents and civic groups. “We were supposed to be a dying organization … no wars, no vets, no members. Not the case.”

— Bruce Petersen, past commander, American Legion Post 854 Legion comrades keep post alive in Evergreen Park Serving veterans for nearly 75 years, American Legion Post 854 in Evergreen Park looks to survive as it buries one of its own. “ After so many years, you get a masterpiece.”

— Michael Salgado, tire repairman Flats fixed for a price. The museum is free. Angel Salgado crossed the desert and arrived with no shoes. Now his Pilsen tire shop supports two families and a collection of oddball art. “I like our experience to feel like a party.”

— Michelle Harris, Chicago Bulls Director of Entertainment Backstage with the Chicago Bulls Entertainment Backstage with Chicago Bulls Entertainment, a creative team that makes every home game spectacular, win or lose. “To the attentive eye, each moment of the year has its own beauty, and in the same field, it beholds, every hour, a picture which was never seen before, and which shall never be seen again.”

— Ralph Waldo Emerson Time traveling through the Botanic Enjoy a trip through the seasons at the Chicago Botanic Garden in this video montage. “ This art form affects people. It changes people’s lives forever.”

— Marc Kelly Smith, creator, Uptown Poetry Slam A slam to the soul For creator Marc Kelly Smith, his Uptown Poetry Slam Christmas performance is an annual reminder of his fortunes and failures. “You don’t have any choice. You got to keep working, don’t you? You just got to keep looking.”

— Pinto Perez, independent recycler Scrappers It only seems like a public service. Chicago’s metal recyclers are just trying to make a buck. “I think it’s a true treasure. We go out of our way to come here.” — Suzanne Rovner, Chicago It’s a paradise for dogs and dog people. Montrose Beach on the North Side is the largest off-leash dog park in the city. “ A lot of these graffiti writers, they claim that they’re so hard-core. It’s a bunch of dorks doing artwork.” — Keith Sodapop, graffiti artist Chicago sees the writing on the wall Long associated with gangs and vandalism, Chicago graffiti has gained more acceptance and a new name. “You have to have male organs. It would be false advertising if we didn’t.” — Ginger Grant Baton Show Lounge emcee The Baton Show and Miss Continental, 46 years and gallons of mascara later As the Miss Continental Pageant approaches on Labor Day weekend, founder Jim Flint and the Baton Show Lounge veterans talk about changing attitudes.

“The pool brings people together.” — CeCe Edwards, president, Grand Crossing Park Advisory Council A summer oasis in the city For almost a century, neighborhood kids have flocked to the pool at Grand Crossing Park for a summer escape.

“People do tend to think, ‘It’s just a lake. How bad can it get?’ ” — Phil Robinson, chief warrant officer, U.S. Coast Guard commander, Station Calumet Harbor On the water alongside the U.S. Coast Guard Coast Guardsmen patrolling Lake Michigan and the Chicago River work a four-day weekend shift. Here's a look at one 12-hour stretch.

“I got a few thousand of them lying around the house.” — Dave Davison, 46, ballhawk Ballhawking: A Wrigley Field pastime Those guys chasing after the baseballs that fly out of Wrigley’s left field bleachers on Waveland Avenue? They’re ballhawks. And the park’s new scoreboards and bleachers won’t stop the passionate, longtime hobbyists from continuing to snag out-of-the-park hits.

“The oddest thing that I’ve found? A pig’s head ... literally, just a pig’s head that was chopped off.” — Michelle Mazzacano, supervisory transportation security officer, TSA O'Hare An X-ray view of the TSA at O’Hare Transportation Security Administration employees lift the curtain on the operation at O’Hare and explain why you want to keep your guns and snow globes in your checked bag.

“This is pretty amazing. I can’t believe we have a food truck.” — Phil Naumann, DönerMen co-owner That's DönerMen -- with a D Two former bandmates find their calling in the midnight-to-3 a.m. food truck business with the mission to serve food to drunk people.

“Smelt fishing is usually just a bunch of old guys sitting around a fire drinking beer.” — Sal Lutfallah, Des Plaines Smelting tradition parties on — without the smelt Those tiny smelt no longer “come in” to spawn and be netted in great numbers, but the annual April run continues for a hardcore group of partiers at Montrose Harbor.

“You got to love to do this. This is as personal as it gets.” — Martin Soto, Chicago boxing coach Resilience in the ring The Chicago Golden Gloves is still pounding out champions after 92 years. Captured entirely on an iPhone, the action was slowed down for a closer look at the annual boxing tournament.

“They’re more than just a dog or an animal.” — Greg Polman, owner of Reuben Guide dogs earn their keep – and a measure of love For blind Chicagoans Maureen Reid and Greg Polman, their dogs Promise and Reuben provide guidance and a bit of friendship.

“Salt cave, you know? You hear about men’s cave. But salt cave?” — Enid Rivera, Galos salt cave customer A breath of salty air Although the city's Galos Caves salt cave draws some skeptics, others find relaxation, health benefits and quality time.

“To be a part of their musical world – it’s a thrill.” — Bill Schwartz, piano technician Piano (tuning) man While working alone on a dark stage, piano technician Bill Schwartz plays a series of beautiful arpeggios. But the piano isn’t his instrument – his ear is. As one in a core group of Chicago technicians, he makes sure that the notes are perfect when a great musician sits down at a bench in one of Chicago’s finest concert venues.

“I tell the general manager of the hotel . . . when I retire they’re going to put a statue of me out front of the hotel like Michael Jordan in the United Center.” — Will Spain, door captain at the Hyatt Regency Chicago "I'm Will, the door captain." Since 1996, Will Spain has packed guests in cabs, charmed travelers and mastered the art of saying hellos and goodbyes at the Hyatt Regency Chicago hotel.

“They’re still very secretive and working on their relationship.” — Amy Roberts, curator of mammals, Chicago Zoological Society Wolf whistle We placed cameras in Brookfield Zoo’s Regenstein Wolf Woods exhibit, where zoo officials hope the two newest residents will pair up and start a family as part of the Mexican gray wolf recovery program, an international effort managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to increase wild populations of this endangered subspecies. If Flint and Zana successfully mate, their offspring may join more than 80 wolves reintroduced to recovery zones in the Southwest.

“Imagine yourself inside of a garden hose that’s as big in diameter as your house.” — John Lemon, civil engineer, Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago Deep tunnel, marvelous site With the capacity to hold 7.9 billion gallons of water, the Thornton Composite Reservoir will create the largest basin of its kind in the world when it comes online. Workers talk about their passion and longtime investment in this massive engineering effort to keep Chicagoland from reverting to its swampland roots.

“One of my colleagues once said, ‘Pit people are good people,’ and I’ve found that to be true.” — Robert Hanford, concertmaster and violinist Under the footlights at Lyric Opera of Chicago From the darkness below, a tight community of friends and professionals makes beautiful music together.

“I'm hoping to get a place real soon. I can’t take too much more of this.” — Lucas Olson Lincoln Park address: Cheap Evicted from an apartment and kicked out of a shelter, Lucas Olson has no place to go. But he needs to be near his family.

“The biggest comment is, 'Do you really have live fish on that truck?'” — Chris Swiney, fish re-locator Those live fish in Chinatown restaurants? They didn't swim there. Chris Swiney explains his work as a self-proclaimed professional fish re-locator who delivers 11,000 pounds of live fish on an 18-wheeler from Arkansas to Chicago every week.