Chicago rat hole

The Chicago rat hole was a hole shaped like a rat in the sidewalk of West Roscoe Street in the Roscoe Village neighborhood of Chicago, Illinois, United States. After existing for decades, it became a viral phenomenon on social media (mainly Twitter) in January 2024, attracting tourists to the site. City officials removed the sidewalk slab containing the hole from the street on April 24, 2024, but the hole remains intact.

An apparent example of accidental lifecasting, the hole was described by The New York Times as "Chicago's Stonehenge", as its origins are unknown.

History
Had to make a pilgrimage to the Chicago Rat Hole January 6, 2024 The hole gained worldwide attention on January 6, 2024, via a tweet by Chicago-based comedian and writer Winslow Dumaine. The post quickly became viral, compelling many Chicago residents to visit the hole—in what has been described as a "pilgrimage"—and to make offerings to it, such as coins, flowers, candles, cheese, cigarettes, alcohol, children's toys, foodstuffs, and estradiol pills. One group of visitors took shots of Chicago specialty Malört beside the hole, before leaving the bottle as an oblation. The Riot Fest Historical Society also dedicated a plaque at the site of the hole.

Despite its newfound attention in 2024, the hole had existed for at least 20 to 30 years, according to locals. A local softball team has been using the rat as its unofficial mascot since around 2018.

On January 10, 2024, Ann Williams, the state representative for Illinois's 11th district, posted an online video promoting the hole, calling it "the jewel of the 11th district".

On January 11, 2024, the Lakeview Roscoe Village's Chamber of Commerce started receiving suggestions of names for the rat hole, accepting submissions until January 18, 2024. On January 19, 2024, submissions had been narrowed down to five finalists, which residents had until January 21 to vote on: "Lil' Stucky", "Splatatouille", "Splat", "Roscoe Road-dent" and "Dibs". The winning name was "Splatatouille".

The hole was filled in with plaster or cement by an unknown party on January 19, 2024. City officials later confirmed they had not filled in the hole. Ann Williams posted a video stating "we are shocked and saddened" by the news, and "are closely monitoring the developing situation". Local residents attempted to excavate the hole, using their hands and implements such as ice scrapers and license plates. Eventually, a woman cleaned out the hole and restored it to its original condition.

Following the restoration, Williams wrote "This is what community is all about." Shortly afterwards, an engagement and a marriage ceremony took place at the hole. Some residents of West Roscoe Street have expressed frustration with the hole's newfound viral status, with some locals citing public nuisance, vandalism, and accumulation of garbage on the sidewalk.

On April 24, 2024, the Chicago Department of Transportation removed the sidewalk slab containing the hole while keeping it intact; it is unclear what the city officials plan on doing with the sidewalk slab.

The rat hole has also brought attention to other object-shaped sidewalk holes, such as a gun-shaped hole in Richmond, Virginia, that was similarly enshrined by locals.

Debate over origin of hole
Despite the hole's popular name, some locals believe it was formed by a squirrel. The director of Lincoln Park Zoo's Urban Wildlife Institute, Seth Magle, told NBC Chicago that he believed it likely that a squirrel fell on the wet concrete from a tree. Magle also clarified that the thinness of the tail cavity, used by some to argue in favor of it being a rat hole, should not be considered, given that fur does not always leave impressions. Supporting this theory, one resident stated that an oak tree had existed above that section of the sidewalk that had since been cut down.