ROSCOE VILLAGE — Neighbors and fans of the “Chicago Rat Hole” rushed to save the city’s newest attraction after someone tried to cover it up Friday.
NBC5 reported the rat-shaped sidewalk hole near near 1918 W. Roscoe St. was filled in with a “concrete-like material.”
It’s not clear who has a problem with the rat hole and doesn’t want us to have nice things, but Lakeview neighbor Johnathan Howell grabbed his license plate and went to work digging out the hole, NBC Sports’ Alex Shapiro reported. Other neighbors joined in, using other small tools to help.
By early afternoon, the hole looked mostly back to normal, though remnants remained of the filling, melted snow and slush.
The material used to fill in the rat hole appeared to be some type of plaster or modeling clay. Neighbors who had made a pilgrimage to the rat hole during their Friday lunch were relieved the desecration of the landmark was not permanent, they said.
“I came over the pay my respects to the rat hole, see it in person. I’m very surprised someone tried to fill it in,” Katelyn Cohen said.
Cohen said she is glad whatever material was used to fill the hole had dissolved.
“It’s almost like a plaster that didn’t set right,” said Payton Borges. “I want to make sure no one covers this up. It’s too iconic at this point. It’s a Chicago landmark.”
In a video posted Friday afternoon, Rep. Ann Williams said she was “shocked and saddened” by news someone tried to fill in the hole. She is closely monitoring the rat hole situation, she said.
Williams previously posted a video celebrating “the Chicago rat hole” as a landmark on the same scale of importance as Wrigley Field.
Now that the hole is restored, it’s time to name it.
The Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce launched a contest last week to come up with a nickname. The five finalists:
- Lil’ Stucky
- Splatatouille
- Splat
- Roscoe Road-dent
- Dibs
Neighbors have until Sunday to vote for their favorite. Cohen said she likes Splatatouille the best.
Becca Girsch, executive director of the business chamber, previously said Lil’ Stucky appeared to be the name neighbors informally used for the rat hole before local artist Winslow Dumaine’s viral social media post drew attention to the rat hole.
Chicagoans, including Benny the Bull, continue to get in on the fun by heading to the landmark to take photos with it, leaving coins and other items tributes. A custom plaque honoring the landmark’s history has also been erected.
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