Study says Chicago’s ‘rat hole’ wasn’t a rat after all
The mystery of the “Chicago Mouse Hole” will likely be solved, since it doesn’t seem to be a rat after all. It’s nuttier than you think.
Fox – 32 Chicago
Chicago’s “rat holes” may not actually be rat holes at all, according to a new study.
Chicago is known for its deep-dish pizza, its museums, its famous statue nicknamed Bean, and, of course, the “rat hole” in Roscoe Village.
The decades-old footprint, which looks like a giant rat, first went viral in January 2024 after a photo of it was posted online. Tourists and locals alike paid their respects to the sidewalk with its “rat hole.”
But looks can be deceiving, and people may have been mistaken about the type of rodent that formed the now-famous tracks.
On October 15, the Royal Society published research suggesting the now-famous tracks are likely a different type of rodent. This conclusion was reached after researchers compared its tracks to eight other species in the area.
Here’s what you need to know about “rat holes” (if you can still call them that).
What is Chicago’s “Rat Hole”?
This isn’t a restaurant with a weird nickname or a domed hole in the wall like something out of Tom and Jerry. Chicago’s “Rat Hole” is a sidewalk splatter shaped like a rat that has fallen from the sky.
Its shape consists of individual traces of toes, claws, legs, and a tail attached to the body.
So what gave rise to the famous trace?
Researchers suggest that a squirrel likely created the “rat hole,” but the species of squirrel is up for debate.
This track may have been made by an eastern gray squirrel or fox squirrel. However, given the regional population density of eastern gray squirrels, it is likely that rodents created the tracks.
The squirrel theory has been proposed before
This isn’t the first time someone has suggested that squirrels may actually be the culprit.
When the “rat hole” story first went viral, Roscoe residents told the Washington Post that they believed the marks were actually from a squirrel, not a rat.
Cindy Nelson told the paper in 2024 that traces of it had been there since she and her husband moved into the neighborhood in 1997. A neighbor who had been there since the early 1990s told her it had been there since then.
The couple raised their three children across the street from where the site once stood. Nelson said there was once a “huge, old, beautiful” oak tree on top of the splatmark, so he thinks an unlucky squirrel may have fallen from the tree onto the fresh cement.
‘Rat Hole’ goes viral and takes social media by storm
The rodent-shaped hole caught the attention of social media users and tourists visiting Roscoe Village after it went viral online.
People started leaving gifts. The video shows chips, coins, vials of alcohol and mysterious pills left in and around the “rat hole”.
TikTok user @Marshian_Rover posted a video of someone pouring the contents of a small bottle of what appears to be Chicago’s famous liquor, Marot, into an offering into a hole.
Can you still visit Chicago’s “rat holes”?
No, patrons can no longer visit the original Chicago “Rat Hole” location, formerly located in Roscoe Village.
The city removed the traces from the sidewalk in April 2024, according to Block Club Chicago. It is preserved at City Hall by the Chicago Department of Street Sanitation.
Chicago Street Sanitation Commissioner Cole Stallard told local news station FOX 32 where the “rat hole” is currently on display on the 11th floor of City Hall.
“This is it,” the commissioner told the news station. “They also put a nice case on it,” Stallard said, pointing to a giant concrete square encased in a wooden frame.
“If you’re wondering where it is, it’s well maintained. It’s here under glass. And we’re managing it.”
Julia is a trends reporter for USA TODAY, covering scientific research and trending news. Connect with her on LinkedIn ×Instagram, TikTok: @juliamaigz or email jgomez@hannett.com.
