American Countryside

There is power in prayer.  For the residents of this city, the results of their prayers are still celebrated every year to commemorate an event that took place over two centuries ago... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What you know about this battle probably comes from a song you’ve heard.  So today we’ll “Take a little trip along with Colonel Jackson” to see how much is fact and fiction... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It was Christmas of 1814 and the residents of New Orleans knew the British were heading their way.  Soon they’d be on the ground intent on invading their city.  But could they repel the larger army and keep their freedom?  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Before you can get a group to move toward a goal, you have to get them working together.  That was the biggest challenge facing this leader in his effort to save an American city from falling to the enemy... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Wessington Springs, South Dakota you’ll find a building that may seem out-of-place compared to the other homes and businesses in town.  However, a stop by this cottage will reveal an amazing story of a teacher who made a big trip and came home with an idea... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We think of Yorktown as the place where the United States secured its independence.  However, this battle over three decades later kept the young nation from losing the freedoms for which it had fought... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He owned one of the largest ranches in Texas in the late 1800s and he might just have the biggest grave marker of any rancher in the state... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Bay City, Texas you’ll find a place that displays artifacts from a doomed expedition that arrived here over three centuries ago See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The explorer LaSalle was determined to sail to North America and find the mouth of the Mississippi River.  He missed it by a few hundred miles and wound up here.  This is the story of that wayward explorer and the mark he left in the New World... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many people like reminders of their heritage.  For the residents of this small town, the reminders is one very large…windmill.  This is the story of a windmill that took quite a trip... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the largest of its kind and the story behind it is one of hard work, entrepreneurship and constant reinvestment into what had already been created... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When a couple marries they often incorporate traditions from both of their families.  But for the immigrants from this nation, they found they were losing centuries old customs within one generation of coming here... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Immigrants from many countries came to the U.S. during the 19th century, but the young men from this country often came because the farms in their homeland were simply too small to support more people... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Go down an interstate highway and you’ll find plenty of trucks.  While many look similar, there is really a great variety in what travels down our rounds.  This place will amaze you with just what has hit the highways for well over a century... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When Bill Moon opened a truck stop in 1964, he perhaps didn’t imagine his passion for trucking would someday result in one of the largest museums of its kind... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the days just after the Civil War there was a large financial incentive to move cattle from Texas to points northward.  What resulted were cattle drives of immense size moving north on the high plains... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Amid the tragic loss of life at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, one man saved the lives of dozens of rescue workers.  It was not because of his strength or heroism, but his understanding of engineering.  Today we look at the important decision one firefighter made before those buildings collapsed... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For three days Joe Torrillo’s family thought he’d died in the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center.  However a mix-up at the firehouse resulted in an unlikely outcome for Joe and a happy ending for his family.  We look back at the events of 25 years ago See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Torrillo survived not one building falling on top of him, but two.  Against all odds, he made a dash for his life in lower Manhattan on September 11th, 2001.  We look back 25 years... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joe Torrillo was ready to unveil a new action figure for a giant toy company in New York City.  However, the ceremony would not take place that day.  Instead, Joe’s intuition told him to turn the wheel of the car and head to lower Manhattan. We remember 9-11 25 years later... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today we begin a series of programs as we look back 25 years to the events of 9-11.  Our guest is a man who was a firefighter on site that day... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Most taverns are places were you can sit down and get a strong drink.  That’s what makes this tavern quite unique, for it served no alcohol and became an important spot for another secretive operation... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you were one of the most well-known players in major league history, perhaps it would be hard to come back to your small town and live a normal life.  This man returned to the farm and today large crowds, including some of the best pitchers in the game, come to honor him each year... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The best baseball pitcher in each league receives this award – an award named for arguably the best pitcher to ever throw a baseball... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This well-known baseball pitcher got his name because of what his throws did to the family’s barn... See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.