Cascade of History

Feliks Banel’s guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Charlie Robin, CEO of The Capitol Theatre Committee, non-profit operator of the historic Capitol Theatre in Yakima, Washington. Charlie Robin joined CASCADE OF HISTORY to share the history of the 1920 Capitol Theatre, and to explain how the State of Washington's Historic Theatre Grant Program has helped support preservation of a f...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Graeme Menzies, whose book "Trading Fate: How a Little Known Company Stopped British Columbia from Becoming an American State” was released earlier this year by Heritage House Publishing of Victoria, BC. Mr. Menzies recounts the Nootka Crisis – a clash between the Spanish and the British on the northern coast of what’s now Vancouv...

On this CLAMMY and FISHY BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel (clam)digs into the audio archives to tell the twisted tale of the Ivar’s Billboard Hoax, aka "Underwatergate." Though, once you've listened, it may have you wondering if there was ever hoax at all, or if it was actually some kind of elaborate coverup. In 2009, Seattle-based Ivar’s seafood restaurants released a series of v...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Aaron Goings, whose most recent book, "Red Harbor: Radical Workers and Community Struggle in the Pacific Northwest" was published in September 2025 by University of Washington Press. Aaron Goings is Professor of History at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington and author of several critically acclaimed books,...

On yet another SPOOKY BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, we present archival audio from the October 2011 LIVE broadcast from Seattle of an adaptation of Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." This version is set in pre-war 1941 Seattle and the Skagit County town of Concrete. The protagonist, played brilliantly by Jim Dever, is soft-boiled, runny-yolked private detective - and washed...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Ellen Morris Bishop, author of “Living With Thunder: Exploring the Geologic Past, Present, and Future of the Pacific Northwest.” The second edition was published in October 2025 by OSU Press in Corvallis, Oregon. Ellen Morris Bishop is a geologist, photographer and award-winning author. One of her earlier titles, "In Search of Anc...

On this BONUS of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel speaks with Mathew Callaghan of The Spokesman-Review newspaper in Spokane about his story exploring the bicentennial of Fort Colville (also spelled "Colville") in the northeast corner of the Evergreen State. A history and heritage summit was held earlier in October 2025 in Chewelah, Washington, and Mr. Callaghan attended and interviewed several par...

Feliks Banel’s guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Wes Walker with the City of Walla Walla, WA's Parks and Recreation Department. The City of Walla Walla manages historic Mountain View Cemetery - parts of which date to the 1850s - and has received multiple grants from the State of Washington's Historic Cemetery Preservation Capital Grant Program. Wes Walker joined CASCADE OF HISTO...

On this LIVE BROADCAST of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel gives an update on efforts to dismantle historic elements of Gas Works Park in Seattle; plays archival audio of an interview with the late Richard Pouliot, a man who survived the October 22, 1962 ditching of an airliner flying between McChord Air Force Base near Tacoma, WA and Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, AK; gives an update on t...

On this SPOOKY BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, we present archival audio from the October 30, 2014 LIVE broadcast from Seattle of the original Halloween radio play "A Walk In The Dark." "A Walk In The Dark" was produced, written and directed by CASCADE OF HISTORY host Feliks Banel. It was performed live at Town Hall Seattle before a live audience, and was broadcast live on a local radio stati...

On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel speaks with Lloyd Lytle, a leader of the grassroots group working to prevent demolition of the historic Masonic Home of Washington in Des Moines, Washington. Lytle’s group is called Citizens for the Protection of Des Moines Historic Resources. They formed a coalition with Des Moines Historical Society and the Washington Trust for Historic P...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Jim Holyan, author of “I Was A Middle-Aged Wolfman: Chasing Wolves in Idaho's Backcountry.” The book was published in 2025 by Caxton Press in Caldwell, Idaho. Not long after the Nez Perce Tribe began recovery efforts for gray wolves in Idaho - which had been reintroduced from Canada - wildlife biologist Jim Holyan joined the team...

On this episode of CASCADE OF HISTORY, we present archival audio from the October 26, 2018 live broadcast from Seattle marking the 80th anniversary of Mercury Theater On-The-Air's most famous radio drama production, "War of the Worlds." This LIVE broadcast of CASCADE OF HISTORY was originally presented at 8pm Pacific Time on Sunday, October 19, 2025 via SPACE 101.1 FM and gallantly streaming live...

Feliks Banel's guests on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY are Liz Hammond-Kaarremaa, Chief Janice George, and Dr. Susan Pavel, co-authors of “The Teachings of Mutton: A Coast Salish Woolly Dog.” The book was released in May 2025 by Harbour Publishing in Madeira Park, British Columbia. “Mutton” is the name of a dog from the 19th century whose pelt was tucked away in a drawer at the Smithson...

On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, Feliks Banel speaks with Deborah Horne for the latest in our series of "Exit Interviews" with people who've had long careers in media and/or history in the Pacific Northwest. Deborah Horne retired earlier this month after 34 years at one station in Seattle - KIRO TV - under three different station owners: Bonneville, Belo and Cox. She's been a consisten...

Feliks Banel's guests on this LIVE BROADCAST of CASCADE OF HISTORY include Clay Eals and Jean Sherrard of Seattle Now & Then on this week's Seattle Times column about the old Hitt Fireworks factory in Seattle's Rainier Valley as well as the announcement that the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) will give up its lease on the Egyptian Theatre; Chrissie Richardson of the Parkland Community...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is journalist and author John Dodge, in an archival interview recorded in September 2018. Dodge talks about his then-new book, “A Deadly Wind” from Oregon State University Press. It’s a look back at the October 12, 1962 Columbus Day Storm that devastated the Pacific Northwest and the lower mainland of British Columbia - leaving many...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Tom Tangney, retired former Seattle journalist and broadcaster, longtime local cinephile - and all around gadfly. The Seattle International Film Festival – or SIFF - announced on October 9, 2025 that they are ending their lease of the Egyptian Theatre on Seattle’s Capitol Hill. The theatre, which was built as a Masonic Temple arou...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is David Eskenazi, Seattle's preeminent sports collector and historian. Seattle is battling Detroit in Major League Baseball's American League Division Series. As this episode was being recorded on Thursday, October 9, 2025, the Mariners and the Tigers were on the eve of facing off in the decisive game of the best of five series. Gam...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Jeremy Dimick, Director of Collections and Curatorial for the Detroit Historical Society and Museum. Seattle is battling Detroit in Major League Baseball's American League Division Series. As this episode was being recorded on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, the Mariners and the Tigers were about to face off in Detroit in Game Four of...

On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, we present some recent vintage audio – a piece Feliks Banel produced for a Seattle radio station in October 2022 about the Seattle Mariners and their predecessors – the one-season-and-done Seattle Pilots of 1969 - as well as the backstory of the Milwaukee Brewers. The Pilots left Seattle and became the Brewers in 1970. Ever since the Brewers moved into...

On this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY, we present more context about Gas Works Park and the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation’s proposed removal of elements of the historic “cracking towers.” As heard in the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board's meeting of October 1, 2025, at the heart of the debate is what the late landscape architect Rich Haag – who had the radical idea to preser...

Feliks Banel's guests on this LIVE BROADCAST of CASCADE OF HISTORY include Jay of Jay's Radio Hour and DJ Professor Grumpy of History As Music/Music As History - in a special broadcast as part of SPACE 101.1 FM's 8th birthday celebration, the BIRTHDAY BLASTOFF! Jay tells the story of the origins of his show, heard at 9pm Pacific Time Sunday on SPACE 101.1 FM, and how he first came into contact wit...

Feliks Banel's guest on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY is Leonard Garfield, executive director of Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry or “MOHAI.” It was recently announced that Garfield will be presented with the 2025 Pacific Northwest History Award by the Pacific Northwest Historian’s Guild. The award recognizes individuals or organizations for significant contributions to the writin...

Feliks Banel’s guests on this BONUS EPISODE of CASCADE OF HISTORY are Steve Edmiston and Jason Mattson. Steve Edmiston is an entertainment lawyer, founder of Burien, Washington’s Men in Black Birthday Bash Festival, and screenwriter of the short film “The Maury Island Incident.” Jason Mattson is Executive Director of the Lewis County Historical Museum in Chehalis, Washington. The two are part of a...