City on the Edge Podcast

It's Halloween, so we visit some Albuquerque graveyards and tell stories from cemeteries. Spooky!

We go into the history of the Albuquerque Indian School, featuring interviews with historian Joe Sabatini and Rachel Moore, educational curator at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center.

We chat with Albuquerque native, journalist and author Rachel Syme--whose work can be found in the New Yorker, New York Times and other major publications--about how the rest of the world views Albuquerque and the impact of Breaking Bad.

The latest episode of CITY ON THE EDGE is about a 1940 concert deep underground in the San Pedro Mine, near Albuquerque, featuring the first symphony orchestra ever conducted by a woman, and funded by a tycoon who built the Empire State Building and tried to overthrow the government with a secret corporate coup. Check it out!

In 1955, a passenger airplane flew into the west face of the Sandia Mountains. We know *how* it happened, but why is an enduring mystery. This episode, Mike, Nora and Ty discuss the details of this infamous part of New Mexico history.

Part 2 of our look at the history of a forgotten town in the Manzano mountains. With the demise of the original village of Ojo Sabino, the area takes on a new identity as a silver fox fur farm. Also, a listener asked us about a weird noise in the Sandia mountains, so we give it our best shot to provide an explanation.

Sabino NM, Pt 1, A Spanish Village by Ty, Nora and Mike

We look into the history of dowsing in New Mexico.

During World War II, nearly 120,000 Japanese Americans were put into internment camps due to American racism and fears of espionage. Several of those camps were in New Mexico, and this week we look at a disturbing shooting that occurred at Camp Lordsburg.

We chat with Albuquerque beer maven Chris Jackson about the history of brewing in our fair city. Be warned! This was a live show with a particularly rowdy crowd!

For this live show, we joined up with Marya Errin Jones to take a look at Black history in New Mexico. We discuss Esteban, perhaps the first non-native person in the New Mexico territory, African American cowboys in the territory and, of course, the Buffalo soldiers. We also delve into some uniquely Albuquerquean stories, including how the civil rights struggle kicked off in our city.

On this 76th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, we are honoring some lesser known stories connected to both the War in the Pacific and Albuquerque. First up, our correspondent Roland Pentilla tells us about the time a Japanese submarine was the "guest of honor" in an Albuquerque parade and how Clyde Tingley may have swiped a bit of it for his own collection. Next, we look at the incredible...

We tackle one of the big Albuquerque history subjects: the Alvarado Hotel. For over 60 years, this Harvey House served as the jewel of Albuquerque's Downtown, until it was torn down by short-sighted developers in the 1970s. We look at the history behind this long-lamented landmark. We also launch a new segment where we talk to local musicians about their Albuquerque experience! First up: Chicharra...

A few miles east of Albuquerque, there's a community with a strange name in no known language. What's the deal with Zuzax, anyway? Mike Smith digs into the history of this one-time roadside attraction.

The Whittlesey House (Albuquerque Press Club) by Ty, Nora and Mike

Some towns die on their own. Others are killed. Mike Smith tells the story of one of the latter, the Sandia mountain community of Tejon, NM.

Live at the 2017 Mini Maker Faire! We talk with organizer Wendi Flybutter, Bernalillo County Seed Librarian Brita Sauer and Q-Lab techno-wizard Adric Menning about what, exactly, a “maker” is and how the DIY lifestyle helps to build community in Albuquerque.

Look, there's no doubt about it: Crime in Albuquerque is on the rise. But what kind of crime? And why? And what can we do about it? We talk to Albuquerque Journal crime reporter Elise Kaplan about just what the heck is going on.

For all of one month in 1862, Old Town Albuquerque was a part of the Confederate States of America. We tell this story, and then trace out the trajectory of the ill fated New Mexico campaign, led by the notoriously drunken General Henry Hopkins Sibley.

Here's a bit of trivia for you: Did you know that until 1949, Old Town wasn't actually a part of the city of Albuquerque? We tell the story behind this surprising fact, discuss the Little Beaver parade in Dulce, NM, and ponder the significance of the Raccoonpocalpyse.

Anyone who’s seen the classic film A Christmas story has heard of the Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock, and this thing which tells time, but how many of you know that Albuquerque was home to Red Ryder’s creator, Fred Harman? And that there was a theme park dedicated to Red Ryder’s Native side-kick Little Beaver right at the entrance to Tijeras Canyon? Today, we’re going to be talking a...

We've got lots of excuses for being slow in getting the next episode out (Nora got married!) but rather than bore you with them, we're sharing the first episode of a NEW podcast by City on the Edge productions: Anytown, USA. Each episode, Ty Bannerman and his wife Courtney FitzGerald check out a random location in the USA and try to find the most interesting stories they can about it. If you like...

Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul have done more than any other pop-culture phenomenon to bring Albuquerque's unique city-scape to the eyes of the world. But is the Albuquerque portrayed in these shows accurate? What do they get right and wrong about our city? We talk to Bryan of the podcast It's Saul Goodman about his impressions of Albuquerque as seen on the show, as well as an in-depth conversa...

In this bonus episode, we talk to historian, author and archivist Mo Palmer about the role of tuberculosis in shaping Albuquerque. Nora delves into the origin of Hanta virus in the Southwest. Also, Mike saw some roadrunners.

Our most disgusting episode yet! Ty and Nora discuss the history of smallpox in the New Mexico and early methods of inoculation against it. Also, a man got his hands nailed to a tree and the Pit has yet another new name.