Hometown History

The chill of November 1888 in Chicago still whispers the unsolved mystery of a young woman's demise, a potential prelude to the ghastly tapestry of H.H. Holmes' serial murders. In this episode of Hometown History, Shane embarks on a historical investigation into the cold case of a lady whose lifeless form was discovered in the murky waters, her throat cruelly slit. This ill-fated soul's story was...

In this stirring episode of Hometown History, we delve deep into the controversial practice of blackface, an antiquated form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by white performers to caricature African Americans. For centuries, this practice has been mired in racism, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and furthering the narrative of white supremacy. We tackle the tough question: Has there ever b...

Step right up to the surprising origins of Monopoly, a game that has cemented itself as a fixture in American households for generations. But long before players vied to bankrupt friends and family, there was The Landlord's Game, a creation of Elizabeth Magie designed to critique the very capitalism Monopoly celebrates. This episode of Hometown History uncovers the twists and turns in the board ga...

In a chapter ripped straight from the darker annals of history, we recount the ghastly episode known as the Cadaver Synod, where the decaying body of Pope Formosus was exhumed and subjected to trial by his living successor. It’s a tale so morbid and so peculiar that it seems more fiction than fact, yet it remains a blemish on the legacy of the Catholic Church. This episode of Hometown History delv...

Step back in time to explore the domestic life of Abraham Lincoln with a virtual tour of his Springfield home, the cherished dwelling where he nurtured his family and political dreams. Preserved within the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, this historical treasure offers a rare glimpse into the personal world of the 16th president of the United States. In this episode of Hometown History, we in...

Prepare to be astonished as we uncover some of the most elaborate April Fools' Day hoaxes that not only caused chuckles and double-takes but also made it into the history books as legendary pranks. From spaghetti trees to fictitious flying saucers, we delve into the stories behind the pranks that managed to dupe the masses and reveal the creative, and sometimes audacious, minds behind them. Join u...

Step into the birth of American liberty with this episode of Hometown History. We trace the urgent strides of the founding fathers as they crafted and enshrined the First Amendment into the U.S. Constitution, declaring the unyielding principle of free speech. This wasn't just a legal formality; it was a bold statement of the values that would define a new nation. Join us as we converse with acclai...

Unfurl the story of America's great avian debate on this episode of Hometown History. We delve into the feathery fray that saw the fierce bald eagle and the unassuming turkey vying for the title of national symbol. Benjamin Franklin, with his astute observations and penchant for the symbolic, sits at the center of this historical quill-off. Did you know that Franklin had a penchant for the turkey...

In a special series on Hometown History , we invite you to join a thought-provoking journey through the corridors of time with our host and the esteemed Dr. Mark Smith, a professor with a passion for uncovering the roots of our current realities. Together, they delve into the origins and evolution of the American two-party system, uncovering how history can shed light on today's political landscap...

In this explosive episode of Hometown History, we take you back to the outskirts of Wilmington, Delaware, during the tumultuous 19th century. Picture yourself in the rustic ambiance of the Burning Rag Inn, an establishment where the local workers from the nearby powder mills would gather. Amidst the camaraderie and clinking glasses, a subtle but omnipresent scent lingered—the acrid tinge of gunpow...

Step into the financial fray of the Gilded Age with the fifth installment of our Misfits in History series, featuring the formidable Hetty Green. Dubbed the "Witch of Wall Street," Hetty was not only an American businesswoman par excellence but also an emblem of wealth and eccentric frugality. Recognized posthumously by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "greatest miser," Hetty's contradict...

In the fourth chapter of our Misfits in History series, we delve into the life of one of antiquity's most provocative philosophers, Diogenes of Sinope. With a birth shrouded in historical haze around 404 BC or perhaps 412 BC, and his final days spent in Corinth in 323 BC, Diogenes’s story is as enigmatic as it is enduring. This episode peels back the layers of the man who would come to embody Cyni...

Set your sails for the third installment of Hometown History's Misfits in History series as we voyage into the remarkable life of George Dibbern. Born under the German skies of Kiel in 1889, this author, adventurer, and sailor-philosopher embarked on a life that eschewed the shackles of the ordinary, passionately pursuing freedom on the open seas. In this episode, we cast off to explore Dibbern's...

Step back into the peculiar annals of the 18th century with Hometown History's second episode in the Misfits in History series, where we uncover the baffling life of Tarrare. Born with an insatiable hunger in rural France, 1772, Tarrare's story is a bewildering blend of myth and medical mystery. In this episode, we trace the origins of Tarrare's ravenous journey from the French countryside to the...

Embark on a journey through the foggy streets of 19th-century San Francisco with the premiere episode of our "Misfits in History" series. We introduce a figure so unique that his story remains etched in the folklore of the city: Joshua Norton, self-declared "Norton I, Emperor of the United States," a man whose imperial vision took root not in a palace, but from the eccentric heart of San Francisco...

Discover the natural charm and rich history of Belle Isle in Part 6 of our "Islands of Michigan" series. Nestled in the flowing waters of the Detroit River, this 982-acre island stands as the largest city-owned park in the United States, a verdant jewel just east of the urban hustle of Detroit. Once a humble farmland, Belle Isle has been transformed into a cultural haven, boasting an array of attr...

Sail away with us to the mystic shores of the Manitou Islands in this captivating fifth episode of our "Islands of Michigan" series. North and South Manitou Island beckon from about 14 miles northwest of Michigan's mainland, embraced by the clear, blue waters of Lake Michigan and cradled in the expanse of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. These islands are not only a natural paradise but...

Step onto the timeless shores of Mackinac Island in the fourth installment of our "Islands of Michigan" series. With its 4.35 square miles of preserved natural beauty and historical significance, Mackinac Island, located in the straits between Lake Huron's Upper and Lower Peninsulas, offers a living snapshot of a different era. This episode sails back in time to when Mackinac Island was a bustling...

In this haunting third episode of our "Islands of Michigan" series, we navigate the turbulent history of the North and South Fox Islands, set against the stunning backdrop of Lake Michigan. While the natural beauty of the Fox Islands is undeniable, the shadows of a chilling past linger amidst their serene landscapes. The North Fox Island, in particular, harbors a dark history as the site of a harr...

The second episode of our "Islands of Michigan" series brings us to the enigmatic High Island, an element of the Beaver Island archipelago shrouded in both the tranquil beauty of Lake Michigan and the veils of a mysterious past. From 1912 to 1927, this secluded island became the unlikely setting for a community known as the House of David, embroiled in a narrative of faith, labor, and the solemn s...

Embark on the inaugural voyage of our "Islands of Michigan" series, where we cast off to the storied shores of Beaver Island and the astonishing saga of its self-proclaimed monarch, Jesse Strang, the "King of Beaver Island." In an extraordinary blend of ambition and anarchy, every American king's tale ends in assassination in the harbor of St. James, Michigan—because there was only one, and his na...

In this spellbinding episode, we turn the pages back to a mystery nestled within a classic of American literature, 'The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.' Beyond the Yellow Brick Road and the Emerald City lies a tale rooted in the real world, in the quaint Evergreen Memorial Cemetery of Bloomington, Illinois, where a small, unassuming gravestone marks the resting place of a 5-month-old infant whose name wou...

Step into the glow of a historic evening with this episode of "Hometown History," as we recount the momentous night when Wabash, Indiana became the first electrically lighted city in the world. Imagine a time when nightfall brought an impenetrable darkness that not even the full moon could wholly dispel, a time when the concept of a city aglow after dusk was merely a dream. Then, on March 31, 1880...