Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories ,  Tom Zoellner purchased a diamond engagement ring and proposed. His girlfriend said, "yes" and then, suddenly, walked out of his life making Tom the owner of a used engagement ring. Instead of hitting the self-help shelves of his local bookstore, he hit the road to discover the true worth of this shining gem and then wrote  The Heartless Stone . Support th...

On this episode of Our American Stories , our audience loved Kristin O'Donnell Tubb’s wonderful story from her historical fiction book,  John Lincoln Clem: Civil War Drummer Boy . So we asked if she would share another story with us. Here she is telling the story of the family that lived in the New York Public Library. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show:...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Mark McCray is the author of The Best Saturday’s of Our Lives . He’s here to tell us the story of Saturday Morning Cartoons… and answer the all-important question: What happened to them? Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informatio...

On this episode of Our American Stories , the Bohlender family has 10 children, 6 of which are adopted. Take a listen to hear their stories of adoption and how they came to found the adoption agency Zoe’s House.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , our next story comes from our regular contributor, Christopher Klein . Klein is the author of four books and is a frequent contributor to the History Channel. He’s here to share a story of an unknown Civil War hero. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/li...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Thomas Weller, also known as 'The San Diego Highwayman' shares the story of why he dedicated his time to helping people on the side of the road.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , here again with his recurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases author, Andrew Thompson , as he continues to share another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding these baffling mini mysteries of the English language. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) S...

On this episode of Our American Stories ,  Marilyn Jensen tells the harrowing story of when her father went on a supply run amidst a German bombing.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , the idea of a lawn is very old, but it took a key technology to make lawns very common. Here’s “ The History Guy ” with the story of lawn care.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , John Busbee of The Culture Buzz on KFMG 98.9 tells the story of the remarkable sacrifice made by one family in Iowa during the Civil War.  Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , today, we don't think twice about pulling up at a drive-thru and grabbing a quick meal. But this idea was once unheard of. Adam Chandler , author of Drive-Thru Dreams, brings us the story of fast food in our country and how it became a part of every day American life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://ww...

On this episode of Our American Stories , here again with his recurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases author, Andrew Thompson , as he continues to share another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding these baffling mini mysteries of the English language. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) S...

On this episode of Our American Stories , this is the story of how one childless married couple of 13 years became a family of 9, literally, overnight. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , John Feinstein is a sportswriter of 42 books, 23 of them New York Times bestsellers. His first book, A Season on the Brink (about Indiana coach Bobby Knight ), is the bestselling sports book of all time. He is also the friend of Duke University’s legendary basketball coach, Mike Krzyzewski (also known as “ Coach K ”). John is here to tell the story of how...

On this episode of Our American Stories , we’ve all heard of gunslingers “Wild” Bill Hickok , Doc Holliday , and Billy The Kid . These three quick-draw legends got nothing on Bob Munden . Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , former Air Force Captain and Air Force OSI Special Agent Vince Benedetto shares his story of going to a school to teach students about why we honor our veterans. But to understand why, we have to understand who made our country possible in the first place.... Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramer...

On this episode of Our American Stories , because of the devastating nature of the attack, the U.S. government chose to keep the details of this attack hushed. Grove City College PoliSci professor Paul Kengor brings us the details through the eyes of Sergeant Frank Bryer. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See om...

On this episode of Our American Stories , oftentimes when the topic of professional wrestling (think Hulk Hogan) comes up, it’s almost guaranteed that someone will scoff and say that it’s “fake.” Here’s Riley Evans , sports writer and CEO of RealPodcasting.com, to tell the real story about professional wrestling. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https:...

On this episode of Our American Stories , here again with his reoccurring series is Hair of the Dog to Paint the Town Red: The Curious Origins of Everyday Sayings and Fun Phrases author, Andrew Thompson , as he continues to share another slice from his ultimate guide to understanding these baffling mini mysteries of the English language. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)...

On this episode of Our American Stories , the life of the youngest-ever winner of the Nobel Prize for literature, Rudyard Kipling, was filled with tragedy. He survived a difficult childhood to go on to become one of the most celebrated authors of his day, penning such classics as "The Jungle Book" and "Just So Stories.” Here’s The History Guy with the story of Rudyard Kipling. Support the show (ht...

On this episode of Our American Stories , the remarkable story of Arizona State University and its President Michael Crow . Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , Duncan Scott tells us his story of pranking the New Mexico State Legislature. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories , when Margie Siegal was a teenager, she had a boyfriend with a motorcycle. The boyfriend was forgettable—the motorcycle wasn’t. Since that time, she has written about motorcycle history and is the author of Harley-Davidson: A History of the World’s Most Famous Motorcycle . Here she is with the story of Harley-Davidson. Support the show (https://www.ourameri...

On this episode of Our American Stories , Pinball is an iconic American game. But how did it reach its iconic status? How did pinball develop? Listen to Jeremy Saucier of the Strong Museum of Play as he shares the long, and surprising, history of pinball--from its origins in French parlor games, to its prohibition, and then to its emergence as the immersive and popular game that it is today. Suppo...

On this episode of Our American Stories , when it comes to the various bits of infrastructure that help keep us safe while we drive, most likely the greatest cost-and-simplicity to benefit ratio has to be painted lane lines on roads. For more stories of forgotten history, please subscribe to The History Guy's YouTube Channel, The History Guy: History Deserves to be Remembered. Support the show (ht...