Stuff You Missed in History Class

The first recorded bank robbery in the U.S. resulted in the wrong man sitting in jail, a very strange confession, and a serious lawsuit for the administrators of the bank that was robbed. Research: Avery, Ron. “America’s First Bank Robbery.” Carpenters’ Hall. https://www.carpentershall.org/americas-first-bank-robbery “Democratic Mystery Unraveled.” The North American. Nov. 20, 1798. https://www.ne...

This 2020 episode covers the life of the man who created Dracula. But even Bram Stoker's own life story - at least as he told it - may have some fictional elements. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly shares some of the theories about the Brown Lady photographers that characterizes them as charlatans. Tracy and Holly also share their experiences with possible ghosts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part two of our week of ghosts is all about one spirit – this time, a poltergeist. People have been arguing over this one since the 1660s, including some prominent skeptics and supporters.   Research: Aldridge, Alfred Owen. “Franklin and the Ghostly Drummer of Tedworth.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 4, 1950, pp. 559–67. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1917046 “Ballygally Castle Hotel...

Part one of our Halloween finale on British Isles ghosts features two very classic ghost tales: the brown lady of Raynham Hall and the ghosts of of Ballygally Castle.  Research: Aldridge, Alfred Owen. “Franklin and the Ghostly Drummer of Tedworth.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 4, 1950, pp. 559–67. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1917046 “Ballygally Castle Hotel and it’s Ghost Room.”...

This 2019 episode covers the story of Zona Heaster Shue's death and subsequent appearances to her mother as an apparition. This story is often referred to as the only case in the U.S. when a ghost’s testimony convicted a murderer.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy talks about a college course on gothic literature and a DDoS attack on archive.org. She and Holly then talk about the incongruities of Horace Walpole's personality and a handful of charming details about his life.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Part two of our episode on Horace Walpole gets into the gothic literature and gothic castles his life is associated with, including his own eclectic and impressive home, Strawberry Hill. Research:  "Horace Walpole." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 38, Gale, 2018. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631010882/GPS?u=mlin_n_melpub&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=37ba7a42...

Horace Walpole is best known for his gothic novel "The Castle of Otranto," but he lived a lot of life before that. The first part of this two-parter covers his early life, his travels with his friend Thomas Gray, and his time in Parliament.  Research: "Horace Walpole." Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 38, Gale, 2018. Gale In Context: U.S. History, link.gale.com/apps/doc/K1631010882/GPS...

This 2016 episode cover the disproportionate number of executions for sorcery that happened in Vardø during Europe's witch trials, This small fishing community staged 140 trials, and sentenced 91 of the accused witches to death. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tracy shares her efforts to make sure the information included in our Unearthed! episodes is up to date. Talk also turns to the many works of art that have gone untracked in the world. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second part of this installment of Unearthed! gets into the listener-favorite subject of shipwrecks, plus animals, art, edibles and potables, and the catch-all potpourri category. Research: 19 News Investigative Team. “Exhumation of Cleveland Torso Killer’s unidentified victims now underway.” https://www.cleveland19.com/2024/08/09/exhumation-cleveland-torso-killers-unidentified-victims-now-und...

Part one of this edition of Unearthed! is mostly updates - about two-thirds of the episode. The rest is weapons, medicine, and books and letters.  Research: 19 News Investigative Team. “Exhumation of Cleveland Torso Killer’s unidentified victims now underway.” https://www.cleveland19.com/2024/08/09/exhumation-cleveland-torso-killers-unidentified-victims-now-underway/ Abdallah, Hanna. “Hydraulic li...

This 2016 episode covers Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly talks about the details of the typewriter evidence that was used in the Alger Hiss case. She and Tracy also talk the relationships among sources on Carlo Gesualdo's story.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carlo Gesualdo’s madrigals are unique and captivating. But he was seen by many as a monster in his own time due to a double murder and associations with witchcraft.  Research: Burton-Hill, Clemency. “Gesualdo: Glorious music and grisly murder.” BBC. Oct. 21, 2014. https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20130905-a-16th-century-musical-badass Caccese, Andrea. “Carlo Gesualdo: the ‘Madman’ of the Italia...

Alger Hiss worked in high-level roles in the U.S. government during the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration. And then he was accused of using his access to spy for the Soviets. Research: “Alger Hiss.” FBI. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/alger-hiss “A Byte Out of History, the Alger Hiss Story.” FBI. Jan. 25, 2013. https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/a-byte-out-of-history-the-alger-hiss-stor...

This 2017 episode covers the moment in 1789 when a group of protesters -- mostly women -- marched from Paris to Versailles to pressure King Louis XVI to address France's food shortage. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly shares a story that appeared in a U.S. newspaper about Wawel that she was never able to substantiate. Tracy talks about wanting to cover animal trials while also not wanting to get too gory.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are some parallels between historical witch trials and trials of non-human animals in the same period, with a lot of the same procedures as were used when human beings were charged with a crime. Research: Sonya. “When Societies Put Animals on Trial.” JSTOR Daily. 9/13/2017. https://daily.jstor.org/when-societies-put-animals-on-trial/ Simon, Matt. “Fantastically Wrong: Europe's Insane History...

Wawel Hill in Krakow is home to the Wawel Hill complex, a historically important set of buildings that are central to Poland’s history. In many ways, the story of Wawel is the story of Poland Research: “$50 Million Art Leaves Quebec for Poland via Boston.” The Boston Globe. Jan. 3 1961. https://www.newspapers.com/image/433010907/?match=1&terms=poland%20quebec Biskupski, M. B. “Re-Creating Cent...

This 2019 episode covers work of William Maclure, who was tasked by Robert Owen with running the education system in Owens’s utopia. Maclure brought many great minds with him, and their boat was nicknamed the Boatload of Knowledge. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Holly and Tracy discuss the use of the term Anglo-Saxon and its problems. Tracy discusses the way the perception of the word communism has shifted since the 19th century.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the mid-19th century Étienne Cabet had an idea to establish a utopian society in Texas, and he moved his followers from France to do it. Things went badly, but he persisted, and established multiple communities in North America. Research: American Experience. “Timeline: The Early History of the Mormons.” https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/mormons-timeline/ Beautiful Nauvoo. “N...

The Battle of Brunanburh took place in 937, and is often referred to as the battle that made England. But there are a LOT of questions about that battle, including how it played out and where it took place. Research: “Battle of Brunanburh.” The Anglo Saxons. https://www.theanglosaxons.com/battle-of-brunanburh-poem/ Anderson, Anne. “Battle of Brunanburh: The Site Argument.” Liverpool Daily Post. Se...