The Missing Chapter Podcast

Hey MC listeners, welcome to a Part II episode of This Side Up! If you haven't listened to the original This Side Up episode, go back to Episode 2 of Season 3 and find out how the US postal system was used to carry quite the unexpected yet vitally important package some 250 miles away. What was in that package you ask?  Well we won’t ruin it for our listeners who haven’t tuned in, but let’s j...

More than just a words on page, far beyond just a recitation and nothing less than a unifying tradition, the Pledge of Allegiance is engrained in our American brains at a very young age.  It is recited before school starts, before meetings, some sporting events, and it’s even well known internationally.  But here’s a question…we know the Pledge, but do we know the person?  The perso...

In the history of film and cinema, no animal has ever been awarded the distinction of an Academy Award. Which is too bad because Hollywood has produced countless movies starring a variety of animal stars. Lassie, Benji, Mr. Ed, Old Yeller… while the rules don’t specifically disqualify an animal from taking home the distinguished honor, in the strictest interpretation of the definition of “actor” o...

Before the advent of Amazon Prime delivery, UPS, and FedEx, the US Postal System was the only option.  It was a luxury and a necessity at the same time - a way to send information and a means by which supplies could be distributed throughout the nation.  As a matter of fact, did you know the US Postal Service processes over 160 million pieces of first class mail daily?  It's hard to...

On this episode of the Missing Chapter, we have a regular guest of the program, Chris Bower, to discuss one of baseball's forgotten heroes, "Bud" Fowler.  A continuation of our Hometown History segment, this episode highlights Fowler's pioneering ventures - by using his undeniable strength in character to overcome racial boundaries and obstacles - to become one of the members of the National...

A disturbing trend existed in the mid-19th century when it came to maternity clinics and child birth. New mothers were dying in alarming numbers due to a mysterious ailment referred to at the time as, “childbed fever.” A Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis, who was working in a Vienna, Austria maternity, who began to notice and question this shocking trend in 1847.  As he delved deeper in...

When you think about the stories of escaped slaves, I bet your mind immediately goes to certain people and terms - maybe Underground Railroad, maybe Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth - but what about something that maybe has gone unnoticed in this area of history - court cases?  Well, court cases over the issue of slavery were actually very common in the 1800s, many of whom are actually well kn...

On this episode of the Missing Chapter, we’re commemorating our 100th episode!  We’ll review our favorite episodes, some forgotten history, as well as the guest speakers that have offered up their time to be with us.  100 stories about the people, events, and time periods that the history books left out and the journey we’ve taken over the past 2 years in bringing them to you. Thank you...

The female pioneers in Hollywood also stand as some of the most iconic figures in American History. Their work, sacrifice, and perseverance helped pave the way for women not only in entertainment forums like television, radio, and film, but in fields throughout our culture. You know their names, but do you really know the far-reaching impact they had on the industry? In this episode of the Missing...

The Land down under, the Aussies, the lucky country, Oz - all nicknames for the area of the world that seems to have almost gone unnoticed by authors of the history textbooks.  “How come we don’t learn much about Australia”, some of our students ask yearly…well, you’re about to, kids.  Grab a cup of coffee, you know we are, because we’re going to take you back to the 1930s and talk about...

Have you ever wondered what life would be like if the Allies never won World War II? What about if President John F. Kennedy was never assassinated? In this podcast we will discuss one of the most interesting philosophical questions in history. Is it a person or an event that makes what we learn in the textbooks important?  Find out more on this episode of the Missing Chapter. Go to The Missi...

Today on this episode of the Missing Chapter, we’re going local.  Well, somewhat.  Here in upstate, NY, one of the destination places that our area is known for is Saratoga.  Popularized most by its rich history - being the location of a turning point victory in the Revolutionary war in 1777, and secondly of course, it is known for its rich culture in horse racing.  But apart f...

What an episode we have for you today!  On this episode we have Chris Bensch, Chief Curator at the Strong's National Museum of Play in Rochester, NY.  Chris was the featured historian on History Channel's Toys That Built America and Travel Channel's Mysteries at the Museum and is our special guest on this episode of the Missing Chapter.   Chris walks us through the unknown yet fasci...

Imagine this scenario:  You’re walking by yourself in the pristine, expansive wilderness of Van Cortlandt Park in Bronx, New York. You marvel at your surroundings and take in the tranquil beauty of the old oak trees, stony ridges, and the serene lake. Although you are completely isolated, you can’t help but shake the unnerving feeling that you’re being watched…that you’re not alone. Well, if...

This episode of the Missing Chapter is a special one!  We have special guest Alex Gyurik with us today to discuss the life of a close family relative who served in Vietnam and unfortunately paid the ultimate price.  Alex, through family photos, documents, and artifacts gave a moving and profound presentation to a group of students, staff, and family in April and we are happy to present t...

You may be familiar with the 1874 Jules Verne book, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and its 2008 theatrical sibling.  For those of you who may not be familiar with the plot, the title I think is pretty self explanatory, but the story involves the characters discovering and decoding ancient writings that show a dormant volcano leading to caverns inside the earth.  Now, this is just sc...

Wow - we got some great feedback from the Historic Phrases episode a couple weeks ago and here we are again - this time...the Sequel.  We don't want you to hear the history of these phrases "through the grape vine", we want you to hear it from us!  So turn your volume up wherever you are and enjoy the new Top 5 Phrases Part II on this episode of the Missing Chapter. Go to The Missing Cha...

Living in Central New York our entire lives, we have had the privilege of being around sites with lots of local and state history, many of which have gained national attention.  Most people, when they think of New York though, think skyscrapers and subways, when in fact, where we are is more like steers and silos.  In one of those towns in upstate NY, a woman by the name of Annie is born...

The couple ran, hand-in-hand, to the nearest bicycle shop; nervous, frantic, and desperate with the looming armies advancing in the past days. The radios had announced hours earlier that the city would not be defended from the approaching Nazi forces. The couple didn’t have a car; none of the trains were running; two million Parisians had already fled. Hans and Margret tried out the tandem bike fo...

Back by popular demand, the Missing Chapter Podcast Top 5’s - Easily, the most popular episodes from our listener’s perspectives is the Top 5 - The top 5 war movies, top 5 haunted historic places, and this time, we’re talking about the Top 5 most used phrases and their unknown and sometimes ridiculously bizarre origins. We’ve got our 5 - so relax, grab a coffee, and if you’re driving, keep at leas...

On this episode of the Missing Chapter, we’re switching gears.  Yes you still have some forgotten stories, some history that the text books left out, but today we’re going to play a game.  This person in focus on today’s episode will remain anonymous until the end.  Take in the clues, conjure up some ideas, and piece together today’s puzzle to figure out who the person is that I’ll...

There are 2 camps of people in the world – cat people and dog people. If you’re as old as the Catholic Church, it’s safe to say, you’ve had your fair share of battles and have made your fair share of enemies over the years and the Catholic Church, it would seem, undeniably falls into the latter camp and is certainly not… cat people. The Church’s war against felines in the 13th-century was of epic...

The dictionary defines ‘irony’ as, “a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects.” One might use this term when describing the subject of this podcast… It’s ironic that one of history’s biggest opponents of capital punishment, should have his name become nearly synonymous with death and execution.  Find out who this person was and the irony behind his en...

If you’re a fan of the Missing Chapter, you may recognize the title of today’s episode.  If you’re a newbie to all things Missing Chapter, well, welcome to Part II of the crazy bird campaign from another bird-brained dictator.  This time, it’s not Kim Jung Un from North Korea, although the stories are eerily similar, we’re focused on Mao Zedong from China, and Mao’s first order of busine...

High up in the Himalayas, in the rugged mountainside, in the shadows of Mount Everest, is the small Nepalese village of Pangboche. At an altitude of 13,074 feet, Pangboche is nestled in the Imja Khole valley, and serves as a base camp for the surrounding peaks and for the climbers who trek the Himalayas for their unparalleled views.  This small hamlet is also renowned for another reason – a B...