Hello friend, today we are exploring the Scopes ‘Monkey’ trial, a riveting legal battle that erupted in the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, during the sweltering summer of 1925. This episode delves into the heart of a nation...
In this episode we delve into the sinister world of Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, two prodigiously intelligent young men from affluent backgrounds who believed themselves to be above the law. Their story unfolds in 1924 Ch...
In this intriguing episode we uncover a forgotten chapter of the American film industry that places Jacksonville, Florida, at the heart of early 20th-century movie-making. Before the glitz and glamour settled in California, J...
In this episode, we dive deep into the murky waters of the Teapot Dome Scandal, a pivotal moment in American history that epitomizes the intersection of politics, greed, and corruption in the early 20th century. As we peel ba...
Imagine a quiet afternoon turning bizarre as chunks of meat rain down from the blue sky. On March 3, 1876, the residents of Bath County, Kentucky, experienced just that, in an event that would come to be known as the Kentucky...
Whispers of a 'petticoat government' reverberated through the corridors of the White House during Woodrow Wilson's presidency, but how much truth was there to the rumors? It is said that for a time, the most powerful nation on Earth was steered not by...
They say one person's hero is another's villain, and the tale of Hannah Duston embodies this adage with chilling precision. At the dawn of American lore, her story emerges from the shadows of 1697—a frontier mother's ordeal that swerves into a...
Imagine standing in the opulent rooms of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where priceless works of human achievement reside. It’s a sanctum of culture and history, where the pulse of the past beats strong. But what happens when the sanctity of such a...
You might walk the grand halls of the Metropolitan Museum of Art today, surrounded by the splendor of centuries-old artifacts and the whispers of history echoing off marble walls. But once upon a time, the Met had a far more modest abode. This episode...
The saying goes that behind every successful mission, there's a story of an unsung hero whose bravery defies imagination. In this chapter of Hometown History, we turn the spotlight on a figure whose cunning and courage changed the course of World War...
It's said that truth is often stranger—and more chilling—than fiction, a sentiment that finds its proof in the covert operations of World War II. In this episode of Hometown History, we peel back the veil on one of the war's most secretive endeavors:...
Dive into a lesser-told tale of World War II heroism that soars beyond traditional battle stories—this is the legend of the Night Witches, an all-female squadron of the Soviet Air Force. These brave women took to the skies in...
...1 eerie corn maze... ...9 haunting figures... ...9 spine-tingling tales... ...Will YOU find your way out? This holiday season, step into a labyrinth of shadows and suspense with Shane Waters as your guide. In this chilling...
In the pages of American history, stories of gold, greed, and glory often cast their glimmering shadow. But before the famous California Gold Rush, a lesser-known yet equally compelling chapter unfolded. A chapter ignited by ...
It's Christmas Eve, 1926. New York City was adorned with the sparkle of snow and a festive glow. Families gathered in their homes, and the streets were bright with carols and holiday cheer. But in the corridors of Bellevue Ho...
We all know the classic American story about the evil capitalist – like Citizen Kane . He bullies his way to the top, crushes his rivals and loses all human decency along the way. This story is the opposite of that story. Thi...
How would you feel about pulling up a lawn chair to watch a nearby explosion of an atomic bomb? Believe it or not, this used to be common. When the US government chose a nuclear testing site about 60 miles outside of Las Vega...
I have to admit, I didn't really think of Las Vegas as a hometown either, until my recent visit. I had always thought of Vegas as a destination, a place you fly in and fly out of. Of course, the two weeks I spent there foreve...
After our conversation with Jeff Lane at the West Baden Hotel, we went over to the French Lick Hotel to meet Dan Frotscher for a tour of both campuses. Because we've already covered the general history of this resort in our i...
When it was built in 1902 with the biggest free span dome in the world, the West Baden Springs Hotel in southern Indiana was known as the 8th Wonder of the World. About a month ago, in February of 2023, the travel site TripAd...
The first man to walk on the moon died two years before he ever got there. Or at least the man who was supposed to be the first. His name was Gus Grissom, and he’s remembered today as one of the most skilled and yet unluckies...
You may remember Joe Lee from our conversation on the life and legacy of Eva Kor, whose story Joe told in a graphic biography I picked up at the Holocaust museum. The book is called, Forgiveness: The Story of Eva Kor, Survivo...
After leaving the CANDLES Holocaust Museum and Education Center in Terre Haute, Indiana, I mentioned our trip to a photographer friend of mine named Rodney Margison, from nearby Bloomington. I was telling Rodney about a book ...
I’m back with Troy Fears, Executive director at Candles Holocaust Museum and Education Center, in Terre Haute, Indiana. Twenty years ago, this museum was fire bombed by a domestic terrorist. Today, it’s stronger than ever, ho...
