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The 1897 Ghost Who Solved Her Own Murder
In January 1897, a young woman named Elva Zona Heaster Shue was found dead inside her home in rural Greenbrier County. Her death was quickly ruled na…
4 months, 2 weeks ago
The Complicated History of Miss America
For more than a century, the Miss America Pageant has reflected America's changing ideas about beauty, femininity, ambition, and culture. What began …
4 months, 2 weeks ago
How Medieval Guilds Invented Modern Commerce
The next time a package arrives at your doorstep—tracked, inspected, and delivered by a company whose reputation depends on reliability—you can thank…
4 months, 2 weeks ago
Hitler on Trial: The Lawyer Who Put the Fuhrer on the Stand
Before he became the dictator of Germany, Adolf Hitler was a political agitator whose movement often relied on intimidation and street violence. Few …
4 months, 3 weeks ago
The Catnip Riot of 1909
In the summer of 1909, G. Herman Gottlieb set out through New York City carrying two baskets filled with fresh catnip. His plan was simple: sell the …
4 months, 3 weeks ago
One Last Run: Billy the Kid's Great Escape
In the spring of 1881, the days of the American frontier outlaw were numbered. Captured, convicted, and awaiting execution, Billy the Kid appeared to…
4 months, 3 weeks ago
The Two Ships that Divided America, w/ David S. Reynolds
In this episode, I sit down with acclaimed historian and cultural biographer David S. Reynolds to discuss his powerful new book, Two Ships: Jamestown…
4 months, 3 weeks ago
The Alaska Triangle - America's Own Bermuda Triangle
Few places in North America inspire as much mystery as the vast wilderness of Alaska. Stretching between the cities of Anchorage, Juneau, and Utqiagv…
4 months, 3 weeks ago
Rome's Forgotten Female Gladiators
For centuries, the gladiators of Ancient Rome have been imagined as powerful men battling for glory in the arena. But hidden within the historical re…
4 months, 3 weeks ago
The Lost Tribes of Israel
One of the greatest mysteries in biblical history begins with a disappearance. After the ancient Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Neo-Assyrian …
4 months, 3 weeks ago