The History Cache Podcast
History better than fiction. The History Cache podcast excavates through the most primordial interiors of the human experience with in-depth research, an intelligent narrative, and a fairly inexcusable level of nerdery. A history podcast for the most curious of minds.
Wed, September 13, 2023
Sowing History: The Judean Date Palm’s 2,000 Year Old Comeback
For 1,000 years the Judean Date Palm has been extinct, likely wiped out due to human warfare which took a toll on the palm plantations that required copious amount of water and care in the harsh desert environment. The fruit from this particular species was said to be unusually sweet and was valued for its medicinal properties. Appearing on ancient coins and in ancient texts and given as gifts to Roman emperors, these dates were a symbol of property, beauty, and abundance. This treasured fruit was lost to history—until two scientists dared to try the ‘impossible.’ In the 1960’s archaeologists excavating at Masada, a fortress built near the Dead Sea by King Herod the Great and used as the last stronghold for Jewish rebels between 70 and 73CE at the end of the first Jewish-Roman war, turned up something surprising—a 2,000-year-old jar of Judean Date Palm seeds. For 15 years Dr. Elaine Solowey and Dr. Sarah Salon painstakingly germinated and cultivated this species back to life, and in 2020, the ancients world’s favorite date was brought back to life. Join me as we explore one of history’s most incredible comebacks 2,000 years in the making.
Wed, August 23, 2023
From the Cache: Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer and the Coelacanth
It was believed the Coelacanth went extinct along with the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago when the Chicxulub impactor smashed into planet Earth…that was until Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, curator of the East London Museum, found one in a pile of fish on a dock in South Africa in 1938. This primordial fish shocked the scientific world when the first-ever living specimen was pulled up by Captain Hendrik Goosen while he was trawling for fish near the mouth of the Chalumna River. The Coelacanth was dubbed a “living fossil” though it was eventually discovered that it had continued to evolve over the last 400 million years. Come hear the story of how one determined scientist saved the world’s first extant Coelacanth specimen, and what exactly makes this strange, ancient species so special. This episode originally aired two years ago. I hope you enjoy (again)!
Wed, August 02, 2023
From the Cache: History’s Happy Little Accidents
From the cache! Until an all-new episode premiers this October, please enjoy this recast. Bob Ross, American painter and iconic TV host of the 80s and 90s, famously told us that there are no mistakes, only “happy little accidents.” There are numerous examples of history happening by accident--archaeologists accidentally stumbling upon a find, scientists accidentally discovering a breakthrough--and today we explore four such stories. First, we travel to 1856 when a teenager accidentally discovered mauve and synthetic dye while he was on vacation, which led to the pioneering of immunology and a Nobel prize. Then we head to 1940s France, when a group of teenagers chasing after a dog accidentally stumbled upon Lascaux cave, one of the greatest prehistoric finds of all time. Then we travel to 1767 to visit the Ayutthaya kingdom just before it was invaded by Burma. Almost 200 years later, a seemingly unremarkable statue pulled from its ruins finally tells its secrets: the Golden Buddha or, Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon, is now one of the world’s most famous statues, and if it hadn’t been for an accident in the 1950s, we would all still believe it was made of nothing more than plaster and colored glass. Finally, we skip ahead all the way into the 2000s for a look at some accidental breakthrough MS research. Come join me as we uncover some of history’s most incredible happy little accidents.
Wed, July 12, 2023
Unsinkable Sam
During the chaos of World War 2, soldiers on both land and sea found companionship and comfort in the animals they had with them. From horses to goats, the animals serving alongside the soldiers of WW2 saw action on battlefields the world over. Today we’re exploring the life of one particular animal who survived the sinking of three different battleships, including the infamous Bismarck. His name was Oscar, then Sam, then quite appropriately, Unsinkable Sam. Unsinkable Sam was a black and white tabby cat who was allegedly rescued from a floating plank after the chase and historic sinking of Germany’s Bismarck. After surviving one of the most famous navel battles of all time, its said that Sam went on to survive the sinking of both the HMS Cossack and the HMS Ark Royale. Join me as we uncover the legend of a cat who survived three different shipwrecks and still walked away with several of his nine lives to spare.
Wed, June 21, 2023
The Great Stink of 1858
During the summer of 1858, a drought coupled with a heatwave, the lack of a proper sewer system, industrial waste, a booming population, and an increase in the usage of new flush toilets all came together to form a perfect storm of putrid petulance in London that was so bad historians gave it its own name: The Great Stink. The Great Stink was so foul it would send Londoners into fits of vomiting if they went anywhere near the Thames. The river’s unsanitary conditions made for a city ripe with illness. In an age where water transmitted diseases were not well understood, the people of London believed 'miasma' or the foul air itself was to blame. As physician John Snow went to work attempting to convince the world that cholera was spread through contaminated water, Joseph Bazalgette was drawing up plans for the largest infrastructure overhaul Victorian London had ever seen. Come with me and uncover the history of a smell so foul that historians are still talking about it today, and hear about the mad dash to save the Thames which, according to Charles Dickens himself had become, "a deadly sewer.”
Wed, May 31, 2023
The Second Life of Betty Robinson
In 1928 Betty Robinson astounded the sports world by winning the first Olympic gold medal in history awarded to a woman for the 100-meter race after only running competitively for five months. While training for the 1932 Olympics set to take place in her home county, Betty was involved in a tragic accident and her diagnosis was heartbreaking. Doctors told her she would never run again. Betty disagreed. After years of rehabilitation and training Betty arrived at the 1936 Berlin Olympics as part of the U.S. relay team. What happened next because one of the greatest comeback stories of all time. Please join me as we uncover the phenomenal true story of Olympian Betty Robinson.
Wed, May 10, 2023
The Lady Franklin Bay Expedition Part 2: Their Legacy Remains
We continue the story of the tragic Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, also known as the Greely Expedition, in the Canadian Arctic. We pick back up and Camp Clay on Cape Sabine after the crew had fled their previous station when their relief ship had failed to arrive a second year in a row. At their new outpost, the crew finally realized they were on their own for another Arctic winter, one they were not prepared for. Their rations were dwindling and death from starvation came quickly. Most of the crew struggling to survive at Camp Clay would never see home again. When the few survivors returned after their long-awaited rescue, they were met with scandal. Accusations of cannibalism followed them for the remainder of their lives and the data they died for was virtually dismissed. It sat collecting dust for a century until now, when its importance has finally been recognized. The data taken by the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition has been used to help us understand how global warming has impacted our planet, and 140 years later, we’ve finally come to understand its importance. Join me for the finale on the true story of the Lady Franklin Bay Expedition, as we uncover a 140-year-old legacy that still remains.
Wed, April 19, 2023
The Lady Franklin Bay Expedition Part 1: No Way Home
In 1881 an expedition to the Arctic led by Lieutenant Adolphus Greely and organized by the US Army set off for Lady Franklin Bay, Canada, well above the Arctic circle. The plan was to establish a temporary meteorological-observation station as part of the First International Polar Year, a worldwide effort to better understand Earth’s climate by collecting astronomical and magnetic data. Most of the data was collected by astronomer Edward Israel, a young University of Michigan graduate from Kalamazoo. Though their mission of data collection was successful, and they would set a record for traveling further north than anyone at the time ever had, this expedition would go down in history as one of the most tragic polar expeditions of all time. Join me for a true Arctic tale like no other.
Wed, March 29, 2023
Ken Allen: The Hairy Houdini
In the 1980s a series of high profile escapes brought attention to an unlikely culprit. His name was Ken Allen and he just may be the greatest escape artist the animal kingdom has ever seen. Ken was a 250 pound Bornean orangutan born and raised at the San Diego Zoo. Ken escaped his enclosure several times despite the zoo’s constant and expensive security upgrades. Although Ken continued to outsmart his keepers, when he did escape, he chose not to go anywhere. Instead, he simply sauntered around the zoo shaking hands with tourists and enjoying watching the other zoo animals. Ken Allen achieved fame after his escapes garnering his own fan club, the Orang Gang, merchandise with the slogan “Free Ken Allen” pasted onto T-shirts and bumper stickers, and there was even a hit song about his life called “The Ballad of Ken Allen.” Come hear the incredible true story of the wily, lovable orangutan known as the Hairy Houdini.
Wed, March 08, 2023
Édith Piaf: The Little Sparrow, Part 2
Few artists ever rise to the level of talent, fame, and legendary status attained by the remarkable Édith Piaf. Though her life seemed a whirlwind of celebrity and success, in reality La Môme Piaf, or the Little Sparrow, was struggling with a troubled past, depression, and a myriad of health issues all intensified by her addictions. Despite all her trials and tribulations, she conquered the music world, and remains one of the most celebrated musicians of all time. Her life is just as staggeringly fascinating as her music. We pick up the finale on Édith after the murder of her mentor and friend Louie Leplée, and finish the true story of the little sparrow who would become a phoenix, an unstoppable force of epic proportions, though her fire would fade far too soon. Please join me as we finish exploring the astonishing life of Édith Piaf.
Wed, February 15, 2023
Édith Piaf: The Little Sparrow, Part 1
If heroes get remembered and legends never die, then Édith Piaf will live forever. Édith Piaf was a chanteuse unlike any other of her time. She rose to fame in the 1930s and led a life just as incredible as her music. From a street performer to an icon, Édith overcame incredible obstacles to reach the top. Her songs like “La Vien En Rose” and “Je Ne Regrette Rien” are still some of the most popular ballads played today. Born into poverty to a street singer and an acrobat, Édith had an unconventional childhood, some of which was spent being raised in a brothel and traveling with the circus. After WW2 broke out Édith aided the French Resistance by covertly helping prisoners of war escape from Germany, saving lives at the risk of her own. Her fame in France was unmatched, though addiction and tragedy would cause her ending to come far too soon. Today, join me for Part 1 of 2 on the life and legend of Edith Piaf, “the Little Sparrow.”
Wed, January 25, 2023
The Great 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race: The Finale
The finale is here! After nearly 22,000 miles, or over 35,000 kilometers, we finish the Great 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race. This episode covers the entire trek through Siberia and Europe. After nearly six months of a grueling auto race before gas stations, highways, asphalt, road maps, or power steering, our remaining competitors in the American Thomas Flyer, the Italian Zust, and the German Protos brave the huge expanse of Russia, something no one else had ever done in an automobile. They face floods, bandits, malaria, hail, freezing rain, bogs, and, as always, a string of mechanical mishaps all coming together to bring you the most exciting episode in this series. Six cars began this journey, only three remain. Come discover the historic ending of what just may be the greatest race of all time. Adventure awaits. Let’s go for a drive.
Wed, January 04, 2023
The Great 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race Part 3
The four remaining cars vying for victory in the 1908 New York to Paris auto race had covered one continent, now there were two to go. In an era before highways and gas stations, nothing about this race had gone as planned. Now, the German Protos was headed for Russia, the Italian Zust, American Thomas Flyer, and French De Dion were crossing the Pacific for Japan. Behind them were 11,000 miles of countless unpredicted disasters and a pathway carved through grit and perseverance. Before them was another 11,000 miles of the unknown. Safety and success were not guaranteed. Failure was much more likely. The only thing they knew for sure was that no matter the outcome, they were about to make history. Join me for part 3 of history’s most epic race.
Wed, December 14, 2022
The Great 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race Part 2
Eleven days into the legendary 1908 New York to Paris auto race, the fastest of the five remaining cars had covered less than 1,000 miles. In this episode our drivers finish shoveling their way across the eastern US, meet the mud of Iowa, the mountain passes of the American Rockies, and the hottest place in the US--Death Valley--where death claims its first victim in the race. After the frontier of Alaska proves too much for the seemingly uncatchable Thomas Flyer, the race route changes. Now, the last of our plucky protagonists are shipping out to Russia, but not before making a historic landing in Japan. Join me for Part 2 as we continue our epic journey across 22,000 miles of adventure.
Wed, November 23, 2022
The Great 1908 New York to Paris Auto Race Part 1
In 1908 six cars lined up for the longest, most demanding race the world had ever seen. Their goal was to race, by automobile, from New York City to Paris, France. The route crossed three continents, was just under 22,000 miles (over 35,000 kilometers) long and, of course, nothing went as panned. Was this ridiculous attempt at a half-thought through idea an impossible task at a time when horses were more reliable than cars? Yes. Did they do it anyway? Kind of. Join me as we travel back to 1908 for the greatest road trip of all time. Let’s go for a drive.
Wed, November 02, 2022
When Harry Met Winnie: The True Story of Winnie the Pooh
In 1914 Harry Colebourn, a Canadian soldier and veterinarian from Winnipeg, was on his way to fight in WW1 when he purchased a bear cub at a train station. That bear would go on to help inspire one of the world's most beloved characters. Her name: Winnie. For nearly a century the stories of Winnie the Pooh have delighted children around the world. When A.A. Milne first published “Winnie the Pooh” in 1926 neither he, nor his son Christopher Robin Milne, could have ever guessed at how massively successful and life changing the books would be. Come explore the true story of Winnie the Pooh. We meet the real Winnie, her friend Harry, and discuss the life of A.A. Milne and how his fame impacted the real Christopher Robin.
Wed, October 12, 2022
Stingy Jack and the Origin of Jack-o’-Lanterns
It’s officially Halloween season and chances are you’ve already seen a considerable amount of Jack-o’-Lanterns. Perhaps you’ve even carved one yourself, taking part in a centuries old tradition. But where does this old Celtic custom come from? Today we explore the origins of Jack-o-Lanterns, discuss the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, and meet Stingy Jack, the cheeky character who just may be behind the origin of the term ‘Jack-o-Lantern’ itself. Wrap up and grab some cider, today’s history is served up with an extra side of spooky.
Wed, September 21, 2022
From the Cache: A Strange Experiment on Mackinac Island
From the cache! Until an all-new episode this October, please enjoy this recast on Dr. Beaumont's strange experiment on Mackinac Island. In 1822 French Canadian Fur Trader Alexis St Martin was shot in the side at a distance of less than one meter. The experiments following his miraculous survival just may be the weirdest piece of history ever seen in the Straits of Mackinac. The bullet wound left a hole in St Martin’s side giving Dr. William Beaumont the first ever access to a living human stomach. The doctor would tie pieces of food to a silk string and dangle them down into St Martin’s stomach in order to better understand the process of digestion. Nearly 250 experiments were performed over a decade. Dr. Beaumont’s book on his experiments the paved the way for our understanding of the human gastric system and earned Beaumont the title as the "Father of Gastric Physiology." St Martin lived his entire life with a bullet hole his side. He was buried in a secret location eight feet below ground with two feet of rocks on his coffin to deter grave robbers from stealing his corpse or his stomach, which was highly sought after when he died. Come hear the true story of Dr. William Beaumont and Alexis St Martin in this extra strange episode of the History Cache Podcast.
Wed, August 31, 2022
From the Cache: The Edmund Fitzgerald
From the cache! Until an all-new episode premiers this October, please enjoy this recast on the legendary Edmund Fitzgerald that originally aired in 2020. In 1975 the gales of November billowed out a monster storm over the waters of Lake Superior, and the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald met it head on. By the time the sky cleared, the crew and their ship had become an inseparable part of the history and lore of the Great Lakes. In this very special episode of the History Cache, we uncover the history behind the shipwreck, try and understand what happened the night it disappeared, and hear some of the haunting audio of the search captured through Coat Guard transmissions on that fateful night. This is the story of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Wed, August 10, 2022
Ornamental Garden Hermits: History’s Weirdest Job
If you strolled through an English garden in the 1700s, you might have stumbled across someone employed in what just may be history’s weirdest job. Because, in Georgian Britain, it was all the rage to hire your very own ornamental garden hermit. These hired hermits would live in solitude for years, never speaking, never washing, never leaving the grounds. They never cut their hair, their fingernails, or toenails, and would be clad in the outfit of an ancient Druid (or what everyone thought an ancient Druid would have looked like), all for the amusement of the rich elite and their guests. In this episode we explore the particulars of this strange job and all the ways in which wealthy land owners would try to acquire hermits, as well as the lengths they would go to if they couldn’t find one. We’ll also be meeting one of the last hermits around today, a man in a long line of recluses who have inhabited a cliffside in Saalfelden, Austria for the last 350 years. While we’re at it, we pop into ancient Rome, take a stroll along Hadrian’s Wall, say hello to the Caledonians, and find out what a small hermitage in Tivoli, Italy has to do with 18th century garden hermits. Join me as we explore what just may be history’s weirdest job.
Wed, July 20, 2022
Joe Carstairs Part 3: The Kingdom of Whale Cay
In this finale episode on the incredible life of Joe Carstairs we examine Joe’s life after she earned her place in history as the fastest woman on water. In 1934 Joe purchased Whale Cay, an island in the Bahamas, then known as the British West Indies. Here she built a life in exile, and integrated herself into the economic and social history of the Bahamas. We cover her experiences on the island, her attempts to aid both British and American forces during WW2, her meeting with the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson, the complicated impact she had as a colonist, the death of Ruth Baldwin, the love of her life, her eventual move to Naples, Florida, and the last years of her life. Join me as we conclude our series on the relentlessly interesting life of Joe Carstairs.
Wed, July 13, 2022
Joe Carstairs Part 2: The Fastest Woman on Water
In Part 2 we continue to explore the relentlessly interesting life of Joe Carstairs, known as the fastest woman on water. We cover her impressive series of wins, the records she broke, and her years long pursuit of the famed Harmsworth Trophy against Gar Wood, the cup’s all time most successful competitor. In this episode we meet both Ruth Baldwin, the love of Joe’s life, and Lord Tod Wadley, a doll that would become increasingly important to Joe, adding another layer to her reputation as an eccentric. We cover her life after she retires from racing and her purchase of Whale Cay, an island in the British West Indies, now the Bahamas, where she would spend the next four decades. Join me as we journey back in time and continue to uncover the fascinating life of Joe Carstairs.
Wed, June 22, 2022
Joe Carstairs: The Fastest Woman on Water Part 1
Joe Carstairs is remembered for being the fastest woman on water in the 1920s. She raced power boats, won trophies, and loved adventure and speed. But her life was so much more than races and fast machines. Born in 1900, Joe was a British eccentric, an heiress, openly a lesbian, and shed many gender conformities of her day. She served with the American Red Cross in France during WW1, established the X Garage, a chauffeuring business employing a staff of all female drivers and mechanics who had learned their skills while serving during the war, and after receiving some notoriety from racing, Joe bought Whale Cay, an Island in the Bahamas, which she ran almost as if it were her own country. Her life was so full and colorful it became clear early on that this would have to be a two-part series. This is part one of a deep dive into the relentlessly fascinating life of Joe Carstairs, the fastest woman on water.
Wed, June 01, 2022
The Death of James Dean and the ”Curse” of Little Bastard
On September 30th, 1955 the life of film icon James Dean was tragically cut short while he was driving his brand new Porsche 550 Spyder, which he named “Little Bastard,” to its first race in Salinas when he was involved in a near head on collision. After the wreck, Little Bastard was declared a total loss and sent to a salvage yard. Some of its parts were used in other race cars and the body was toured around the US until 1960 when it disappeared. Over the years rumors of a “curse” began to circulate due to the tragedies and strange events, including one verified death, that seemed to follow the wreckage of Little Bastard, though most claims continue to be unverified. Come explore what Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Star Wars original trilogy), the death of racing enthusiast Troy Lee McHenry, the 1966 Batmobile designer George Barris, NASCAR statistics, and an innocuous fire in Fresno have to do with the history surrounding the death of James Dean and the alleged “curse” of Little Bastard.
Wed, May 11, 2022
Historic Pranks
Laughter is a universal language and today we celebrate humor through the ages by exploring three historic pranks. The first involves Anthemius of Tralles, one of the main architects involved in building the Hagia Sophia and a genius who really knew how to hold a grudge. Then we skip ahead several handfuls of centuries to uncover the Great Moon Hoax of 1835 when a newspaper editor for The Sun ignited a hoax that had everyone looking to the moon for bipedal beavers, bat-like humanoids, and even a unicorn. After that we head to the 1950s near Atlanta, Georgia where three guys, a $10 bet, a fake UFO sighting, and one unfortunate "Monkey from Mars" show us just how quickly a prank can go too far.
Wed, April 20, 2022
History’s Happy Little Accidents
Bob Ross, American painter and iconic TV host of the 80s and 90s, famously told us that there are no mistakes, only “happy little accidents.” There are numerous examples of history happening by accident--archaeologists accidentally stumbling upon a find, scientists accidentally discovering a breakthrough--and today we explore four such stories. First, we travel to 1856 when a teenager accidentally discovered mauve and synthetic dye while he was on vacation, which led to the pioneering of immunology and a Nobel prize. Then we head to 1940s France, when a group of teenagers chasing after a dog accidentally stumbled upon Lascaux cave, one of the greatest prehistoric finds of all time. Then we travel to 1767 to visit the Ayutthaya kingdom just before it was invaded by Burma. Almost 200 years later, a seemingly unremarkable statue pulled from its ruins finally tells its secrets: the Golden Buddha or, Phra Phuttha Maha Suwana Patimakon, is now one of the world’s most famous statues, and if it hadn’t been for an accident in the 1950s, we would all still believe it was made of nothing more than plaster and colored glass. After that, we head all the way into the 2000s for a look at some accidental breakthrough MS research. Come join me as we uncover some of history’s most incredible happy little accidents.
Wed, March 30, 2022
The Red Ghost: Lost Camels of the American West
In the 1880s a beast was rampaging through the deserts of Arizona. Known as the Red Ghost, this creature quickly became thrust into legend and folklore, but it was an echo of a real piece of history. The Red Ghost, which may have existed—not as a monster but as a camel—was a remnant of a piece of history largely forgotten. In 1855 the US allocated funds for the importation of camels. They were part of an experiment to determine whether camels would be useful for transportation and military operations as the US pushed it’s territory towards the Pacific. Known as the Camel Corps, the experiment would ultimately fail despite initial success. The US Civil War would put an end to the Camel Corps and the transcontinental railroad would largely reduce the need for transport animals out west. But the camels that were part of the experiment still remained, and some of them would roam free for decades throughout the Wild West. It’s time to tell their story.
Mon, March 14, 2022
Shackleton Update: ENDURANCE FOUND
Shackleton’s Endurance has been found! In this special bonus episode, we explore everything we know so far about the find. The Endurance was the ship that carried Shackleton and his crew towards what they thought would be an Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, which began in 1914. However, ice floes would prevent the explorers from ever setting foot on the mainland of Antarctica. Instead, they would embark on a two-year journey of epic survival. Against all odds, all of them would survive, and now, 106 years later, we can once again set eyes on their ship. Come hear everything we know so far about this remarkable, once in a lifetime find.
Wed, March 09, 2022
On Cheating Death and Inventing the Saxophone
In 1846 Antoine-Joseph "Adolphe" Sax received his patent for the saxophone, but not before he cheated death at least seven times. He was so accident prone that his own mother didn’t believe he would survive childhood. His close calls with death earned him the nickname “Little Sax the Ghost.” Sax’s life was a roller coaster of ups and downs. Mired the backstabbing world of invention, he fought years of legal battles, narrowly escaped death multiple times, battled cancer in the 1850s, and still helped shape music history. Both hated and loved in his own time, Sax would revolutionize the French military band, register over 40 different patents, and invent 14 different types of saxophones as well as an entire family of saxhorns. Come explore the surprisingly tumultuous history of the saxophone.
Wed, February 16, 2022
A Heist at Lincoln’s Tomb and the Snarky Farewell of Mr. Accordion
In 1876 a bumbling group of Chicago counterfeiters broke into Abraham Lincoln’s tomb in Oak Ridge Cemetery, Illinois, after formulating a plot to steal the president’s body and use it as leverage to get counterfeiter Benjamin Boyd released from prison. Boyd worked for small-time crime boss Big Jim Kinealy, and Big Jim’s attempted heist would, with the help of a secret service informant, go down in history as an utterly bad idea. Then we jump ahead a century to explore the snarkiest tomb in history. Roy Bertelli, known as Mr. Accordion, regularly stood atop his own grave, which is a stone’s throw from Lincoln’s, to loudly play his accordion for the sole purpose of being as annoying as possible. After a row with the cemetery management over their attempt to seize his grave plot, Roy spent the rest of his life letting them know they wouldn’t be getting it back, even over his dead body. Come hear why his delightfully cantankerous story earns Mr. Accordion the gold in posthumous snark.
Wed, January 26, 2022
The Real Treasure Island
350 miles off the cost of Costa Rica lies the legendary Cocos Island. Over the centuries it’s been a refuge for pirates, mutinous mariners, and the obsession of hundreds of treasure hunters. Some believe it was the original inspiration for Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island . Though little evidence exists for the purported billion dollars worth of treasure said to be hidden within its shores, it has seen centuries worth of strange and interesting history. Pirates like Captain Morgan, Benito Bonito, Captain Edward Davis, Captain Bennett Grahame, and the mutinous Captain Thompson used the island as a haven and, some believe, left treasures such as the Devonshire hoard, the fabled treasure of Lima, and pirate booty on the island. Subsequent centuries saw hundreds of treasure hunting expeditions. Some brought dynamite, one dug an irrational series of tunnels for two decades, at least eight exploded, many were evicted or arrested, and all left empty handed. In this all new episode we explore the historical figures and incredible events surrounding this island and the treasure hunting expeditions carried out by those who became obsessed with the legends surrounding this real Treasure Island.
Wed, January 05, 2022
Stagecoach Mary
There are many legendary figures who emerged from the American Wild West. In this all new episode we explore the life of the lesser known, though no less incredible, Mary Fields, who has come to be known as Stagecoach Mary. Born enslaved, Mary was emancipated around the age of 33 after the American Civil War. Eventually she moved west to the Montana Territory. There she worked alongside the Ursuline nuns and Jesuits at St. Peter’s mission until she was dismissed for an incident involving drawn firearms. Mary was a mold breaker and was unafraid to push against the expectations of others. She drank, smoke cigars, carried firearms, and sometimes wore men’s clothing. She was also someone of great generosity and won the admiration of many people in Cascade, Montana. She was an unstoppable force, and at the age of 63, became history’s first African American Star Route Carrier for the US Postal Service. This was a dangerous job, but despite the threat of predators, bandits, rugged terrain, and harsh winters, Mary and her mule Moses never missed a day in her eight year tenure as a Star Route Carrier. If the whether became impassable for her stagecoach, Mary would deliver the mail by snowshoe, carrying the sacks over her shoulders. Mary became a legend in her own time as stories of this gun carrying, cigar smoking, hard liquor drinking woman who seemed to break down every barrier thrown her way, earned Mary her place in history. Come hear how the life of Mary Fields become the legend of Stagecoach Mary.
Wed, December 15, 2021
Hans Trapp the Christmas Scarecrow
A mythical holiday legend grew from the life of Hans von Trotha, a medieval knight who served in both the German Palatinate and the French court of Louis XII. His life had some tumultuous twists and turns: excommunication, exile, and a row with a Benedictine abbot over Berwartstein Castle that nearly destroyed the town of Weissenburg. After his death, history was transformed into lore, and this chevalier d’or, “knight of gold,” became a monster whose tale is still told in several regions of France and Germany. Come learn how myth turned the medieval knight Hans von Trotha into Hans Trapp, the Christmas scarecrow.
Wed, November 24, 2021
The 1904 Olympic Marathon: History‘s Most Ridiculous Race
The 1904 Olympic marathon is remembered as history’s most bizarre race. Running in tandem with the St. Louis World’s Fair, or the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, the 1904 Olympics were the first games hosted by the US. Given the disorganization, poor international turnout, and competition with the World Fair’s 20 million visitors, the 1904 games were perhaps doomed before they started. But no single event would ever compare with the absurd chaos of the marathon. From wild dogs to a professional clown on performance enhancing drugs, this race had it all. We also delve into the history of the ancient Olympic games and explore how an ancient festival honoring Zeus became a worldwide modern event. Come hear the unbelievable true story of the 1904 St. Louis Olympic marathon.
Wed, November 03, 2021
When History Falls From the Sky
48.5 tons of meteoric material falls onto our planet every day, which has made for some stellar history. Today we explore history that has fallen from the sky. We begin in Egypt by examining the meteorite dagger of Tutankhamun, then we travel to Sylacauga, Alabama in the year 1954 when Ann Elizabeth Fowler Hodges became the first documented person in history to be struck by a meteorite. After that we travel 50,000 years back in time to hear the story of the basket meteorite, a special piece of space rock that made its way to Northern Arizona’s Meteor Crater twice thanks to a yard sale and a retired Wisconsin man. Grab your space suit and tune in for an episode that’s truly out of this world.
Sun, October 31, 2021
The Raven
In 1845 Edgar Allen Poe first published his now iconic poem The Raven . Come hear the full reading of this legendary literary tale in this bonus Halloween mini episode.
Wed, October 13, 2021
Hulda of Bohemia: The ”Witch‘” of Sleepy Hollow
About 30 miles north of Manhattan lies the town of Sleepy Hollow. Made famous by Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow , this nook in the Hudson Valley is home to legends and history alike. A real, lesser known figure in the history of this region is a woman the townsfolk called Hulda of Bohemia. Ostracized by the larger community, the elderly Hulda crafted herbal medicines for the town, leaving them anonymously on people’s doorsteps and windowsills. Though her gifts were appreciated in secret, Hula was shunned and labeled as a witch. When the American Revolution came, bringing war to the countryside, Hulda wanted to join the local militia. She was refused. One day in 1777 British Troops began marching towards Tarrytown and Sleepy Hollow. Not to be turned away this time, Hulda grabbed her musket and joined the fight. Her acts on the battlefield were so impactful, that she’s still remembered today. Find out what happened, and discover the woman who is known, for better or worse, as the witch of Sleepy Hollow.
Wed, September 22, 2021
600 Years of Animals Put on Trial
We’ve been putting animals on trial probably as long as we’ve been putting one another on trial. In this episode we examine several animal trials spanning nearly a 600-year period. We cover six trials extending over three continents: A monkey in Hartlepool accused of espionage, a murderous pig in Savigny, a group of slugs who just wouldn’t listen, a circus elephant in Tennessee we should never forget, a bear who served time with good behavior in Kazakhstan, and a rooster (or basilisk depending on whom you ask) in Basel, Switzerland, burned at the stake for laying an egg. Grab you gavels and get ready to travel on this sometimes whimsical, sometimes sad, and constantly strange episode exploring the history of animals put on trial.
Wed, September 01, 2021
Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer and the Coelacanth
It was believed the Coelacanth went extinct along with the dinosaurs around 66 million years ago when the Chicxulub impactor smashed into planet Earth…that was until Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, curator of the East London Museum, found one in a pile of fish on a dock in South Africa in 1938. This ancient fish surprised the scientific world when the first living specimen was pulled up by Captain Hendrik Goosen while he was trawling for fish near the mouth of the Chalumna River. The Coelacanth was dubbed a “living fossil” though it was eventually discovered that it has evolved over the last 400 million years. Come hear the story of how the determined Marjorie saved the world’s first extant Coelacanth specimen, and what exactly makes this strange, ancient species so special.
Wed, August 11, 2021
The Monte Vista Hotel: Where History Meets Lore
The Monte Vista Hotel in Flagstaff, Arizona is a place where history and lore are inseparably intertwined. Built in 1927, this 73-room hotel and cocktail bar has seen prohibition, a speakeasy, mysterious underground tunnels, historic radio broadcasts, Hollywood, and some swear a ghost or two. Come explore the fascinating story of this famous, and some say infamous, hotel nestled in the Arizona mountains.
Wed, July 21, 2021
The Real Scorpion King
Over 5,200 years ago a king rose to power in Upper Egypt. His name was Scorpion. Yes, there was a real Scorpion king, and we can piece together a fragmentary picture of his life through the archaeological evidence left behind. Though the details of his life are debated, it’s clear he was an important part of Egyptian history. Come join me as we time travel back to predynastic Egypt and meet the legendary Scorpion King.
Wed, June 30, 2021
The Disappearance of Glen and Bessie Hyde
In 1928 Glen and Bessie Hyde struck out to make history. They wanted to raft down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon at a time when only 45 people in recorded history had dared to make that journey. If successful, they would set a new speed record, and Bessie would be the first woman in recorded history to make the voyage. Their scow was found snagged in the river at mile 232, all their belongings still intact, but the young couple had vanished. Their disappearance sparked a mystery still told around canyon camp fires and has made them an inseparable piece of Grand Canyon lore. A diary, a skeleton with a bullet hole in the skull, and a campfire confession all stoked the flames of a century of mystery. Come hear their story.
Wed, June 09, 2021
Escape from the Amazon
It’s incredibly unlikely you’ll ever be involved in a plane crash. Its also incredibly unlikely you’ll ever be struck by lightning. Both of those things happened to Juliane Koepcke at the same time. In 1971, she and her mother were making their way from Lima to Pucallpa, Peru, when their plane broke apart at 10,000 feet. Julianna fell almost two miles out of the sky and into the Peruvian jungle. The the only survivor, she was injured, alone, and lost in the Amazon rainforest. What followed is an incredible account of survival, will, and the relentless tenacity of human endurance. Come hear her story.
Wed, May 19, 2021
A Victorian Murder Most Foul
In 1879 the Victorian world was shocked by one of the most sensational murders it would ever see. When Kate Webster killed, dismembered, and boiled her employer Julia Martha Thomas, she went down in history as one of the most notorious killers of the 19th century. Find out all the gory details and just what David Attenborough had to do with it 131 years later. Yes, that David Attenborough.
Wed, April 28, 2021
Shackleton in 30 Minutes(ish)
This is the story of Shackleton and the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914-1916 as presented at this year’s 2021 Intelligent Speech Conference. The theme this year was escape and in the last expedition of the Heroic Age of Arctic Exploration, Shackleton and his crew pulled off the greatest escape of all time, against all odds, at the brink of human endurance as they spent nearly two years lost, adrift on the pack ice of the Weddell sea, setting foot onto some of the last uncharted places in the world. This is the cliff notes version of the expedition. For a much more detailed history check out last year’s five-part series.
Wed, April 07, 2021
Stealing the Mona Lisa
She has one of the most recognizable smiles in the world, but why is the Mona Lisa so famous? She is undoubtedly a masterpiece, but didn’t become a worldwide sensation until 1911 when Vincenzo Peruggia stole her from the Louvre museum in Paris. It has been dubbed by some as the greatest art theft of the 20th century. Find out how he pulled it off and how the Mona Lisa, known as La Joconde in France and La Gioconda in Italy, made her way back to France to become the world’s most visited painting.
Wed, March 17, 2021
The Shark Attacks of 1916
Decades before the movie phenomenon of Jaws, our fear of sharks was ignited by a series of real shark attacks that all occurred within a 12-day period in the summer of 1916. Before these attacks along the New Jersey shore, many believed sharks were not capable of killing or attacking humans. This week we sift through the lore to find the real history surrounding the five attacks-and four deaths-that kindled our fascination with these animals. We also discuss how the shark mania that spread out from the 1916 attacks and the sensational film Jaws, has given sharks a reputation as blood thirsty killers, and how that mentality is shifting the more we learn about these incredible animals. Let’s jump into the water with some of history’s most famous sharks.
Wed, February 24, 2021
Bessie Coleman: A Legend in Flight
The turn of the 20th century was an incredible time for aviation and in 1892, eleven years before the Wright Brothers’ famous flight, a pilot was born. Bessie Coleman, known as Queen Bess, was the first African American and the first Indigenous American to receive an international pilot’s license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, two years before Amelia Earhart. Bared from American flight schools because of her sex and unable to find a pilot to give her lessons in the US due to her race, she left for flight school in France. Upon her return, she had an exciting career barnstorming, or stunt flying, wowing audiences with tailspins, parachute jumps, and walking along the wing of her plane while it was in flight. Her tragic death in 1926 came too soon, but her legacy still lives on. Come hear the inspirational life story of the unstoppable Queen Bess.
Wed, February 03, 2021
Historical Oddities Part 2: The Incredible Afterlife of Outlaw Elmer McCurdy and the London Bridge of Arizona
In Part 2 of the Historical Oddities series, we uncover two strange pieces of history. In the 1970’s when the crew of the Six Million Dollar Man was shooting an episode inside a funhouse in Long Beach, California, they accidentally stumbled upon something unexpected…the dead, mummified body of the outlaw Elmer McCurdy. Elmer had been shot dead by a Sherriff’s posse the better part of a century before, so what was his corpse doing hanging from the rafters of a funhouse? Today we examine his incredible true story. Next, we go across the pond and back again to find out how just what the London Bridge is doing in the Arizona desert. Built after the London Bridge of nursery rhyme fame was demolished and before the bridge that now stands over the Thames, this 19th century granite London Bridge was headed for the junkyard until the city of London auctioned it off to an eccentric American millionaire. Tune in to hear how this iconic English landmark became the world's most expensive souvenir.
Wed, January 13, 2021
Historical Oddities Part 1: Frank Hayes, the Unsinkable Violet Jessop, and Jack the Incredible Baboon
History is weird sometimes. In this first episode of a two-part series, we discuss historical oddities, and highlight some of the most curious events and people history has to offer. Today we begin with Frank Hayes, an unstoppable jockey, and Sweet Kiss, a bay mare no one was betting on. She and her jockey would make history with one race—but not because of their victory. Then we skip across the pond to find the unsinkable Violet Jessop, a woman who survived three of the 20th century’s most harrowing shipwrecks. South Africa is our last stop where we find Jack the Baboon who was better at his job working for the Cape Town Port Elizabeth Railway service than most of us are today. Plug in and get weird!
Wed, December 23, 2020
The History of Ghosts at Christmas
Bundle up, grab some nog, and get ready for a 117-year-old ghost story. We don’t tend to think of ghost stories when we think of the glitz and glamour of the holidays, but the tradition of gathering around the fire to tell dark tales and call upon the lore of ages long since passed goes back generations. Today, we discuss this tradition and hear M.R. James’s tale “Oh Whistle and I’ll Come to You, My Lad,” first published in 1904.
Wed, December 02, 2020
Stealing and Stealing Back the Stone of Destiny
It’s a stone with many names--the Stone of Destiny, the Stone of Scone, the Coronation Stone, Lia Fáil-- and there are numerous legends and myths about its origins. For centuries it was used in the coronations of Scottish kings, that is, until it was taken to England by Edward 1st in 1296. From then on it was used in the coronations of English and subsequent British monarchs, symbolizing their rule over Scotland and its incorporation into the United Kingdom. For 700 years after it was taken by the English king, it remained in Westminster Abby under the Coronation Chair, until Christmas day, 1950, when four students from the University of Glasgow--Kay Matheson, Ian Hamilton, Gavin Vernon, and Alan Stuart--decided it was time for Scotland to take it back. This is the true story of one of the most famous and unlikely heists in history. The most remarkable part of this incredible true story isn't that these four students planned on breaking into Westminster Abby to steal back a symbol of Scottish nationalism…it's that they were going to get away with it.
Wed, November 11, 2020
Clever Hans: The Horse That Outsmarted Everyone
We know that a lot of our communication happens not just through words, but through facial expressions, tone, and body language too. This can cause a researcher to unintentionally influence the person or animal they are examining. There are ways of getting around this-double blind studies are one way-where neither the researcher nor the subject knows if they are in a control or experimental group. But where did our understanding of subtle cues come from? Well, they came from a particularly clever horse. Clever Hans, a horse who took the media by storm in the early 1900s. Clever Hans was wowing the world with his ability to calculate numbers, identify musical tones, and ace any test thrown his way. His trainer, retired school teacher Wilhelm Van Osten, taught this horse as he would have a human child in front of a chalkboard and a counting machine in his backyard for years. Van Osten and the world truly believed Clever Hans was capable of extraordinary things. And he was…it just wasn’t what they had all suspected. Little did they know, they were all being outsmarted by one clever horse.
Wed, October 21, 2020
Once Dead, Twice Buried Part 2: A Short History on Being Buried Alive
The finale of our miniseries comes to a close as we cover several real historical instances of people actually being buried along with a few who had some uncomfortable close calls. We hear about the incredible case of Mathew Wall and find out why on October 2nd for the last 450 years or so, the town of Braughing in Hertfordshire has celebrated “Old Man’s Day.” We learn about the curious cases of Nicephorous Glycas from Lesbos and Anne Green from Oxfordshire who nearly made it to their own funerals and/or dissections. We learn about Alice Blunden and why you should always check twice, maybe even three times, before you bury someone. After that we hear about the unfortunate case of Anna Hockwalt in 19th century Dayton, Ohio, before making a pit stop in France to visit Angelo Hays and find out just what a toilet was doing in a coffin in the 1970’s.
Wed, September 30, 2020
Once Dead, Twice Buried Part 1: A History of Death Tests and Safety Coffins
It’s Halloween season, and that means it’s time for some spooky history. And what is spookier than being buried alive? Nothing really, and that’s where this two-part miniseries is headed. Today in Part 1 we cover taphophobia-the fear of being buried alive-and examine some of the ways we’ve dealt with this fear throughout history. Safety coffins, devices built to save the prematurely buried, and the death tests we used to determine if a person was really, completely dead, are showcased. Edgar Allen Poe, Houdini, and some ill-fated escape artists even make an appearance. If you love the macabre, you don’t want to miss this one. Come get your spook on.
Wed, September 09, 2020
A Strange Experiment: Dr. William Beaumont and the 'Guinea Pig' of Mackinac Island.
In 1822 on Mackinac Island, French Canadian Fur Trader Alexis St Martin was shot in the side at a distance of less than one meter. The experiments following his miraculous survival just may be the weirdest piece of history ever seen in the Straits of Mackinac. The bullet wound left a hole in St Martin’s side giving Dr. William Beaumont the first ever access to a living human stomach. The doctor would tie pieces of food to a silk string and dangle them down into St Martin’s stomach in order to better understand the process of digestion. But the experiments didn’t stop there. Nearly 250 experiments were performed over nearly a decade. Dr. Beaumont’s book on the experiments first published in 1833 entitled “Experiments and Observations on the Gastric Juice and the Physiology of Digestion” paved the way for our understanding of the human gastric system and earned Beaumont the title of Father of Gastric Physiology. St Martin lived his entire life with a bullet hole his side, which became a gastric fistula, or “passageway” that never closed. He was buried in a secret location eight feet below ground with two feet of rocks on his coffin to deter grave robbers from stealing his corpse or his stomach, which was highly sought after when he died. Come hear the true story of Dr. William Beaumont and Alexis St Martin in this extra strange episode of the History Cache Podcast.
Wed, August 19, 2020
Leadbelly Part 5: Death of a Legend
The finale is here! We finish the Leadbelly series by uncovering the last few years of his life. We watch his meteoric rise, examine the ups and downs of his relationship with John and Alan Lomax, see him embark on his own, and hear about how he influenced not only the popular folk musicians of the 1940s, but all of popular music since. We learn about his death, his legacy, and say goodbye to the series highlighting one of the most influential, and often overlooked, musicians of all time.
Wed, July 29, 2020
Leadbelly Part 4: Angola, John Lomax, and a Song for the Governor
We continue our way through the life of Leadbelly in Part 4. In this episode we see Leadbelly make a plea for a pardon with his music, and watch as he tries adjusting to life outside of prison. As hard as he tries starting life anew, he finds himself once again behind bars, this time in Angola, known as the Alcatraz of the South, one of the bloodiest prisons in US history. We finally meet John Lomax and his son Allen who would become key figures in Leadbelly’s life as they traveled the South searching for American folk music to preserve for the Library of Congress. We clear up some Leadbelly myth with primary sources, learn a bit about the earliest attempts at musical preservation through recording, and even get to hear a 130-year-old Passamaquoddy war song recorded by anthropologist Jesse Walker Fewkes. The adventure continues.
Wed, July 08, 2020
Leadbelly Part 3: Music and Murder
Music and murder collide in the third installment of the series highlighting the life of one of America’s greatest musical legends: Leadbelly. Ledbetter was already a fugitive when he murdered Will Stafford on a dirt road in Texas. No longer able to run from the law, Huddie faced difficult times in the brutal early 20th century prison system where he wrote some of his most profound music. But Leadbelly wouldn’t go down without a fight (and at least two more prison breaks). In this episode, we explore the next chapter of his life, as well as learn the dark history of convict leasing and why the remains of 95 inmates, known as the “Sugarland 95,” lie buried just below the surface of a small, Texas town.
Wed, June 24, 2020
Leadbelly Part 2: Fugitive King of the 12 Sting Guitar
In Leadbelly Part 2 we continue the story of Huddie Ledbetter, one of the most influential musicians of all time. We cover his early adult life in Dallas, his collaboration with the great Blues legend Blind Lemon Jefferson, and hear some of the music that earned him the moniker “King of the Twelve String Guitar.” He was known for his tumultuous life as well as his musical genius. We explore his first arrest, his escape from prison that made him a wanted fugitive, his new life under the alias “Walter Boyd” and the murder that would change the course of his life forever. Join me for Part 2 as we uncover more of the legend behind the man we now know as Leadbelly.
Wed, June 10, 2020
Leadbelly Part 1: Prodigy
Huddie Ledbetter was easily one of the most influential American musicians of all time, yet today he has become one of the most historically overlooked. Musical artists like Elvis Presley, Kurt Cobain, the White Stripes, and countless others have been covering Huddie’s songs for almost a century, however, most listeners have never heard his name. The life of Ledbetter, more widely known as Leadbelly, was fraught with complications, repressed by a world policed with Jim Crow laws, and often filled with violence. Leadbelly was viewed by audiences as a murderer and criminal, but also as a poet gifted with an incredible musical talent. Separating and understanding the real man from the legend is a difficult task. His life was as epic as his music, and we’re going to explore all of it, starting with this first episode on the life of the legendary Leadbelly, King of the Twelve String Guitar.
Wed, May 27, 2020
Irena Sendler, the Titanic Engineers, Invisible Hands, and Stubby the War Dog
This week the Compassion Series comes to a close as we explore four new stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things in times of crises. First, we travel back in time to the sinking of the Titanic, and learn the rarely told story of the Titanic’s heroic engineers. Then we meet Irena Sendler, a Polish social worker who smuggled over 2,500 children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during WW2. After that we meet Stubby the war dog, the most decorated dog in American history, and for good reason. Lastly, we travel to New York City and meet the three twenty-somethings of Invisible Hands who have organized over 10,000 volunteers to aid those most at risk during the Covid pandemic.
Wed, May 13, 2020
The Prehistory of Compassion and the Search for Human Happiness
This week we travel back in time 430,000 years to find some of the first examples of compassion in the fossil record. This time we fuse psychology and science with history as we discuss why compassion exists, its potential health benefits, the consequences of stress, fight or flight, and what that all has to do with human happiness. This one packs a scientific punch as we turn up the nerd level to 11.
Wed, April 29, 2020
John Robert Fox, Buffalo Soldier
This week in continuation of our Compassion Series we highlight the incredible story of Lieutenant John Robert Fox, one of seven African American soldiers to receive the Medal of Honor for acts of valor in WW2. We also examine the history of America’s Buffalo Soldiers, and discuss how black soldiers have served courageously in America’s armed forces since the inception of the United States military. Fox’s heroic tale is one that has gone down in history, and the legacy of the Buffalo Soldiers remain an integral and interwoven part of the US’s military history. In this episode, we travel across America’s Great Plains during the 19th century before heading all the way to Sommocolonia, a small village in the Italian countryside during the second world war, where we find one soldier who truly gave everything for survival of others.
Wed, April 15, 2020
Miep Gies, the Dutch Resistance, and a Girl Who Changed the World
During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the Dutch Resistance to Hitler was strong, with many Dutch citizens risking their lives to hide, transport, and secretly support those that his policies oppressed. In this episode, we continue or compassion series that showcases good people doing good things in times of crises. This week, we follow the life of Miep Gies, a woman who risked everything to hide and protect a group of her Jewish friends, including one young girl who would inspire millions throughout the world with the words she would write down while hidden away in a secret annex.
Wed, April 01, 2020
The Elephant Angel of Belfast
This episode is the first in a series highlighting extraordinary people doing extraordinary things in times of crises. This week we travel to Belfast during the Blitz of 1941 and meet Denise Weston Austin. She worked as one of the Belfast Zoo’s first female zookeepers, and the friendship she developed with Sheila, the zoo’s baby elephant, would become an inspirational part of Irish history. For decades, Denise’s identity remained a mystery until an old black and white photo of a woman and a baby elephant in a backyard surfaced from the zoo’s archives. Come hear the story of the woman who risked everything to save a small, plucky elephant, and why Denise has become known around the world as the Elephant Angel.
Wed, March 18, 2020
A Heroic Goat, an Angry Cat, and a Graveyard Full of Daredevils
This week the unexpected meets the obscure as we uncover several stories of wartime and daredevil history. First, we meet Sergeant Bill, the heroic Canadian goat of WW1 who saved the lives of three soldiers during battle. He suffered from trench foot, shrapnel, shell shock, and was gassed with the allied soldiers fighting at Ypres. He survived four and a half years at war, returning to Canada a hero. Next, we head to Niagara Falls and meet Lagara the cat, the first creature to survive a barrel ride over Horseshoe Falls. Along the way we visit several famous daredevils, including Annie Edson Taylor, the first person over the falls. We meet Charles Blondin the famous French funambulist who braved the high wire over the Niagara River 300 times. We visit Charles Stevens, the demon barber of Bedminster, and Bobby Leech, famous English daredevil whose death was as strange as his life. Come meet some of history’s boldest animals and a group of wonderful weirdos who dared so much that we can’t stop talking about them a century and a half later.
Wed, March 04, 2020
The Edmund Fitzgerald
In 1975 the gales of November billowed out a monster storm over the waters of Lake Superior, and the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald met it head on. By the time the sky cleared, the crew and their ship had become an inseparable part of the history and lore of the Great Lakes. In this very special episode of the History Cache, we uncover the history behind the shipwreck, try and understand what happened the night it disappeared, and hear some of the haunting audio of the search captured through Coat Guard transmissions on that fateful night. This is the story of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
Wed, February 12, 2020
Olympias Part 3: The Rise and Fall of a Legend
The finale is here! In the final episode we explore the final years of Olympias’s epic life. We cover how she cultivated her own power at court, watch her rise to even greater heights after the death of Alexander the Great, see a war waged between two incredible women of the ancient world, and find out just how this mother of an empire met her end.
Wed, January 29, 2020
Olympias Part 2: Mother of Empire
In Part 2 we continue to uncover the hidden history of Olympias of Epirus. Assassination, murder, and the political intrigue of an ancient royal court all take center stage in this episode. Come discover the next chapters in the life of one of the most vilified women in history as we sift through the propaganda of two millennia to get a glimpse of the incredible life of the most powerful woman in ancient Greece. Find out what she did next, at the budding of one of history’s largest and most fascinating empires, as we see just how far she would go to ensure the success of her dynasty.
Wed, January 15, 2020
Olympias Part 1: Witch of Epirus, Mother of Alexander the Great
The woman Olympias lived almost 2,400 years ago, around 373 BCE. Her legacy is one of controversy. For over two thousand years she has been represented as the vindictive, blood thirsty mother of Alexander the Great. But who was she really? What is the true story that unfolds when we peel away the layers of two millennia of propaganda? Was the most powerful woman in Greece, who believed she was descended from Achilles, really a monster? Or have we been missing the whole story? Come relive the epic life of Olympias and find out what happens when we breathe life back into the story of a woman that helped create an empire.
Thu, January 02, 2020
The First Robot
Robots have revolutionized our world and are continuing to do so at an exponential rate. But what was the first robot? Who invented it? What will the future of robotics look like? And what happens when robots kill? This episode examines the evolution of robots, the history behind them, our fear of them, and where it all might be headed.
Wed, December 18, 2019
Why Does Fruitcake Even Exist? Eggnog, Yule Logs, and a Cannibalistic Christmas Troll
Why does Fruitcake even exist? Can we blame the ancient Romans? How old is eggnog? What exactly is a Yule Log? Discover the ancient origins of our favorite--and not so favorite--holiday food traditions in this special holiday history byte. I even give you George Washington's actual recipe for eggnog! After that, we'll head to Iceland and meet Gryla the Christmas troll, her menacing Yule cat, and find out why you should thank your grandma for getting you those socks for Christmas.
Thu, December 05, 2019
The Lost Voyage of Shackleton: The Edge of Human Endurance Part 5 of 5
The finale is here! Come find out just how one of the most inspiring stories of human endurance ended. We head back to Antarctica and watch the crew of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition make history as Shackleton attempts one last desperate attempt at a rescue mission. This episode has all the answers you've been waiting for.
Wed, November 20, 2019
The Lost Voyage of Shackleton: The Edge of Human Endurance Part 4 of 5
In 1914 the 28 member crew of the Endurance left to trek across the continent of Antarctica on foot. It is now the beginning of 1916. Their ship has been crushed, they've been stranded on the ice with no way out, and they've taken to the boats in a last ditch effort to escape the ice melting beneath them. In Part 4 we hear what happens next as they head for the yet unexplored Elephant Island, and Shackleton with a sets out on an 820 mile open boat journey on the roughest sea passage in the world to either find rescue, or doom them all to an icy grave.
Thu, November 14, 2019
The Lost Voyage of Shackleton: The Edge of Human Endurance Part 3 of 5
In Part 3 of Shackleton's Lost Voyage, we join the stranded crew of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914, who have been stranded on the ice now for well over a year. Their ship has been crushed, starvation and madness have begun to set in, and they've been trapped by the ice and sea with no way out. In this episode, we watch as they make a desperate escape attempt while the ice splits beneath them, before heading out towards the unknown on the open sea.
Wed, October 30, 2019
Père Lachaise Cemetery: A History of Death in Paris
Join me on a tour of Père Lachaise Cemetery and explore the tombs of some of histories most incredible icons including Jim Morrison, Oscar Wilde, Isadora Duncan, Abelard and Heloise, and Chopin. We examine the cemetery's history, make a side tour to the catacombs beneath Paris, and explore the dark moments in history that have occurred in Père Lachaise since its establishment by Napoleon. Let's go to Paris!
Wed, October 23, 2019
The Screaming Mummies of Guanajuato and a Horde of Egyptian Cats
In this two story episode we travel to Guanajuato, Mexico, and discover a cache of mummies that were literally evicted from their graves. Then we head to Beni Hassan, Egypt, where a farmer digging a well in 1888 accidentally stumbled upon one of the largest hoards of cat mummies ever found, and, possibly, an ancient, illegal crime ring of cat killers (seriously). We also meet Bastet, the ancient Egyptian goddess that started it all.
Wed, October 16, 2019
The First Monsters
In this episode we explore history's first monsters. From the prehistoric beasts that stalked our ancestors to the first mythological oral traditions, then to the first ancient written accounts through the modern day; this is the history of what scares us. What were the first monsters, why do we fear them, and why do we need them? Let's find out and examine the first things that appeared from the darkness.
Wed, October 09, 2019
The Lost Voyage of Shackleton: The Edge of Human Endurance Part 2 of 5
In Part 2 of Shackleton's Lost Voyage, the crew of the Endurance find themselves frozen fast in the Antarctic pack ice in 1915. In this episode, we examine the psychology behind what happens to the human mind during the long Polar Night as we join the crew on the next leg of their journey. Disaster, heartbreak, and uncanny resilience unfold in this second chapter before the finale of Part 3.
Wed, October 02, 2019
History Byte Halloween Extra: A British Cowboy and the Cremation of Sam McGee
Poet, adventurer, bard of the Yukon, and British cowboy (that's a thing) Robert W. Service (1874-1958) is showcased in this week's history byte, followed by a retelling of his spookiest of poems, The Cremation of Sam McGee . This is the first of THREE EXTRA episodes premiering this month just for your Halloween season enjoyment, so pumpkin up that coffee, put in those ear buds, dust off that Necronomicon, and go nuts.
Wed, September 25, 2019
The Lost Voyage of Shackleton: The Edge of Human Endurance Part 1 of 5
In 1914 the crew of the Endurance left to trek across the continent of Antarctica on foot. Led by Sir Ernest Shackleton, they believed their journey would bring them adventure, scientific discovery, and fame. What actually unfolded would become one of the greatest stories of human endurance the world has ever seen. Crushed by ice, lost, and wandering at the bottom of the world, they would harrow the most severe environment on Earth as they gave everything to make it home again. Come hear the story of the Trans Antarctic Expedition and the polar explorers that colored in the last pieces of the world's map.
S1 E10 · Wed, September 11, 2019
History Byte: Animal Astronauts
Come and meet Ham the astronaut chimp and discover how the animal astronauts of history just may have saved us all. Also featuring Space Dogs and one phenomenal Astro Cat for an episode that's literally out of this world.
Fri, August 30, 2019
History Byte: A Swearing Parrot Ruined Andrew Jackson's Funeral
Come and meet Poll, a presidential parrot so extra that his epic level of snark still lives on today.
Fri, August 30, 2019
The Shuar of the Amazon and How to Make a Shrunken Head: Part 2
Join us for Part 2 where we finish our exploration of the fierce, mysterious, and fascinating Shuar. This unconquerable tribe resisted conquest from both the Incan and Spanish empires, and was the only tribe in history to successfully revolt against the Spanish empire--and win. Find out who they were, who they are now, and buckle up for some truly epic Amazonian history.
Fri, August 30, 2019
The Shuar of the Amazon and How to Make a Shrunken Head: Part 1
Hidden in the deepest interior of the Amazon lived the fierce, mysterious, and fascinating Shuar. This unconquerable tribe resisted conquest from both the Incan and Spanish empires, and was the only tribe in history to successfully revolt against the Spanish empire--and win. Come meet them in Part 1; hear their story and find out just what made them so epically unstoppable.
Fri, August 30, 2019
Introduction
And so it begins.
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