Sometime in 1678, the mighty Prussian king Friedrich Wilhelm I, known as the “soldier king” of Europe’s most warlike state, sat in his heavily padded throne surveying his army with an ambassador from France.With a row of par…
Part 2 - Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove; December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made milli…
Part 1 - Madam C.J. Walker (born Sarah Breedlove; December 23, 1867 – May 25, 1919) was an African American entrepreneur, philanthropist, and political and social activist. She is recorded as the first female self-made milli…
How have I never heard of Robert Smalls?I’m betting you haven’t either. Smalls was an antebellum slave and real-life action hero who fought without permission in the Civil War and pulled off one of the most daring heists in …
Does Blonde hair make you dumb? No, seriously does it? Let’s track the history of this stereotype and find out if it’s true.Visit us online at itshometownhistory.comEpisode Sponsors:Get 25% off your Liquid IV at Liquidiv.com…
This is the 2nd half of our Dear H.H. Holmes episode. Meet Almeda Huiet, of Wabash County, Indiana. Possibly the first Chicago victim of infamous serial killer H.H. Holmes. Visit us online at itshometownhistory.comSupport ou…
Could this be the first Chicago victim of infamous serial killer H.H. Holmes? In Chicago on a cold November morning in 1888, the body of a young lady is found in a lake with her throat slit. The story of this young lady, and…
Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup that white performers have used throughout history to portray, and demean, black people. The dark substance white performers would put on their faces was typically shoe polish, grease…
Have you ever heard of The Landlord's Game, created by Elizabeth Magie? Well if you haven't, you certainly aren't alone. Elizabeth Magie's creation looked like Monopoly, but it was anti-Monopoly - more accurately, it's the o…
World history is filled with strange occurrences, from deadly fashion trends to wars fought on baseless grounds. However, none are as weird as the Cadaver Synod, which saw the decaying corpse of a pope being screamed at for …
The centerpiece of the Lincoln Home National Historic Site is the former home of our 16th president, where he lived with his young family for seventeen years. After moving to the White House in 1861, Abraham and Mary kept th…
The first of April is widely regarded as an unofficial holiday reserved for pranks and hoaxes that seem too ridiculous to be believed yet are surprisingly enough to fool several hundreds of people. The pages of history are l…
When the founding fathers of the United States began adding amendments to the U.S. Constitution to help secure rights and safeguard a free society, the first thing they focused on was the most fundamental: free speech.Autho …
I think since the very beginning, America has struggled with the question of whether it was a turkey or an eagle. Visit us online at itshometownhistory.comEpisode Sponsors:Get key nutrients without the B.S. - Get 10% off you…
Those of you who have listened to my podcasts over the past few years will know how I feel about the discipline of history. It’s been one of the great joys in my life and I believe it’s made me a better thinker, a better per…
If you lived outside the town of Wilmington, Delaware during the 19th century you probably found yourself, at some point during the week, sitting at the Burning Rag Inn, downing a glass of lukewarm ale. You’d be there with f…
Nicknamed the Witch of Wall Street, Hetty Green was an American businesswoman and financier known as the richest woman in America during the late 19th century. She was known for her wealth and was named by the Guinness Book …
The 4th person we are highlighting in our misfits series is Diogenes the Cynic, known more commonly as Diogenes. He was born in Sinope (modern day Turkey) around 404BC (or 412BC, its not exactly clear) and died at Corinth in…
Born in 1889, George Dibbern was an author, adventurer, and sailor-philosopher. He was a free thinker, self-declared citizen of the world and is our 3rd Misfits in our series.Visit us online at itshometownhistory.comEpisode …
Tarrare was born in 1772 in rural France. He was born hungry, and seemingly that hunger never went away. This 2nd episode in our Misfits series is focused on one of history's most fascinating people - a man noted for his unu…
Introducing Part 1 of our Misfits mini-series. Joshua Norton proclaimed himself "Norton I, Emperor of the United States" in 1859 from his home in San Francisco, California. If you've never heard of the only US Emperor, let …
Belle Isle is a 982-acre island park located immediately east of Detroit, Michigan, in the Detroit River. Connected to Detroit by the MacArthur Bridge, Belle Isle is the larked city-owned island park in the United States. Ep…
North and South Manitou Island can be found around 14 miles northwest of the Michigan mainland in Lake Michigan. The islands are very rich in history and are part of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Episode Sponso…
Mackinac Island is a 4.35 square mile island located in Lake Huron between Michigan's Upper and Lower Peninsulas. Based on a former trading post, Fort Mackinac was constructed on the island by the British during the American…
