Throughout the mid-1800s, Southeast Ohio newspapers followed the criminal exploits of their incorrigible and infamous horse thief and counterfeiter, Shep Tinker. The site of his grave is a mystery, but his colorful career, Robinhood reputation and undeniable charm is still the stuff of legend, and a reason to visit Tinker's Cave. www.ohiomysteries.comfeedback@ohiomysteries.com www.patreon.com/ohiomysteries www.twitter.com/mysteriesohio www.facebook.com/ohiomysteries Music: Henry, by The Midweste...
May 06, 2024•35 min
Hello and welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries: Backroads. Today we wade out into Lake Erie and explore a little known hideaway with a dark history. Just below the popular Lake Erie island, Put-In-Bay lies another smaller island named Rattlesnake Island. Today this is a very exclusive secret hideout for the Gatsby Society of Cleveland. With its own airport and full time security detail ensures only members are welcomed. Learn the history and sordid past of this exclusive getaway. Oh, if ...
May 02, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 31
This year, 2024, a high school Eagle scout candidate named Zach Kramer began a search for the final resting place of an American Revolutionary War private and his wife - both of whom Zach suspected were buried beneath the soil of Symmes Park in his hometown of Hamilton. Here's what he found... www.ohiomysteries.com feedback@ohiomysteries.com www.patreon.com/ohiomysteries www.twitter.com/mysteriesohio www.facebook.com/ohiomysteries Additional music: New Horizon - Aderin; Audionautix- The Great Un...
Apr 29, 2024•18 min•Season 1Ep. 270
Hello an welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries: Backroads. In Part 2 of today's episode we travel down to the sleepy little river town of East Liverpool, Ohio and learn about what some people called the most dangerous place in America, Hell's Half Acre. This assortment of bars, brothels, outlaws and trouble became known as the bootlegging capitol of Ohio. Situated on the Ohio-Pa border, this place was a haven for criminals of all sorts. Learn about the tunnels, the stills, the fights and ...
Apr 25, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In 2009, an Akron woman was shot dead by a man who stood on her porch and knocked on her door. The next year, a second woman was killed when she answered the door. And in 2015, Akron police found a third Akron woman dead on her friends back porch. There is no reason to think these murders are connected, and they were barely covered by local media. But tonight, we remember the unsolved murders of Diane Mitchell-McMillian, Gwendolyn Hoisten and Duetta Nurse. www.ohiomysteries.com feedback@ohiomyst...
Apr 22, 2024•15 min•Season 1Ep. 269
Hello an welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries: Backroads. In Part 1 of today's episode we travel down to the sleepy little river town of East Liverpool, Ohio and learn about what some people called the most dangerous place in America, Hell's Half Acre. This assortment of bars, brothels, outlaws and trouble became known as the bootlegging capitol of Ohio. Situated on the Ohio-Pa border, this place was a haven for criminals of all sorts. Learn about the tunnels, the stills, the fights and ...
Apr 18, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 30
In 1862, 23 Ohio soldiers, led by a Kentucky union spy, stole deep into the south with the intent of stealing a train and using it to destroy telegraph lines, railroad tracks and bridges and cripple the south. They ultimately got caught and nearly half of them hanged, but the survivors were given the very first Medals of Honor by a grateful US Congress. In this final part, we learn the fate of the men as they are captured, imprisoned and tried. www.ohiomysteries.com feedback@ohiomysteries.com ww...
Apr 15, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 268
In 1862, 23 Ohio soldiers, led by a Kentucky union spy, stole deep into the south with the intent of stealing a train and using it to destroy telegraph lines, railroad tracks and bridges and cripple the south. They ultimately got caught and nearly half of them hanged, but the survivors were given the very first Medals of Honor by a grateful US Congress. In this second of three parts, we go along for the ride as the Ohio soldiers flee in their train, and a stubborn posse pursues them. www.ohiomys...
Apr 11, 2024•34 min•Ep. 268
In 1862, 23 Ohio soldiers, led by a Kentucky union spy, stole deep into the south with the intent of stealing a train and using it to destroy telegraph lines, railroad tracks and bridges and cripple the south. They ultimately got caught and nearly half of them hanged, but the survivors were given the very first Medals of Honor by a grateful US Congress. In this first episode, we meet the intrepid Ohioans and follow them on their dangerous four-day trek as they part with their regiment in Tenness...
Apr 08, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 268
Exactly 50 years ago today, the worst tornado in Ohio’s history slammed into Xenia, Ohio, killing 35 people, injuring 1,300, and causing $100 million dollars in damage. Join us as we talk about what happened a half century ago, as well as our recent trip to the city of Xenia, and also stopping by a couple of cemeteries to pay our respects to two of the victims, a young mother and her seven-year old son. We have a Facebook Page! Learn more about our episodes and what's coming up next! https://www...
Apr 04, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 29
The team of Seeking Justice has made Parma resident Dawn Pasela their latest project. Dawn was a government whistleblower with enemies in high places, so when she was found dead of an alcohol overdose just hours before she was to testify, many wondered if she had been killed and the crime scene staged. We interview the three hosts of Seeking Justice ab out this unusual case. Follow Seeking Justice on Youtube for their weekly show as the investigate and interview witnesses live every Wednesday at...
Apr 01, 2024•39 min•Season 1Ep. 267
Hello and Welcome to another episode of Ohio Mysteries; Backroads. In today's episode we explore one of the most unique airplane collections ever assembled. This collection grew out of one man's drive and passion and would come to attract worldwide attention and even cause pilots to change their flight plans to just to sneak a peek at these rare aircraft. Walter Soplata through sheer will and determination would purchase, disassemble, transport and reassemble these aircraft and storing them in h...
Mar 28, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 28
In 1987, 35-year-old biochemist Peter Becci - who relocated from New York to the Lima, Ohio suburb of Shawnee Township with his family - was murdered in the basement of his home. Police said after failing to get interviews with his estranged wife who quickly moved to Florida, they gave up, saying the case was costing the small department too much money. But a decade ago, a new detective cracked open the old file and tried again, even putting up billboards to remind residents that the case was st...
Mar 25, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 266
Note: This episode previously aired, we return to new episodes next week. In this episode we explore the UFO chase in Portage County, Ohio in 1966. At 5 a.m. April 17, 1966, two Portage County, Ohio, sheriff deputies on routine patrol stop to investigate an abandoned vehicle down a dark road and are blinded by known craft rising into the sky behind the car. Deputy Dale Spaur decides to go check it out while his partner stayed behind. They heard a noise sounding like "an overloaded transformer" a...
Mar 21, 2024•22 min•Season 1Ep. 27
Is Dayton named for a traitor? Why did Cleveland shave a letter off the name of its founder? What made the Roman dictator Cincinnatus worthy of an American city? We look at the origins of the names of Ohio's eight big cities, including Columbus, Toledo, Parma, Canton and Akron. Lots of history and mystery in their stories! www.ohiomysteries.com feedback@ohiomysteries.com www.patreon.com/ohiomysteries www.twitter.com/mysteriesohio www.facebook.com/ohiomysteries Additional music: New Horizon - Ade...
Mar 18, 2024•32 min•Season 1Ep. 265
Well spring is in the air this week and as we all know, this is the time of year when young men and women's thoughts turned to, you guessed it, yo-yo'ing and the board game checkers. In this gripping episode we check out 2 Ohioians who rose to prominence with the yo-yo and checkers. Learn about Linda Sengpiel! She was the top female yo-yo player for over four decades during her reign as yo-yo master. This Ohio native had a lifetime of achievements through the mastery of the yo-yo. Marion Tinsley...
Mar 14, 2024•20 min•Season 1Ep. 26
Great Lakes sailors often talk about the "Witch of November," autumn gales typical for that month that make the final trips of the season dangerous for freighters and other vessels. In November of 1913, the witch did her worst - the most deadly storm in the history of the Great Lakes, pulling 12 ships to the bottom of lakes Superior, Huron, Michigan and Erie and killing more than 250 people. This is the story of what has come to be called "The White Hurricane." www.ohiomysteries.com feedback@ohi...
Mar 12, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 264
For well over a century Ohio has supplied the entertainment industry with hundreds of talented and beautiful actresses! This week the Backroads team focuses in on the dozens of Ohio-born actresses who were cast in popular and well-known television series throughout the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and into the present day. It’s an impressive list of ladies! From dramatic acting, to zany comedy, to scene-stealing vixens and show-stopping beauties, these Ohio-born women showcased their talents on TV...
Mar 07, 2024•33 min•Season 1Ep. 25
On Easter Sunday, a storm estimated to be a 1,000-year event floods the state. Not a single river in Ohio is contained within its banks as hundreds lose their lives, tens of thousands of people are made homeless and thousands of bridges and railway trestles are washed away. www.ohiomysteries.com feedback@ohiomysteries.com www.patreon.com/ohiomysteries www.twitter.com/mysteriesohio www.facebook.com/ohiomysteries Additional music: New Horizon - Aderin; Audionautix- The Great Unknown; The Great Pho...
Mar 02, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 263
In this episode we discuss the wild life and times of Dr. Leonard Faymore. He was a doctor in Elyria, Ohio who assisted in starting a drug rehab clinic but it quickly went wrong. Faymore quickly developed a reputation as a drug dealer rather than a rehab clinic. Addicts would line up at 4am to get a number to wait in line and the parking lot would devolve into an open drug den. The story gets really crazy when the DEA raid his castle and then the fun begins. Tune in and find out what happens! Ch...
Feb 29, 2024•17 min•Season 1Ep. 24
During World War II, West Virginia mother of five - Mary Jane VanGilder - left her children and abusive husband and took a job at an army depot in Shelby, Ohio. She stayed in touch with her family for a year or so, then vanished from their lives. For more than 80 years, her children - and then her grandchildren - searched for her. That mystery was solved when Shelby Det. Adam Turner took on the case and spent five years exhuming bodies and writing letters until he finally got an answer. www.ohio...
Feb 26, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 262
There is no doubt you know these songs! They are among the most popular in the world! They have stood the test of time by still being relevant today, even though they are decades old. You might still sing along to them when you hear them on your playlists, the radio, the TV, or perhaps at a popular hot spot in town! You may have even sung a verse or two during the holiday season! What you might not know is that these classic songs all have connections to the great state of Ohio! They were writte...
Feb 22, 2024•23 min•Season 1Ep. 23
In November of 1896, California residents reported seeing ships in the air sailing over the homes - a sight all the more puzzling since airships hadn't been invented yet, and the Wright Brothers wouldn't fly their first plane for another seven years. Those mysterious airships moved east, and arrived over Ohio in April the next year. www.ohiomysteries.comfeedback@ohiomysteries.com www.patreon.com/ohiomysteries www.twitter.com/mysteriesohio www.facebook.com/ohiomysteries Music: Audionautix- The Gr...
Feb 19, 2024•22 min
Cleveland's seedy underbelly in the early part of the 20th century could rival most any major city in the US. Crime, greed, graft and corruption became routine part of daily life in Cleveland. Mayor Burton brought famed lawman, Elliot Ness to Cleveland to root out crime from within the ranks of the Cleveland Police Dept. Ness would be put to the test quickly by leading a raid on the Harvard Club, a large scale gambling racket operating just out of the city limits in Cleveland. Serving up to 1,00...
Feb 15, 2024•29 min•Season 1Ep. 22
In 1878, graverobbers stole the body of Edwin French from Willoughby Cemetery, but all they ended up doing was pulling a loose thread that unraveled a scheme to provide corpses to the Homeopathic Hospital College in Cleveland. The search for French's body uncovered three more loved ones - two Portage County women stored in pickling barrels and a child musical prodigy from Cleveland buried in a shallow grave. The school's entire faculty was hauled before judge and jury. www.ohiomysteries.com feed...
Feb 12, 2024•28 min
OM Backroads Ep:21. Part 2. Blanche Noyes was a pioneering American aviator from Cleveland, OH. She was a daring pilot who set many records and later was the leader of the government's new Air Marking Program. Blanche started life as an actress until a chance meeting at a speech by Charles Lindberg would change her life. Join us as we discuss the fascinating life of Blanche Noyes. Part 2. For more fascinating podcasts, check us out at: https://www.ohiomysteries.com/ Mike hosts a Facebook page ca...
Feb 08, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 21
When the War of 1812 began, the British quickly and easily seized control of Lake Erie - a prized possession since it was the northern border of Ohio, some of the coveted land being fought over. The Americans responded by setting up a shipyard in Erie, Pennsylvania, intending to build a Navy fleet from scratch and wrench control from the British. On Sept. 10, 1813, the American Navy, under Commodore Oliver Perry, faced off against the Royal Navy to decide who would control the lake. www.ohiomyst...
Feb 05, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 255
OM Backroads Ep:21. Part 1. Blanche Noyes was a pioneering American aviator from Cleveland, OH. She was a daring pilot who set many records and later was the leader of the government's new Air Marking Program. Blanche started life as an actress until a chance meeting at a speech by Charles Lindberg would change her life. Join us as we discuss the fascinating life of Blanche Noyes. Part 1. For more fascinating podcasts, check us out at: https://www.ohiomysteries.com/ Mike hosts a Facebook page ca...
Feb 01, 2024•30 min•Season 1Ep. 21
In 1977, boys in Georgetown found a decapitated head while fishing. It belonged to Cheryl Fossyl, a local high school junior. No one was ever convicted of her murder, but 30 years into the cold case, her family would fight and win a sort of justice against two men they believed responsible, and against former Brown County officials who had protected them. The civil suit revealed the details of a deathbed confession, and the unexpected motive behind Cheryl's murder. www.ohiomysteries.com feedback...
Jan 29, 2024•24 min•Season 1Ep. 258
Join us for our 2023 Year In Review Discussion of the notable and famous Ohioians who passed away last year. We will pay tribute to the dozens of native Ohioans who were actors, sports athletes, musicians an even fast food industrialists. Check other podcast episodes like this at: https://www.ohiomysteries.com/ Mike hosts a Facebook page called "Too Late for Autographs" and explores people and their stories with Ohio ties that have passed away: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1469825446606552/?h...
Jan 25, 2024•39 min
