“There Will Be Blood” - the Great Railroad Strike of 1877 On July 21 1877, the height of the Railroad Riots reached its peak in Pittsburgh. As a crowd of rioting railroad workers and their families gathered downtown, the PA National Guard was called in to help disperse the crowd. What happened next is one of the darkest days in modern Pittsburgh history. In this episode we dive deep into a story direct from the newspapers, which tells of the mayhem and destruction that encapsulated the city. See...
Aug 01, 2019•27 min•Ep. 18
George Westinghouse – the Genius, the Inventor & the War of the Currents – PART 2 The conclusion of our story about George Westinghouse takes a captivating turn when he hires a 32-year-old, relatively unknown inventor named Nikola Tesla to come work & live in Pittsburgh! On this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, we explore the fascinating tale of the friendship between Westinghouse & Tesla and how together, they revolutionized the modern world. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener f...
Jul 25, 2019•36 min•Ep. 17
George Westinghouse was not alone a great inventor, but also an amazing organizer, and above all, a visionary. It is hard for us to even realize the very scope & extent to the diversity of his activities. Westinghouse filed one patentable invention every six weeks for 48 years, this along with all of his wide-ranging companies & ideas. Realizing that a happy & safe workforce was essential, he was considered by many as a “Gentle Genius” and was admired by his workers. See omnystudio.c...
Jul 18, 2019•27 min•Ep. 16
We are all familiar with the great museums around Pittsburgh, but did it all begin with the Carnegie? In this episode of the #PittsburghOddcast, we visited Richard Pell, the founder of the world-famous Center for Post-Natural History to talk about what it is like to own a museum of your own and the history of Pittsburgh's very first museum - James Reid Lambdin’s Museum. We then dive deep into the fascinating story of the infamous character street preacher Robert Lansberry, who Richard also has a...
Jul 11, 2019•38 min•Ep. 15
In this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, we bring on special guest, Gloria Forouzan to discuss the importance of female history, Pittsburgh’s Suffragist movement & many other wonderful, important stories of the women who made up Pittsburgh’s past. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jul 05, 2019•31 min•Ep. 14
In this week’s episode of the #PittsburghOddcast, we had the opportunity to sit down and talk about the history of our great city with none-other then the current Mayor of Pittsburgh, Bill Peduto. We discuss some of our favorite factoids about mayors of the past, our favorite time period in Pittsburgh’s history, just what it is like to be the Mayor of a major city and even sage advice from the Dalai Lama. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener ...
Jun 27, 2019•39 min•Ep. 13
Allegheny County! It’s the banner county of the Union!” – Abraham Lincoln, Pittsburgh, February 14, 1861. What do George Washington, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain have in common? They all visited Pittsburgh and granted us with memorable quotes along the way. In this episode of the #PittsburghOddcast, we read verbatim some of what these well-known historical figures had to say about our “Smoky City” and dive deep into one of the most infamous quotes in Pittsburgh history - “Hell with the lid of...
Jun 20, 2019•35 min•Ep. 12
Like St. Nicholas, whose life morphed into the legendary Santa Claus, John Chapman’s real life was so unusual that it inspired a legend. The true stories of the people behind the legends are often more interesting & inspirational than the folklore themselves. In this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, we put on our tin-can hats & dive deep into the legend of the man behind the myth & how the true story begins right here in our very own city, Pittsburgh. See omnystudio.com/policies/li...
Jun 13, 2019•29 min•Ep. 11
PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - "As I got down before the canoe, I spent some time viewing the rivers, and the land in the fork, which I think extremely well situated for a fort, as it has the absolute command of both rivers”. George Washington, Pittsburgh 1753 As a 21yr old Major in the British Colonial Army, a young George Washington set off on a journey that would lead him to our Three Rivers and later, the presidency of the United States. He would visit Pittsburgh at least seven more time...
Jun 06, 2019•30 min•Ep. 10
Many Pittsburghers may know of our City’s worst flood – the Great St. Patrick’s Flood of 1936, but one much more devastating seems to have washed away from people’s memories as quickly as it occurred - the Butcher’s Run Flood of 1874. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
May 30, 2019•29 min•Ep. 9
What’s in a Name – Part Deux What do you know about the origin of the naming of various things around Pittsburgh? Who was McKee & where are his ‘rocks’? Was Ellwood City named after a Blues Brother? Avalon – the ‘Land of Apples’? In our first-ever follow-up episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast on the history and origin of Pittsburgh’s names, we answer listener mail, talk Turkey (Devonshire, that is), discuss the importance of naming things for perpetuity sake and discover that Moon & Mars w...
May 22, 2019•37 min•Ep. 8
Did you know that the only American ever arrested and accused of being the notorious ‘Jack the Ripper’ once lived in Pittsburgh!?! In this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, we explore some of the most unusual and sensational tales of murder that have afflicted our City in the past. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https:...
May 16, 2019•30 min•Ep. 7
In this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, we dive deep into the meaning behind the names of ‘Diondega’, I mean, Pittsburgh. The local names were never meant to just be arbitrary sounds, devoid of any meaning. Each one tells us a record of the past and a story that was not meant to be forgotten. From Allentown to Zelienople and everything in between, we are bringing you the 1st in an ongoing series on the origin of Pittsburgh names. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. T...
May 09, 2019•37 min•Ep. 6
Think you know Pittsburgh Hockey history? Hockey didn’t just begin here with the Penguins. Hockey has been continually played in the Burgh since 1895. We had SIXTEEN other teams and even three All-Female hockey teams, but most have been lost to time – that is until now. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoi...
May 02, 2019•27 min•Ep. 5
In this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, we dive deep into the story of a man who overcame all odds to achieve what some would say, is an impossible task - one that would in fact, alter History as we know it. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Apr 25, 2019•33 min•Ep. 4
The 10th of April, 1845 - a date that was supposed to live in infamy in the hearts and minds of all Pittsburghers. How soon did we forget? Within just a few hours, a third of the City would be engulfed in flames leaving thousands homeless and millions of dollars in damages. In this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, we dive deep into a first-hand account of the devastation and the effects the 'great conflagration' would have upon the rebirth of Pittsburgh. #ThatsItFortPitt See omnystudio.com/pol...
Apr 18, 2019•26 min•Ep. 3
“Great Scott”!! In this episode of the Pittsburgh Oddcast, WQED’s incomparable Rick Sebak joins us as we discover and recite what is essentially - 1787 Pittsburgh “clickbait”. We explore tales of real-life witch doctors, runaway funerals, bearded ladies, bizarre advertisements and of course, the dreaded modern muggles. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn mor...
Apr 11, 2019•32 min•Ep. 2
In this inaugural episode we journey back in time hundreds of millions of years ago to an age filled with giant salamanders, seashells on top of mountains, ancient bugs and mythical giants of whom our Rivers take their name. Wait, what?!?! Together we investigate the legends & lore of Pittsburgh's forgotten history lost to time. See omnystudio.com/policies/listener for privacy information. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-po...
Apr 04, 2019•27 min•Ep. 1
