In 2014, the show covered the 1903 fire at the new Iroquois Theater. The horrible, incredibly tragic incident was the result of multiple code violations and wrongdoings. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Differing points of view regarding the Stone of Scone are discussed. Tracy also shares thoughts on "Assassins' Creed," its mixed reviews, and the most interesting historical elements in it. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Banū Mūsā were three brothers who lived in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. Among their many achievements, they wrote books on math and science, and created a number of automata. Research: 1001 Inventions. “Fountains.” https://www.1001inventions.com/fountains/ Abboud, Tony. “Al-Kindi : the father of Arab philosophy.” New York, NY : Rosen Pub. Group. 2006. Ali, Adam. “The Abbasid Civil War: The War of the Brothers.” Medievalists.net. 9/2022. https://www.medievalists.net/2022/09/abbasid-...
On Christmas day in 1950, the Stone of Scone was removed, heist-style, from Westminster Abbey. Some believed it to be an act of theft, and others, liberation. Research: Aitchison, Nick. “Scotland's Stone of Destiny : myth, history and nationhood.” Stroud : Tempus. 2000. BBC World Service. “The removal of Scotland's Stone of Destiny - BBC World Service.” Via YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fd_FC2zWlOQ Brocklehurst, Steven. “The students who stole the Stone of Destiny.” BBC. 3/24/2023. ht...
For Christmas Eve, we’re sharing our 2016 episode about holiday figures from around the world. This one features the Mari Lwyd, which came up on a recent episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
This 2019 episode covers John Wilkins who planned out what he thought it would take for humans to travel to the moon In the 1600s. Wilkins managed to ride out a rocky time in England's history comfortably. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tracy talks about not seeing a frozen body of water that could support a person as a kid. Holly discusses how difficult it is to pare down Hedda Hopper's life into an episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Though she started out acting, what really made Hedda Hopper famous was her work in newspapers. For several decades, she could make or break a movie career with her gossip column, sending statements to print regardless of whether there was any actual proof of what she claimed. Research: Collins, Amy Fine. “The Powerful Rivalry of Hedda Hopper and Louella Parsons.” Vanity Fair. April 1997. https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/02/rivalry-hedda-hopper-louella-parsons-gossip-columnists Eells, G...
The London Frost Fairs, were festivals held out on the ice when the River Thames froze over. Most of these fairs were in January or February, and the last of them took place in 1814. Research: Andrews, William. “Famous Frosts and Frost Fairs in Great Britain: Chronicled from the Earliest to the Present Time.” G. Redway. 1887. https://archive.org/details/famousfrostsand00andrgoog Davis, George. “Frostiana: Or a History of the River Thames in a Frozen State.” London, 1814. Evelyn, John. “The Diary...
This 2016 episode was inspired by our trip to the Royall House & Slave Quarters. It's about Belinda Sutton and her petitions to be compensated for her enslavement to the Royall family. Here is the link to the video we recorded for HowStuffWorks at Royall House & Slave Quarters: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdE7ravZvas&list=PLNrBwGzpymDJwMDZeUI939TpVViLOKHpy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Holly and Tracy share formative experiences with math classes. Then Tracy discusses a spinning bee, Lafayette in Medford, and her historical fanfiction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sarah Bradlee Fulton is sometimes called the Mother of the Boston Tea Party. But available information about her is basically a series of anecdotes, and can’t really be corroborated. Research: "The Boston Tea Party, 1773," EyeWitness to History, www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2002). “Boston Gazette Account.” http://www.boston-tea-party.org/account-boston-gazette.html Albus, Brenda Ely. “’A Woman Fearing Nothing’: The Story of Sarah Bradlee Fulton: A Revolutionary War Heroine.” Lulu.com. 2014. Amer...
Two men, working separately but simultaneously, are each cited as the originator of the idea of the metric system depending on what source you read. But it took more than 100 years to implement the ideas they suggested. Research: Alder, Ken. “The Measure of All Things.” Simon & Schuster. 2003. Benham, Elizabeth. “Busting Myths About the Metric System.” National Institute of Standards and Technology. Oct. 6, 2020. https://www.nist.gov/blogs/taking-measure/busting-myths-about-metric-system “Br...
This 2019 episode looks at a few of the moments in traffic light history that got us to where we are today, as well as what made them a necessity in the first place See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Holly and Tracy discuss Advent calendars in their own lives. They also discuss some of their experiences in Barcelona. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Montjuïc Castle is a fortress in Barcelona that dates back to the 17th century. And it has been involved in both the defense of Barcelona and its repression – repeatedly, over the course of centuries. Research: "Catalonia." Britannica Library, Encyclopædia Britannica, 8 Jun. 2023. libraries.state.ma.us/login?eburl=https%3A%2F%2Flibrary.eb.com&ebtarget=%2Flevels%2Freferencecenter%2Farticle%2FCatalonia%2F20756&ebboatid=9265928. Accessed 20 Nov. 2023. "Miguel Primo de Rivera." Britannica Li...
The religious observation of Advent has shifted and changed through the years. But how did we get to a point where an Advent calendar is also a non-religious Christmas countdown with chocolates or other treats? Research: Allen, Scott. “A Brief History of Advent Calendars.” Mental Floss. Dec. 1, 2010. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/26522/brief-history-advent-calendars “A Look Back at the Advent of the Advent Calendar.” The Journal Times. (Racine, Wisconsin.) November 25, 2006. https://www.ne...
Holly and Tracy talk about the blackout that happened during the recording of their live show in Los Angeles. They then discuss their different activities during their time visiting Montserrat. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Montserrat is a culturally important place with a lot of stories. This episode focuses on three to show its importance as a religious center, as a strategic military location, and finally, as a place that has been home to political protest. Research: Buttery, Helen. “The Dark Queen.” National Post. March 31, 2001. https://www.newspapers.com/image/513661243/?terms=madonna%20montserrat&match=1 “Basque Country and Catalonia: Different Paths to Recognition.” Centre on Constitutional Change. June...
This episode was recorded (mostly) live at the AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay, where we talked about Collinses, the Bees Knees, and a man who is iconic in bartending history. Research: Brown, Jared, and Anistatia Miller. “Is the Bee’s Knees Cocktail Making a Comeback?” Imbibe Live. Feb. 22, 2022. https://live.imbibe.com/en-gb/blog/spirits-and-cocktails/bees-knees-cocktail-comeback.html “The Gourd Club.” New York Times. May 10, 1878. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1878/05/10/806826...
This 2018 episode covers the four Mirabal sisters, who are national heroes in the Dominican Republic. But they weren't very well-known elsewhere until 20 or so years ago when they became the subject of a historical novel. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Holly and Tracy discuss Bertillon's influence in the practice of people carrying ID cards. Tracy talks about how much she loves historical uprisings that include smashing things. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Rebecca Riots took place in Wales in the 1830s and 1840s. While these events are often described as a protest against heavy road tolls, that was only a small part of the story. Research: Age of Revolution. “Rebecca and her daughters.” https://ageofrevolution.org/200-object/rebecca-and-her-daughters/ Age of Revolution. “Tollhouse designed by Thomas Telford.” https://ageofrevolution.org/200-object/tollhouse-designed-by-thomas-telford/ Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Rebecca Riots". ...
Bertillon developed a system of identification via body measurements that was designed to identify whether crime suspects had an existing criminal history. But his contributions to police work have been occluded by some terrible missteps. Research: Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. "Alphonse Bertillon". Encyclopedia Britannica , 19 Apr. 2023, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alphonse-Bertillon “Identifying Prisoners.” St. Louis Globe-Democrat. December 16, 1886. https://www.newspaper...
This 2019 episode covers Sarah Josepha Hale's well-known poetry, and her publication Godey's Lady's Book, the most popular magazine in the U.S. in the middle of the 19th century, See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tracy and Holly discuss elementary school experiences with Mourning Dove's work, and Tracy ponders whether her story intersected with other topics from the show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In 1916, Mourning Dove gave an interview that described the book she had written as soon to be published, but it turned out to still be years away. Part two covers the years it took to get that book published, and her life after it. Research: American Folklore Society. “Mourning Dove (Hum-ishu-ma / Christine Quintasket).” https://notablefolkloristsofcolor.org/portfolio/mourning-dove-hum-ishu-ma-christine-quintasket/ Arnold, Laurie. “More than Mourning Dove: Christine Quintasket—Activist, Leader,...
Mourning Dove was an activist, ethnographer and novelist, and one of the first, if not the first, Indigenous women in the U.S. to publish a novel. Part one covers the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and her early career. Research: American Folklore Society. “Mourning Dove (Hum-ishu-ma / Christine Quintasket).” https://notablefolkloristsofcolor.org/portfolio/mourning-dove-hum-ishu-ma-christine-quintasket/ Arnold, Laurie. “More than Mourning Dove: Christine Quintasket—Activist, Lea...
This 2015 episode examines that humans have always longed to explore underwater, but need to breathe air. From as far back as the 4th century B.C.E., clever inventors have been designing technology to give us face time with the creatures of the sea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tracy shares her cat’s input on the Empress of Ireland outline. She and Holly also discuss the relatability of Mary Somerville’s writing. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
