Amazing Tales About History
Mike Allen
Marilyn Monroe, PT Barnum, American history, and Revolutionary War insights ... Dive deep into the hidden corners of history with mysteries, fascinating inventions, secret military operations, magical islands, ancient trails, forgotten roadways, Native Americans, supernatural activity, UFOs. 20-minute episodes. Memorable stories. Great guests. We present history as it should be – accurate, engaging, and told with a touch of magic. New episodes every Thursday.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 24, 2023 • 21min
The Longest Running Newspaper in the U.S.
The longest-running newspaper in the United States has been around longer than the country itself. The Hartford Courant started publishing in 1764 - 12 years before the Declaration of Independence. Putting out a paper continuously for 260 years is no small feat.
Aug 17, 2023 • 26min
George Washington Slept Here - Or Did He?
Many claims have been made about where George Washington slept. He was so beloved that exaggerated claims often occurred. In Connecticut, there are 10 houses still standing where he definitely stayed during his 10 trips through the state.
Aug 10, 2023 • 20min
He Founded Antarctica
Nathaniel Palmer was just 21 years old when he founded Antarctica. Sailing further south in search of new pods of whales for hunting in a 47-foot boat, he happened across a huge ice-covered mass that was not on any maps in 1820. Now, the main U.S. research lab there is named after him.
Aug 3, 2023 • 27min
Benedict Arnold - Was He Misunderstood?
Sometimes, you learn something new about a person that changes your impression of them. Benedict Arnold had a very difficult upbringing, leaving him with deep-seated emotional scars. His name remains synonymous with the word traitor, but his life's backstory is worth revisiting.
Jul 27, 2023 • 18min
The First Nuclear Submarine - The USS Nautilus
It changed naval warfare forever. The first nuclear-powered submarine, the U.S.S. Nautilus, was launched in the 1950s. It could travel nearly indefinitely under water, undetected for long periods. It was the first sea vessel to travel beneath the Arctic ice cap and was critical during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Jul 20, 2023 • 26min
Rochambeau's View on Helping America Win the Revolution
The Revolutionary War. French commander Rochambeau supported the Americans. He strategized with George Washington. He marched his 5,000 soldiers 700 miles to Virginia to win the final battle. For the French, our battle was not as important as their own revolution.
Jul 13, 2023 • 19min
Making Lawyers of our Founding Fathers' Children
America's first law school trained the children of our founding fathers. Dozens of legal scholars went on to become President, Congressmen, and Supreme Court Justices. But the school wasn't Harvard or Yale; rather, an obscure one you've probably never heard of.
Jul 6, 2023 • 26min
How Some Native Americans Have Assimilated
Early Native American history in eastern CT and MA was tumultuous, with the Pequot and King Phillip's Wars. Native Americans living in western CT largely avoided those wars. Today, 2 small reservations remain and tribal members live generally among the broader population.
Jun 29, 2023 • 20min
The First Telephone Switchboard Was a Game-Changer
Alexander Graham Bell's introduction of the telephone was quite limited until the telephone switchboard connected users. George Willard Coy doesn’t get the same recognition, but his switchboard invention led to the first telephone directory and telephone poles.
Jun 22, 2023 • 14min
One Town - Two Very Different American Flags
Most people forget the Civil War protests between residents in northern states. In one town, the argument over whether to fight the south over slavery led to two sets of neighbors creating and flying two very different types of American flags.
