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
Jul 7, 2022 • 34min
The Greatness of Marian Anderson
International opera superstar Marian Anderson. Best remembered for singing on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. She had been barred from singing in 1939 at Constitution Hall because she was Black. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt made sure Anderson would be heard.
Jun 30, 2022 • 19min
The Odd Border Notch Between Connecticut and Massachusetts
The border between Massachusetts and Connecticut is straight. The King of England declared that in a charter issued in 1642. So where did the notch in the border come from, which juts into Connecticut? There's 160-years' worth of disputes about this one-square-mile of territory.
Jun 23, 2022 • 13min
An Old, Forgotten Pro Football Team
Trivia at a sports bar: who were the Hartford Blues? Most people can't answer correctly. They were the first and only pro football team based in Connecticut. They were part of the official National Football League and even played the New York Giants.
Jun 16, 2022 • 16min
How an American Industry Grew but Then Left Big Problems
It's an old story. An industry comes to town, builds a factory, employs hundreds, and then closes - often leaving pollution that's expensive to clean up. The Gilbert & Bennett Company is the epitome of this story. In fact, they're were even featured in the movie "Other People's Money" about such situations.
Jun 9, 2022 • 13min
Did JFK Single-Handedly Kill the Hatting Industry?
There was a time when a man didn't venture out without a hat. He wouldn’t have been completely dressed otherwise. What killed the hatting industry? Many people say it was President John Kennedy. He didn't wear a top hat to his inauguration in 1961. Is that what really happened?
Jun 3, 2022 • 31min
The Day the Clowns Cried at the Worst Circus Fire in U.S. History
It was a hot, humid July afternoon in 1944. Families flocked to the Barnum & Bailey circus in Hartford. Fire somehow lit the tent of the main grandstand. It went up breathtakingly fast. 186 patrons killed. Mostly women and children. The worst circus fire in U.S. history. Who started it?
May 19, 2022 • 27min
Charles Ives - So Much More than ”Just” a Musical Giant
Charles Ives. Cacophony (discordant music). The two go together. Ives created sounds and symphonies way ahead of their time. It took the public several decades to appreciate his genius. Now, he's considered a composing giant. Did you know he was also a standout baseball player and started estate planning?
May 12, 2022 • 20min
PART 2: The Greatest Showman on Earth - PT Barnum
In part two of this two-part series, we learn of P.T. Barnum's successful career - the American Museum where we made the bulk of his fortune, the circus, Jumbo the elephant, and how overcoming multiple fire tragedies played an unusually strong role in his life.
May 5, 2022 • 15min
PART 1: The Greatest Showman on Earth - PT Barnum
You know that P.T. Barnum ran a famous circus. But, do you know about his childhood? He learned some critically important life lessons growing up that would prepare him for the incredible fame and fortune that would follow. Part one of a two-part series examines his early years.
Apr 28, 2022 • 19min
PART 2: Redding’s Favorite Son - Mark Twain
Humorist Samuel Clemens actually faced several depressing tragedies. In part two of this two-part series, we'll cover some of those tragedies during his last two years of life in Redding, Connecticut, culminating in his own death at his famous mansion Stormfield.
