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
Mar 21, 2024 • 20min
The Draft-Dodging Civil War Doctor
If you were a candidate for military service in the Civil War, and you saw Dr. Josiah Beckwith, odds are you would get a medical exemption. Why did more than 90% of Beckwith's patients end up ducking the draft?
Mar 14, 2024 • 25min
Preserving Open Space is Getting More Difficult
Just because land is forested or undeveloped doesn't mean it's set-aside "open space." Many landowners are just waiting for the right time to sell to developers. The battle to commit enough open space land for future generations to enjoy is behind schedule.
Mar 7, 2024 • 21min
Noah Webster - Our Forgotten Founding Father
Noah Webster doesn't command much attention as a founding father. Yet, he created the first American dictionary and made contributions to education that remain to this day. He's the father of U.S. copyright law and founder of New York’s first daily newspaper.
Feb 29, 2024 • 26min
Are Zoos Becoming a Thing of the Past?
At one point, Connecticut had five zoos. Now, it's just has one accredited facility: Beardsley Zoo. This dwindling resource keeps highly endangered species alive and director Gregg Dancho says its contributions are generally unappreciated by society.
Feb 22, 2024 • 22min
Did This Man Survive the Titanic by Wearing a Dress?
1,500 victims drowned on the Titanic. William Sloper survived. He escaped on an a “women and children only” lifeboat. One reporter claimed he got in it by wearing a dress. What was the truth?
Feb 15, 2024 • 35min
When Your Small Plane Pilot Dies in Mid-Flight
Have you ever wondered what would happen if the pilot of a small plane you were riding in died in mid-flight? On Easter Sunday, 2009, the pilot of a twin-engine plane out of Florida suffered a fatal heart attack, leaving a father, his wife, and two daughters alone in the plane. A CT flight instructor tried to talk him down.
Feb 8, 2024 • 20min
169 Towns - Which One was First?
Is a "trading post" a "settlement?" This seemingly straightforward question is at the heart of a 400-year-old argument as to whether Windsor or Wethersfield was the first town settled by the English in Connecticut.
Feb 1, 2024 • 24min
PART 2: 20,000 Leagues Under Long Island Sound
In part two of this two-part series, we learn the fate of the 41-member submarine crew, trapped under Long Island Sound with flooded compartments, no radio onboard, deadly chlorine gas filling the vessel, and freezing water temperatures.
Jan 25, 2024 • 23min
PART 1: 20,000 Leagues Under Long Island Sound
In 1921, a submarine set sail in Long Island Sound for the New London Naval Base. In part one of this two-part series, we hear how the 41-member crew faced multiple, spellbinding challenges when the vessel sank, with no radio onboard.
Jan 18, 2024 • 29min
This Ghost Story has Dozens of Witnesses
This ghost story has dozens of witnesses. The well publicized "Lindley Street Poltergeist" saw thousands of people gathering nightly outside the house to witness supernatural activities seen by police and firefighters - floating refrigerators, knives flying through the air, and even a talking cat.
