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 11, 2024 • 24min
Part 2: When a Secret Military Sea Mission Went Very Wrong
In part two of our story about the sinking of the Sea Surveyor, we learn the fate of the 12-man crew that had to abandon ship 300 miles from the nearest land, in 25-foot seas, gale force winds, and a rubber lifeboat.
Jul 4, 2024 • 18min
PART 1: When A Secret Military Sea Mission Went Very Wrong
Fifty years ago, 12 men departed on a secret military mission in the Atlantic. Before long, the Sea Surveyor - a ship ill-equipped to handle rough seas - found itself in trouble. We hear from one of only two survivors of that ill-fated outing in part one of a two-part series.
Jun 27, 2024 • 16min
Riding Motorcycles with Top-Secret Documents Under Gunfire
In World War 1, General John Pershing in Europe had his top-secret documents carried by special couriers who raced motorcycles through enemy territory and dodged gunfire. Top speed in 1918 was just 45 miles per hour, but daredevil Carlton Stevens made it.
Jun 20, 2024 • 21min
The #1 Word Puzzle Creator in the U.S.
He does "Jumble" - the most syndicated word puzzle in the U.S. He also does "Word Round-up" and "Up and Down Words." How do you become the leading word puzzle maker in the U.S.?
Jun 13, 2024 • 21min
Secrets of the Oldest Town Green
It’s the oldest town green in North America – laid out 400 years ago in grid format and continuously maintained since colonial days. The New Haven, CT Green holds many secrets and memories, including forgotten cemeteries and famous visits.
Jun 6, 2024 • 25min
Inside New England's Stonewalls
Stonewalls. Beautiful rows of rocks piled in lines along fields or through the woods. Yet, the 240,000 miles of New England stonewalls hide a more scientific purpose – namely, classifying them in ways similar to wetlands to make future land use decisions.
May 30, 2024 • 24min
Among the Worst Naval Loses in U.S. History
More than 2 dozen American ships sunk in one night. The British did it during the War of 1812 near Long Island Sound. It was the worst loss of ships in a single military event, until Pearl Harbor.
May 23, 2024 • 20min
The Hanging of Witches in the 1600s
The hanging of witches started in Connecticut in the 1600s. Decades later, the more famous Salem Witch Trials occurred. At the beginning, nearly a dozen women and men were hanged for witchcraft, until young Colony Governor John Winthrop used his political expertise to get the state to end executions entirely.
May 16, 2024 • 22min
Parts of This Important Early Dirt Path Still Survive
The "Old Woodbury Path" connected some of America's earliest farms with one of its earliest and nearly forgotten ports. Most of it is paved over now, but if you know where to look, parts of this 350-year-old cart path can still be hiked.
May 9, 2024 • 21min
Who Put the Ivory in Ivoryton?
Ivory. It meant quality, class, and refinement. And, it put the town of Ivorytown on the map. That's where 90% of the material was imported into the U.S. and manufactured into piano keys, combs and buttons, taking advantage of huge demand for its smooth, glassy touch.
