Carter's Condensed History the Podcast
71 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 47 ratingsTake a journey through history with Carter and Marissa! Every episode is a whirlwind tour of the world's peculiar histories and unsolved mysteries, with murders, mayhem, ghosts, and gadgets, it's sometimes sweet and always condensed.
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Episodes
Sunday Scaries! Which Witch is Witch?
October 16, 2022 13:26 - 53 minutes - 97.7 MBFirst, Carter takes us to Massachusetts, 1679, in a dress rehearsal for the Salem trials, as witch hysteria sweeps through Newburyport. Flying shoes and prying neighbors become the talk of the town as a sailor, a magic chimney, and a cobbler’s wife come together in the trial of Elizabeth Morse. Then, Marissa introduces us to “Diana of the Dunes,” Alice Mabel Gray, a free-spirited intellectual with bad taste in men. She’s either a witch or an environmentalist, as a media frenzy throws a wrenc...
Sunday Scaries! The Haunted Car, The Sea Witch, and The Curse of the Delhi Purple Sapphire
October 09, 2022 16:02 - 44 minutes - 81.5 MBBuckle up as Marissa takes us to Old Orchard Beach, Maine, with the tale of the “Golden Eagle,” a murderous car that fell in love with a Sea Witch and gets in a fight with group of church-goers. Then, Carter takes us from Delhi to London as the cursed Delhi Purple Sapphire (Amethyst?) is stolen during The First Indian Revolution and brings death, destruction, and ghosts to everyone in its path.
Sunday Scaries! Scream Queens: Ghosts of the British Royal Family!
October 02, 2022 16:06 - 1 hour - 113 MBFirst, Carter takes us to Scotland where The Palace of Holyrood House is the setting for the Murder of David Rizzio. Queen Mary, her husband, and her garage band get caught up in a salacious tale of sex, suspicion, and explosions that haunts the palace to this day. Then, Marissa recounts the haunting love affair of Victoria and Albert. After his untimely death, some mediums get involved and their marriage continues beyond the grave, with ghostly gossip about the real nature of the Queen’s in...
Party Like There’s No Tomorrow! Halley’s Comet Season Finale
August 14, 2022 13:29 - 38 minutes - 70.6 MBIf the world was ending you’d come over, right? This episode, Carter and Marissa take us back to 1910 and the mass hysteria surrounding the reappearance of Halley’s Comet, as the world held its breath while we passed through its tail. It was the apocalyptic social event of the season, with panic and parties around the globe. Season Finale! Stay tuned for more stories coming very soon!
Birthdays, Bad Boys, and Burlesque! James Dean and Mata Hari
August 07, 2022 14:11 - 51 minutes - 70.5 MBIn honor of Marissa’s birthday, this episode is a dive into the hosts celebrity birthday twins! First, Carter races through the life of James Dean, a fast-rising star with a need for speed. Then, Marissa pulls back the veil on Mata Hari, a prospective kindergarten teacher who became an exotic dancer, and wound up entangled in espionage.
Sunday Scaries! Lost & Found: The Somerton Man Is Identified and Joan Risch Disappears
July 31, 2022 16:52 - 49 minutes - 67.6 MBFirst, Carter covers the breaking news of the identity of The Somerton Man! Researchers have identified Charles Webb as the figure in the mysterious case, and one professor even found love along the way. Then, call the babysitter and put on your vintage Dior as Marissa unravels the disappearance of Joan Risch!
Coney Island! Sodom by the Sea and Neonatology!
July 17, 2022 16:18 - 53 minutes - 73.3 MBThis week, hop on a D,F,N, or Q train to Coney Island! Grab a hot dog and sit on the Wonder Wheel while Carter gives you an in-depth history of the parks. It’s a roller coaster of vice and virtue, dreams and disasters. Then, Marissa visits her favorite side-show act that saved the lives of over 6,500 babies.
Sunday Scaries! Creepy Cape Cod
July 10, 2022 17:06 - 48 minutes - 66.2 MBMarissa and Carter are off to America’s first beach retreat. First, Marissa takes Route 6A to the Barnstable House. Often called The House of 11 Ghosts, this location boasts full-body apparitions of all ages. Next, hop on the ferry to Provincetown with Carter where he discovers the Black Flash. Is it an animal? Is it two kids in a trench coat? Listen to not find out!
Sunday Scaries! The Bloody Death of George Washington and The Adirondack Tragedy
July 03, 2022 16:16 - 52 minutes - 71.7 MBIt’s all scary Americana in this Independence Day episode! First, Carter takes us to Mount Vernon for some presidential overkill when George Washington dies a violent death and nearly becomes the first President to turn into a zombie. Then, Marissa takes us on a romantic getaway where a rowboat, a tennis racket, and a pregnant mistress try to find “A Place in the Sun” but end with the tragic murder of Grace Brown.
The Gays of Fire Island the Lesbians of Central Park! A Pride Special!
June 24, 2022 20:03 - 1 hour - 82.4 MBSay gay! It’s a special episode in honor of Pride month! First, Carter takes us on the Sayville Ferry to explore every nook and cranny of Fire Island. Watch out for pirates as we wander through the Meat Rack, before we spill some tea about The Tea Dance. Then, Marissa introduces us to a “Strange Sisterhood of lady sculptors” as we meet Emma Stebbins and her lesbian lover in the heart of Central Park. There’s lots of pride (and a little prejudice).
The Weddings of America’s Princesses: Grace Kelly and Alice Roosevelt
June 12, 2022 15:24 - 51 minutes - 71.1 MBFor better or for worse, it’s wedding season! Grab a plus-one and RSVP to the most opulent weddings in history. First, it’s a destination wedding in Monaco! Carter opts for fish when Hollywood Princess Grace Kelly ties the knot. Then, Marissa goes for beef, attending the White House wedding of Presidential Princess, Alice Roosevelt.
Blooper? I Hardly Know Her!
June 05, 2022 16:26 - 36 minutes - 50.6 MBAs a summery treat, this episode is all outtakes! The stories that were cut for time, the historical tangents that were just too tangential, and all the asides that a true fan would love. The history is sweet and condensed, with stories picked up and dusted off from the cutting room floor.
Sunday Scaries! Death’s a beach: the Summerwind Mansion and the Somerton Man
May 29, 2022 15:30 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBCarter and Marissa ruin your Memorial Day weekend with some spooky stories! First, Marissa opens up the lake house and finds skeletons in the closet at the Summerwind mansion. Then, Carter goes to the beaches of Australia with the mysteriously well-dressed Somerton Man.
Sunday Scaries! Death’s a beach
May 29, 2022 15:30 - 36 minutes - 50.4 MBCarter and Marissa ruin your Memorial Day weekend with some spooky stories! First, Marissa opens up the lake house and finds skeletons in the closet at the Summerwind mansion. Then, Carter goes to the beaches of Australia with the mysteriously well-dressed Somerton Man.
Sunday Scaries! So, I Married an Axe Murderer
May 22, 2022 13:02 - 47 minutes - 65.2 MBThis episode is a real hatchet job! To start, Carter tells us the story of murderess Martha Place, the first woman sent to the electric chair. Then, Marissa unfolds the tale of the Villisca axe murders and the terrible fate of the Moore family and Stillinger girls.
Keeping up with the Kennedys
May 15, 2022 20:06 - 42 minutes - 58.7 MBSpinning out from a brief recap of the Met Gala, Carter and Marissa go from Kardashian to Kennedy! First, Marissa gives us the history of Marilyn’s birthday suit by Jean Louis (and Bob Mackie!) and her rumored relationship with a president. Then, Carter lays out the homoerotic friendship of JFK and Lem Billings, and how a secret prep school love note started a lifelong intimate friendship.
Sunday Scaries! The (other) Black Dahlia and (not that) Dr. Death
May 08, 2022 18:38 - 32 minutes - 44.8 MBFirst, Carter takes us to the Hollywood Canteen and picks up a hitchhiker on the way to the mysterious murder of Georgette Bauerdorf. Then, Marissa heads to Paris for an appointment with Dr. Marcel Petiot, but discovers that many of his patients ended up floating in the Seine.
Sex, Drugs, and Queen Victoria
May 01, 2022 11:55 - 30 minutes - 42.5 MBIt finally happened! Carter and Marissa chose the same subject: the intoxicating Queen Victoria. First, Marissa gets the party started with Victoria’s coked up coronation. Then, Carter hooks us up with the Queen’s dealer and shows us laudanum is a cure all.
Sunday Scaries! Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered
April 24, 2022 16:12 - 28 minutes - 38.9 MBFirst, Marissa takes us to Pennsylvania Dutch country where home renovations uncover creepy surprises in the walls. Then, Carter tells us the story of accused witch, Hannah Cranna, who leveraged her witchy reputation to extort her neighbors.
Sunday Scaries! The Bunny Man and Lydia
April 17, 2022 15:21 - 27 minutes - 38.1 MBTake a terrifying roadtrip with Carter and Marissa. First stop? Fairfax County, Virginia, where Carter tries to catch a glimpse of the Bunny Man. Then it's off to High Point, North Carolina, where Marissa picks up a pale hitchhiker in the rain.
Sunday Scaries! The Bunny Man and The Ghost of Lydia
April 17, 2022 15:21 - 27 minutes - 38.1 MBTake a terrifying roadtrip with Carter and Marissa. First stop? Fairfax County, Virginia, where Carter tries to catch a glimpse of the Bunny Man. Then it's off to High Point, North Carolina, where Marissa picks up a pale hitchhiker in the rain.
Easter? I hardly know her!
April 13, 2022 17:38 - 37 minutes - 51.5 MBWhich came first, the rabbit or the egg? We begin with Marissa explaining how a Christian celebration got mixed up with farm animals. Then, Carter walks us through the grand history of the Fifth Avenue Easter Parade—how it changed fashion forever, and why it remains one of New York’s signature sartorial social events.
Sunday Scaries! Presidential Seances and the Exorcism of Anna Ecklund
April 10, 2022 13:28 - 31 minutes - 43.7 MBLight three candles and buckle up! As a special treat, this episode contains strange audio interference, which may or may not be the ghosts of Carter’s haunted apartment. Sorry, not sorry. First, Carter talks of the seances in the White House, when Jane Pierce and Mary Todd Lincoln both tried to make contact with the dead. Then, Marissa recounts the exorcism of Anna Ecklund (Emma Schmidt), and her decades-long battle with some inner demons.
Mall Madness and Judith Jones
April 07, 2022 12:06 - 42 minutes - 58.5 MBFirst, Marissa takes us on a trip to the mall to discover the origin story of the mid-century shopping centers that would dominate commerce for decades. Then, Carter introduces us to Judith Jones, the remarkable editor who plucked the writings of Anne Frank and Julia Child out of the discard pile.
Sunday Scaries! Murder at the Manhattan Well and Broadway’s Ghostly Belasco
April 03, 2022 12:29 - 41 minutes - 56.9 MBFirst, Carter goes to the menswear department to uncover the sensational murder of Elma Sands that shocked New York in 1799. Then, Marissa takes us to Broadway where we learn of the ghosts of the Belasco Theatre. Disclaimer: Don’t listen if you’re one of our cousins. ;)
Sunday Scaries! Card Games with the Devil and Skeletons in the Closet
March 13, 2022 18:00 - 30 minutes - 42.5 MBFirst, Carter takes us to Ireland with the tale of Loftus Hall, where a handsome houseguest makes an unforgettable game night. Then, Marissa uncovers some closets full of baby bones at Ohio’s Franklin Castle.
The Gilded Age! The Elms and Mamie Fish
March 09, 2022 13:46 - 40 minutes - 55.7 MBMarissa and Carter dish about the real history of the hottest historical drama on television! First, Marissa tells us the larger-than-life family drama of one of the show’s Newport filming locations, The Elms. Then, Carter dives into the real life of Mamie Fish, her gay best friend, and some of the wildest parties New York has ever seen.
Sunday Scaries! The one where they track down Owen Parfitt and the Ghost of Gypsy Rose Lee
March 06, 2022 14:42 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBFirst, Carter tells us about the mysterious case of Owen Parfitt, an aging English man who vanished in plain sight. Then, Marissa does some investigative journalism to figure out what’s happening at the Courtney Cox house.
The Scoundrels of California!
March 02, 2022 14:36 - 30 minutes - 42.1 MBMarissa and Carter are California dreaming! First, Carter serves up the story of Black Bart, professional outlaw and amateur poet. Then, Marissa explains how the children of California were enlisted to destroy an insidious WWI foe.
Sunday Scaries! Ghost of Mrs. Goodman and the Haunted Harlow House
February 27, 2022 13:18 - 35 minutes - 48.8 MBFirst, Marissa takes us to Newton, Massachusetts where a young girl’s imaginary friend has some famous friends and some expensive requests. Then, Carter tells the Haunted Hollywood tale of the Jean Harlow house and its spooky connection to another blonde bombshell.
Mary Ellen Pleasant and the First Black Female Battalion
February 23, 2022 16:43 - 31 minutes - 43.5 MBFirst, Carter tells of the incredible life of Mary Ellen Pleasant as she shapes her own destiny and becomes one of the first black American businesswomen. Then, Marissa shares the story of the black battalion of women from the “Six Triple Eight” and their remarkable heroism in WWII.
Happy President’s Day! (Sorta)
February 21, 2022 00:57 - 36 minutes - 49.5 MBMarissa and Carter try to honor American presidents, but they can’t resist some juicy stories. First up, Carter dishes about three disastrous Presidential inaugurations. Then, Marissa reveals explicit love letters from the worst president in American history.
Happy President’s Day! (Sorta)
February 21, 2022 00:57 - 36 minutes - 49.5 MBMarissa and Carter try to honor American presidents, but they can’t resist some juicy stories. First up, Carter dishes about three disastrous Presidential inaugurations. Then, Marissa reveals explicit love letters from the worst president in American history.
Abduction and Affection
February 14, 2022 15:02 - 42 minutes - 58.4 MBHappy Valentine’s Day! First a tale of the love of money as Carter unravels the story of the Shrigley abduction, where a rising politician comes up with a wild fundraising scheme. Then, Marissa tells of the inseparable bond between two of the world’s great artists, Klimt and Flöge.
Liszt-o-mania and the London Cellar Murderers
February 07, 2022 13:31 - 50 minutes - 68.8 MBLearn Marissa and Carter’s Love languages in this special Valentine’s episode! First Marissa’s star crossed lovers, Franz Liszt and Caroline, ruin each other’s lives and we’re all better for it. Then Carter’s ill fated lovers take a life and a few boats in an international high-speed chase with Scotland Yard.
There’s a Cult in Your Kitchen!
January 31, 2022 15:55 - 42 minutes - 58.6 MBOpen your drawers and pull out the Oneida! Carter explains why all your best silverware was probably made by a polyamorous sex cult. Then, shut those Shaker cabinets, as Marissa tells us how Mother Ann Lee shook up the religious scene with some simple gifts.
There’s a Cult in Your Kitchen!
January 31, 2022 15:55 - 42 minutes - 58.6 MBOpen your drawers and pull out the Oneida! Carter explains why all your best silverware was probably made by a polyamorous sex cult. Then, shut those Shaker cabinets, as Marissa tells us how Mother Ann Lee shook up the religious scene with some simple gifts.
Sunday Scaries! Ghost towns of Utah
January 25, 2022 02:50 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBCarter and Marissa take us back to their roots exploring abandoned cities in the state they abandoned. First, Carter tells us about the Hawaiian community of Iosepa on the salty plains of the West Desert. Then, Marissa regales us with a tragedy involving miners and minors in the coal mines of Latuda!
Ghost towns of Utah
January 25, 2022 02:50 - 36 minutes - 50.7 MBCarter and Marissa take us back to their roots exploring abandoned cities in the state they abandoned. First, Carter tells us about the Hawaiian community of Iosepa on the salty plains of the West Desert. Then, Marissa regales us with a tragedy involving miners and minors in the coal mines of Latuda!
Over Drew Barrymore’s Grandpa’s Dead Body! Cancel “Fatty” Arbuckle!
January 17, 2022 01:38 - 40 minutes - 55.5 MBCarter and Marissa go to LA and bring back some souvenirs! First up, Carter tells us how actor John Barrymore has the last laugh with a creepy surprise for Errol Flynn. And then Marissa debates canceling the tragic figure, “Fatty” Arbuckle.
Sunday Scaries! America’s First Ghost and America’s first Zoo
January 11, 2022 02:14 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBThere’s a ghost in the basement in Sullivan, Maine! Carter introduces us to Nelly Butler, America’s first ghost, and we’ve been running up the basement stairs ever since. Then Marissa takes us on a tour of America’s oldest, most haunted zoo, where it’s not just the animals that go bump in the night.
America’s First Ghost and America’s first Zoo
January 11, 2022 02:14 - 29 minutes - 40.8 MBThere’s a ghost in the basement in Sullivan, Maine! Carter introduces us to Nelly Butler, America’s first ghost, and we’ve been running up the basement stairs ever since. Then Marissa takes us on a tour of America’s oldest, most haunted zoo, where it’s not just the animals that go bump in the night.
Sunday Scaries! The Gay Street Phantom and Olive, With a Twist!
January 03, 2022 22:33 - 36 minutes - 49.6 MBThe sexiest ghosts in New York! A corrupt mayor, a ventriloquist’s dummy, and an attractive mysterious man in a cloak haunt The West Village! A tragically beautiful showgirl named Olive hangs around the New Amsterdam Theatre long after the curtain comes down.
The Gay Street Phantom and Olive, With a Twist!
January 03, 2022 22:33 - 36 minutes - 49.6 MBThe sexiest ghosts in New York! A corrupt mayor, a ventriloquist’s dummy, and an attractive mysterious man in a cloak haunt The West Village! A tragically beautiful showgirl named Olive hangs around the New Amsterdam Theatre long after the curtain comes down.
Happy New Year! Ballrooms and Ball Drops
December 27, 2021 22:20 - 22 minutes - 30.6 MBCarter investigates the origins of Auld Lang Syne, but the story of Guy Lombardo takes an unexpected turn toward a Hollywood disaster and the estate of Tupac Shakur. Then, Marissa recounts how New York really dropped the ball when the city moves their raucous party uptown! Strap on your diaper, we’re headed to Times Square!
Big Trees & Ballet Fever Dreams
December 20, 2021 17:08 - 30 minutes - 41.9 MBOne Tree, Two Tree, Red Tree, Blue Tree! The Rockefeller Center tree grows from humble construction site decor to an American icon. Then, the creepy tale of a child bride’s Christmas hallucinations becomes a beloved ballet sensation the world over, thanks to the horrors of the Russian Revolution!
Sunday Scaries! The Puritan War on Christmas and the Ghost of the Mistletoe Bride!
December 10, 2021 03:24 - 26 minutes - 36.6 MBThere’ll be scary ghost stories when Marissa retells “The Mistletoe Bride,” where a game of hide-and-go-seek goes terribly wrong. Carter regales us with tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago, when the most wonderful time of the year included murder, looting, and sex.
The Puritan War on Christmas and the Death of the Mistletoe Bride!
December 10, 2021 03:24 - 26 minutes - 36.6 MBThere’ll be scary ghost stories when Marissa retells “The Mistletoe Bride,” where a game of hide-and-go-seek goes terribly wrong. Carter regales us with tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago, when the most wonderful time of the year included murder, looting, and sex.
We Learned the History of Jingle Bells and then we got upsot… Upsot?!
December 02, 2021 02:36 - 29 minutes - 39.9 MBHold your horses, Carter explores the meaning and history of “Jingle Bells,” and how a drinking song about drag racing became a Christmas classic. Then, hold onto your drinks as Marissa questions if it’s really that “cold outside,” baby.
The Disastrous History of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and The Turkey gets a Presidential Pardon!
November 20, 2021 01:48 - 34 minutes - 46.8 MBIn their quest to dazzle children, Macy’s makes a series of terrifying missteps while parading down Broadway. And the surprising modern history of the presidential tradition of pardoning the Turkey.