Historium Unearthia: Unearthing History's Lost and Untold Stories
37 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 4 years ago - ★★★★★ - 101 ratingsHave you ever heard of Louis Congo? What about the forgotten Downwinders or The Devil’s Bible? These are just a few examples of people, events, and things from our past that have been lost to time. They’re important in the greater context of our understanding of the world and how our past shaped our present, yet they never made it into history books. In this bi-weekly podcast, freelance journalist, Crystal Ponti, digs up extraordinary excerpts of forgotten history, bringing her passion and love of storytelling to each episode. Recently honored as one of the best history podcasts of 2018 (Uproxx), listeners have likened “Historium Unearthia” to “60 Minutes” and said, “Crystal’s narration is concise and enrapturing, and the production value of her stories holds the audience’s attention like only the best of radio programs. She delivers interesting and entertaining stories from the lost parts of history, and, not only does she unearth them, she brings them to life.”
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Episodes
Episode 34: The Government Program that Imprisoned "Promiscuous" Women
September 18, 2019 13:37 - 29 minutes - 27 MBIn the United States, the war against women took a particularly dark and secretive turn in the early 1900s—around the start of World War I. Under a government-sponsored “social hygiene” campaign, to protect newly recruited soldiers, tens of thousands of women were arrested on “suspicion” of having a venereal disease. Sex workers were the prime targets, but any woman who raised an eyebrow could be apprehended. The women were subjected to invasive gynecological examinations. If they tested po...
Episode 33: This Influential Female Author and Anthropologist Blazed a Trail for Women
April 03, 2019 17:45 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBThis trailblazer became the most successful and significant black woman writer of the first half of the 20th century. In the 1970s, during the second wave of feminism, Alice Walker helped revive interest in this pioneer’s writings, bringing them back to public attention. Have you ever heard of Zora Neale Hurston? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: It was a deep honor and absolute pleasure to speak with Valerie Boyd, author of Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston, and DaMaris Hill, a p...
Episode 32: This Strange Civil Disturbance Changed How Americans Study Medicine
March 13, 2019 20:41 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBIn the US, doctors are held in high esteem. But that wasn’t always the case. There was time when the medical field was riddled with controversy and public scrutiny. Tensions between the world of medicine and society reached a boiling point in New York City during April of 1788, when resurrection, the common practice of grave robbing, came under scrutiny. Have you ever heard of the New York Doctors Riot? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: I want to give a special thanks to Andrea Janes, owner and f...
Episode 31: Before Modern Medicine, These Female Healers Cured What Ailed
February 18, 2019 21:54 - 33 minutes - 31 MBIn the days before modern medicine, the sick, injured, and expecting often relied on community healers to perform the services of doctors and midwives. Women largely fulfilled these roles. Whether their practices were rooted in scripture, nature, or common sense, there’s no denying their quintessential place in the history of medicine. Have you ever heard of the Ozarks’ Granny Women? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit Janet Allured, a professor of history and the Director of Women’s Studies at McNees...
Episode 30: The Mysterious Life and Supposed Murder of Vincent van Gogh
January 31, 2019 14:30 - 47 minutes - 43.6 MBOn July 27, 1890, a painter sustained a single gunshot wound to the abdomen and died a few days later. This infamous event has carried through time as a suicide. After his death, the deceased became one of history’s most iconic and celebrated artists. Yet, we are only now learning the truth about his life and untimely death. Have you ever heard of the mysteries surrounding Vincent van Gogh? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: I want to give a special thanks to Dr. Irving Arenberg, a prominent (retired...
Episode 29: All You've Needed to Know and Then Some Since 1818
January 08, 2019 19:13 - 23 minutes - 21.1 MBThroughout history there have been countless methods for forecasting the weather. In 1818, David Young, a poet and an astronomer from Morristown, New Jersey, launched a publication that would help take the guesswork out of this tricky task...and then some. Have you ever heard of the Farmers’ Almanac? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: Peter Geiger, publisher and editor at the Farmers’ Almanac, joined me for this wonderful episode on the history of a timeless publication. I’m grateful for his insight...
Episode 28: A Doctor Claimed the Springs Could Cure in This Lost Missouri Town
December 21, 2018 15:45 - 26 minutes - 24.1 MBGreene County, Missouri was once home to many bustling communities that slowly withered away. One town had quite an intriguing story. There it was said the springs could cure; that a bit of heaven had fallen to earth. A respected doctor even banked his future on the town’s medicinal wonders. Have you ever heard of the lost town of Bethesda? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: A huge thanks to author and local Greene County historian Shirley Gilmore who wrote a little book called Bethesda: Lost City ...
Episode 27: The Flying Santas Who Airdrop Christmas Cheer to America’s Lighthouse Keepers
December 08, 2018 16:00 - 18 minutes - 16.7 MBIn the 1920s, one aviation pioneer launched a thank-you project for the families that keep coastal ships safe. He propelled a goodwill tradition that’s lasted longer than he ever imagined. One that has lasted to this day… Have you ever heard of the Flying Santas? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: I’d like to give a huge thanks to the Friends of Flying Santa for their dedication and generosity in keeping this good-will tradition alive. If you’d like to donate to this wonderful cause, please visit th...
Episode 26: This Double-Crossing General Deceived America and Walked Away
November 29, 2018 14:51 - 37 minutes - 34.7 MBAfter the Revolutionary War, at a pivotal moment when Washington and Spain were fighting for control of North America, one American war hero deflected from honor and signed a secret allegiance with Spain. President Theodore Roosevelt said, "In all our history, there is no more despicable character.” Have you ever heard of James Wilkinson? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: A huge thanks to New York Times bestselling author, Andra Watkins, whose new book I Am Number 13 pairs international aid volunte...
Bonus Episode: A Thanksgiving Ghost Story
November 16, 2018 19:55 - 15 minutes - 13.8 MBFor years, on Thanksgiving, one former railroad worker from Pennsylvania told his family a chilling tale. Well, they thought it was a tale—a grandiose and macabre account almost certainly rooted in fiction. Yet, as the story traveled through generations, the family would discover that some ghosts lead to the truth; that some of our darkest secrets lie below our feet. This is a Thanksgiving ghost story…
Episode 25: Utah's Forgotten National Park is Rich in History and the Unexplained
November 09, 2018 20:44 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MBIn the heart of southeast Utah, water and gravity have sculpted one forgotten national park into a rugged landscape. Rich in human history and natural beauty, this vast and untamed terrain is also an epicenter of legend and lore. Have you ever heard of Canyonlands National Park? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Bentenson, Butch Cassidy’s great nephew and author of the book Butch Cassidy, My Uncle; David Weatherly, author, explorer, and in...
Bonus Halloween Episode: A New England Ghost Story
October 24, 2018 23:24 - 16 minutes - 14.6 MB“So full of artless jealousy is guilt, it spills itself in fearing to be spilt,” wrote Shakespeare in his famous play Hamlet. Perhaps, in the spectrum of human emotions, there is no deeper feeling than guilt. This strong emotional reaction manifests when we believe—or when we come to realize—that we’ve done something wrong or violated some universal moral standard. Guilt, and its handmaiden, shame, can paralyze us—or it can ruminate into mania. It is said that Micah Rood knew this kind of ...
Episode 24: Decades Before Lizzie Borden Gained Notoriety, This Woman was Dubbed the "Witch of Staten Island"
October 17, 2018 23:22 - 33 minutes - 30.6 MBOn Christmas night in 1843, a horrific crime rattled Staten Island. Within days, suspicion attached itself to one woman. Decades before Lizzie Borden gained notoriety, this young woman was accused of a horrific crime and dubbed the "Witch of Staten Island." Have you ever heard of Polly Bodine? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Patricia Salmon, a professor of history and author of the book Murder and Mayhem on Staten Island. She previously served...
Episode 23: Before Chatty Cathy, Edison Gave Us the Ultimate Creepy Doll
October 02, 2018 23:56 - 53 minutes - 49.3 MBBefore Chatty Cathy made us flinch, the Wizard of Menlo Park not only perfected the lightbulb, he also gave us a creepy humanoid with a nightmarish shrill. Have you ever heard of Thomas Edison’s talking dolls? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Paul Israel, the director and general editor of the Thomas A. Edison Papers at Rutgers University and Patrick Feaster, a three-time Grammy nominee and specialist in the history, culture, and preservation o...
Episode 22: Black Wall Street was Obliterated During 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
September 19, 2018 23:47 - 1 hour - 66.1 MBIn 1921, a white mob entered an affluent district known as Black Wall Street. They opened fire into crowds of innocent people, burned homes and businesses to the ground, and forced countless others to flee. For decades, the attack was hidden from textbooks and even oral histories. Have you ever heard of the Tulsa Race Massacre? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Hannibal Johnson, an author, attorney, consultant, and college professor who writes and lect...
Episode 21: Dracula's Best Friend was a Fierce Warrior with an Impressive Library
September 05, 2018 23:57 - 1 hour - 55.4 MBIn the Late Middle Ages, the Kingdom of Hungary rose from the ashes, leaving behind a dismal episode in Hungarian history. The mid-15th century soon marked the nation’s Golden Age. At the height of its prosperity, a revered ruler, hailed the Raven King, commanded an eminent presence on the European stage. But, in the end, it wasn’t his conquests or his castles or his culture-forward mentality that made him so remarkable. His legacy may be better defined by his unorthodox relationship with Dra...
Episode 20: A Great Molasses Flood Swept Through Boston in 1919
August 19, 2018 23:39 - 49 minutes - 45.3 MBSlow as molasses in January is a common American idiom for something that is painfully slow. The history of this expression dates to the turn of the twentieth century and to one very specific event. On an unseasonably warm winter day in 1919, only a few weeks into the new year, Boston, Massachusetts suffered one of history's strangest disasters. Have you ever heard of the Great Boston Molasses Flood? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Stephen Puleo, his...
Episode 19: These Events of 1811 and 1812 Caused Series of Strange Phenomena
August 05, 2018 23:19 - 37 minutes - 33.9 MBA series of unexpected events in 1811 and 1812 caused some strange phenomena and gave birth to countless legends. Sand volcanoes. The Mississippi running backward. Miles-long chasms opening in the earth. But only some of these weird occurrences are the truth. Have you ever heard of the New Madrid earthquakes? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jeff Grunwald, administrator of the New Madrid Historical Museum, and Seth Stein, a seismologist and geophysici...
Episode 18: The Myth of Maine's Red Paint People
July 22, 2018 23:45 - 44 minutes - 40.6 MBIn 1892, Charles C. Willoughby became the first archaeologist to excavate sites in Maine that contained powdered red ochre and artifacts in clusters that he interpreted as graves. His discovery led to an assumption that would later be proven wrong. Have you ever heard of the myth of the Red Paint People? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking Dr. Bonnie Newsom, an indigenous archaeologist and professor of anthropology at the University of Maine, and Julia Gray, ...
Episode 17: This Great Warrior Escaped Slavery and Established America's First Free Black Community
July 10, 2018 00:03 - 54 minutes - 50.1 MBMore than a century before the United States was even formed, some African slaves escaped forced servitude and formed the first free black community in the nation. The enclave was founded and led by an extraordinary military commander who has never received proper acknowledgment in history books. He gave the lost hope, the fledgling refuge, and the enemy a run for their money. Have you ever heard of Francisco Menendez? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with...
Episode 16: Unsuspecting Men were "Shanghaied" Through Port Townsend's Secret Underground
June 27, 2018 00:01 - 1 hour - 55.5 MBAt the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the number of skilled and unskilled sailors needed to staff sea-going vessels fell short. Innocent men were forced to serve as seamen under conditions that were little better than serfdom. This cunning practice happened through a secret underground in one part of the Pacific northwest. Have you ever heard of Port Townsend’s history of shanghaiing? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Mark Strecke...
Episode 15: This Road-Trippin' Housewife Became First Woman to Drive Across U.S.
June 12, 2018 00:02 - 48 minutes - 44 MBOn June 9, 1909, as rained poured down on New York City, a young, poncho-cloaked woman got behind the wheel of a touring car that was a bit tricky to maneuver. Back then, paved roads were far and few between, and there was no air conditioning or roadside service to save the day. But these minor technicalities didn’t stop this fearless adventurer from making history. Before Amelia Earhart made her legendary flight across the Atlantic, before Naomi James sailed single-handedly around the world,...
Episode 14: The Dark Legend of the Devil's Bible
May 30, 2018 00:05 - 33 minutes - 31 MBCenturies before the devil reached mainstream popularity, at a time when he was eternally feared and considered a looming threat on humanity, he made a strange appearance in a remarkable book. Have you ever heard of the Devil’s Bible? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Hugh Houghton, a professor of New Testament textual scholarship at the University of Birmingham in the United Kingdom, and author and theologian Robin Nettelhorst, who currently serve...
Episode 13: A Hidden World Runs Rampant Under St. Louis
May 16, 2018 00:03 - 48 minutes - 44.5 MBThere’s a hidden world running rampant under the streets of St. Louis. Buried deep within the earth, it’s so secret even residents of the Gateway City have no idea it exists. Carved by Mother Nature, this majestic limestone wonderland has provided shelter to Native Americans and Civil War soldiers, helped the brewing industry prosper, and allowed more than one local to escape and have a good time. Have you ever heard of the caves of St. Louis? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: For this episode, I had...
Episode 12: The Forgotten "Downwinders" of America's Nuclear Testing Program
April 27, 2018 00:03 - 1 hour - 57.1 MBThe United States conducted its last nuclear test on September 23, 1992 at the Nevada Test Site, just 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas. By official count, more than one thousand tests were performed between 1945 and 1992. History depicts these tests as having taken place in the center of a vast, uninhabited plain. But as explosions filled the skyline and ashen fallout settled over the land like a dusting of snow, people who lived downwind were often exposed to radiation and radioactive debris....
Episode 11: Funeral Games Were Once an Olympics-Style Celebration of Death
April 11, 2018 00:00 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBDeath is a topic that makes most of us uncomfortable. But back in ancient times, some civilizations not only embraced death, they honored the recently deceased with athletic competitions and contests. Have you ever heard of the funeral games? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: I’d like to give a special thanks to Dave Lunt, a history professor at Southern Utah University who specializes in ancient sports and politics, and Todd Hara, a mortician and co-author of the critically acclaimed books Mortuary Conf...
Episode 10: In 1648, this Trailblazing Feminist Demanded Her Right to Vote
March 26, 2018 00:16 - 35 minutes - 32.9 MBOutside of the home, Colonial America was a man’s world. Women were mostly excluded from power in the church and could not take part in town meetings, which meant they could not vote. But one woman defied the norms. Have you ever heard of Margaret Brent? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: A huge thanks to Dr. Henry Miller, historical archaeologist and Director of Research at Historic St. Mary’s in Maryland, Julie Dolan, professor of political science specializing in women and politics at Macalester Colleg...
Episode 9: Fifty Years Before the Salem Trials, Colonists Executed This Accused Witch
March 13, 2018 23:11 - 52 minutes - 48.1 MBAlthough the origin of witchcraft remains unknown, from a colonial perspective it was carried to the New World from England. The colony's English settlers brought with them a strong belief in Satan’s power and a deep hostility toward those who did not strictly conform to the community’s harsh social and personal norms. While Salem, Massachusetts often stands out as ground zero, the witch purge began decades earlier in 1647. Women, of course, were disproportionately targeted. Nearly fifty year...
Episode 8: A Mysterious Underwater Graveyard Lies at the Bottom of Florida's Lake Okeechobee
February 28, 2018 13:50 - 31 minutes - 29.1 MBLake Okeechobee, also known as Florida's Inland Sea, or as the locals like to call it, Lake O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida and the third largest freshwater lake wholly within the country. Resting at the northern edge of the Everglades and rimming the western edge of Palm Beach County, the lake is a remnant of the prehistoric Pamlico Sea and appropriately carries the Seminole word for “big water.” Although it’s a major tourist destination and a favorite among those w...
Episode 7: If the Bermuda Triangle is a Mystery, the Bridgewater Triangle is an Epic Conundrum of the Unexplained
February 14, 2018 22:31 - 47 minutes - 43.5 MBJust 30 miles south of Boston lies the mysterious "Bridgewater Triangle," a 200-square mile "vortex" that has been rumored to be both haunted and cursed. Although skeptics shrug off the unexplainable, the bloody and disturbing history of this part of Massachusetts might make you question what’s real and what’s false. Have you ever heard of the Bridgewater Triangle? DOWNLOAD NOW Credit: This episode would not have been complete without the brilliant insight of Jeff Belanger one of the mo...
Episode 6: Meet the Notorious, Yet Politically Significant, Black and Native American Outlaws Omitted from Old West History
January 31, 2018 12:40 - 56 minutes - 51.7 MBWhile the ballads of gun-slinging outlaws like Jesse James and Billy the Kid play on, there’s another Old West gang that has been largely forgotten. This group of young boys – black, Native American, or of mixed-race – emerged from the shadows in a politically charged, yet severely flawed, rebellion. Have you ever heard of the Rufus Buck Gang? DOWNLOAD NOW Credits: Thank you to novelist Leonce Gaiter for bringing the Rufus Buck story to light. I’d also like to thank Stephen Aron, a prof...
Episode 5: About that Time Kissing Was Outlawed in Canoes on Boston’s Charles River
January 13, 2018 20:02 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBLong before Fats Domino found his thrill on Blueberry Hill or making out in the backseat of a station wagon on Lover’s Lane was hip, young couples took to the water. But they weren’t out there for a midnight swim. They didn’t make a splash or even get wet. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, canoes provided a private escape. Canoodling went on for years in the Boston area. Then, someone let the cat out of the bag, and the innocence of love turned into the scandal of the century. Have you ever ...
Episode 4: Vermont’s Legendary Wampahoofus Circled the Green Mountains Long Before Bigfoot or Yeti
January 03, 2018 19:27 - 40 minutes - 36.9 MBDeep in the Green Mountains of Vermont, history runs as rich as the pristine waters that ebb and flow between the rocky peaks. Many stories have originated from within this lush countryside. Some accounts are true. Others came to life in the imaginations of restless souls. Long before Bigfoot and Yeti became well-known in Western popular culture, another legendary creature was said to roam the hilly woods of the Green Mountain state. Have you ever heard of the wampahoofus?
Episode 3: World War II’s Rumor Clinics Dispelled the Scuttlebutt and Tale Tales
December 18, 2017 20:28 - 35 minutes - 32.2 MBRumors, like most forms of gossip, are usually rooted in half-truths and outright falsities. Yet, during World War II, these insatiable tidbits of hearsay threatened to undermine civilian morale and even cause unrest within the military community when they nearly spiraled out of control. A network of “morale wardens” tracked down the latest scuttlebutt, and helped refute these tall tales. Have you ever heard of the World War II rumor clinics?
Episode 2: Step Inside Madam Fan Jones' Bawdy Blue House of 19th Century Pleasure
December 04, 2017 12:54 - 39 minutes - 36.3 MBThere was once a stretch of land so wicked and rowdy, it became known as the Devil’s Half Acre of Bangor, Maine. Historians affectionately refer to this legendary destination of merriment and mayhem as Satan’s playground – a place where loggers, sailors, and other workingmen gathered to spend their hard-earned cash on whiskey and women. When Maine became the first state to pass Prohibition in 1851, supporters dreamed of a pine-strewn moral haven. But one freethinking former seamstress had oth...
Episode 1: The Former Slave Who Became an Executioner
November 16, 2017 00:49 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBDeath is a part of life that makes most of us… uncomfortable. But there are many faces of death – some more troubling than others. Take, for example, executions. Imagine being the individual tasked with the job of death. Right or wrong, however moral or unjust, the history of execution dates to the earliest footprints of time. One of the most unusual, yet forgotten accounts, is of a former slave who became an executioner. Have you ever heard of Louis Congo?
Coming Soon: Historium Unearthia
October 22, 2017 18:45 - 4 minutes - 3.81 MBFreelance journalist and lifelong history sleuth, Crystal Ponti, introduces Historium Unearthia - a podcast celebrating history's lost and untold stories… the ones overshadowed by the more memorable and talked about events, people, and "things" from our past. But these are no ordinary stories. These are the weird, the macabre, the unbelievable. The stories that make your heart race and your mind spin. They’re the kind of stories that leave you stunned and amazed and questioning everything yo...