American Countryside: Recent Episodes
Andrew McCrea
He was the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark journey. Although he didn’t make the entire trip, he ended up having one of the biggest landmarks on the trip named for him…
Methodist, Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran…there are many labels that may be placed on churches. However, during the early years of this church, the label was either “British” or “Revolutionary” and those who stepped inside the building were most likely not going to hear a sermon…
Just outside of New York City proper, yet well within the urban corridor, there sits a church in the suburb of Mt. Vernon, New York. It looks out of place as business and industry surrounds it. However, the reason it remains is because it is a symbol of the struggle for freedom that took place here…
Eighty years ago the first Olympic gold medal basketball match was played. You can bet the scene back then is far different than anything you’ll find now. It was all a surprise the to Americans when they arrived in Berlin back in 1936…
What would the game of basketball be without the dunk? You have some unlikely folks in central Kansas and one New York sports writer to thank for the rim bending slam that is commonplace today…
Today’s Olympic athletes may be able to devote many hours to training for their big event. Eighty years ago, this group of Olympians was first simply focused on having a job during the Depression…
Businesses may use a variety of ways to get their name out to the public. In the first half of the 20th century, one sport provided a way for companies, large and small, to advertise via the teams they backed…
In northern Minnesota you’ll find one of the tallest statues in the nation. His hat literally lights the way for you to find him and his giant stature recognizes the industry that continues to support this region…
Many kids have the dream of playing major league baseball. This man got his chance for one inning. Interestingly, that one inning made him very famous, over two decades after his death…
When several tragedies strike within a short period of time, people might say “the world is coming to an end.” That’s what the folks thought in this small town when a rare celestial occurrence coincided with raging fire…
We all know Custer and his men met their fate at the Little Big Horn. However, a chapter of the story you’ve probably not heard is how a town in Kentucky played an important role in that event…
One day they would both become president of the United States, but when the two spent the summer in the same town passing each other on the street, you wonder if they ever noticed each other…
If in heaven the streets are paved in gold, then perhaps this town was pretty close to paradise. For a century ago, their streets were literally paved in gold. In fact, there was so much gold in the streets they eventually dug them up to get their hands on more of it…
You can buy a lot of things out of a vending machine, but this town had perhaps the most unique such device anywhere in the nation. For at this vending machine, you could get the paperwork filed for your own divorce…
Sometimes people and towns like to go against the grain and live life differently. For the folks in Corrine, Utah that was definitely the case when it was founded over a century ago. In fact, it was such a unique town in the state…some wanted it to leave its borders…
What does it mean to “muster”? For those living in Colonial times, that word was very important and this spot was one of the most important in that cause for freedom…
The message was clear – lay down your arms and stop the rebellion against the British Crown or otherwise be prepared to have your cities burned and your lives in peril at the hand of an advancing army…
In one small town in southwestern Virginia you’ll find a place that at first glance may appear to be just a park. Take a stop and look around and you’ll realize the importance of this place to the American Revolution and beyond…
The flag of the President of the Unites States shows an eagle holding an olive branch and arrows. President Harry Truman wanted to add something to that symbol and may have just done so not for a long time friend who convinced him it was a bad idea…
June 14, 1777 was an important date in American history because of a short resolution that was passed that impacts life today…
What is the only state flag with two dates emblazoned upon it? Those two dates are not only important to that state but the nation as a whole…
A red hat and stick is a symbol of what movement? You may be surprised by the answer and equally astonished at the fact the symbol is all around you yet you probably never noticed it…
The citrus industry is very important to the state of California. However, you may be surprised at the location of one of the groves established by its early leader…
Oroville, California has its fair share of churches. It also has another house of worship that is very rare, especially for a town of this size. Today it has become a place others come to learn about the history of the people who helped build this town and the region…
There’s a tool for just about everything. And if you want to see just about every tool…well, your best shot may be this place in northern California…
Bob Boldt was a tool salesman – a really, really good tool salesman. He was also really good at finding unusual tools in his travels. That combination resulted in quite a find here in northern California…
In western Wisconsin you’ll find the Chippewa River. Its drainage encompasses a large portion of the western side of the state and it’s the mission of this site to tell you about its past and present…
It took a large workforce from points around the globe to lay the rails that connected the nation. In Evanston, Wyoming you’ll find an important part of one immigrant community who helped in that effort…
It’s known as “Hockeytown USA.” This small but mighty town has produced many top athletes and has competed at the highest levels of the sport despite its size…
The northernmost point in the lower 48 states was created when the maps of the era weren’t accurate in determining exactly where some important landmarks were located. Today I’ll take you to that place in the north where a mistaken location created an unusual international border…
These days it’s not that uncommon to find people who live to be 100 years old or more. In this northern Minnesota town, there was a man who went well past that mark…
In northern Minnesota you’ll find a town with an interesting name – Warroad. So was this truly a road to war?
You know you probably had a special football career when your old high school adopted your name as its mascot. This is the story of a two-sport all-star…
He was in the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s first class and his nine seasons with the Chicago Bears saw him star on both sides of the football. I’ll take you to the museum the honors the hometown hero…
When you think of gold mining towns in the U.S., you probably don’t think of this area of the country. The gold rush was short, but you can still where those miners where drilling for the precious metal…
If you go to International Falls, Minnesota looking for a picturesque waterfall, you’ll be disappointed. This is the story of the falls on this international border…
When we think of rivers that form the border of the Unites States, we often think of the Rio Grande in the southwestern U.S. However, here in the north central part of the country. there’s a river that forms part of this nation’s northern border…
Friday nights in the fall are a time when many high schools play football games. And of course, today many college and pro games are played under the lights. But there had to be a first ever night football game…and Mansfield, PA is the place it occurred…https://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2025/09/26Sep25-First-Night-Football-Game-2.mp3
In the 1890s the game of football was just beginning on some college campuses. That was the case in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. The college there was just in it’s second year of the sport when the team captain had a novel idea…
In Sumner, Mississippi you’ll find an old courthouse was a restored second floor courtroom. Today there are no trials, just visitors to this place. They come to recall a galvanizing moment in a tragic event that took place here…
It was supposed to be a summer trip for one young man from Chicago to visit his extended family. But just a few days into that vacation, an event would unfold that proved a watershed moment in the struggle for civil rights…
It some of the most difficult times, people often forget what separates them and band together to help those in need. Such was the case in this small east Texas town early in 2003. The work they did and the mission they have for the future lives on…
It was February 1st, 2003. Residents of Hemphill, Texas heard what sounded like a giant explosion on an otherwise peaceful Sunday morning. What took place next changed this place forever…
Many of us love to have a piece of apple pie and ice cream. In a moment I’ll tell you where you can get a free slice and ice cream to boot all in a place that has the world’s largest such desert…
Many small towns across the country have a celebration that honors the things that make that place special. In Liberty, Kentucky it’s one crop that was an important part of this county when this festival was established…
If you think the state of Pennsylvania mostly looks like Philadelphia and Pittsburg, you should take a trip here. In fact, a trip to this area might make you believe you are in a different state far from here…
When you think of places were elk roam forests and wilderness areas, you perhaps do not think of this state. Yet it is here that elk once thrived and do again…
One of the most visited exhibits at the Smithsonian Institution is the red slippers worn by Dorthy in the Wizard of Oz. There are actually more than one pair, but when one set was stolen back in 2005, it began a story that would take well over a decade to solve…
Sometimes celebrities in showbiz are known by one particular role they played, no matter the entirety of their life’s work. That is the case for this actress, for while she was a mega star of her age, we probably know her for one particular role…
There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Frances Ethel Gumm. You know her by a different name and I’m just about positive that although she passed in 1969, you have seen her and know the iconic role she played…
You know you have quite a farm and mansion when the stables are many times larger, and nicer, than many homes. Such was the case for a place called Pebble Hill – a place you can still visit today, just like presidents did…
You can still find several antebellum homes scattered throughout the southern United States. While this home has similar roots, it tells the story of an ownership change that occurred at many such places in the late 1800s…
Not many people set out to own a historic gold and silver mine. That was the case for Andre, but soon he found himself owner of much of the land below the city that he served as mayor…and today he’ll take you on a tour of what’s underground…
Drive north from Traverse City, Michigan and you’ll find beautiful fruit orchards on a narrow peninsula that dead ends at this lighthouse. It’s a place that attracts visitors and some folks who even wait months or years to get a chance to live there for a week…
The Great Lakes shoreline is dotted with many old lighthouses. Many are not needed these days, but most have great stories to share. One such place is in northwestern Michigan…
It’s the junction of two important rivers – the Mississippi and the Minnesota – and it made sense to have a fort here. But for those stationed at what became Ft. Snelling, enduring the winter and the accompanying isolation was something few wanted to face…
It’s one of the most iconic pictures in presidential election history. A picture of President Harry Truman holding up a paper that proclaims, “Dewey Defeats Truman.” Of course the headline was wrong and the story behind how it all happened is one you won’t want to miss…
In the summer of 1948 Harry Truman was losing the race to return for a second term as president. But that summer his campaign accomplished something that would be hard to replicate now…especially considering the way they travelled to do it…
It was the day after the voting had ended and people woke up to find a different person was elected president than they may have imagined. It sounds like recent history, but it’s actually a story from 1948…
We’ve probably all heard of Native American mounds scattered throughout parts of North America. Here just east of present day St. Louis was the largest of those mounds. In fact, you can still see it and climb it today…
Before there was a United States of America, this was the largest city within its modern boundaries. In fact, its size still marvels those who consider its origins over a thousand years ago…
The heyday of passenger rail travel was about a century ago. But don’t tell that to the folks in southern Indiana, for they are riding the historic rails of this town as they did in times of old…
Airlines might devote more flights to popular winter destinations like Phoenix or Florida. One hundred years ago they were adding trains for this popular spot in Indiana…
People like to have answers…and perhaps that’s what makes this phenomena so interesting…there seems to be no explaining it. So what is it that has so many puzzled?
I don’t care for stories about evil and gruesomeness at Halloween, yet a spooky tale may be in order. For such a story, you can venture to southwest Missouri where a centuries old legend has people still searching for answers. It’s a story with world wide fame…
The initial route of the Oregon Trail followed the North Platte River, but over time, some decided to follow the southern fork of that river, creating a trail that passed this point in Colorado…
In Julesburg, Colorado you’ll find a small airstrip that has been in use for many decades. But this is much more than a place for airplanes to take off and land…it’s second use is one that brings plenty of people here from Spring to Fall…
Many of our towns have a namesake and that is the case for Julesburg, Colorado. But, the “Jules” in Julesburg is a man with quite an infamous story…
The town of Julesburg, Colorado has been an important point on many trails leading west. But it’s history is one that has been a bit rough-n-tumble, especially for the early years of its existence…
In the woods of northern Wisconsin there is a lodge that housed some of the leading businessman of the world. They came to one tiny town for a shot of acquiring the best of the best…
Sometimes a person gains so much fame…they become bigger than life…so is that the case with George Washington and a cherry tree he chopped to the ground?
The accomplishment was so spectacular it is still remembered over a century later. A cowboy journeyed thousands of miles to Cheyenne, Wyoming for a chance to become the world’s champion steer roper, and he would do it all with a borrowed horse after riding a ship and train for days…
World class sprinters can complete the 100 meters in under 10 seconds. In this sport, you are world class at just 8 seconds – and it’s those eight seconds for which a movie was made about one of the greatest to ever compete…
It’s billed as the “Daddy of Them All” and that it is – a rodeo so big and so grand that others have worked to emulate it. It is a place that every cowboy hopes to compete and win on one of the biggest stages…
The railroad was looking for ways to entice people to ride the rails for one day excursions to see unique events. But what was there to do in Cheyenne, Wyoming? Perhaps some people thought, nothing, until a chance event took place near the depot…
Inside the Country Music Hall of Fame you’ll find a shop with roots that go all the way back to 1879. Some things have changed, but many have not. In a moment I’ll take you to a place where the old is still new in a sense…
Today we think of Nashville as a city for country music. Back in the late 1800s, there was music here, but perhaps the city was known for another industry – a career that brought one family to town to help their business flourish…
The Fromm Brothers might be said to have been as “sly as a fox.” That’s because their business plan led them to develop the silver fox, an animal that brought them fame and fortune…
I had long wanted to go see what so many people had told me about. A small gallery of sorts in Gladbrook, Iowa where one man had been creating masterpieces that might take him over two years to create. I’ll take you along to share what I found and meet the man behind it…
A lot of folks have hobbies. Most of those pastimes are purely for one’s own enjoyment, but occasionally, some of those spare time projects go viral, so to speak. That’s what happened in this small Iowa town…
Many a circus has it’s main acts and then has a sideshow to entice people to pay to see unusual acts, sites and sounds. One of the items that draws the most attention in this museum is one of those sideshow items and the story behind it is quite interesting…
There was a great treasure hunt taking place off the shore of Lewes, Delaware. The real treasure though was perhaps different than what was originally sought, and today visitors come to see some of what was found from a vessel that sank in 1798…
When a British ship sank off the coast of Delaware in the late 1700s, some of the crew was lost at sea. A few survivors made it to shore and later tales emerged of those men paying for their meals and lodging with Spanish gold. That story made this a ship that just had to be found…
It’s referred to as the first town in the country’s first state…that first state being the first one to ratify the constitution of the United States. In a moment I’ll take you to that place and tell you want happened to that first settlement…
There perhaps has never been a homecoming dance like the 1975 Cadillac, Michigan version. The students and the entire town were surprised when that year they didn’t just play music, they had a live performance by a very memorable group…
Many high school sports teams warm up to specific music and that was the case for the Cadillac, Michigan football team. The particular music though has quite a story in this town. In fact, the events of decades ago are still quite well remembered today…
Today there are many flights each day that connect the two coasts of this nation. In the early years of flying, there were prizes awarded for the first people who could pilot such a trip with a plane. James Banning was one of those who succeeded and his story is one you won’t want to miss…
Today is a person want to learn to fly a plane, there are many options of places you can go to get your license. But in the early years of aviation, not only were the options fewer, but the opportunities were closed to some because of the color of their skin. This is the story of a man who was an overcomer…
I have long known that the Iowa State Cyclones football team plays at Jack Trice stadium. Those not from nearby may just think Jack Trice was a wealthy donor to the university who paid to get his name on the place. That is far from true. In fact, the story behind the man is one quite remarkable…
In 1923 what is today Iowa State University played a football game at the University of Minnesota. In part, due to the events of that game, the two schools that share a state line, did not meet again on the gridiron for 66 years…
Near Kansas’ border with Colorado you can find a place called El Cuartelejo. It’s the ruins of an ancient home who’s occupants were on the run from the Spanish. Today we revisit that interesting and often unknown piece of history…
In western Kansas you can find the foundations for an old Native American settlement. Perhaps that doesn’t seem too out of the ordinary, until you dig a little deeper and find that this type of dwelling doesn’t belong in Kansas, but instead belongs to tribes from states away…
It’s one of the natural wonders of Kansas. A place of white spires rising from the prairie plains that have been a landmark for centuries…
We may think of big earthquakes in the U.S. being an event that normally occurs on the west coast. In 1959, it was this area in the Rocky Mountains that experienced one of the biggest quakes in the countries history. You can still see the impact on the landscape here…
It’s one of the coldest and snowiest towns in U.S. In fact, it’s not uncommon for this community to have the lowest temperature in the lower 48 states on many days and can have three or feet of snow on the ground in the winter. It is also a place that welcomes many visitors to Yellowstone National Park…
Perhaps you vaguely remember from your history books the words of a ship captain in war exclaiming, “Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!” That phrase was uttered here during a battle for this famous bay. You may have been there and not realized it…
Today most people venture to this spot along the Gulf Coast for its scenic beauty. Turn back the clock a couple of centuries and people were battling over this spot because of its strategic importance…
We’ve all seen a log cabin. Such structures were the norm for many Americans early in the country’s history. But did you ever see a log cabin with the logs arranged vertically instead of horizontally? There are only a handful in the U.S…and most are here…
When these French Catholics learned that the British Protestants had taken over, they weren’t pleased. It may be the reason this city still exists today…
Although you may associate his name with tractors…he never saw one…yet his name is synonymous with the equipment used in agriculture. We go to the small shop from which he built a mighty company…
A couple of centuries ago crops were cut and threshed by hand…but that all changed with a young farmer in Virginia. This is the story of a birthday present that revolutionized agriculture…
Many of us are intrigued by huge dinosaur fossils like T-Rex that are unearthed and displayed in museums. There’s just something about seeing some of those ancient creatures that is totally fascinating. Today I’ll take you to a place where that search is part of everyday life and you can be a part of it…
This part of North Dakota was once described as a sea of grass. That had many people driving their livestock here to take advantage of that feed source each spring to fall…
One of the hardest jobs on the farm in the 19th and early 20th centuries was putting up hay. You had to mow it, rake it and then throw it up into a barn…often with sheer man power. Over time, horses helped with some of that work and one of the key devices for the final part of the work is one Steve Weeber loves to talk about…
Over the years we have torn down some old bards on our property. One of the items that went in the scrap heap is something coveted by many today. They are called hay trolleys and I’ll take you to meet a man who has many, many of them…
Pioneers that headed west on overland trails saw many sites. Interestingly one that many wrote about was an elephant. You wouldn’t expect to see an elephant on the trail and none did see a literal elephant. However, they mention the creature many times…
Just west of South Pass, Wyoming, overland travelers of the mid 19th century came to a fork in the road. The route to the left was the beginning of the California Trail which branched from the Oregon Trail. The story of that trail is in part told at this site devoted to the topic…
You’ve heard people say that there are unwritten rules that we sometimes must observe. Today’s story is about such rules and how communities began to change. The story is eye opening to some, especially depending on where you might live…
We often tie the Civil Rights movement to the struggle of African Americans to obtain equal rights and equal access in this country. A trip to this Texas town will reveal hos that process played out for another group of Americans…
When you hear the name, “Gerber,” you perhaps immediately think of baby food. The home where the family lived and the kitchen that sparked the idea are very much a place you can stay today…
It all began with an argument in the kitchen. What resulted is something that is commonplace today, but was a novel idea when it began to be promoted…
For a ship that was in service less than five years, she had quite a story. What began as a simple merchant vessel ended up fighting in a war for both sides in the conflict. You can still see her today…
On the surface it seemed like an unlikely scenario for success. A barber from Iowa striking oil and building one of the largest companies in America. But that’s exactly what happened…
When you enter Readlyn, Iowa you will find a sign that proclaims it has 857 friendly people and one old grump. I just had to know, who is this old grump? Turns out there are several of them, but that’s not a bad thing…
Today we may rely on the latest advancements in science and medicine to help cure disease. Of course, in the 1800s, science provided some answers, but many folks simply looked for the best climate to help their ease their ailment. This town is still known for its health and much more…
You’ve perhaps never heard of James’ Peak. It’s more accurate to say you’ve heard of the mountain, but you simply don’t know it by that name. In fact, you may have been to the top of the peak that James climbed, but he didn’t get the credit so to speak…
As Lewis and Clark headed west and north in 1803 to explore the newly acquire Louisiana Purchase, another explorer headed to the southwestern reaches of that territory. One of the landmarks he found still bears his name today…
If you drive Interstate 90 through Jackson, Minnesota you’ll see a fort near the freeway. Take the exit and explore the place an you’ll find the story of a community that built their own fort while the U.S. military fought the Civil War. The museum and grounds here are quite impressive…
In the 1850s and 1860s there had been skirmishes between Native Americans and settlers in the area of northern Iowa and southern Minnesota. Those tensions led one community to band together in an effort to protect their lives…
In the days before GPS or maps, you needed landmarks to find your way. Just south of Cherokee, Iowa you’ll find one such place. It’s a spot that Native Americans used to find their way as well as early pioneers…
One family can make a difference. Stop in Cherokee, Iowa and you’ll find a museum and planetarium all there because one family wanted to honor their son. It’s an impressive place that dates to the 1950s and it’s all free to see…
It just stands to reason that a place named Wolf Point must have something to do with wolves somewhere in its background. That is the case here of course, but the story of what wolves is perhaps in dispute…
Sometimes just a few words can reveal the place from which you hail, even when you don’t mention the actual place. In this region of the country it’s the phrase, “with or without” that let’s people know where you live…
In northeastern Montana you’ll find a rodeo that is over 100 years old. With that kind of track record, you know that has to be something they’re doing well to attract large crowds for all of those years…
Comic books tell the story of larger than life characters. In the mid 1800s, the comic books of the days took one unassuming mountain man and turned him into a frontier superhero…
Sometimes it’s not what you know but who you know. In Kit Carson’s case, it was both that made him a well-known figure yet today…
This well-known frontiersman loved to hear the stories of those traveling west. One day, he decided it was time to sneak away and try that life too…
Lancaster, Missouri is not a big town, but in the 1920s, the circuses came to town. And yes, I did use the plural form of the word, because boy did the circus really come to town, for many days each year…
Some called him the Horse King of the World. It was fitting title for a man who literally bought and sold horses and mules to locations around the globe…and then began selling another kind of animals in addition…
William Preston Hall lost both of his parents by the age of 15. He worked hard to make a living from an early age and found he had a knack for buying and selling horse. That skill brought him worldwide fame…
There’s oil all around Tioga, North Dakota. For many years though, there just wasn’t a good way to reach it. The ups and downs of the oil industry can be seen in the population ups and downs of this small farming town…
Most of us know of the oil fields in northwestern North Dakota. However, we may not realize that the word often used to describe the location of that oil field has everything to do with a family who farmed in the area…
Northeast of Williston, North Dakota you’ll find the town of Tioga. There is a story behind that name and it reveals much about the folks who settled the area and continue to farm and ranch there today…
On the surface, it may seem like an odd pairing–a man who manufactured television antennas became the champion for a bird that was in decline. His work decade ago continues today; you’ve probably seen it, but just didn’t realize it…
It’s been called America’s most wanted bird. Not wanted in the sense that it has committed a crime, but rather desired. If you want to learn more about it, then a trip to Griggsville, Illinois is probably the best place to go…
This place isn’t really a town, yet it has its own zip code. Sometimes it’s a bit of a game to see exactly how much or how little you can write on an envelope and still get a letter to arrive here. Chances are, if you simply write the zip code, it will arrive at this place…
One young sheepherder never forgot a frigid night he spent on the plains of Wyoming. The miserable weather had him dreaming of a warm place to sleep and a hot meal to eat. Decades later, the dream became a reality…
In 1869 Wyoming territory gave women the right to vote and to hold public office. Just a few months after the legislation passed, the state had it’s first women office holder and her story is one honored in the U.S. Capitol…
The Oregon Trail crossed the Continental Divide at South Pass in Wyoming. Just west of that pass you’ll find a handful of buildings that are all that remains of a boomtown of over 2000 people called South Pass City…
There had been rumors of gold in this area for years, but there always seemed to be a better place to find more of it. Eventually minds turned back to Wyoming and thousands of people followed the reports in the hills around Willow Creek…
If I were to ask you to name some famous Mountain Men of the 1800s, there are usually some common names that most people share. This museum tells there story and there are three big names that perhaps come to the top…
It was called the Mountain Man Rendezvous and it was held for sixteen years, mostly in the present state of Wyoming. The gathering of trappers, Native Americans, supply trains from the east and others made for quite a gathering each summer…
In the early 1800s, the demand for beaver pelts for top hats was strong, but the world supply was short. That had trappers looking for untapped sources of beaver and the search wound up here…
There’s a good chance you’ve never been to this railroad depot. However, if you’re over forty years old, there’s a high likelihood you’ve seen pictures of it, for it was this historic spot that made its way into the logo and ads of a prominent insurance company…
When most people think of big time gambling they think of Las Vegas. No doubt there was plenty of illegal gaming taking place in the state for decades, but you might be surprised to learn the state made it legal in 1931 and it was a rancher who didn’t much care for betting, that found the industry might just be a winner for Nevada…
The high desert regions of Nevada, Oregon and Idaho you will often find a people called the Basque who are sheep ranchers. In fact, the Basque have been in this area for generations and their traditions in farming and much more are still quite important today…
Today this area is a mostly dry lake bed. However, we have evidence this was once a much wetter place. In fact, what was found in a cave here shows that these people used something quite common for some hunters today…
Along interstate 80 in north central Nevada you’ll come to a town with a unique name – a name that may have you wondering exactly where it comes from. When you dig a little deeper, you’ll find an interesting piece of history tied to those who lived here…
If you didn’t know what to expect when driving west from Bismarck, North Dakota on Interstate 94, you might be quite surprised to find this very large creature looking over the interstate. It’s something that’s been there for over 50 years now and it truly shows you the importance of this to the community…
Many small towns celebrate their heritage with a special festival or maybe other important sites throughout the town. New Salem, North Dakota is like those towns, but much unlike those towns when it comes to what they did to celebrate their history…
Lots of people love cheese and for those who can’t get enough of it, perhaps the Cheese Capital of the World is the place to visit. As you’ll hear, there’s a good reason this is the center of the cheese universe…
Just as hotels today might serve guests traveling the interstate highways, there were inns that catered to the travelers using horse drawn vehicles that navigated a network of dirt roads and trails in the early years of the country. One impressive such place is in between Sheboygan and Fon du lac, Wisconsin…
There was once a time when horses and carriage ruled the roads, and in those days before the automobile, the types, size and uses of horse drawn vehicles was quite diverse. One company in Wisconsin was an important builder of those vehicles. But when cars came along, the business closed, but what they produced is far from forgotten…
The federal government established Juneteenth as a national holiday in 2021. However, the celebration of the events of that date took place immediately after June 19th, 1865…
On January 1st, 1863, Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. However, that document that freed slaves had little impact if it could not be enforced. This is the story of what took place over two years later on an island in Texas…
It is the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history – a storm that hit Galveston, Texas in September 1900 that causes catastrophic destruction and claimed thousands of lives. We take a look back at the event, the rebuilding and the present day…
Today we may think of this city as a beach getaway. In 1900 it certainly had beaches but it was also an important port and immigration point for the country. But events that year would have a catastrophic impact on the place…
If you play with fire your liable to get burned. But on Jim Lytle’s farm, fire is what they grow. It’s fire in the form of vegetables. We head to southern New Mexico…
I recently headed west on highway 29 from Wausau, Wisconsin. I then turned north, back west, then back north…and then, found myself next to a sign on the edge of a large farm field. Many would say I was in the middle of nowhere. Not so fast…if you stand here…you’re actually in the middle of everywhere…
At the time of his trial, Standing Bear did not have the right to take a matter to court. However, this judge allowed the leader to speak and what he had to say – one short sentence in particular – still resonates today…
A father was simply trying to bury his teenage son. But a trip that would take them many miles to the family’s original home in northern Nebraska ended with the family being jailed and in the middle of a federal court case reported nationally…
Imagine working hard to build your farm and then having the government step in and take everything from you – land, equipment and home. That is what happened to this man and many others in Northeastern Nebraska. The story is from many years ago, but is a story every American should know…
When Gary saw his old school close, he was sad to see such an important chapter in his life, seeming to close as well. But then he had the idea that he could purchase the old school and turn it into something that would attract people to his hometown…
Along a lonely stretch of interstate 94 between Bismarck and Dickinson, North Dakota, you’ll find a metal sculpture called Geese in Flight. If you exit the freeway there and venture south, you’ll be in for quite a treat…
Turn south from Exit 72 on Interstate 94 in North Dakota and you’ll begin to encounter some very creative sites. The man behind what you’ll see has quite a story – a story that has been ongoing for over three decades now…
It was an American disaster that was hard to imagine. A giant flood and an immense fire were destroying a city of over 30,000 people simultaneously. We remember the tragic story of tragedy 125 years ago…
It was a story of miraculous heroism among a story of deep tragedy. A a wall of water cut loose from a breached dam was about to swamp Johnstown, Pennsylvania. As a tidal wave thundered down the valley, one locomotive engineer braved the swell to warn people of the impending danger…
When 51 inches falls on an area in one month…well, it’s likely there’s going to be problems. Here, those problems proved tragic…
It was one of the worst disasters in American history…the break of the south fork dam that created the great Johnstown Flood. In a moment we return with the stories of tragedy and heroism…
Over many years of travels I’ve found that the back of a museum can hold many unexpected treasures. You just never know what might be housed in what some would consider the last room of the place. At this museum, that back room is certainly not lacking in treasures. In fact, it’s pretty amazing to see what one man in town collected while running a bar…
On Memorial Day we remember our loved ones, but these ladies recognize our fallen soldiers every day of the year. This is the story of their unique and important role at Arlington National Cemetery…
The state of Montana is a long way from Scotland. However a trip to this town will perhaps make you believe the two aren’t quite so farm from one another. It’s a story that dates back to a tale of two men and a random spot on a globe…
Many people associate Native American tribes from the Plains with a teepee. That may be an accurate description but depends much on the tribe, location, time period and other factors. A trip to this place though will allow you to see an original such structure, and it’s quite a site to see…
You’ll need to drive on six miles of gravel roads from the highway to get to the tiny town of Ismay, Montana. There would really be no need for any visitors to make the trip, but there’s still a few that do and it’s usually because of a story involving a Hall of Fame quarterback who, probably has never visited the place…
Would you ever consider changing your name? What if someone was offering you a prize to change it to a specific name of their choosing? That’s in a sense what happened in the 1990s in this small town…
If you visit Thief River Falls, you may ask, who or what is the “thief” behind this river and this town? There are several stories about that, plus much more about a city that is a hub of business and commerce in northwestern Minnesota…
Some towns are known for having a large number of ancestors from a specific country. That is the case for this city, for it has the distinction of having the highest percentage of folks from this one specific country of any other in the U.S…
Every May 8th, a wreath is laid on the grave of this Lt. Coronel at Arlington National Cemetery. It’s a thank you from one country to the officer and those who served with him, several of whom came from this region of Minnesota…
When World War II began, the U.S. military began to recruit troops for special missions they believed might be necessarily in specific countries. Those missions would need troops who could speak the languages of those nations fluently. The search led many young men from this area of Minnesota to be a part of one such unit../
In central Oregon you’ll find a cave tour that is quite popular. In fact, you’ll most likely need a reservation well in advance in order to tour it. But this cave is unlike what you may have in your mind, because this one is made of lava…
South of Bend, Oregon you’ll find a vast volcanic field. It’s a place with a wide variety of geological features and a national monument that people love to explore…
The movie Stand By Me is considered a classic by many. It’s a film that is still quite popular with audiences literally around the world. And some of the biggest fans are still coming to this town to find the scenes they saw on screen…
Thousands of people traveled the Oregon Trail as pioneers headed west and almost all of them made the trip in a wagon. Of course just about all of those wagons are long gone, but in a moment I’ll take you to a place where one remains and what you’ll see may surprise you…
Very few people climb Mt. Everest, but there’s just something about the experience of climbing a really tall mountain. Perhaps that’s what brings many folks here…it’s the tallest mountain in this state and it’s one that a lot of people can attempt to climb…which is both good and bad…
In the early days, many people were simply trying to get around this place. Then after the years passed, some decided to come back and enjoy the spot they once tried so hard to pass…
In the early days, many people were simply trying to get around this place. Then after the years passed, some decided to come back and enjoy the spot they once tried so hard to pass…
This road wasn’t necessarily a short cut. In terms of miles traveled it was a longer route. However, it soon became the path many would take on their trek westward…
This road wasn’t necessarily a short cut. In terms of miles traveled it was a longer route. However, it soon became the path many would take on their trek westward…
Sometimes a trip becomes a real haul because of all the stuff you are carrying with you. That was the case for these men who decided to just drop their stuff and come back for it month’s later. In fact, it was their decision that gave this place its name…
When this area struck it rich, the town was growing so quickly, they were renting the barber chairs as a place to sleep each evening. It was a booming place that made history and you can still see it its heyday…
There just had to be oil under this hill, but no one could seem to drill down to it. After years of work, the men working here got a really big surprise…
It’s a museum with its mine underneath the floor – an unusual, but effective idea on promoting the industry that once flourished here…and perhaps may flourish again…
Many mining booms begin quite by chance. That was the case about 100 miles west of Albuquerque. However, the mineral discovered was quite different than most found in the U.S…
It’s been dubbed the world’s most expensive love seat. It’s true you can sit on it, but with an $8 million dollar price tag at the time, you’d want to do more than use it as a chair. And of course, that’s where this story gets interesting, because this place has many of these multimillion dollar devices that today are obsolete…
My father-in-law has been a volunteer fire fighter for many years. His small town does what it can with a limited budget yet ever increasing needs for bigger and better equipment to handle emergencies. Interestingly, this company was born much out of that need to help small towns afford the fire engines they needed…
Today most of us don’t think much about buying a pair of shoes. There are many places you can shop for them both in store and online. But of course, it was once not that way and this company capitalized on getting people the shoes that fit them perfectly…
It is definitely one of the longer names in the beer brewing industry and has and equally long lineage of production to boot. Today I’ll take you to the place it all began and where it remains an important part of a community that had the natural resources to help it grow…
Everyone knows John Wilkes Booth as the assassin of President Lincoln. However, before his deadly deed in April 1865, he was a well known actor, and he left a quite favorable impression on the residents of one Missouri town…
The movie stars are gone, but the legends still abound, including the story one celebrity who rode his horse into the bar, so both could get a drink. It’s a place with tons of history, but a hotel that is still serving travelers today…
It was built to house movie stars. A hotel in western New Mexico where celebrities could catch some rest and relaxation away from the movie set…
In Austin, Texas near the state capitol building you’ll find another old government building in a beautiful green space. It is a place established in the 1840s and it has quite a story yet today…
Many countries establish embassies in other nations and usually those diplomatic sites are in a country’s capital. That is the case for this old embassy in the U.S. but it’s not located in Washington, DC, yet it was in the nation’s capital…
On a high bluff overlooking the Colorado River in La Grange, Texas you’ll find a monument to men who gave their lives for the Republic of Texas. Their stories speak to a time when Texas was fighting to maintain the independence it had already won…
Germany is often known for its breweries and when immigrants sailed to the new world, they often brought that beer making knowledge with them. That was the case for a place between Austin and Houston where one enterprising German set up his business…
Sometimes people will travel a long way to get exactly the item they desire. That was the case for this frontiersman who made a trip to a specific blacksmith to create an item that bears his name today…
As the city of Washington, D.C. was growing into its role as the nation’s capital, another city of Washington was growing in prominence on the western frontier. In fact, it was a leading city of its day and you can come here and see many of the original buildings similar to the way they appeared when built in the 1800s…
This church can hold about 50 people – maybe a few more if everyone squeezes tight for a wedding. And people have been coming to sit in these box style pews for well over three centuries…
Along the coastline of Maryland’s easter shore, just south of the city of Cambridge, you’ll find a small, picturesque church that dates to the days well before this country was even born. A walk around the grounds and inside the house of worship will reveal a story that speaks to the faithful generations who have lived and worshiped here…
When Kenny Mitchell was dating his wife-to-be, they enjoyed going to the local movie theater. He probably never imagined how that theatre and so many others would impact his life…
When this farm decided to diversify they didn’t do it by growing a different crop or buying livestock. They instead looked to something everyone in the family loved and began investing in that opportunity in many small towns across the country…
What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream? The folks here know a lot about what we like and maybe, don’t like. And they are always trying out new flavors that may be a hit with our taste buds…
When this company was looking for a new name for it’s product line, it decided to offer a cash prize for the winning suggestion. The fact that contest was held around Easter is perhaps the reason we wound up with a name that has been around for many years now…
It is known as the sailing capital of the U.S. It also happens to be a state capital…a former national capital…and home to some of the most prominent institutions in the country…
After a failed bank robbery attempt in Northfield, Minnesota, the James gang headed west toward the Dakota Territory. Near what is today’s border between South Dakota and Minnesota, the pursuers of Jesse James had him cornered. What happened next is still up for debate, but folks in this town believe they know what happened…
Next to Delilah’s shearing of strongman Samson, it’s perhaps the most famous haircut in history. Many young ladies wondered if Elvis would lose his musical powers once he received his buzz cut and entered the army. We’ll head to that famous barbershop…
From 1958 to 1960, Elvis Pressley was part of the active military. He spent time at Ft. Hood, Texas and in Germany. His entrance into the army was a heartbreaker for many young ladies and today we take a look back at the bus trip from Memphis that ushered the music legend into armed services…
He was a founding father – a contemporary of men like Washington, Jefferson and Franklin. We know that he talked, argued and wrote with them and his role in the early years of the new nation led him to be known as the Penman of the Revolution…
They are known as “Letters from a Farmer.” Perhaps you have not heard of them, but if you lived in colonial America in the 1760’s, you most likely would know them because of their widespread readership. Today I’ll take you to meet the man behind them – he did own a farm, but there’s much more to the story…
In the 1800s, many college and universities sprang up across the Midwest. Some were short lived, yet others managed to stay alive and even thrive. That’s the case for the university in this small town and the story of how it wound up here is quite interesting as well…
Today you can take a highway loop to the sites at Yellowstone National Park. In the days before cars, that trip was made in a...
In the latter half of the 1800s, explorers and early visitors to what is today Yellowstone National Park were amazed by the area’s geysers –...
The Van Doren brothers hailed from Vermilion County, Illinois. Their father saw great potential in his sons and even made a move to get them...
The Speaker of the House is an important position in government and this man is often regarded as the man who dominated that role and...
What happens in a kid’s life can have an impact on what they do later in life. That was the case for Joe Cannon and...
A name may say a lot about a person. In this case, there was a man’s name within a man’s name. It was his parents...
You won’t find a big sign for this place and you’ll travel down plenty of gravel roads to reach it – but many people do. ...
“Landmand” is the Danish word for farmer and in northeast Nebraska you’ll find a place that recently opened with that name. It’s a nod to...
Bryce Andersen’s family had a piece of ground that stood out, but for the wrong reasons. It was just too hilly to farm, and they weren’t livestock people, so grazing was not an option. They placed the ground in the Conservation Reserve Program…but still, they wondered if there was another option. What resulted is quite remarkable…
Abraham Lincoln led the country through the Civil War…but it was this man who defeated him for the senate just two years prior. We’ll go to the home of the man known as the little giant…
Carl Ben Eielson hailed from Hatton, North Dakota. He was a pioneer in aviation and helped open the vast Alaskan territory to air travel. It was his mission to use a plane to help people and explore the world. His life would come to a tragic end in doing just that…
In the 1920 a guy named Carl brought the first airplane to Fairbanks, Alaska. What took place from there would put him in the record books and help the people of what was then a remote U.S. Territory…
If you live in the states of North Dakota or Alaska, you quite likely have heard of Carl Ben Eielson. His aviation firsts in the 1920s are still part of the curriculum for many elementary students there. For the rest of us, it’s our first time to learn of an amazing individual who used a plane to help others…
You may know him for just one thing…peanut butter…but in a moment you’ll see just how much this man accomplished. Born a slave…and today revered as one of America’s greatest agricultural scientists…
He is one of the most famous agricultural scientists…a man who was born a slave and struggled to find a place to gain an education…
Just north of Missoula, Montana you’ll find a beautiful rural church with quite a story. It’s a place where people worship, but also where visitors stop just about every day of the week to see something that many compare to the great artistry of the Sistine Chapel…
Churches began to spring up in many town in the U.S. as they were settled. But this church is perhaps a little different than most. It was established with the native tribes here spent much time and travel to St. Louis in an effort to get help establishing a place of worship…
Even though this young man had but a few months of formal education, you wouldn’t know it by what career he adopted and how he...
Although these buildings once had many workers, they now only house tourists. But this is the place that helped build the 20th century…
Today we take a look at a very old Pontiac wagon. No, we’re not talking about a station wagon, but rather an 1800s wagon…the type...
If I were to tell you that there is a car named for Oakland County, Michigan you’d probably not recognize any of the models. However,...
The numbers 1 and 17 are important in Jacksonville, IL. Those are the numbers of two machines built here that continue to “live” here, so...
It was a moment of inspiration. A man took a ride on an amazing contraption that resulted in him just having to learn more…and him...
Many people remember Clark Gable in the movie Gone With the Wind. But have you seen him in his role of a dying Union soldier?...
Never was the bankruptcy of a circus so fortuitous to a city. Not only did they pick up what would become a major attraction, they...
It began life as a campaign poster, although you would have to have one very large wall to ever hang it. However, this elaborate painting...
Just about all of us have seen a picture of the Jolly Green Giant. But have you ever seen what the back of the Jolly...
An interstate can help connect a town to others, but it may also provide a way for motorists to zip by a place without stopping...
Not all of us can live in a normal place. While most of the nation lives in cities that aren’t that far from average…there is...
Some cities or regions are known for the nationalities of the people who settled there. But this perhaps seems a bit out of place –...
The resort was a place that saw entertainers of the day stop and provider performances…Alfred says even President Millard Fillmore was a guest here. In...
Did you ever visit a location and say to yourself, “I wish I could live here.” That’s in a since what happened to the captain...
There are tales of locusts that consumer the crops and a blizzard so bad that a man had to hunker down in a cave and...
Early pioneers sometimes did not have the means or resources to build a house on the prairie. They instead created something called a dugout. This...
This outdoor theatre has been taking place since the 1970s. It’s hosted in a very small town and is all about life in and around...
It’s the largest and fastest blackbird you’ll ever see. But it’s just one of many intriguing items associated with America’s strategic command of the air. ...
It’s hare do describe just how famous this man had become. It’s estimated that in the late 1920s one in four Americans had traveled to...
Do you remember seeing an important event for the first time when you were a kid. That was the case for Charles and it definitely...
Sometimes kids, even from an early age, will give you a glimpse of what they might do or become as they grow older. The contraptions...
What was Abraham Lincoln doing with 81 bottles of champagne and 14 pounds of raisins? Thankfully he didn’t consume them all himself, but he was...
You can go to Springfield, IL and learn plenty about president Abraham Lincoln. His home and presidential library are there. But if you want to...
Presidents receive all kinds of gifts. One young resident of Sharon Springs, KS was so excited to see President Teddy Roosevelt, she gave him a...
Doctors may be called upon to help people in all kinds of situations, but the request in Wallace, KS was a bit unusual. There was...
Conflicts between Native Americans and westward moving settlers took place around Ft. Wallace, in western Kansas, during the years around the Civil War. However, it...
Today it is a small town in an area where towns are few and far between. Yet it is a place that was important for...
The Wright Brothers made their first flight in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. However, it was the farmers around Dayton that helped them perfect the plane. ...
Although Kitty Hawk, North Carolina received most of the attention regarding the Wright Brothers first flight, it was this Ohio city were much of the...
Just about every town has a water tower. Canton, Kansas has not one, but two such towers, similar in size and style that stand about...
Although sandbars and other river snags were a danger for Lewis and Clark on the way up the Missouri River…it was this obstacle in Montana...
He’s shared his knowledge with joint chiefs of staff, ambassadors and other high ranking government officials. But when you lead tours here, some of the...
Every Independence Day we remember those who have fought for our freedom. One well known battlefield still draws thousands of visitors who learn about a...
Mt. Airy, North Carolina is a town of about 10,000 people. If you type the name of the town into the internet, you can find...
If you build your own police car, take to the roads and turn on the siren, well, you might quickly get in trouble with the...
Most of us have at least seen an episode or two of the Andy Griffith Show. A good chunk of that show takes place in...
There are lots of places you can go to see classic tractors. Most are well done and many have a unique twist or a specific...
One September weekend each year you can count on about 20,000 to 25,000 people to attend an event in central Minnesota that began with just...
John had a job, but he also had a keen eye for what he saw while doing that job. For what other people may have...
Of those who signed the declaration of independence, this man was the only one to sign more than just his name. He had plenty of...
He became one of the wealthiest men in a colony where he could not vote, hold office, or worship in public. Yet he was a...
It can be difficult to earn the money needed to get a college education. Raymond Hagan graduated high school in 1935 and wanted to go...
Today we take things like a high school education for granted. If you want a diploma, you usually have access to a school where you...
Pilsen, Kansas is probably not on your way to most places you need to get. Yet many people go out of their way to get...
If someone needs help, we might say that others figuratively carried them to where they needed to be. In this case, one man literally carried...
The army needs brave soldiers. In this battle, it seemed the bravest of them all was a man in the heat of the conflict yet...
Drive to the small town of Pilsen, Kansas and there’s one building that dominates the skyline. It’s the steeple of the town’s Catholic Church –...
The Spanish were the first Europeans to arrive here. Then the French rules the island, followed by the Danes. Finally the Americans purchased it in...
Today a high school or college student might take an internship to learn the basics they need for a certain career. That was what Alex...
Historians don’t agree whether this U.S. founding father was born in 1755 or 1757. He never arrived in what is today the United States mainland...
It’s the easternmost point in U.S. territory…an island purchased by the United States in 1916. If you come here to visit, you’ll be amazed by...
In 1939 two major movies were released at the same time. One was “Gone with the Wind,” one of the most popular movies of all...
Some people can spin great stories. By all accounts, Frank was a great story teller, but his audience was just his children. Perhaps that would...
In Wamego, Kansas you’ll find the Columbian Theatre. It’s history is a story in its own right. However, the larger billing these days often goes...
The military exercise was top secret. When this mission was finally opened to the public, the reverend who played the pivotal role in thwarting the...
During World War II the Germans raced against the Americans to be the first to successfully build an atomic bomb. Interestingly, a Norwegian pastor living...
The need for maximum security prisons is an unfortunate reality of life. On the other end of the spectrum is the jail in Gardner, Illinois. ...
Imagine being taken a prisoner of war, not once but twice and while you were away from home, the opposing army used your house to...
There are times when a family is not thrilled with a son’s choice of a spouse. There may be many reasons for their displeasure, but in Nathaniel’s case, it was something very simple. She had the wrong name and Nathaniel’s father was willing to pay a big sum of money to make sure the wedding didn’t take place…
Every Memorial Day we remember our family and friends who have passed. Many communities will also remember their veterans and that’s certainly true in Columbus, Nebraska where a unique military memorial not only pays tribute to the soldiers, but also a very important inventor, who General Eisenhower said won the war for the allies…
I will confess, there are some interviews for this show that sent me driving hundreds of miles just to meet the person who could share the story. However, in all of my years, I’ve never gone to the lengths today’s guest went to get the interview he wanted. He ditched school and began to hitchhike…
Sometimes when a conflict erupts somewhere around the world, young men will volunteer for the war effort. That was the case for Milt. But his story is far larger than one man simply signing up to head to Vietnam…
There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of a horse named Bonnie Scotland. However, there’s a good chance you’ve heard of many horses – in fact, many racing today, that are in that horse’s lineage…
Today we know Kentucky as home to some of the top thoroughbred farms in the nation. However, roll back the calendar to the 1800s and the heart of that industry was in the state of Tennessee. So what caused those farms to move north?
When John Harding moved to this property, it was just another parcel of land just outside the town of Nashville. However, it’s location and Harding’s ingenuity began to turn this into quite a place to see…
I like to say that everyone has a story. Today’s guest helps people tell their story. In fact, he helps people who have never told their story, share it, so that others can learn and perhaps that individual can overcome some of the challenges they encountered as a result of what they did…
March 30th, 1981. After delivering a speech at the Washington Hilton Hotel, President Ronald Regan was hit by a bullet fired by John Hinkley Jr. Today we know the president’s wound was much more serious than originally thought and the car meant to protect him actually deflected the bullet into Regan’s body…
You may have heard people say that president Kennedy would have never been assassinated in Dallas if he ordered the bubbletop to remain on his limo. Today we take a look at the actual car he was riding in that day and what it tells us about the security of our presidents on the road…
Today we begin a three part series on one of the most luxurious and secure automobiles in America – the limo of the president of the United States. You may be surprised what you can see at this museum as we go from carriage to a limo tank…
The birthplace of America is often considered to be Independence Hall, the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. You can go to Philadelphia and see it yet today. But one man may have wanted the entire building moved to a new site…
Edison, Ford and Firestone. They are some of the best known inventors and businessmen of the 20th century. But not only did their work affect the lives of virtually all Americans, the men also worked together to create one amazing museum…
Brent Tyndall has people pulling in his driveway just about every weekend. They are looking for something, but can’t quite seem to locate it. Luckily they find a man willing to not only share the story but help them see what is no longer there…
At the time it was just speculation, but today we know that in early 1961, there was a thermonuclear weapon buried somewhere deep in the mud underneath the farm Brent Tyndall’s family was farming. The story of how it got there and the effort to recover it is one still fascinating today…
In early 1961 a B52 crashed in a farm field about 12 miles north of Goldsboro, North Carolina. The tragic accident not only cost the lives of several crew members but resulted in a recovery effort that is still talked about today…
Roll back the clock to the late 1800s and the people of Two Harbor, Minnesota would tell you this company was a flop. In fact, the stock was considered worthless. However, today, it’s that initial business failure that has its own museum in town…
There are many people that tout a variety of diet plans. We may have a new idea to add to the list. When you hear the story of the Edna G Tugboat, you realize just how much weight a person might drop when things go awry…
It’s been over a century since one major storm hit the shores of western Lake Superior. However the twenty plus boats that crashed into the shore are still a catastrophe talked about in this small town. The event showed the need for more light stations to keep ships from peril. We visit that town and one of those stations…
There’s a part of many of us that wishes we could take to the open road, with no one around and drive as fast as we please. Ray, got that chance, not as the driver but as the passenger. In fact, the trips he took are some you may see on tv. We go inside the caravan…
Did you ever go back and talk or write to a teacher to tell them the difference they made in your life? This guy did and the letter he wrote was impactful, not to mention where it was written and the stationary upon which it was penned. This is the memorable story of writing to one’s ag teacher…
We often cherish time spent with our mom. That was the case for Ray Starling. But in this case, dinner with mom came with a tradeoff. It meant he’d need to find another way back home…and that original ride was one that was pretty special…
In April 2017, there was debate in the country about exiting the NAFTA trade deal with Canada and Mexico that had been adopted in the 1990s. Most in agriculture considered the deal vital for strong ag markets, but preserving the trade deal involved sneaking into the oval office…
Rose Marie Ritchie has a beautiful location to work right along the Mississippi River. But in the decades she’s lived here, she’s also seen the power these waters can bring, when flooding swamps her town. It’s a resilient place though – a town that has become quite a draw for many day and weekend trippers…
There are many storied rail routes in this nation – some historic, others still operating. In Grafton, IL you’ll find a very famous route with a unique name – the Dinky. We say hello to our listeners on WJBM just up the road in Jerseyville, IL as we take a look back at a route now gone but still memorialized…
On the surface it seemed to be a ludicrous project. A man with no experience building boats, was going to cut his own trees, build his own Viking Ship and then sail it from the Great Lakes and cross the Atlantic. So what happens when a junior high school counselor has such a dream?
Robert Asp had a dream to visit Norway someday. It was, after all, the land where his family traced their heritage. Most people would take an airplane. Robert decided on the mission of a lifetime to make the trip of a lifetime and his work now attracts visitors from around the world…
Imagine a scene in which a boy is wrenched from a mother’s arms…and is headed for certain death. No doubt the scene played out many times during the holocaust…but this version had a happy ending…
A diet of chocolate and potatoes is probably not the most balanced ration one can eat…but during World War II…it meant survival for this family. It was all this young man could provide for his family…
I occasionally like to go back to our show archives to hear stories that have moved me and many of our listeners. One of those shows was with Serge Kreisberger. As World War II began, Serge Kreisberger and his family struggled just to survive. Although Serge has now passed, his miraculous story of survival is one still inspirational today…
His city bounced from one country’s control to another during World War II. No matter who was in control…this young Jewish man feared for his life…
When Dave Dahl turns on the cowboy channel to watch a rodeo, there’s a good chance he’s going to see something he made. In fact, he’s become an important friend to many a cowboy both here and in countries far and wide…
Sometimes a business begins without you realizing you were beginning a business. That is perhaps the case for Dave Dahl. What began about 50 years ago is something that today makes him one of the premiere builders and suppliers of this…
Successful businesses have to change with the times. Or do they? In some ways, this store is doing the same thing predecessors of 200 years ago accomplished at nearly the same spot. Yes, some things have changed but some remain the same…
Take a walk around the small downtown area of Ft. Pierre, South Dakota and you’ll find a place called the Dakota Emporium. The store can trace its roots back to a small operation in the local mall, but today it is a place with a unique set of supplies and items to be bought and sold…
Imagine a crop that might take you twelve days, with twelve people to get planted. This family has come up with a slightly faster way to plant now, but there is still work to create one of the largest types of this farm that you will find on the east coast…
This old tobacco farm has been in the Johnson family for about a century now. The tobacco is long gone, but what replaced it is a unique crop that has people driving miles and miles to experience it for about three weeks each Spring…
You could say it was the bus line of the 1800s. A network of transportation that could take you just about anywhere a person needed to go. The passengers and cargo have changed but this route is still an important one today…
Necessity is the mother of invention. When the Civil War began, it was relatively easy to sink wooden ships, so both sides immediately began beefing up the exteriors of their hulls. What resulted was a famous type of ship that was only on the naval scene but for a few short years…
Each year, thousands of people will travel to southern Tennessee to see the famous national battleground at Shiloh. What most people don’t know is that this place would most likely have become a national historic site even if a battle had never been fought there…
When you hear the name Cole Younger, you probably think of an outlaw holding up banks and living a life of crime. That story is true in part. But what you may not know is a second chapter in his life – a chapter told here in the town where he is buried…
It was known as the Burnt District – a place where residents were forced to leave because there was no way to keep the peace during the Civil War. While well over a century has passed, you can still find the impact and the story is told here…
Sometimes the naming of a town is quite a story in itself. That’s the case for what became one of Missouri’s largest cities. However, few know the origins of this place that seems to indicate it’s at a great elevation…
When you’re building is in the path of a regularly flooding river you might consider moving locations. This place did just the opposite. The rebuilt the foundation to withstand the floods and in the process created a place that brings agriculture of the past into the present…
There was a time when old mills dotted the landscape, grinding grain into feed and food. One of the oldest mills in the area still stands between Springfield and Branson, Missouri. It’s undergone a transformation that has people coming from near and far…
The Mississippi River flows over 2500 miles, southward through the Midwestern U.S. That is, unless you are here, where the river actually meanders north for about 50 miles…
The Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico just south of New Orleans, Louisiana. But where does the mighty river begin? That question puzzled explorers for many years, leading many on a search through the woods of northern Minnesota…
In the summer of 1966 the Monkees released “The Last Train to Clarksville.” The song went to number one on the billboard charts and many people went in search of that last train to Clarksville. That journey led many to this town and one particular train depot…
In the early and mid 1900s, passenger train service was common in most cities of any size. Today the passengers and freight have vanished from those stations. Only a few remain. Most are now simply historic structures reminding us of the way things once were…
His name was Daddy Bryson…and he became one of the best-known train engineers in the Smoky Mountains…not because of his skill on the rails, but instead for the unfortunate accident that cost him his life…
We all recall the battle cry, “Remember the Alamo” but over 200 years ago it was “Remember the Raisin!” So what was this “raisin” and exactly why would it rally troops in battle? Today we dust off the history books for an important piece of early American history…
It’s long been said that the only thing most Americans can tell you about the War of 1812 is what year it began. Maybe they recall the burning of Washington or Andrew Jackson’s soldiers in New Orleans, but it is difficult to remember much else…
A couple of years ago I was approached with a novel idea. Could we use these broadcasts to help share Americana with those outside this country and perhaps help them learn English as a second language as well. What resulted was a unique program developed by an enthusiastic teacher in the country of Turkey…
Sometimes a car is known for it’s time period in history. That’s the case for this particular Nissan. If you’re under the age of 35, you probably realize just how valuable the car on today’s feature is. If you’ve over 35, well, you might just pass by a half million dollar car without giving it a thought…
If you have work to do in the field, you probably get a tractor to pull an implement to get it done. But one company came up with a more flexible answer – just use your pickup to do the job and much more. Today we take a look at one of those trucks born from the duties of World War II…
Most of us have a car. Some of us have a boat. What if wanted both but only had the money for one or the other. A trip here shows you that the problem may be solved. We go back in time to a car that still gets a lot of looks today…
If you’ve ever seen one of the movies in the Back to the Future series, you know that Michael J Fox, in the role of Marty McFly drives a Delorean which must hit a speed of 88 miles per hour in order to transport him backward or forward through time. While a time machine may be far fetched, there’s another factor that may have prevented time travel in that Delorean…
Did you ever set out to purchase a car and wind up buying several by accident? I know, that’s probably not going to happen, but in this case it kind of did. And because of that situation, an amazing car collection was born in the heart of the Midwest – a collection that allows people to truly experience some great cars of all ages…
When news of the defeat at the Little Bighorn reached Monroe, Michigan, this town had an extra reason to morn. They did not lose just one soldier in the battle, but five…
There are several portraits that show the surrender of General Lee to General Grant at Appomattox. Those scenes usually display a small table on which the surrender documents were signed. When the ceremony was complete, who ended up with that historic table?
We know him for the battle at the Little Bighorn. But to know just that one fact is to miss out on the amazing story of one George Armstrong Custer. Today we head to his hometown, a place that still honors the family and their service to the nation…
At one time, Sears was the largest retailer in the world. Today there are just a handful of stores that remain, but the story of the man behind the business behemoth is one that can be traced to a small town in Minnesota. In fact, this is a place that Mr. Sears always remembered. We say hello to our listeners on KLGR in Redwood Falls…
There was a problem at the rail depot in North Branch, Minnesota. A box of watches had arrived, but the business listed to receive the package refused the shipment. So what was the depot to do with these unclaimed watches? One young man had an idea, and that idea became something huge…
Richard was born in Minnesota. His father died while he was a boy and he got a job as a railroad telegraph operator to help earn money for the family. Interestingly, it was that job which began a career path that made him a household name…
Some eating establishments are known for a specific item on the menu. That’s the case for this spot near Omaha, Nebraska. The recipe has been around for decades, but when this café opened, the owner had not heard of the item. In fact, she may have thought it sounded a bit strange. Now it’s the dish that has many, including myself, stopping by to try it…
Over time the use of buildings can change. That’s the case in downtown Wahoo, Nebraska. The old co-op offices left their old home in the late 1980s. One of the businesses that occupies the spot today still attracts a lot of farmers, but for another reason…
We may think of specific regions of the world offering up dishes that you can only find if you make a journey there. Today’s story is a bit like that, but the people in Wahoo, Nebraska found that they could offer some special tastes that are unique to the places their citizen’s ancestors once called home…
You’ve heard of Colonel Sanders special chicken recipe. In fact, some of our favorite foods and drinks have secret recipes that date back decades. Today’s stop is no different. It’s a place turning out a product that has people coming from far and wide…
Decades ago just about every town in farm country had a locker plant. Today those numbers have decreased, but demand has suddenly increased. That means finding a local locker plant to process meat can sometimes be a challenge. The folks in this community though have one of the best…
Most people have heard of Chuck Yeager, but most have not heard of his good friend Jackie…a pilot who set more aviation records that any other aviator. This is Jackie’s story and how it affected our world…
When the rails came through this stretch of dry wilderness, the only people living here were the Cahuilla Indians. This is the story of what became of the train depot and the city built in the middle of the desert…
Fans often love to interact with the stars. But those stars are often too busy to communicate with any one individual. However, turn back the clock to the 1950s and 60s and this star was known to hand write letters to fans and forge friendships that lasted for years…
She was just 30 when she died in a plan crash in 1963, but her music had already made her one of the most recognized voices in the nation, and that voice remains one that brings people to this museum devoted to her life…
You’ve probably not heard of a museum owner named Bill Miller. However, Bill was a long time friend of a country music legend and that friendship led him to acquire many pieces of memorabilia that people come to see today…
Some knew him as the man in black. There were several reasons he may have worn that color – it was an image that stills makes him stand out among music greats. Today we head to the museum devoted to that man…
He was born in Kingsland, Arkansas in 1932. After High School he served in the Air Force for four years and then…well then he began a career that just about everyone has heard of…
Thousands of visitors tour this famous presidential home each year and although most know of this man’s important role in forming the nation, they often have heard little of his efforts to improve life on the farm…
His face is one of four carved into Mt. Rushmore…but few know the story of how this well known president changed the face of agriculture. This is the story of one president’s quest to make American farms the best in the world…
We may remember that President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday is February 12th. But we often forget the important role of his parents long after his birth. Today we journey to the Lincolns’ final homestead and farm, a place where a mother bid her son farewell…
Abraham Lincoln lost his mother to a sudden illness when he was just nine years old. Within a year his father remarried and young Abraham adjusted to a new step mother running the household. The role of both mothers would be instrumental in his road to the presidency…
He’s still regarded as an important figure in New Orleans and American history. And although almost two centuries have passed, this shadowy figure still intrigues visitors to the French quarter and Cajun country…
In the summer of 1893 a unique visitor arrived in Spillville, Iowa. He loved the place so much that he stayed for the summer, did some work, and shared his talents at the local church. It’s a summer they still remember here today…
In 1928 the Bily brothers received quite an offer from Henry Ford. He offered them one million dollars for something they created. The story of what they built and wheat they did with Ford’s offer is quite a story…
The Bily brothers were farmers near Spillville, Iowa. But it’s what the brothers did when they weren’t farming that has people still coming to this small town today for their pastime was truly remarkable…
In November of 1961, this small town in north Texas was overwhelmed with people coming to pay their respects to a man who had led the House of Representatives longer than any other person. Local residents were employed just to shuttle all the dignitaries from the nearest airport to the largest building in town, the First Baptist Church…
Many governors, senators and representatives may aspire to one day become president of the United States. However, this man believed the real power was leading the legislative branch of government. After all, there are not term limits to being a representative, but there are for the president…
In Bonham, Texas you can find the boyhood home of Sam Rayburn. The small town is also host to the politician’s library and museum. It’s an interesting look at a man who served his district for portions of six decades and the terms of eight presidents…
They are some of the largest boat docks you’ll ever see. Not mere spots on a lake from which to fish, but rather one thousand foot long steel railways for trains to dump their contents onto waiting ships. It’s a process that’s been taking place here for over 150 years…
Today Duluth, MN and Superior, WI are major shipping points on Lake Superior. However, turn back the clock a century and a half and it was this town up the shoreline that had the advantage. They are still loading some of the lakes largest ships here…
If you’ve driven across interstate 90 in South Dakota you know you’ll see plenty of signs for Wall Drug, an iconic business in that state. But you also likely to see quite a number of billboards for another well-known stop on the Missouri River. I’ll take you to that place locals and tourists love…
An oasis is often thought to be a lush, fertile spot in the middle of a desert. The oasis I’ll take you to today isn’t in a desert, but it does have a lot to offer, especially when it opened in a sparsely populated part of the country in the early 1900s…
Many military museums tell the story of an entire war, or perhaps the history of a fort or military outpost. This museum is unusual in that it shares the story of a division that existed but for three years. But they were a very important three years…
They were often known as the Hell Cats. Others knew them by the name, “Suicide Squad” for their hard fought battles against the fiercest German divisions. It was one of those fights that resulted in heavy losses for the Hell Cats…
Arthur Browning thought he was just going to check the traps on his farm one morning back in 1927. What he found was a far bigger prize than any pelt, for what was under his farm was more important than what was above ground…
He was one of the wealthiest men in America. Yet almost everyone that ever worked with him would tell you that money didn’t change him. He cared about his employees and his customers and it showed in the way he lived life…
It you walked into a business that had just remodeled its space and noticed the floor tiles did not match, you might think the owner was cheap or the contractor didn’t know what they were doing. It turns out, the fact the flooring didn’t match here told you a lot about the owner and the future of his fledgling business…
It’s said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Perhaps that’s how Sam should have regarded the fact that his lease was not renewed and someone else took over the business space. But the setback was only temporary…
Every fall there is a round-up of the herd here just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. You can even bring a horse, or rent one and help corral hundreds of bison roaming one of the largest islands in the nation…
Until the 1960s, ranchers took animals by a barge from the mainland to this island for grazing. The vast rangeland was difficult to reach and winter storms could produce swells of ten feet or more on the lake. Yet, ranching continued here for well over a century…
Jeremy Shaw is responsible for patrolling a lake larger than the state of Rhode Island. It’s a unique place that’s been drawing curious visitors here for thousands of years…
Fourteen Americans have won an Olympic gold medal in individual figure skating. For Scott Hamilton, his gold medal is just a footnote in a story that has led him through ups and downs to the happiest moment of his life…
Many athletes have stories of overcoming failure in order to reach triumph. For Scott Hamilton, the journey to a gold medal seemed to be leading to heartbreak and his family to bankruptcy…
Scott Hamilton was never supposed to accomplish much in sports, let alone win a gold medal. In fact, the way he got involved in ice skating was quite by accident. This is the story of a child who’s doctor prescribed an ice rink…
The most trusted man in America. That’s quite a title and it was often used when referring to a broadcaster who was born in St. Joseph, Missouri. Today we take a trip to a place that remembers his broadcasts and reminds us about the early days of television news…
We live in a time when some folks love to throw around the term, “fake news.” Perhaps it’s warranted in some cases, but let me take you to a place where the news was delivered in an era when people thought the broadcaster was fact-based and trusted…
The schoolhouse in Nome, North Dakota saw its last students in 1970. The old building would have been demolished a few years ago if not for two ladies who had an idea. Today that idea has people literally coming from all points in the nation to experience a unique business venture…
When your sales increase to the point you need to expand your business, that’s usually a good thing. That was the case for Theresa and Chris, but the larger building they desired for expansion was a bit out of the ordinary…
He is the biggest steer on record – a beef that was over 16 feet in length and weighed well over two tons. In fact, he was such a site to see, the city of Kokomo, Indiana made sure you can still see him today…
Some people have a green thumb, and it certainly seemed the farmers in southern Minnesota were experts at growing peas. Large beautiful peas. Peas so large and so good that they really needed to be differentiated from all others. How did they do it?
In a moment I’ll take you to a small room, about the size of a large walk-in closet, that’s insured for 25 million dollars. What’s in it? Not jewels or gold or anything technological. Rather it’s something rare, old and one of the few places in the world where the public can come and see it…
Maybe you had a piggy bank as a child, or perhaps you still do. In a moment I’ll take you to the place where the piggy bank was born. It all began with a boy, a pig and an important need in the world…
It was Ray’s first time in the Oval Office and he did not want to mess up his presentation. He thought all was going well until the president made a move that seemed to indicate the meeting was coming to a swift end…
We know the words of “’twas the night before Christmas;” words that helped solidify the image of Santa over 200 years ago. Here’s the the place that marks the beginning of their story…
If Santa Claus needed a place to buy all of his decorations, this would be it. It’s big business in small town Michigan and it brings Christmas cheer every day of the year…
For three years, 3500 soldiers served alongside one another in Utah Territory. It was the largest military outpost in the country. But within a matter of months, the place would become a virtual ghost town and those same soldiers would be fighting one another…
In the summer of 1858 U.S. soldiers went to Utah to put down a supposed Mormon rebellion. However, their three year stay in the Utah territory saw no military action. Some believe it may have all put a ruse to help the cause of the Secretary of War…
In 1857 rumors of rebellion made it to the oval office. President James Buchannan ordered troops to head to the trouble spot. Soon one third of the entire nation’s army was on the move to squash the rebels…
If you live in or near a very small town, it’s a big blow when you lose your grocery store. It’s rare that one ever comes back to fill that void. But that wasn’t the case for this town. They found a unique way to pull their resources to create even more than what they may have imagined…
Sometimes you need a good friend. In this case, the good friend is the entire town. After all, it’s in their name…
This FFA advisor found a fund raiser that was so successful, he had to quit teaching just to operate the new business. It’s a venture still doing well over 50 years after it was founded…
Today messages can be relayed to a military patrol within a split second. But in the 1860s, it took a scouting party to track down soldiers on the high plains. Those trips could take days or weeks and could be very dangerous. This is the story of one such patrol delivering messages to George Armstrong Custer…
The first operational helicopters took flight in the 1930s. Widespread production of the aircraft didn’t occur for another decade after that. However, inventors were experimenting with prototypes for much of the early 20th century. The first patent was for a craft here on the high plains…
It was proclaimed the Cowboy War by national newspapers. It was truly a battle that required some of the biggest names in law enforcement to head to a couple of towns in western Kansas to try and keep the peace before a vote to determine the place to be named the county seat…
I’ve heard several stories over the years about towns fighting to be proclaimed the county seat in the early years of settlement. But in western Kansas you’ll find a county where that decision was more than a fight, it was a battle between towns that left people dead in the streets…
In an era when most farm boys completed eighth grade at most, this family saw something in their son that led them to help him go to high school and college. In turn, his work saved the lives of millions and earned him a Nobel Peace Prize…
The old farmhouse that sits about a dozen miles south of Cresco, Iowa that probably appears a lot like other homes built in the Depression era. The barn still stands and a row of trees provides a windbreak. Take a closer look and you’ll learn that not just any farmer lived here. His work impacted the world…
She was built in 1854 and one hundred years later she was still serving in the U.S. navy. We get the story of a ship that served in the Civil War and WW II…
A trip to the Baltimore harbor will provide you a glimpse of many ships. But it is perhaps the oldest one in the harbor with the biggest story. She is the last surviving ship from the Civil War and today we go on board to get part of her storied history…
When Japan surrendered to the U.S, Americans rejoiced to know that the conflict was coming to an end. Buried in the news that very same day was one of the most sobering stories of the war. It was the story of a ship that was missing…
We’ve shared many stories of veterans on this show over the years. All are important stories, yet this one stands out. It is the story of survival and overcoming one of the worst loss of life at sea in American history…
As August of 1945 neared, one ship took a top secret cargo across the Pacific. But for the men of the U.S. Indianpolis that shipment would soon overshadow their own fate…
He grew up in the heart of the Midwest but during world war II his life at sea would become one of the most important stories of survival to ever be told…
Today we associate the Pilgrims with the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts. However, the landing spot was a bit accidental…
It just happened to be a ship that was available to sail, but the ship that was chosen is still known by us today. Its...
It was a mail shipment so large that it overwhelmed a tiny post office and caused the postal service to rewrite its rules. In fact,...
If you need to ship 40 tons of bricks, you of course use…parcel post. That’s what one man did to construct a two story bank...
Before he was known as Buffalo Bill, he was simply William Cody. We all assume he must have some connection to buffalo to get the...
Almost every American can recite the opening line of this speech. It is perhaps the best known in American history, yet it was one of...
What is the most important document that Christian McWhirter handles at this vault? He admits, the answer may seem boring, but it doesn’t make it...
Although Abraham Lincoln served as president over a century and a half ago, people still are very interested in his speeches, writings and thoughts on...
We know Abraham Lincoln as a great president and orator. However, how much do you know about Lincoln as a mathematician? Perhaps it’s irrelevant, but...
Most people think you need to go to Hawaii to see hula girls. Not so. In fact, it was one very unique hula girl that...
In May of 1945, Dorchester, Nebraska native, Charley Havlat, was killed in action in the European theatre of World War II. His death was one...
The journey from slavery to freedom was one of many challenges for many families in the years following the Civil War. This Nebraska town celebrates...
You may not think of advertising as a work of art. A trip to the farm town of Dorchester, Nebraska may change your mind. What...
You can still find a few old, historic log cabins in this country. Many are museums of early pioneer life. You know you have an...
Abraham Lincoln is known as the great emancipator, a champion of ending slavery in the United States. However, in the fall of 1847 he found...
Pick a paint color or new carpet for your home and it will probably fade over time. However, the paint on these walls looks as...
Babe Ruth and Jack Dempsey were members of this exclusive club, yet they may have never set foot here. It’s a place that was built...
Although his time here in North Dakota was not long if measured in numbers of days, the quality of that time and the impact it...
To date, no U.S. president has been born in North Dakota…but this commander-in-chief’s experiences there may be the reason he achieved the office. The story...
The town of Anoka, Minnesota can make quite a claim. That title traces its history to a twelve year old boy who made a trip...
Anoka, Minnesota had a problem. Every Halloween the local kids were pulling all kinds of pranks – tipping outhouses, turning the cows out of their...
Jim says he’s in the treasure hunting business. He’s looking for items that are worth tens of thousands of dollars and they’re buried in the...
You may have never heard of the Battle of Island Mound. However, what occurred there in the fall of 1862 was more than just another...
Where did the first former slaves take up arms and fight with the Union army? You may be surprised to find them organizing in the...
In the years leading up to the Civil War, counties adjacent to the Missouri-Kansas border saw bloodshed as pro and antislavery forces conducted guerilla attacks...
There’s something odd taking place in the countryside east of Marfa, Texas. It’s been going on for over a century and in that time many...
The courthouse in Presidio County, Texas is a picturesque and historic place to visit. It’s small dome affords visitors views of the surrounding countryside and...
This town in southwest Texas is one of the most remote in the U.S. Some might think that would make it hard to attract people...
In Quartzite, Arizona you can find the grave of Hi Jolly. It’s the Americanized name of a man responsible for transporting many of the supplies...
How do you move people and supplies across a desert? Well, the answer may depend on what desert you are attempting to cross. The U.S....
When you picture steamboats, we may have images of stately paddle wheeled ships moving up and down the Mississippi River. So, it may seem odd...
Every rancher knows they need good fences to keep the herd from running wild on the neighbor’s property. In the 1850s there were not any...
School lunches can be an important part of some kids’ days. In this district, those meals are so important, they ship them several miles by...
Some places are hard to reach. You might need a car, boat or plane to get there. Depending on the season here, all three might...
At the northern tip of the state of Wisconsin you’ll find the Apostle Islands. The scenic spot includes several islands surrounded by Lake Superior –...
Today you can find many canoes made from aluminum or fiberglass, but you don’t see many constructed of Birch bark. That fact makes Carl Coster’s...
Normally companies who operate illegally do so by carefully hiding their activities. This company made no such move to operate secretively. Of course it’s easily...
Imagine paddling a canoe for eight weeks, reaching your destination, and then turning around and paddling eight weeks back home. It was reality for the...
What is the most important commodity in the world? There are a variety of answers you might get to that question, but in the late...
This song hit number 12 on the billboard charts 50 years ago, and it’s popularity seems to keep growing. In fact, this town likes the...
So I’ll share a little story about this show. I’ve been doing it 26 years and I travel to all the places we feature. I...
So I’ll share a little story about this show. I’ve been doing it 26 years and I travel to all the places we feature. I...
Some towns take the name of a state. That is the case of Louisiana, Missouri. It is an early Mississippi River town that flourished here...
Some towns take the name of a state. That is the case of Louisiana, Missouri. It is an early Mississippi River town that flourished here...
Spies are supposed to work in secret. After all, it’s usually automatic death or imprisonment if you’re caught. But that was not the case for...
Spies are supposed to work in secret. After all, it’s usually automatic death or imprisonment if you’re caught. But that was not the case for...
We’ve all heard of the Titanic, and many of us know the name Carpathia, a nearby ship that helped rescue some of the ocean liners...
We’ve all heard of the Titanic, and many of us know the name Carpathia, a nearby ship that helped rescue some of the ocean liners...
For communities near a time zone, it can sometimes be confusing which time one is using when hosting an event. In Ft. Pierre, SD most...
For communities near a time zone, it can sometimes be confusing which time one is using when hosting an event. In Ft. Pierre, SD most...
Take a walk around the small historic district in Ft. Pierre, SD and you’ll find some buildings with quite a history. Karl Fisher knows many...
Take a walk around the small historic district in Ft. Pierre, SD and you’ll find some buildings with quite a history. Karl Fisher knows many...
It is perhaps only fitting that right now in Springfield, IL you’ll find an exhibit titled “Stories of Survival” at the Lincoln Library and Museum. ...
It is perhaps only fitting that right now in Springfield, IL you’ll find an exhibit titled “Stories of Survival” at the Lincoln Library and Museum. ...
Concentrate on this piece of geographical trivia. It’s the largest island, in the largest lake, on the largest island, in the largest lake in North...
Concentrate on this piece of geographical trivia. It’s the largest island, in the largest lake, on the largest island, in the largest lake in North...
It takes a boat or seaplane to get to this national park. Those who make the journey are rewarded with a place like none other. ...
It takes a boat or seaplane to get to this national park. Those who make the journey are rewarded with a place like none other. ...
Just about every day there are people driving to this small Iowa town to get their picture taken. It’s not the photographer that’s famous, but...
Just about every day there are people driving to this small Iowa town to get their picture taken. It’s not the photographer that’s famous, but...
Most farmers think of New Orleans as being a major grain handling port – and rightly so. However, for those in the upper Midwest, this...
Most farmers think of New Orleans as being a major grain handling port – and rightly so. However, for those in the upper Midwest, this...
It’s one the largest and busiest ports in North America. That’s saying something when you consider ships can only reach this point ten months of...
It’s one the largest and busiest ports in North America. That’s saying something when you consider ships can only reach this point ten months of...
Before there was a U.S. cavalry, this man was noted to be the top mounted military man in the nation. His skills were so impressive...
Before there was a U.S. cavalry, this man was noted to be the top mounted military man in the nation. His skills were so impressive...
Most of us remember the frontiersman and explorer, Daniel Boone from our history books. However, we may not be familiar with his children and their...
Most of us remember the frontiersman and explorer, Daniel Boone from our history books. However, we may not be familiar with his children and their...
I can attest, to see this animal up close is truly something unlike any other mammal you’ll encounter. Katherine’s job is to get people close...
If an artist painted a picture of his sister and his dentist, you’d probably doubt it would be anything special. Of course, the picture did...
Maybe you live in a city, maybe you don’t, but we usually need to make a trip to the city to sometimes get some of...
Some college degrees would seem to do you more good depending on where you live. Katherine’s degree was in marine biology, but she didn’t live...
Some refer to this place as the Seven Sacred Pools. Make a trip here and you’ll find the true number probably can’t be accurately numbered. ...
There are some places on Earth where you are literally and figuratively closer to the sun, moon, and stars. This place in particular is one...
There are some places on Earth where you are literally and figuratively closer to the sun, moon, and stars. This place in particular is one...
The island of Maui is a place many come to enjoy the beach. But it’s also a place with a volcanic peak that reaches over...
Imagine a fire that could consume about 500 square miles in just four hours. Such a firestorm has not been seen since 1945. It was...
It sounds like the script of an action adventure movie. A wall of fire approaches a city as townspeople rush to board trains that can...
We’re all familiar with Smokey Bear and his warnings to prevent forest fires. But imagine a fire with fuel that had been building, not for...
Some students must ride a bus to school. But imagine a school district where a student might spend nearly six hours simply riding to and...
You may have thought the use of Medicine Men was a thing of the past. Not here. In fact, this man has found the combination...
You may have thought the use of Medicine Men was a thing of the past. Not here. In fact, this man has found the combination...
Clyde McBride may have never imagined he’d be teaching his students about Native American traditions in his High School agriculture classes. However, the intertwining of...
Clyde McBride may have never imagined he’d be teaching his students about Native American traditions in his High School agriculture classes. However, the intertwining of...
There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Matilda Lotz. However, if you happen to find one of her paintings, there’s a good chance it...
There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Matilda Lotz. However, if you happen to find one of her paintings, there’s a good chance it...
Today we sometimes see news coverage of families fleeing their homes with shelling taking place all around them. That story was a reality here in...
Today we sometimes see news coverage of families fleeing their homes with shelling taking place all around them. That story was a reality here in...
In Franklin, TN you’ll find a small, historic home called the Lotz House. Step inside and you’ll learn not only about the family who found...
In Franklin, TN you’ll find a small, historic home called the Lotz House. Step inside and you’ll learn not only about the family who found...
Imagine being an orphan boarding a train on the East Coast, not knowing where your next home might be. That was the case for nearly...
Imagine being an orphan boarding a train on the East Coast, not knowing where your next home might be. That was the case for nearly...
In a restored rail depot building in Concordia, Kansas you can find an intriguing story of nearly a quarter million orphans who found new homes...
In a restored rail depot building in Concordia, Kansas you can find an intriguing story of nearly a quarter million orphans who found new homes...
This is a story about people in small towns who are determined to make good things happen. They may have to overcome challenges but they...
The last steamboats docked here in 1868. In fact, some of theme didn’t make it out of town before the river suddenly changed course that...
If you drive into Forrest City, Missouri these days newcomers might be surprised to learn a couple of facts about this town of about 250...
If you drive into Forrest City, Missouri these days newcomers might be surprised to learn a couple of facts about this town of about 250...
We appreciate the folks listening on KNAB in Burlington, Colorado who helped us with a story that’s nearly a century old in their community. It’s...
We appreciate the folks listening on KNAB in Burlington, Colorado who helped us with a story that’s nearly a century old in their community. It’s...
The general public usually wants its elected officials to be fiscally responsible. But the purchase the commissioners in Kit Carson County made was so over-the-top,...
The general public usually wants its elected officials to be fiscally responsible. But the purchase the commissioners in Kit Carson County made was so over-the-top,...
Today we don’t think much of hoping on an interstate to zip from one location to the next. But a century ago, national highways were...
You’ve probably never heard of a man named Michael Dowling who spent most of his life in southwester Minnesota in the late 1800s and early...
The school closed in the small town of Hanley Falls, Minnesota in the late 1970s. Many people wondered what to do with their old school...
1919 was an important year in Granite Falls, Minnesota. Amidst the hubbub of that year, people at the time wouldn’t have thought that a new...
Many organizations work to raise money for local causes. That is the case for the Kiwanis Club in Granite Falls, Minnesota. However, you may be...
The folks here can tell you the exact date two brothers started, what to them, must have seemed to simply be a side business to...
Prisoners have used many different methods to escape from their cells. A man in this jail crawled through pipes of raw sewage, not once but...
If you seem to be busy, but going nowhere in life, you might be said to be a “hamster in a wheel.” The prisoners of...
There are a lot of studies that show high consumption of sugary drinks is bad for your waistline and your health. But one study actually...
There are a lot of studies that show high consumption of sugary drinks is bad for your waistline and your health. But one study actually...
If someone walked into a restaurant and said, “Shoot me a Waco,” no one would probably know what they meant. They’d actually be asking for...
If someone walked into a restaurant and said, “Shoot me a Waco,” no one would probably know what they meant. They’d actually be asking for...
Today it is just a historic site overlooking the Oregon’s Wilamette River…yet the man who lived here is regarded to have saved the lives of...
Today it is just a historic site overlooking the Oregon’s Wilamette River…yet the man who lived here is regarded to have saved the lives of...
Perhaps you’ve seen the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. But have you see the Liberty Bell in Goessel, Kansas? The version that was crafted by 200...
Perhaps you’ve seen the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. But have you see the Liberty Bell in Goessel, Kansas? The version that was crafted by 200...
This community in central Kansas traces their lineage to the Netherlands, Poland and the Ukraine. During their journey it was a chance meeting with one...
This community in central Kansas traces their lineage to the Netherlands, Poland and the Ukraine. During their journey it was a chance meeting with one...
Life inside a POW camp in Germany was a struggle for survival. Yet inside the barbed wire and the horrific experiences Sy Brenner encountered, there...
Life inside a POW camp in Germany was a struggle for survival. Yet inside the barbed wire and the horrific experiences Sy Brenner encountered, there...
Sy Brenner was an American soldier captured by the Germans and held in a POW camp. He was fearful his captors would learn of his...
Sy Brenner was an American soldier captured by the Germans and held in a POW camp. He was fearful his captors would learn of his...
Sy Brenner served as a medic during World War II. However, he was about to be asked to serve in the role of doctor. He...
Sy Brenner served as a medic during World War II. However, he was about to be asked to serve in the role of doctor. He...
November 29th, 1944 was the night Sy Brenner was killed in action in southern France. At least that’s what many eye witnesses reported. However, his...
November 29th, 1944 was the night Sy Brenner was killed in action in southern France. At least that’s what many eye witnesses reported. However, his...
Imagine looking through 250,000 signatures, in dark narrow passages with a flashlight in an effort to find where one very famous person had left their...
Imagine looking through 250,000 signatures, in dark narrow passages with a flashlight in an effort to find where one very famous person had left their...
There are plenty of caves to visit in this country, but this one just happened to be explored many times by one boy who grew...
There are plenty of caves to visit in this country, but this one just happened to be explored many times by one boy who grew...
Today we call it “ketchup.” But there was once a segment of this nation that knew it as “catsup.” Today we visit with a man...
Today we call it “ketchup.” But there was once a segment of this nation that knew it as “catsup.” Today we visit with a man...
If you are one of those folks who will put ketchup on just about anything, head to Collinsville, IL. If this bottle is full, you...
If you are one of those folks who will put ketchup on just about anything, head to Collinsville, IL. If this bottle is full, you...
Some would say the raid on the Son Tay prison camp in North Vietnam in 1970 was a failure. Yet, the raid has been used...
Some would say the raid on the Son Tay prison camp in North Vietnam in 1970 was a failure. Yet, the raid has been used...
In the fall of 1970, the U.S. military conducted a mission into north Vietnam to rescue about 60 POWs. Terry Buckler was the youngest member...
In the fall of 1970, the U.S. military conducted a mission into north Vietnam to rescue about 60 POWs. Terry Buckler was the youngest member...
What would go through your mind if you were selected for a mission and told your chances for survival were 50-50? Would you back out? ...
What would go through your mind if you were selected for a mission and told your chances for survival were 50-50? Would you back out? ...
Terry grew up during the Vietnam War. As a young man he decided to enter the armed forces. When presented with an opportunity to be...
You know your station has hit the big time when it’s call letters are used for a fictional radio station on a tv show. I...
The radio business has lots of four-letter words. The words I’m talking about are the four call letters by which most stations are known. So...
July 4th, 1776. It’s Independence Day in the United States and one of the symbols of our freedom is the Liberty Bell. But most folks...
In the three days leading up to Indpendence Day 1863, Americans waged the greatest of battles against one another at Gettysburg we taking a look...
Imagine hitting the age to retire and then deciding to volunteer for the army. That is what John Burns did. The military rejected him. but...
How much would you pay for a good cowboy hat? I suppose it depends what you do for a living or if you think you...
In 26 years of doing interviews for this show, John Davis may take the award for the most polite person I have every interviewed. Sure...
Every cowboy needs a cowboy hat. There are plenty of places you can buy a hat, but this small shop in west Texas has quite...
In a moment I’ll take you to a small room, about the size of a large walk-in closet, that’s insured for 25 million dollars. What’s...
As settlers moved from east to west across this continent they were looking for the best route to reach the Pacific coast. Each option had...
The Big Bend region of Texas is a place where mountain chains meet but few people stayed. The land was often a place not settled...
Before Hoover Dam supplied electricity for this region of the southwest, this old powerhouse generated the electricity. In fact, in was the energy from this...
Dinosaurs, caves and safari parks are the things summer road trips are made of. Perhaps that’s why the combination still appears on an old section...
Elmer Long doesn’t manage a national forest, but it may be the most unique collection of trees in the nation. He doesn’t have to plant...
You may have seen folks on tv diving to explore old shipwrecks. Most of the time we may think of those dives taking place in...
Lots of people love to go fishing, and even if you’re one of the folks that doesn’t care much for the pastime, what you’ll find...
One of the most recognizable structures in Duluth, and in the state of Minnesota for that matter, is the famous lift bridge. It traverses the...
The home at of 519 N 3rd Ave. East in Duluth, Minnesota looks much like the ones surrounding it. In fact, you wouldn’t give it...
Robert Zimmerman perhaps sounds like a fairly common name. This young man was born in Duluth, Minnesota, later moving to Hibbing and after high school,...
Every cattleman needs good fences to keep the herd from roaming free. Joe Jeffrey has seen many miles of those fences and he began to...
You can plant a crop in the ground, but without water it will do very little. The farmers of this part of Nebraska knew they...
When the first residents of this area began building bridges to cross the nearby river, they found they often needed a span that stretched over...
It’s been several decades since allied troops landed at Normandy on D-day. Over four thousand men gave their lives that day from many allied nations. ...
Many of those who served in World War II actually joined the armed forces before the tradgedy at Pearl Harbor. Some joined for adventure or...
It’s estimated that over three million military men and women served in Vietnam and neighboring nations during the Vietnam War. About 48,000 died during the...
The development of not only cars, but roads themselves has improved safety and lessened highway fatalities. But in the 1920s building a mile long bridge...
This town has under 2000 residents, yet it hosts thousands of visitors each year and is arguably the most important place to travel for fans...
Dan Rice has traveled the length of Route 66 over two dozen times. It might surprise people that his original inspiration for traversing the nearly...
Today this sign on Santa Monica Pier attracts a steady stream of travelers who pose by it. Interestingly, it’s a replica of a sign that...
In 1926 Route 66 ended at the corner of 7th and Broadway in downtown Los Angles, California. Today, most people will tell you route 66...
We may think of a nature center as a place with an interpretive building and a few wooded acres where one can hike. So when...
Some people have a green thumb, and it certainly seemed the farmers in southern Minnesota were experts at growing peas. Large beautiful peas. Peas so...
In Le Suer, Minnesota you’ll find what appears to be a modest old home sitting on a lot in front of a grain elevator. Unless...
In August of 1883 a tornado hit southeastern Minnesota. It was a devastating event that caused a lot of damage to people and property. Out...
One of this medical doctors first patients when he came to town was a horse. He was glad to treat the horse, but he was...
He was a frontier doctor that found himself in the middle of the Dakota War. His work in that war led him to take a...
Many farms have a long legacy of working the land. Just outside Waupaca, Wisconsin you can find a dairy that traces its history to the...
It’s hard to imagine being held as a prisoner of war and then, after the war, immigrating to the country that held you captive. That’s...
Over the years you’ve heard us feature some towns in the heartland of America that served as POW camps during WW II. Today we head...
Imagine hosting a breakfast so large that you needed to buy pancake flour by the boxcar. That’s exactly what happened here. So why was this...
Sliced bread was born, but there’s much more to this story, including how the new product was received and where we came up with that...
Go down a supermarket aisle and you can find lots of different types of bread. White bread, wheat, honey oat, the list goes on and...
Sometimes movies do more than just bring in dollars at the box office. They occasionally have an impact on the place where they were filmed. ...
There are many towns in the western U.S. that had rough and tumble beginnings. They are places where it was sometimes difficult to determine exactly...
On the north side of the square in Chillicothe, MO you’ll find a small park where some buildings once stood. It’s called Silver Moon Plaza. ...
There is a lot of important military artifacts in this museum and Dr. Robert Smith can tell you why each is very important to the...
If you drive by Junction City, Kansas on Interstate 70 you’ll see the airfield and buildings related to one of the county’s military bases. But...
Imagine flying a plane called the “Super Guppy.” There are only two in existence and one is here for the world to see. As the...
The President of the United States flies in Air Force One…and to some extent they can customize the ride to their preferences. That was the...
In Tucson, Arizona you’ll find a place dubbed “the boneyard.” It’s a military facility that scraps old airplanes. Across the street from that airbase though...
It’s certainly one of the more unique names for a town in the country. Interestingly, no one knows for sure how it got its title...
Lots of people have nicknames. This baseball hall of famer was so proud of his hometown, they inserted it into his name on his plaque...
Normally the taller a tree grows, the deeper its roots sink into the ground. But these trees seem to do just the opposite. Their size...
It’s one of the smallest seeds – in fact, it’s just about the size of a tomato seed. However, what grows from this seed is...
Four times each year a group of people in Perry, Iowa are writing $100 checks to an important local cause of their choosing. They don’t...
It’s called One Hundred Plus for Perry. Although local residents can’t take credit for the idea, they adapted in from other towns to create a...
It took 80 years to build this structure in West Bend, IA and today it is valued in the millions of dollars. However, it was...
It is a story fitting for the message of Good Friday – the story of a priest who recovered from a grave illness and began...
It was a land full of tall grass – a place perfect to graze cattle and set up a ranch. And that’s exactly what many...
If I told you there were people wading the Rio Grande River crossing the border, you might think they were crossing illegally. Here you can...
Terry lives in one of the most remote U.S. towns in the lower 48 states. He didn’t grow up here, but he loves this place,...
Mike would not consider himself a professor, but a trip to this town will find him teaching classes about something he’s been doing just about...
Vending machines have been around for decades, so doing a show about such a machine seems to be nothing extraordinary. But a trip to this...
Normally having the worst house in town would not be a good thing. But when you spell “Worst” w-u-r-s-t, well now you have a place...
John’s father was asked to take a risk free chance on what could be the dream of a lifetime. That small farmer took the opportunity and today a well-known agricultural enterprise continues its proud history from well over a century ago…
It was beautiful artwork that was part of the underground cellars here at Stone Hill winery in Herman, Missouri. But today there is a mystery. While you can still tour those cavernous cellars that are over a century old and still in use, they are still searching for what left during prohibition…
We know that France is known for its vineyards but many of us don’t know that in the mid 1800s an unknown culprit put the future of those grapes in serious jeopardy. It was some folks from Missouri who figured out the mystery and saved the industry…
Mention the town of Hermann, Missouri and anyone who has heard of it will immediately know it’s known for this product. It’s a crop that dates to the founding of this town…
Imagine a competition where you fly a hot air balloon equipped with survival gear over snow capped mountains in the dead of winter. Perhaps it doesn’t sound like the smartest event for one to jump into…but that’s what today’s guest did…
What’s seven stories high and can hold two million light bulbs. It may sound like the set up for a joke…but it’s a real part of Cheri White’s life…
Just about all of us have heard of farm cooperatives and no doubt, many of you listening to this use one or are a member of one or more. Today we look back to a man who had that vision to help bring people together as he saw that need in his own small town…
If you know American history the name Andrew Volstead may ring a bell. This US Representative from small town Minnesota has his name on two important pieces of legislation and there’s a good chance you know them both – but had perhaps forgotten…
Drive into Granite Falls, Minnesota and you’ll soon see that this small town looks a little different than many. You can tell by looking at the streets, the benches and even some of the walls in town. It’s a grassroots effort that has made a big difference here…
In small towns in might be easy to say that things like the arts – galleries, music festivals, sculptors and such are just found in big cities that can support them. But trip here will upend that notion and show you how a small town or city is probably missing out if it’s not considering the arts as a way to revitalize the place…
Gary says people should be wary of realtors who say, “Just make a bid on it.” If you do make a bid – even a low bid – you might just wind up with it. Gary’s bid was the winner, but he had no idea what to do with his purchase…
He is the biggest steer on record – a beef that was over 16 feet in length and weighed well over two tons. In fact, he was such a site to see, the city of Kokomo, Indiana made sure you can still see him today…
Beef producers are usually looking for an efficient, high quality steer to feed. Perhaps there was none better than Ben, for Ben grew faster than any calf anyone had ever seen…
In the short stretch of the Mississppi River where Missouri borders Kentucky is a spot where Civil War strategy was so important, one side stretched a chain across the mighty river to stop all the boats. So how did the plan work?
Imagine boys 11 to 15 years of age going to war. It was reality for these young men and the conditions in which they served were the equivalent of riding inside a floating oven…
Perhaps you’ve heard of the story of the Monitor and Merramack…the first two ironclad ships to do battle in the Civil War…but in a moment you’ll hear a much bigger story of the Civil War navy and the 450 pound cannonballs that were needed to even the match…
You’ll find plenty of wild mining stories in southern Arizona. One of the biggest tales includes a mine where you can still ride the ore cars today…
This state’s government was ready to move out of its temporary home in a downtown hotel. However, the route to building a grand and permanent capitol building still had several hurdles…including a stockyards and a World War…
It’s said, “home is where the heart is.” And in this state it can be said, “The capitol is where the governor decides to put a handmade sign over the door.” Today we head to the hotel room that one governor proclaimed as the seat of government…
Voters often face multiple choices when electing candidates for office. But the residents of this state had a most unique multiple choice question to decide. Which of the following cities should become the capital of the state?
Some people will go to great lengths to create something luxurious. But have you ever heard of someone spending an entire year doing the interior painting for something the size of a large room, but only using turkey feathers as the paint brush?
What is the most powerful steam locomotive in U.S. history? We may say the Big Boy and that answer would get you very close. But if you want to know and see the correct answer, you can come here…
Many towns and cities have restored their old rail depots. That’s the case in Duluth, Minnesota and the building is quite impressive in its own right. Step inside and head down to the tracks you’ll find something world class…
Today we head under ground…both literally and figuratively as we uncover some of this city’s history and dig up some of its interesting stories during the prohibition era…
Beginning in 1920, the 18th Amendment made the manufacture and consumption of alcohol illegal until it was repealed in 1933. During that time something known as a speakeasy became common place…a secret location to get a drink…we head underground…
Americans are familiar with the fate of Custer and his men at the Little Big Horn. It was far from the last conflict between tribes and settlers on the high plains. Today we head to northwestern Kansas…
The Dickerson Park Zoo in Springfield, MO is a great place to come and learn about a variety of animals. One of the very important and challenging tasks the staff veterinarian has here though is caring for raptors that are in danger…
When I was a kid it was a big deal to see a bald eagle in the wild. In fact, I don’t think I ever saw one until I was in my high school years or beyond. Today the populations have risen but there are still challenges…
You have to give Henry Groseclose a lot of credit. Not only did he use his hospital stay to write the entire constitution, bylaws and ceremonies for a national organization, but when he returned home he even shot and stuffed an owl for them…
The week of George Washington’s birthday is annually celebrated as National FFA week. Today we trace the history of the Future Farmers to a small oak table in a classroom on the campus of Virginia Tech university…
Elvis once sang about the jailhouse rock. In fact, many of us know that tune decades after it was first recorded. Who knew it would also become a catchy title for some important work in the state of Missouri…
Randy Hayward says he’s always tried to follow what God wanted him to do with his life. But what happened about three decades ago is still fresh in his mind. It’s seemed God was telling him to go visit a place that seemed a world away from anything he knew…
There were many reason the first pioneers selected specific spots to begin town and cities. It’s easy to find the main reason in Stockton, Missouri – it’s still underneath this town
Today we say hello to our listeners on KYOO in Bolivar, Missouri. Just up the road in Stockton, town residents once prepared to defend their city from raiders sweeping in to do harm to life and property…
February is of course the month noted for love…it’s the month we celebrate Valentine’s Day. There are many weddings that take place during the week of Valentine’s and today we head to a chapel that set a wedding record one February…
This county performs more weddings than any other in the nation. You probably have a good idea where that county might be located, but do you know why it became known as the place to tie the knot?
The local newspaper originally described it as “an eyesore and public laughing stock.” Quite a tagline for a building that became one of the most popular and most photographed places in this state. Where is it and what is it?
Many of us like to reminisce about the way things once were. They do that a bit in White Cloud, Kansas, but one difference is, those memories are being brought back to life…
Maybe you had a piggy bank as a child, or perhaps you still do. In a moment I’ll take you to the place where the piggy bank was born. It all began with a boy, a pig and an important need in the world
We all have causes that are close to our heart – organizations or individuals that we donate to in order to help a need in our community or world. So, on the surface, it wasn’t unusual that young Wilbur wanted to help his mom raise some money for kids who needed help. However, his story from over a century ago is one that lives on today…
When you drive into White Cloud, Kansas, along the banks of the Missouri River, some people will see a ghost town. Others will see a town that is springing back to life. Perhaps both are true at the same time and if you ask Deb Bryan about what’s taking place here, she’ll tell you her personal story of helping restore a place to vibrancy
It may be one of the most famous speeches ever delivered. Even if you know nothing else of about the life of patriot Patrick Henry you probably remember his words: “Give Me Liberty or Give me Death”…
His leadership skills rivaled those of Washington and Jefferson…and his speaking skills were superior…yet when you mention his home of Red Hill…you probably have no idea who he is. That’s because he was on the move much more than the famous residents of Mt. Vernon and Monticello…
Some people like the sun, others like the snow and some need a little of both. But when you live in Ft. Kent, Maine you better like blizzards and bitter cold…because you’ll see plenty of it…
Just as Route 66 is one of the most famous highways in American, this road running up and down the eastern seaboard, is a road with special ties as well. In a moment we’ll head to the end of Route U.S. 1, or is it the beginning?
I had heard stories about the State Bank of Faribault. Sure you can deposit money there and get loans…but it’s everything else that no other bank has. Grizzly bear, deer, museum items AND a beer bottling line that actually sends bottles down the track near where you visit with the tellers…
Today we welcome our new listeners on the Mighty 920, KDHL in Faribault, Minnesota. Across from the radio station you’ll find a bank that attracts some people just to see the interesting items inside – including something called “The Might Faribault” that helped do work on the farm before the days of tractors…
Most cities don’t renovate a Civil War fort that never fired a shot. Then again, one could make the case that because the fort never fired a shot, there was as a city left to renovate it…
This father and son pair both served as the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The son even became vice president of the United States and made an unsuccessful bid for president. Although it’s been over a half century since either was in office, their work can still be seen today…
Great train robberies are the stuff of wild west movies. In real life though, the first such event occurred here. Today we travel to the spot were an infamous gang pulled the rails and waited for a big pay day….
For the past few days we’ve taken a look back at a stop I made in Greenfield, Iowa, home to the Iowa Aviation Museum. You probably never realized how many aviation firsts are tied to Iowa, including a car company that decided to try its hand at making airplanes. Its unique vision is preserved here…
Charles Lindbergh was the first person to fly an airplane across the Atlantic Ocean. But lost in our history books in the name of a man who would most likely have beaten Lindbergh to the prize, if not for a court case that kept his plane from taking off from the very same airport…
Today, aircraft carriers and the planes they transport play a vital role in country’s military might. However, have you ever given any thought to the first brave soul that attempted to take off and land a plane aboard a boat? It takes a courageous or perhaps very crazy individual to try it…
It today’s world of reality television shows, things that once may have seemed quite ordinary have become worldwide hits. One such show is about a pawn shop in Las Vegas, and today we visit with one of the experts from the show that has him appearing on tv screens in 130 nations….
It was Ray’s first time in the Oval Office and he did not want to mess up his presentation. He thought all was going well until the president made a move that seemed to indicate the meeting was coming to a swift end…
During the middle of the farm crisis in the 1980s, those in agriculture lobbied to have a full time staff member to advise the president of the United States on agriculture issues. It was part of the farm bill, but that one measure almost caused the collapse of the entire legislation…
Ray was expecting a call from a guy trying to sell him some firewood. When an unknown number popped up on his cell phone he thought he’d just call back later as he was busy at the time. Turns out someone else was calling. It was the White House…
If you’ve ever flown into the Las Vegas airport, you may have noticed a colorful Cessna airplane hanging from the ceiling over the baggage claim area. Most people think it’s just an interesting prop. However it’s actually a world record holder, for no other manned airplane has ever remained aloft for more continuous days that this one…
What’s the longest time a plane has stayed in the air without landing and with the same two men at the controls? Would you believe the record is over two months in a small Cesna aircraft…
There are only two vertical woolen mills remaining in the U.S. One has been in this town since the days just after the Civil War. Chances are, if you have one of their blankets you’ve kept it – they tend to last a lifetime and the tag on the throw has built a brand…
Paul Mooty says if he drove his own car one day back in 2011 down to Faribault, Minnesota, he might not be the owner of one of the town’s century old businesses. That’s because five minutes into his tour he already knew he was not interested in the place, but since he road with someone else he could not leave. And because he stayed, this mill stayed put as well…
Imagine a time when a horse walked a treadmill to help power the machines that produced wool blankets for early settlers in the days just after the Civil War. This company traces its roots to that horse named Jenny and they still have the harness to prove it…
Imagine being a slave at the beginning of the Civil War only later to have an opportunity to join the Union army and fight back at those who enslaved you. It is here that former slaves joined men from the Union army to wage war in some of the most difficult terrain of the Civil War.
Today it is a beautiful city perched along the hills and rivers of southeastern TN. But during the Civil War, it was the focal point of intense fighting…
In front of the Luna Café, on old route 66 near Mitchell, Illinois, you’ll find a beautifully restored neon sign…the bright lights include a drinking glass with a red cherry that lights up it was a beacon for infamous characters and that lit cherry had extra meaning as well…
There is definitely an art to tracking and calling a wild turkey. Jerry Law had no trouble tracking this turkey. That’s because the turkey’s tracks have been here for nearly a century now. In a moment we visit those old turkey tracks and tell you why Jerry worked so hard to mark the spot so others could see them…