The Polaris Expedition - One episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 16, 2025 · 28 MIN

The Polaris Expedition - One

from Tales of History and Imagination · host Simone Whitlow

This week On Tales we travel back to 1871, to take a journey to the top of the world. Our intrepid hero, Charles Francis Hall has dreams of becoming the first man to stand on the North Pole - but dreams can sometimes go horribly awry. Just what happened to the Polaris Expedition?  This is part one of a two parter (part two will follow after we take a brief intermission for a Halloween special episode.)  Content warnings: Death. Gun violence.     Sources Include: Fatal North by Bruce Henderson. Arctic Experiences… by Euphemia Blake  The Arctic Grail by Pierre Berton This New York Times article on John Torrington (that, shockingly, was not behind a paywall) by Leanne Shapton Support Tales on Patreon for $2 US a month and get access to exclusive content, or Try our 7 Day Free Trial.  Please leave Tales a like and a review wherever you listen. The best way you can support us is to share an episode with a friend - Creative works grow best by word of mouth. I post episodes fortnightly, Wednesdays.   Tales of History and Imagination can be found on… | Facebook |TikTok | Threads | YouTube | Bluesky |      

This week On Tales we travel back to 1871, to take a journey to the top of the world. Our intrepid hero, Charles Francis Hall has dreams of becoming the first man to stand on the North Pole - but dreams can sometimes go horribly awry. Just what happened to the Polaris Expedition?  This is part one of a two parter (part two will follow after we take a brief intermission for a Halloween special episode.)  Content warnings: Death. Gun violence.     Sources Include:Fatal North by Bruce Henderson.Arctic Experiences… by Euphemia Blake The Arctic Grail by Pierre BertonThis New York Times article on John Torrington (that, shockingly, was not behind a paywall) by Leanne Shapton Support Tales on Patreon for $2 US a month and get access to exclusive content, or Try our 7 Day Free Trial.  Please leave Tales a like and a review wherever you listen. The best way you can support us is to share an episode with a friend - Creative works grow best by word of mouth. I post episodes fortnightly, Wednesdays.   Tales of History and Imagination can be found on… | Facebook |TikTok | Threads | YouTube | Bluesky |

NOW PLAYING

The Polaris Expedition - One

0:00 28:36

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Tales of History and Imagination?

This episode is 28 minutes long.

When was this Tales of History and Imagination episode published?

This episode was published on October 16, 2025.

What is this episode about?

This week On Tales we travel back to 1871, to take a journey to the top of the world. Our intrepid hero, Charles Francis Hall has dreams of becoming the first man to stand on the North Pole - but dreams can sometimes go horribly awry. Just what...

Can I download this Tales of History and Imagination episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!