History Dispatches

In 2014, the financially troubled city of Flint, Michigan, began drawing their water from the Flint River - instead of Lake Huron. The move would be a disaster. Over the next decade the city would grapple with water contamination, lead poisoning, Legionnaires disease, and deaths - costing Flint and the State of Michigan more than a billion dollars. Sources https://www.cdc.gov/casper/php/publications-links/flint-water-crisis.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flint_water_crisis Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With the upcoming "Odyssey" movie, by Christopher Nolan, we wanted to ask, is it true? Well of course not. But the background of the story, the Trojan War and the city of Troy, might just have some basis in reality. Because not only have archeologists discovered what they believe to be the real life Troy, but there is also some evidence of a Trojan War. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy https://www.worldhistory.org/troy/ Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Giovanni_Domenico_Tiepolo_-_The_Procession_of_the_Trojan_Horse_in_Troy_-_WGA22382.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On May 27, 1905, the Russian and Japanese fleets faced off in the Tsushima Strait during the Russo-Japanese War. It is the first modern naval battle - and described as the greatest and the most important naval event since Trafalgar - a century earlier. It also ushered in Japan as a world power - and helped sow the seeds of the end of Czarist Russia. This is the story of the battle of Tsushima. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Tsushima https://www.history.navy.mil/get-involved/essay-contest/2020-winners/hageman-cno-essay.html Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Battle_of_Tsushima,_1905_by_Tōjō_Shōtarō.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For untold years the tropical paradise of Lord Howe Island was home to the enormous insect called the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, or Land Lobster - an 8-inch long bug endemic to the island. But they went extinct shortly around 1918 - at least until 2001, when just a few dozen were found on a virtually uninhabitable rock a dozen miles away. Sources "Rediscovery of the ‘extinct’ Lord Howe Island stick-insect (Dryococelus australis (Montrouzier)) (Phasmatodea) and recommendations for its conservation" by David Priddel et al. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-15/lord-howe-island-stick-insect-discovery-balls-pyramid/106381564 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dryococelus Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lord_Howe_Island_stick_insect_Dryococelus_australis_10June2011_PalmNursery.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In World War II the United States took a unique turn in their quest for delivering fast, secret communications in combat situations. This was by using Native American language speakers and translators to deliver simple, yet unbreakable coded messages on the front lines. This is the story of the Navajo Code Talkers. Sources https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/n/code-talkers.html https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/american-indian-code-talkers https://www.intelligence.gov/publics-daily-brief/publics-daily-brief-articles/navajo-nation-inventors-of-the-unbreakable-code https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_talker File:Navajo_Indian_communication_men_with_the_Marines_on_Saipan_landed_with_the_first_assault_waves_to_his_the_beach._-_NARA_-_532526.tif?page=1 Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Paraguay invaded its much larger neighbors in 1864, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay responded in force. For the next five years these nations waged the deadliest war ever seen on the continent. It was a war that saw 20 percent of Paraguay's entire population die. This is the story of the Paraguayan War. Sources https://sas-space.sas.ac.uk/3585/1/B28_-_The_Paraguayan_War_%281864-1870%29.pdf https://read.uolpress.co.uk/read/brazil/section/0c2155f3-0885-42c3-afda-319d122d8b63 Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Batalha_de_Campo_Grande_-_1871.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1882 a 50-year old tortoise from the Seychelles was brought to the tiny island of St. Helena as a gift to the governor. That tortoise, who was later dubbed Jonathan, is still alive and well today, making him over 190 years old, and the world's oldest living land animal. Sources https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/at-190-jonathan-the-tortoise-is-the-worlds-oldest-living-land-animal-180979514/ https://sainthelenaisland.info/jonathan.htm Image by Luke McKernan - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Jonathan_(27242406408).jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1822, a young man, Alexis St. Martin, was accidentally shot in the stomach. Miraculously, he survived, and even more amazing was the hole between his chest and stomach became permanent. This allowed a US Army surgeon - William Beaumont - to spend a decade studying St. Martin’s digestive system, making Beaumont the "Father of Gastric Physiology". This is the very weird story of the gunshot that changed medicine. Sources https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/grisly-story-human-guinea-pig-alexis-st-martin-180963520/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexis_St._Martin https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/probing-the-mysteries-of-human-digestion/ Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:William_Beaumont_painting.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Portrait_of_Alexis_St._Martin,_aged_81_Wellcome_L0011057.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They say absolute power corrupts absolutely. And while that is often true, sometimes you can get someone in power who genuinely wants to help their people. Such was the case with the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius. He was a man who was thrust onto the imperial throne, and forced to spend his time fighting - when all he wanted to do was study philosophy and govern his people. This is the story of Marcus Aurelius: the philosopher emperor. Sources "Ten Caesars: Roman Emperors from Augustus to Constantine" by Barry Strauss Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Aurelius_Antoninus_Augustus#/media/File:Kunsthistorisches_Museum_Vienna_June_2006_048.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In World War II, the allies struggled to fend off U-boat attacks on shipping in the North Atlantic. A major issue was a lack of air support. Planes didn’t have the range to provide protection to the merchant fleets in the icy north. And then, someone had an idea. What if you converted an iceberg into an airbase? And even better - what if you could build an entire aircraft carrier out of ice. This is the story of Project Habakkuk. Sources https://albertaaviationmuseum.com/operation-habbakuk-the-iceberg-aircraft-carrier/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Habakkuk https://www.thealbertan.com/hot-summer-guide/the-iceberg-aircraft-carrier-that-almost-was-albertas-forgotten-wartime-wonder-10781370 https://www.albertaunderwatercouncil.com/single-post/2016/10/10/diving-jaspers-habbakuk-wreck Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Antarctic_Sound-2016-Iceberg_02.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lancaster_Mk_I_gun_positions.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here is a free idea for you. If your sports team is having a bad season and no one is coming to games, throw a cheap beer night! It is a tried and true promotion method and one that the Cleveland Indians implemented in 1974. Specifically a 10 cent beer night. And it worked, drawing a crowd of thousands. The only problem was Cleveland got a little more than they bargained for when the game devolved into a full blown riot. Sources https://clevelandmagazine.com/articles/10-cent-beer-night-an-oral-history-of-cleveland-baseballs-most-infamous-night/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten-Cent_Beer_Night Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Texas_Rangers_run_during_Ten_Cent_Beer_Night.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Turin, Italy, there is a cloth that is one of the most recognized holy relics in Christianity. It is a linen cloth that bears a faint image of a man who appears to have undergone crucifixion. Could this have been the burial robe of Jesus? This is the story of the Shroud of Turin. Sources https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/jesus-burial-cloth-or-medieval-forgery-dna-evidence-further-complicates-the-debate-over-the-shroud-of-turin-180988514/ https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7248/5/1/8 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shroud_of_Turin https://www.shroud.com/ Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Secundo_Pia_Turinske_platno_1898.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few places on Earth remain as mysterious and inaccessible as North Sentinel Island. Deep in the Bay of Bengal and surrounded by tropical waters, this small island is home to one of the world's last uncontacted peoples - the North Sentinelese. They are a people who have fiercely resisted outside contact for thousands of years. Their isolation has sparked fascination, controversy, and endless speculation. Today we explore the history of North Sentinel Island and the people who have chosen to remain apart from the wider world. Sources https://www.andaman.org/book/chapter8/text8.html#sentineli https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/social-sciences-and-humanities/sentinelese https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Sentinel_Island Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:North_Sentinel_Island.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if the highest office in the United States came with a deadly curse? For more than a century, Americans noticed an eerie pattern: presidents elected in years ending in zero seemed doomed to die in office. From William Henry Harrison to John F. Kennedy, the so-called Curse of Tippecanoe - or Tecumseh's Curse - has become one of the most enduring legends in American history. But was this a supernatural act of vengeance tied to the legendary Shawnee chief Tecumseh, or simply a remarkable series of coincidences? In this episode, we explore the origins of the curse, the presidents caught in its shadow, and the strange events that continue to fuel one of America's most chilling presidential mysteries. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_Tippecanoe https://periodicpresidents.com/2013/06/11/what-is-tecumsehs-curse/ Images: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tecumseh02.jpg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Albert_Gallatin_Hoit_-_William_Henry_Harrison_-_Google_Art_Project_(cropped).jpg" Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Take a look at any piece of media about Vikings, or a fantasy world inspired by them, and chances are you are going to see a shield maiden - a female warrior carrying a sword and shield into battle. Were these women truly Viking warriors who fought alongside men in battle, or were they figures born from myth and legend? Ancient chronicles, Norse sagas, and remarkable archaeological discoveries have fueled a debate that continues to captivate historians today. And the question remains - did the shield maiden actually exist? There are no simple answers. In this episode, we venture into the world of the Vikings to separate fact from fiction and uncover the truth behind the legendary shield maidens. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a fire station in Livermore, California, a small light bulb has been glowing for more than a century. Known as the Centennial Light, it has witnessed the rise of automobiles, two world wars, the dawn of the space age, and the emergence of the digital era, all while continuing to shine. Its extraordinary lifespan has made it a symbol of durability and sparked endless questions about how early light bulbs were made and why modern bulbs seem so short-lived by comparison. In this episode, we'll explore the history of the Centennial Light, and the surprising story of a humble bulb that became one of the world's most enduring technological marvels. Sources https://www.centennialbulb.org/docs/centennial%20bulb%20report.pdf https://www.centennialbulb.org/ Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centennial_Light#/media/File:Livermore_Centennial_Light_Bulb.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the evening of May 4, 1886, a labor rally in Chicago's Haymarket Square turned into one of the most controversial events in American history. What began as a peaceful gathering in support of workers demanding an eight-hour workday ended in chaos when a bomb exploded among police officers attempting to disperse the crowd. The blast and the gunfire that followed left 11 people dead and many more injured, sparking a national debate over labor rights, immigration, anarchism, and the limits of free speech. In this episode, we'll examine the events of that fateful night, the highly contentious trial that followed, and the lasting impact of the Haymarket Affair on the American labor movement and beyond. Sources https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/chicago-anarchists-and-haymarket-square-incident/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haymarket_affair Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HaymarketRiot-Harpers.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, none may be more mysterious than the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Described by ancient writers as a breathtaking oasis of terraces, trees, and flowing water rising above the Mesopotamian landscape, the gardens have captured imaginations for more than two thousand years. Yet despite their fame, no definitive archaeological evidence has ever confirmed their existence. Were the Hanging Gardens a remarkable feat of engineering built by a powerful king for his beloved queen, or are they a legend that grew larger with time? And were they even located in Babylon? In this episode, we'll explore the history, myths, and enduring mystery surrounding one of antiquity's most fascinating wonders. Sources "The Mystery of the Hanging Garden of Babylon: An Elusive World Wonder Traced" by Stephanie Dalley Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hanging_Gardens_of_Babylon.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Nov 10, 1975, a storm swept over Lake Superior. For hours and hours, the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald was tossed and battered. Then, a little after 7:00 pm, contact was lost with one of the biggest and most celebrated vessels to ever sail the Great Lakes. This is the story of the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Edmund_Fitzgerald https://shipwreckmuseum.com/edmund-fitzgerald/ Gordon Lightfoot's 'Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuzTkGyxkYI Image: Credit: Greenmars - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edmund_Fitzgerald,_1971,_3_of_4_(restored;_cropped).jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For 335 years the Netherlands - maybe - fought a long, protracted war against the Isles of Scilly, in the English Channel. It would drag on and on, costing a grand total of zero lives, and only ended when someone bothered to figure out if they were actually still at war. The is the story of the 335 Year War. Sources https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/The-335-Year-War-the-Longest-War-in-History/ "Scilly at War" by R. L. Bowley Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Abraham_Willaerts,_First_Dutch_War.jpeg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On July 15, 1799, French soldiers discovered a large stone slab along the Nile Delta. They knew it was something special. But no one at the time realized it was the key to opening up the vast history of ancient Egypt. This is the story of the Rosetta Stone. Sources https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-rosetta-stone https://arce.org/resource/rosetta-stone-unlocking-ancient-egyptian-language/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_Stone Image: @Hans Hillewaert - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosetta_Stone.JPG Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beneath the city of Paris lies a network of tunnels stretching hundreds of miles - many of which are not totally explored. Their origin dates back to the Middle Ages, and today are home to a massive cemetery. This is the story of the Catacombs of Paris. Sources https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/en/history/site-history https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/strange-maps-paris-catacombs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mines_of_Paris Image: Vlastula at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Catacombes_de_Paris.JPG Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On an April morning in Boston in 1966, despite being told she was physically incapable of running 20+ miles, Bobbi Gibb slipped into the crowd of 500 runners. Three hours and 21 minutes later, she became the first woman to ever run the fabled Boston Marathon. Sources https://www.sportsmuseum.org/curators-corner/bobbi-gibb-marathon-pioneer/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobbi_Gibb http://www.runningpast.com/gibb_story.htm Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wooly mammoths are one of the quintessential animals of the Ice Age, and they died out about 10,000 years ago - or so that is what most people think. In reality, not all of them did. In fact a few pockets of mammoths hung on for thousands of years, and didn't die out until after writing was invented and the pyramids were built. This is the story of the last of the mammoths. Sources https://www.science.org/content/article/last-lonely-woolly-mammoths-faced-genomic-meltdown https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(24)00577-4?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%2Flinkinghub.elsevier.com%2Fretrieve%2Fpii%2FS0092867424005774%3Fshowall%3Dtrue https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrangel_Island File:Woolly_mammoth_model_Royal_BC_Museum_in_Victoria.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August of 1969, the festering discontent felt by Irish Catholics in Northern Ireland would erupt into three days of fighting in the city of Derry - in an area called the Bogside. When the rioting was done, the British army was deployed for the first time in more than 40 years - and the Troubles had officially begun. This is the story of the Battle of the Bogside. Sources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2X3Gm7bFdE https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Bogside https://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/3407/battle-of-the-bogside https://alphahistory.com/northernireland/battle-of-the-bogside/ Image: By Adreanna Robson - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Free_Derry_Corner_in_1969.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mary Mallon was a simple cook - no one special. At least until she was identified as the very first asymptomatic carrier of typhoid fever. In her life she unknowingly infected hundreds of people. As a result, she was quarantined against her will for decades. This is the story of Typhoid Mary. Sources https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3959940/ https://medicalmuseum.health.mil/micrograph/index.cfm/posts/2020/typhoid_mary_mary_mallon_salmonella Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Mallon#/media/File:Mallon-Mary_01.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Near the town of Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic is a gothic chapel that many say resembles something out of a horror film. The chapel holds the bones of upwards of 70,000 people. And the bones are the chapel’s furnishings and decorations, including things such as a wreath of skulls, and a chandelier made up of every bone in the human body. This is the story of the Sedlec Ossuary - the Church of Bones. Sources https://horror-world.com/czech-republic-church-of-bones/ https://sedlecossuary.com/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedlec_Ossuary https://www.sedlec.info/en/ Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bones_and_skulls_in_Sedlec_Ossuary_02.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The film industry loves a good war movie. It’s usually a way to put action and heroics on the big screen. As we observe Memorial Day in the United States - which is to honor those who died in the military - we share with you some of our favorite war movies. Sources Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wings_poster.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Jan. 27, 1967, three astronauts boarded Apollo 1 to conduct a launch simulation test. What followed next was one of the most devastating moments in NASA's history. This is the story of the Apollo 1 Disaster. Sources https://www.nasa.gov/mission/apollo-1/ https://airandspace.si.edu/explore/stories/apollo-missions/apollo-1 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_1 Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apollo1-Crew_01.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hygiene is a critical component to one's health. But our understanding of hygiene goes back only to the mid-19th century, where a Bavarian chemist, Max von Pettenkofer, turned hygiene principals from a series of old wives tales to a hard science. This is the story of Max von Pettenkofer, the father of modern hygiene. Sources https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2723483/pdf/12199_2008_Article_BF02898030.pdf https://www.mvp.uni-muenchen.de/en/institute/geschichte/ Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Joseph_von_Pettenkofer#/media/File:Max_von_Pettenkofer2.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1970, a 45 foot long, eight ton whale washed up on the beach near Florence, Oregon. Local officials weren’t sure what to do with the stinking, decomposing whale - so they decided to get rid of it by blowing it up with half a ton of dynamite. This is the story of the Exploding Whale of Florence. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exploding_whale https://www.xplodingwhale.com/ https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/florence_whale_explosion/ https://davebarry.substack.com/p/the-exploding-whale Watch the whale blow up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6CLumsir34 Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early morning hours of April 29, 1903, an enormous landslide in the mining town of Frank, Alberta, swept down the mountainside, killing dozens of people, and leaving half of the town buried. The worst part, if the town had listened to local lore, it could have been preventable. Sources https://www.geoinstitute.org/news/case-study-frank-slide https://ags.aer.ca/our-science/turtle-mountain/frank-slide Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Slide#/media/File:News03a.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In late 1775, British and American forces were locked in a stalemate around Boston. The British were dug in, and the Americans lacked the heavy artillery to unseat them. And that’s when a Boston bookseller - 25 year old Henry Knox - suggested that artillery recently captured at Fort Ticonderoga be hauled overland to Boston. The only problem was that Fort Ticonderoga was more than 300 miles away, and many said bringing 60 tons of artillery over lakes, rivers and mountains - in the winter - was impossible. This is the story of Henry Knox and the Guns of Fort Ticonderoga. Sources https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/guns-ticonderoga https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noble_train_of_artillery https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Knox Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Siegeofbostonartillery.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Military units often have mascots, but not many are as impactful as Sgt. Gander, a massive Newfoundland dog donated to the Royal Rifles of Canada. Sgt. Gander was the quintessential military dog - and his actions during World War II saved many lives during the Battle of Hong Kong. Sources https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canada/sergeant-gander-and-his-handler-memorial https://www.hkvca.ca/cforcedata/indivreport/indivdetailed.php?regtno=X200#gsc.tab=0 Image: Canada. Dept. of National Defense / Library and Archives Canada - https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/fra/accueil/notice?idnumber=3241498&app=FonAndCol&resource=folderlist&ecopy=a116791-v6 Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Oseberg ship is one of the finest surviving examples of a viking longship. It was discovered - along with two bodies - in a large burial mound at the Oseberg farm near Tønsberg, Norway. This is the story of the Oseberg ship - one of the finest relics from the Viking Age. Sources https://www.vikingtidsmuseet.no/english/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oseberg_ship https://www.britannica.com/topic/Oseberg-ship Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Excavation_Oseberg_ship_1.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In late 1867, the Headmaster's house at Christ College, New Zealand, caught on fire. This was not uncommon at the time, but what is uncommon is this fire involved a quack fire chief, false accusations, and a comedy of errors. Sources "College!: a history of Christ's College" by Don Hamilton Special thanks to Taurapa Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gargoyles are creepy. They are twisted, leering, tortured looking statues. Their mouths are often wide open - and serve as the exit of a water spout. So what is the story behind this unnerving bit of architecture? Was the gargoyle a ward against evil? Or was it something more sinister? This is the story of the gargoyle. Sources https://mymodernmet.com/what-is-a-gargoyle/ https://www.ancient-origins.net/artifacts-other-artifacts/gargoyles-0012253 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gargoyle Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In September of 1987 two looters in Goiânia, Brazil, stole an unattended device carrying the highly radioactive Cesium 137. After breaking open the device, the radioactive material spread throughout the city, causing massive panic and taking four lives. Sources https://www-pub.iaea.org/MTCD/Publications/PDF/Pub815_web.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goi%C3%A2nia_accident Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Owney the Postal Dog was a stray terrier mix adopted as a mascot by the Albany, New York, post office around 1887. Owney loved to ride on the mail trains - and went on to travel over 140,000 miles throughout the United States - and even around the world. Sources https://americacomesalive.com/owney-the-post-office-dog/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owney_(dog) Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Illustration_of_Owney_on_Mail_Sack.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Running a marathon is extremely impressive feat, but still fully attainable by most people with some grit and dedication. But its distance - at 26.22 miles or 42.195 km - is a little bit odd. So, why is the marathon as long as it is? That history goes back to a battle fought in ancient Greece, an army running a long distance, and some British royalty wanting to see the start of the race in 1908. This is the history of the marathon. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon https://web.archive.org/web/20080924220856/http://www.european-athletics.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6235&Itemid=2 Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Phidippides.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1920s and 1930s, Anna May Wong, an American actress of Chinese descent, rose to international fame while starring in films such as the Thief of Baghdad and Shanghai Express. Her career spanned vaudeville, film, television, stage, and radio. This is the story of Anna May Wong - Hollywood’s first star of Chinese descent. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_May_Wong https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/anna-may-wong Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anna_May_Wong_-_portrait.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since the birth of cinema, Pirates have been a part of the movies. Good pirates, bad pirates, fun pirates - they come in all shapes and sizes. Today we are going to talk about pirates in the movies - by discussing our favorite - and least favorite - pirate movies of that last century. Sources: the minds of the hosts Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 711, the Moors crossed from Morocco into Spain - conquering all of Portugal, most of Spain, and even parts of France. What followed was a nearly-800 year long campaign by a variety of European kingdoms to expel the Muslim invaders. This is the story of the Reconquista. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reconquista https://www.britannica.com/place/Al-Andalus Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:El_rey_Don_Pelayo_en_Covadonga_(Museo_del_Prado).jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1867, the United States - led by Secretary of State William Seward - agreed to purchase the territory of Alaska from the Russian government - for $7.2m. Many people mocked the purchase - saying the land was useless. They called it "Seward's Folly" or "Seward's Icebox". Little did they understand what had been acquired. This is the story of one of the best buys ever made by the United States government - the purchase of Alaska. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_Purchase https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/treaties/sumners-alaskan-project.htm Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Alaska_purchase.jpg Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just to the east of Athens are silver mines known as the Mines of Laurion. These mines, while abandoned today, were a critical component to the ancient Athenian empire. However, their biggest contribution came in 483 BC, with the discovery of a rich vein, which gave the city a choice: Distribute the profits to the entire city or build a navy. And their choice saved the Athenian Republic. This is the story of the silver mines of Athens. Sources https://sites.google.com/email.wm.edu/tour-of-attika/laurion-silver-mines https://ancient-greece.org/archaeology/lavrion-ancient-silver-mines/ Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SNGCop_039.jpg - Classical Numismatic Group, Inc. http://www.cngcoins.com Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1545, the discovery of silver at the small South American village of Potosi would change the world. Over the next quarter of a century, 150,000 tons of silver would be extracted from the Potosi mines, and silver would fuel Spain’s enormous empire - and facilitate the globalization of the world’s economy. This is the story of the Silver Mines of Potosi. Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every single day has something in common. It has a date, whether that is July 4, October 7, or even the rare February 29. And that is thanks to the calendar, known as the Gregorian Calendar, and used by almost the entire world. Its efficiency and simplicity means that worrying about calendar drift is a thing of the past. But all this goes back to the mid-16th century when many in the Catholic Church were concerned that Easter was getting later and later. So, reform was introduced, and what emerged is the primary calendar used all over the world. This is the history of the Gregorian Calendar. Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off andfree daily greens per box. New subscribers only. While supplies last until 09/27/2026. (See website for more details). Sources https://www.britannica.com/topic/Gregorian-calendar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar Images: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar#/media/File:Christopher_Clavius.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar#/media/File:Gregory_XIII.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregorian_calendar#/media/File:Inter-grav.jpg History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

According to legend, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, there is a monster. It has horns like a deer, terrible red eyes, a long, twisting tail, and is covered in scales. This fearsome creature was seen in 1673 - painted on the bluffs above the Mississippi - by Father Jacques Marquette - one of the first Europeans to travel down the length of the great river. This is the story of the Piasa - the monster of the Mississippi River. Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. Sources https://www.riversandroutes.com/directory/piasa-bird/ https://mythicmississippi.illinois.edu/native-illinois/piasa-bird/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piasa Piasa today: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Piasa-Bird-Alton-IL.jpg History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For several hundred years across the Ohio River Valley a civilization we know as the Hopewell Culture moved a lot of dirt. This dirt was moved into mounds and earthworks built with extreme precision and astounding size. This is the story of the Hopewell Earthworks. Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. Sources https://hopewellearthworks.org/ https://www.nps.gov/hocu/learn/historyculture/hopewell-ceremonial-earthworks.htm History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1769, a Spanish explorer camped under a tall, distinctive redwood tree along the banks of the San Francisquito Creek. Little did he know that tree would go on to become a living landmark - and the namesake for the city that grew up around it. This is the story of El Palo Alto - the tree that would define a community. Sponsor Go to factormeals.com/dispatchespod50off to get 50 percent off and free breakfast for a year. New subscribers only, varies by plan. 1 free breakfast item per box for 1 year while subscription is active. Sources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Palo_Alto http://famousredwoods.com/el_palo_alto/ https://www.savetheredwoods.org/redwoods-magazine/an-enduring-emblem/ Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Evening_passenger_train_on_the_San_Francisco-San_Jose_railroad,_crossing_south_San_Francisquito_Creek.png History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices