All Episodes

Keeping Local News Alive: Interview with Josiah Chatterton of The Forgottonia Times

Designing a Better Rural School with Dr. Cory Steiner

Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #5 – The Republic of Forgottonia (1973)

Childhood on the Farm: Work, Play, and Coming of Age in the Midwest – a Conversation with Author Pamela Riney-Kehrberg

Reimagining History Education in Rural America: A Conversation with Rory Dunn and Dr. Ariel Cornett

How the World’s Fittest Man Was Forged in Forgottonia: A Conversation with Joe Decker

Every County in Illinois: One Teacher’s Journey Across the Prairie State

The Power of Play: How Rural Schools Can Lead the Way in Play-Based Learning, with Lisa Hood and Paul Larson

Classroom Sandboxing in Rural Forgottonia

Fostering Dialogue and Understanding: A Student-Led Conversation with the Smithsonian’s DiDVE Program

Rural Schools & the Future of Career and Technical Education: A Conversation with John Glasgow, Program Director – Rural IL CTE Project

Improving Early Childhood Education in Forgottonia with Birth to Five Illinois: Region 26

Exploring Rural Identity and History with Dr. Pamela Riney-Kehrberg

Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #4 – The State of Chicago (1925)

Election Results in Forgottonia: Trump’s Unprecedented Appeal

Oral History of Forgottonia: Title IX and the First Female Athletes at Cuba High School

Forgottonia at Work: Future Trends and Community Impact

Forgottonia Gazette: Rural Youth Reporting, Issue #1 (Podcast Edition)

The Spread of Self-Absorption in Our Time: How Narcissism is Disrupting Our Sense of Community

Behind the Ballot: Navigating Our Complex Local Government with Fulton County Clerk and Recorder Patrick O’Brian

Oral History of Forgottonia: The Red Brick School in Smithfield, IL – Part 3, Cooper & Sam Interview Nicole Thum

Oral History of Forgottonia: Western Illinois Then, Now, and Beyond – Cadie and Courtney Churchill’s Interview with Former Congressman Bill Edley (Part 2)

Oral History of Forgottonia: Western Illinois Then, Now, and Beyond – Cadie and Courtney Churchill’s Interview with Former Congressman Bill Edley (Part 1)

Oral History of Forgottonia: Was Cuba the Strip-Mining Capital of the World? Braxton Humphrey’s Interview with local mining enthusiast and Retired Teacher Dick Mowery

Oral History of Forgottonia: The Red Brick School in Smithfield, IL – Part 2, Cooper & Sam Interview Marcus Boyer

Oral History of Forgottonia: The Red Brick School in Smithfield, IL – Part 1, Cooper & Sam Interview Lori Noe

Pride in the Countryside: Amber Cannon’s Interview with Libby Lane, Deputy Director of the Rural Assembly

Oral History of Forgottonia: What Insights Can We Gain from the Amish Residents in Our Small Community? Ella Bass Interviews an Amish Mother & Daughter

Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #3 – The Illinois Confederates (1861)

Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #2 – The Rockford Delegation (1846)

Illinois: A State Apart – Episode #1 – Nathaniel Pope (1818)

Are We Social Animals? Exploring the Power of Social Connections

Is American Society “Coming Apart”

Are We a Nation of Strangers Living Amidst a Fading Sense of Place?

How the 1024 Movement is Helping Youth Prioritize their Mental Health

10 Obstacles Facing Community Builders: An Introduction to our “On Community” Series

DND Minipod – Chapter 4: Hollywood Westerns & Primary Sources

New Philadelphia Earns National Park Status: An Update with Marynel Corton

Oral History of Forgottonia – The Protests at Dickson Mounds by Ella Bass

Oral History of Forgottonia – How Fulton County Was Divided During the Civil War: Jayson Stead’s Interview with Tim Roberts, WIU History Professor & author of “This Infernal War”

Oral History of Forgottonia – Fulton County, Abe Lincoln, and the Civil War: Jayson Stead’s Interview with Rick Klinedinst

Oral History of Forgottonia – Getting to Know Forgottonia’s Governor: Cadie & Courtney Churchill Interview with John Marshall

Oral History of Forgottonia – Railroads in Western Illinois: Gavin Johnson’s Interview with Local Railroad Enthusiast Bill Leitze

Oral History of Forgottonia – Mining in Western Illinois: Braxton Humphrey’s Interview with David Lidwell

Oral History of Forgottonia – Experiencing a Rural School Closure: Cooper Leonard’s Interview with Retired Principal Daryle Coleman

Oral History of Forgottonia – Dr. Francis Regnier: The Forgotten Hero of New Salem, by Amber Cannon

Dime Novel Desperados – Chapter 4: Law & Order and Prison Life

Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 6: The Strange Tale of James Spiva

Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 5: The Scotch-Irish in Illinois, 1818-1885

Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 4: Interview with author Michael Kleen

Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 3: African American Folk Magic in Illinois, 1701-1800

Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 2: The Influence of England & Colonial America

Witchcraft in Forgottonia – Episode 1: How do we know what we know?

DND MINI-POD – Chapter 3: Hollywood Westerns & Primary Sources

Dime Novel Desperados – Chapter 3: The Maxwells in McDonough County

Dime Novel Desperados – Chapter 2: The Maxwells in Troubled Fulton County

DND MINI-POD – Chapter 1: Hollywood Westerns & Primary Sources, with musician & local historian Chris Vallillo

Dime Novel Desperados – Chapter 1: The Maxwell Family Moves West

DND MINI-POD – Introduction: Hollywood Westerns & Primary Sources

Dime Novel Desperados – Introduction – Welcome to the World of the Maxwell Brothers: An Introduction to DND w/author Dr. John Halwas

S4, E5 – Forgottonia and the 2020 Census: What the Numbers Reveal about Population, Education, Poverty, Race, and more

S4, E4 – Mini-Pod: Upcoming Plans for the Forgottonia Project in 2022

S4, E3 – Hypercapitalism: What is it and Why Rural Americans Should be Concerned, With author and psychologist Tim Kasser

S4, E2 – The New Philadelphia Story, with Marynel Corton

S4, E1 – The Mystery of Cahokia Mounds with Archaeologist Bill Iseminger

S3, E6 – Saving Lives in Forgottonia: How One Rural Community is Creatively Funding and Staffing its First Responder Program

S3, E5 – The Music of Forgottonia: How Local Musician Chris Vallillo Captures the Sounds of the Rural Midwest

S3, E4 – Sociology and Self-Care with WIU Sociology Instructor Alyssa Hall Anderson

S3, E3 – What a Small Town Yoga Studio is Doing to Improve Well-Being in Forgottonia – Interview with Lyndsey Larson, Manager of The Breathing Tree

S3, E2 – Understanding the Rural Opioid Epidemic – Interview with Sue Tisdale, Harm Reduction Outreach Coordinator

S3, E1 – How the IL Humanities is helping to Bridge the Rural-Urban Divide – with Matt Meacham, Program Manager, Statewide Engagement IL Humanities

S2, E9 – The Incredible Story of Camp Ellis: Part 2 – What is the Legacy of Camp Ellis?

S2, E8 – The Incredible Story of Camp Ellis: Part 1 – What are the Misconceptions about Camp Ellis?

S2, E7 – What the Salvation Army is Doing to Help the Most Vulnerable Rural Americans

S2, E6 – The Rural Youth Assembly Summit with Kaylann Beekman

S2, E5 – Roads, Higher Ed, & Racism – Students ask the IIRA

S2, E4 – What are the Challenges to Running a Business in Rural America, with Chris Merrett, IL Institute for Rural Affairs

S2, E3 – Forgottonia Brewing: What Does it Take to Run a Successful Business in Rural America?

S2, E2 – Sundown Towns: What is the Legacy of Sundown Towns in Rural America? Part 2 of our conversation with author James Loewen

S2, E1 – What Are Sundown Towns, with author James Loewen

S1, E13 – Media and Children’s Well-Being: How is Screen Time Impacting Our Kids? A Presentation by author Tim Kasser

S1, E12 – Parent Panel on Technology: What Advice can Parents Offer about Raising Kids in the 21st Century?

S1, E11 – Student Panel on Technology: How are Young People Using Technology in the 21st Century?

S1, E10 – Conversations on Race and Rural America: How Should We Respond to Disparaging Humor About Race? Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Alphonso Simpson

S1, E9 – Conversations on Race and Rural America: How Do We Talk About Race in Rural America? With Dr. Alphonso Simpson

S1, E8 – The Gender Gap: What are the Greatest Concerns for Young Women Growing Up in Rural America? With Carol Davis

S1, E7 – Panel Discussion on Poverty in Rural America: How Do We Address the Stereotypes?

S1, E6 – Education Puts Food on the Table: What Can We Do About Job Loss in Rural America? Part 2 of our Conversation with Dr. Trenton Ellis

S1, E5 – Value Pollution: Why Should We Ban Advertisements in School?

S1, E4 – Well-Being: Are We Happier in a Small Town? Conversation with author & Psychologist Dr. Tim Kasser

S1, E3 – Job Loss: Why Are So Many Jobs Leaving Rural America? Conversation with Dr. Trenton Ellis

S1, E2 – Is Child Abuse in Rural America Worse Than Ever?

S1, E1 – A History of Forgottonia: What was the Forgottonia Movement About?