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The Past and The Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families

Mick Sullivan

The Past and The Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families

A History Podcast for Kids! Parents love us, Teachers love us, and most importantly, kids do too!

There are 147 episodes
© Mick Sullivan Episodes: 147 Ages: 6-10, 11plus

Episodes
The most recent appears first.

  • Emily the Cow, Geronimo The Beaver, and the Rostocker Pfeilstorch

    00:18:01 17 June 2026 Listened

    // An escaping cow, Operation Beaver Drop, and a migration mystery solved by a bird with a spear - all on this episode of Important Animals From History - Volume 4! //

  • Lost Woods and Found Amendments

    00:32:58 31 May 2026 Listened

    // The story of the Lost 40 - an old growth forest in Minnesota that got lost for nearly a century thanks to a surveying error. We're talking lumberjacks, old growth trees, and silly mistakes.… //

  • Animals Vol 3: Signalman Jack, Cacareco, and Pickles!

    00:17:07 18 May 2026 Listened

    // Signalman Jack was a baboon who worked in the railway in South Africa.… //

  • Past Scent (and Other Senses)

    00:34:14 30 April 2026 Listened

    // How did an extinct flower not seen since 1881 wind up being the subject of a modern day project to recreate a scent from the past? It was a long path from Dr. Charles Short in the 1860s to Dr. Christina Agapakis in the 2010s. //

  • Animals: Mrs. O'Leary's Cow, Vic the Cat, and Mungo the Squirrel

    00:16:48 16 April 2026 Listened

    // The Second volume of Important Animals From History, from an upcoming book by Mick Sullivan. //

  • Hidden and Lost

    00:34:20 31 March 2026 Listened

    // The Amber Room was a feat of artistic ability (and a lot of money) but after WWII it has disappeared entirely. Have you seen it? //

  • Important Animals in History Vol. 1

    00:16:23 16 March 2026 Listened

    // The first release teasing Mick's upcoming book! This episode features three animals of note: Clara the Rhino, Mozart's Starling, and a whale named Mocha Dick. //

  • Life Savers

    00:33:06 28 February 2026 Listened

    // Carolin Hampton needed to pioneer rubber gloves int he operating room after Joseph Lister's big ideas. //

  • Peanut Butter and Jelly

    00:35:43 28 January 2026 Listened

    // You might be surprised to learn the history of the iconic sandwich and all of the ingredients that go into the recipe. First published in 1901, the availability of peanut butter, jelly and sliced bread has changed a lot over the years. And that's great, so let… //

  • Misers

    00:30:44 29 December 2025 Listened

    // Two misers for the price of one!… //

  • Art Spies and Underwater Toilets

    00:31:50 30 November 2025 Listened

    // Two fascinating stories from World War II. One is about Rose Valland, a French woman who worked as a spy in Nazi-occupied Paris. Her bravery saved thousands of works of art, many of which were returned to the families who originally owned them.… //

  • Moving Water

    00:33:42 31 October 2025 Listened

    // The Erie Canal and The Chicago River were two of the most impressive engineering feats in history.… //

  • Kids Listen Big Emotions

    00:22:26 27 October 2025 Listened

    // We're a part of Big Emotions this week! We’re feeling all squishy this week, as we dive into two of the strongest emotions of all. Love is powerful, joyful, and comforting - and when it changes or we feel its absence, sadness often follows. Sadness can feel he… //

  • Halloween Special: Twain's Ouija Novel

    00:22:32 15 October 2025 Listened

    // Did a no-longer-living Mark Twain send a novel from the great beyond with a Ouija Board? Find out about the real story with help from our pal Nate DuFort of the podcast, Unspookable. //

  • Very Hairy

    00:36:24 30 September 2025 Listened

    // Episode 110! Peter the Great, The Hairy Eagle and more!… //

  • Handwritten

    00:33:22 29 August 2025 Listened

    // Episode 109 tells the story of Lincoln's the speech Lincoln lost before his inauguration in 1861. //

  • Lost Bones

    00:32:28 30 July 2025 Listened

    // Composer Joseph Haydn is buried with two skulls. You'll never believe why (hint: it has to do with phrenology). //

  • Mountains To Climb

    00:31:25 30 June 2025 Listened

    // Henriette D'angeville was the first woman to climb Mount Blanc in the Alps, despite everyone advising her not to try it.… //

  • Electric Kids

    00:34:00 30 May 2025 Listened

    // Philo Farnsworth loved electricity so much he came up with a way to invent television - as a 14 year old!… //

  • Good Things to Eat

    00:34:39 29 April 2025 Listened

    // This episode will make you hungry! //

  • One Year, Two Hoaxes

    00:34:21 Episode 104 29 March 2025 Listened

    // The year 1917 gave us both the birth of the Cottingly Fairies and the silly fake history known as the Bathtub Hoax. //

  • Moving Stuff Around - Hi Jolly and Elisha Otis

    00:31:31 27 February 2025 Listened

    // A man named Hadji Ali, but known as Hi Jolly, was an important figure with the US Army's short lived Camel Corps, and his legend lives on today.… //

  • Banneker's Clock and Pearse's Plane

    00:33:29 29 January 2025 Listened

    // Two guys who grew up on farms. Both were tinkerers.… //

  • Oceans to Cross with Tori Murden-McClure

    00:52:27 29 December 2024 Listened

    // Episode 101 tells the story of Tori Murden-McClure's solo row across the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to her story, hear her speak with Mick on the 25th anniversary of her successful solo crossing.… //

  • Animal Surprises

    00:45:35 30 November 2024 Listened

    // Episode 100, y'all! Beautiful Jim Key was born sickly and weak, but became world famous and is remembered as the smartest horse in the world. His training and care came from a former enslaved man named Doctor William Key, and together, they made a profound imp… //

  • Bone Wars and The Ghost Town Rhyolite

    00:36:09 30 October 2024 Listened

    // Our 99th Episode!… //

  • A Very Special Desk - an Election Season Special Episode

    00:26:39 17 October 2024 Listened

    // The Resolute Desk is a fixture in the Oval Office. American Presidents have used it during some of the country's most pivotal moments. But what does the Resolute Desk have to do with England's dangerous expeditions into the Arctic in the 1800s? Find out on thi… //

  • Microscopes and Telescopes

    00:35:37 30 September 2024 Listened

    // Episode 98 goes to the Netherlands. There is something remarkable about the Dutch when it comes to glass lenses and scientific tools. Maybe Hans Lippershay invented the telescope. Maybe it was some kids in his town. Or maybe it was one of two other guys who se… //

  • I Scream for Ice Cream

    00:30:57 31 August 2024 Listened

    // Episode 97 is all about ice cream. Eat it anytime of year - it's a treat that we might take for granted today. It used to be expensive, impossible, or potentially dangerous. From George Washington to Edmund Albius to Nancy Johnson to the Hokey Pokey Man, the s… //

  • No Chill - Pioneers in Ice

    00:28:44 16 August 2024 Listened

    // Episode 96 is all about Ice - in preparation for our following episode about Ice Cream.… //

  • International Games: Field of Cloth of Gold and Olympic Marathon

    00:34:57 29 July 2024 Listened

    // Episode 95 covers two great stories of international competition. First, The Field of Cloth and Gold was a historic summit that brought together Henry VIII and Francis I with the hopes of peace, competition, and maybe a bit of wrestling.… //

  • Park People

    00:36:59 28 June 2024 Listened

    // Minerva Hoyt was a wealthy socialite who loved to escape to the desert of California and sleep in the sand. Her hard work and dedication in convincing people about the value of the desert led to preservation of today's Joshua Tree National Park.… //

  • Bad Milk

    00:38:00 27 May 2024 Listened

    // Episode 93: Milk has been a lot of things through the years, but it was often poisonous, spoiled or both. Learn about how far we've come in making milk safe, and who may or may not have helped us get to the root cause of what was making milk dangerous.… //

  • Donuts and Cheese

    00:36:03 29 April 2024 Listened

    // Did Captain Hanson Gregory invent the donut? Did the Lord Mayor of Nottingham get trucked by a truckle of cheese during the Nottingham Cheese Riots of 1766? Find out in this very special episode. //

  • Librarians!

    00:36:58 29 March 2024 Listened

    // Episode 91 is about Anne Carrol Moore and The Western Library!… //

  • The Meatshower Part Two (Electric Burgoo)

    00:33:55 2 March 2024 Listened

    // In The Meatshower Part 2 (Electric Burgoo) the saga continues. Originally we aired a segment in 2019 to coincide with Mick's book "The Meatshower: The Mostly True Tale of an Odd and (Somewhat) Edible Occurrence," and since then, new information has come to lig… //

  • What Time Is It?

    00:33:55 25 February 2024 Listened

    // Episode 89 looks into the origin of time zones in America and Daylight Saving across the globe. There's bugs, sunburns, train crashes, dropping timeballs, and smashed pocket watches. //

  • Forten and Frank

    00:35:43 29 January 2024 Listened

    // Episode 88 features two incredible Black Americans who were friends born in the 18th Century. James Forten (1766-1842) was a Revolutionary War Veteran who owned one of America's most successful sail-making companies. He was also influential abolitionist and ea… //

  • Potatoes and Rocks

    00:31:11 28 December 2023 Listened

    // Episode 87: Potatoes and Rocks… //

  • Walt and Dr. Mary

    00:34:15 28 November 2023 Listened

    // Walt Whitman was inspired after hearing Ralph Waldo Emerson speak, and self-published a book of poems he would continue updating for his entire life. When not writing poetry, he worked as a nurse during the Civil War, and published some unusual exercise advice… //

  • Listen Now: ‘Tis The Grinch Holiday Talk Show

    00:05:17 15 November 2023 Listened

    // Cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel, he’s your new favorite snarky talk show host. Join The Grinch (and his faithful dog Max) each week as he rants against Christmas cheer and roasts celebrity guests like chestnuts on an open fire. Starring Saturday Nigh… //

  • In A Cave

    00:34:05 30 October 2023 Listened

    // Stephen Bishop was an enslaved man who became one of the most famous tour guides in the world. His unusual grave stands near Mammoth Cave National Park. //

  • Walkin' (Part Two)

    00:33:06 12 October 2023 Listened

    // Episode 84 is more tales of walking. Meet competitive and record setting pedestrians like Robert Barclay Allardice, Ada Anderson, Edward Payson Weston, and Haitian-American walking super-star Frank Hart.… //

  • Walkin' (Part One)

    00:33:14 27 September 2023 Listened

    // Episode 83 features the stories of two unusual men who walked a lot. One was a mysterious man in Northeastern America who spoke to nearly no one for years, despite walking a monthlong circular path. He was known as The Old Leatherman.… //

  • Rail Tales

    00:35:13 28 August 2023 Listened

    // Episode 82 features the story of the Transcontinental Railroad, including the famous Golden Spike. Also in this episode is the story of Joseph Kekuku, a boy from Hawaii who changed music after being inspired by a random occurrence, possibly involving another r… //

  • Obelisks: Tall and Sometimes Stinky

    00:34:28 26 July 2023 Listened

    // Episode 81: The Washington Monument is just one of many Obelisks in the world. Somehow several originals from Egypt have wound up all over the globe. And they inspired a stinky imitation in Australia, known as Thornton's Scent Bottle.… //

  • The Power of Plants

    00:34:19 28 June 2023 Listened

    // Episode 80: Fabian Garcia, changed agriculture (and people's taste) with his ground breaking New Mexico No. 9 Chile, which is the genetic ancestor of nearly every chile grown in southwest America today. His dedication and intelligence with plants changed lives… //

  • Stars Fell

    00:36:19 26 May 2023 Listened

    // Maria Mitchell was the first American to discover a new comet, which brought her great fame, but her career in the 1800s as a professor at Vassar College left her greatest legacy. In the next century, Ann Hodges was not looking to get involved in objects from … //

  • Imperfect Pitch

    00:35:52 28 April 2023 Listened

    // Melly Victor of Stoopkid Stories joins us for the story of Ella Fitzgerald's first performance at the famous Apollo Theatre. Also, we talk about the history of tuning, how the Treaty of Versailles that ended World War I also tried to standardize musical tuning… //

  • Strange Place for a Steamboat

    00:32:14 29 March 2023 Listened

    // The Virginia became a major attraction when it got stuck in a cornfield, which is a place a boat does not belong. Also, The Meachums escaped slavery, and educated hundreds of children in a school known as the Floating Freedom School. Their school in a steamboa… //

  • Wright Brothers and Sister and a Smithsonian Spat

    00:33:55 27 February 2023 Listened

    // The Wright Brothers became the first to fly a controlled powered aircraft with a pilot onboard, but just a few days before, Smithsonian Secretary James Langley almost beat them. His failure didn't stop the Smithsonian from claiming the first flight. But Orvill… //

  • Underwear Roundup with Benedict Arnold, Abram Spanel and the Playtex Space Suit

    00:31:31 30 January 2023 Listened

    // Here's two more underwear stories that aren't in the the book I See Lincoln's Underpants (which is now available!) First Benedict Arnold betrays the American Army but gets caught thanks to something hiding in someone's underwear. Also When NASA planned to get … //

  • Underwear Chronicles Fourteen: Al Capone

    00:17:46 17 January 2023 Listened

    // The last installment of The Underwear Chronicles - to celebrate the release of I See Lincoln's Underpants now available from booksellers!… //

  • Eggs!

    00:29:14 29 December 2022 Listened

    // In the 2000s an anonymous American man found an egg worth millions. It was a Faberge Imperial Egg and it's story is fascinating. This episode traces the origin of the Faberge Eggs, and also the story of how it wound up in a kitchen in America’s Midwest. Also, … //

  • Video Games!

    00:31:19 28 November 2022 Listened

    // Episode 73: Ralph Baer fled Nazi Germany and settled in America where he eventually created the first home video game console, known as the Magnavox Odyssey. Not long after Ralph's creation, Jerry Lawson, a Black computer engineer, built on that idea and lead … //

  • Underwear Chronicles Thirteen Garrett Morgan

    00:17:29 20 November 2022 Listened

    // The penultimate episode of The Underwear Chronicles (soon to be the book I See Lincoln's Underpants) revisits inventor and leader Garrett Morgan. We've covered Garrett Before, but not like this!… //

  • Rufus vs. Poe

    00:31:08 27 October 2022 Listened

    // Episode 72: Edgar Allan Poe is about as famous as an author can be, but that might be owed largely to Rufus Wilmot Griswold. Rufus didn't really like Poe and wrote a scathing obituary and biography on the man, creating the dark figure many of us think Poe to b… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Twelve: Buzz Aldrin

    00:17:59 16 October 2022 Listened

    // Episode twelve of the Fourteen episode series features Buzz Aldrin. Buzz had a great nickname and pair of underwear to match it, but things didn't work out the way they were supposed to when he became the second man to walk on the moon - and the first to pee t… //

  • Episode 71: Houdini and Grandma Moses

    00:34:21 30 September 2022 Listened

    // Harry Houdini almost quit and sold his tricks and secrets in 1899. It was good that he didn’t because in the 1900s he became a household name as the greatest escape artist in the world. It was a chance encounter that changed it all. Likewise, Anna Mary Moses w… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Eleven: John Wesley Powell

    00:15:45 19 September 2022 Listened

    // A scientist who lost his arm in the American Civil War wants to conquer The Grand Canyon. He needs a life-saving assist from his friends underwear. //

  • Episode 70: Matthew Henson and Some Bananas

    00:31:31 30 August 2022 Listened

    // Slipping on banana peels was really a thing! Even Theodore Roosevelt got involved! Also, Black explorer Matthew Henson was quite possibly the first man to step on the North Pole. He also crossed paths with Mr. Roosevelt. //

  • Underwear Chronicles Ten: Queen Victoria

    00:16:30 17 August 2022 Listened

    // From Mick's upcoming book (end of 2022) "I See Lincoln's Underpants," this chapter focuses on Queen Victoria's life, preferred underwear, and also a pesky boy who takes to breaking and entering in Buckingham Palace. //

  • Episode 69 Sled Dogs (A Mashup Special)

    00:39:26 30 July 2022 Listened

    // A special mashup with our friends from Cool Facts About Animals. Mick tells the tale of the Great Serum Run of 1925 in two parts. When a Diphtheria epidemic threatens the small and far-off town of Nome Alaska, the only hope to get medicine to the sick is dogs.… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Nine: Otzi the Iceman

    00:13:18 13 July 2022 Listened

    // Who knew an ancient man frozen in his underwear could trigger international conflict? //

  • Episode 68: Lost And Found

    00:29:48 29 June 2022 Listened

    // Two kids, at two time and two places, find two remarkable things. One starts the first Gold Rush in America and the other leads to a Cold War spy ring! The stories of Conrad Reed and Jimmy Bozart - and more! //

  • Underwear Chronicles Eight: Amelia Bloomer

    00:15:20 16 June 2022 Listened

    // Despite being the namesake of an article of clothing that we commonly think of as underwear, Amelia Bloomer did not invent bloomers. To further the cause of Women’s Rights and to fight for the right to vote (in addition to prohibition), Amelia Bloomer ran a ne… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Seven: Annette Kellerman

    00:17:35 29 May 2022 Listened

    // Annette Kellerman was a swimmer from Australia who rose to stardom for her speed and grace, but also changed the world of swimsuits. She once performed in front of England's Royal family, thanks to some clever underwear re-engineering. //

  • Episode 67: Violet Jessop, The Effie Afton, and more Shipwrecks

    00:32:14 29 April 2022 Listened

    // Violet Jessop survived not one, not two, but three shipwrecks involving White Star Line's incredible Olympic-class ships, including the Titanic. The Effie Afton was not so lucky. This steamboat was part of the struggle between railroads and riverboats, and she… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Six: Charles Lee

    00:16:58 19 April 2022 Listened

    // Charles Lee was George Washington's "Frenemy," and his duplicitous behavior got him caught with his pants down. //

  • Episode 66: Weather Wonders

    00:31:08 30 March 2022 Listened

    // Tetsuya "Ted" Fujita played an important role in understanding the impact of the atomic bombs of WWII. He brought that knowledge to America and applied it to understanding, and protecting people from, tornados. Also, Charles Hatfield was a "Rainmaker" whose st… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Five: Abraham Lincoln

    00:16:17 14 March 2022 Listened

    // Abraham Lincoln wore some pretty plain underwear. We know because they made a few "surprise appearances."… //

  • Episode 65: Samuel And J.C.

    00:31:41 28 February 2022 Listened

    // The year 1913 saw the births of two incredible Black Americans. One was Samuel Wilbert Tucker, a Civil Rights pioneer and all-around incredible person. The other was James Cleveland Owens, who came to be known as Jesse. A few years before Samuel arranged for o… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Four: Satchel Paige

    00:16:40 16 February 2022 Listened

    // Satchel Paige went from burlap hand-me-downs to silk patterned boxers. Along the way we came one of the most dynamic baseball players in history. //

  • Episode 64: Oh, So Many Birds!

    00:33:15 30 January 2022 Listened

    // Eugene Schieffelin filled American skies with Starlings, who replaced the Passenger Pigeons that once (literally) darkened the skies. John James Audubon's obsession helped him create a very expensive book. This episode is about birds, and a whole lot more. Fea… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Three: Buster Keaton

    00:17:37 18 January 2022 Listened

    // Buster Keaton could take a fall like no one else, and that skill carried him from the Vaudeville stages to the movie screen. He made people laugh, dazzled them with stunts, and fought a fire in his undies. //

  • Episode 63: More Accidents, More Toys

    00:26:28 29 December 2021 Listened

    // Chance has given us some great toys. Explore the accident that led to Silly Putty, the chance repurposing that led to Silly Putty, a few men who stumbled upon them, and two women who figured out what the substances should really be used for. This episode spons… //

  • Underwear Chronicles Two: Marie Antoinette

    00:18:58 15 December 2021 Listened

    // The famed Queen of France had several run-ins with underwear. She also had run-ins with smallpox, ladies-in-waiting, an awkward young prince, catty couriers, and ultimately, the guillotine. If nothing else, this episode will help you appreciate your privacy. //

  • Episode 62: Chance Encounters

    00:29:30 27 November 2021 Listened

    // Train stations are busy places and two notable men had very remarkable (and dramatic)encounters in stations during the 1860s. Thomas Edison met a mentor, and Robert Lincoln met a Shakespearean actor named Booth. Also features a You Have 30 Seconds segment on t… //

  • Underwear Chronicles 1: Up, Up, and Away With Their Clothes

    00:18:11 15 November 2021 Listened

    // Jean-Pierre Blanchard (1753-1809) and John Jeffries (1744-1819)… //

  • Episode 61: A Queen and Some Witches

    00:32:58 28 October 2021 Listened

    // Marina Raskova set world flying records, survived an epic plane crash, and was a trailblazer for generations of female pilots in Russia. With her help, The Night Witches became the most feared fliers of World War 2. Adelaide Herrmann was The Queen of Magic. Bo… //

  • Episode 60 Big Ideas: Professor TSC Lowe and John Cleves Symmes Jr

    00:34:00 29 September 2021 Listened

    // Professor TSC Lowe (who was not a professor at all) had visions for a transatlantic balloon flight. He never succeeded in that but he did wind up as the Chief Aeronaut of the Balloon Corps during the American Civil War. His vision laid the ground work for Ferd… //

  • Episode 59: Safety with Books

    00:31:42 30 August 2021 Listened

    // The 1939 World's Fair brought a special visitor from England: an original copy of Magna Carta, but with World War II in full swing, America couldn't send it back. So the had to babysit the priceless document, which got more complicated than they expected. ALSO… //

  • Episode 58 Origin Stories And Gold Medals

    00:33:28 29 July 2021 Listened

    // Origin stories, comic mis-starts, and medal-winning moments are highlighted in this episode featuring two unlikely international star athletes. Canada's Bobbie Rosenfeld overcame, among other things, small pox and very large pants to run her way into history -… //

  • Bonus Episode! Knox Says Yes

    00:15:19 3 July 2021 Listened

    // Henry Knox is a name not many people know, but he was a pretty amazing bookseller turned soldier during the Revolutionary War. Released in honor of July 4th - but you can listen anywhere and anytime - still a good story about in interesting moment! //

  • Episode 57: On Horseback!

    00:31:21 28 June 2021 Listened

    // This episode tells the stories of Sibyl Ludington and Charley Willis. Sybil's well-known story is amazing, yet it lacks a lot of primary sources, and we use that as a way to introduce thinking about the past with a critical eye. No matter what Sibyl's story ha… //

  • Episode 56 Eugene And Django in Paris

    00:34:05 26 May 2021 Listened

    // Django Reinhardt was a Romani musician who, despite losing the use of two of his fingers was one of the most important musicians of his time. His contemporary and fellow Parisian was a man named Eugene Bullard. This American-born man would lead an unbelievable… //

  • Episode 55 Telescopes And Stars

    00:32:48 27 April 2021 Listened

    // Edwin Hubble changed our view of the Solar System, but he was also a collegiate National Champion basketball player and high school coach. He also dealt with the struggles of freezing his face to a telescope. Anything for Science! George Ellery Hale had the id… //

  • Episode 54: Gold!

    00:31:36 26 March 2021 Listened

    // Levi Strauss left his native Germany to escape discrimination, and then left New York for the opportunities of the American West. He lost some gold, but changed the world with his pants partnership. Ferminia Sarras was a miner from Nicaragua who didn't wear je… //

  • Episode 53: Sophie And Willa

    00:34:50 24 February 2021 Listened

    // No one could have predicted that Sophie Blanchard would become France's leading aeronaut, but she flew higher than any woman before her. Willa Brown was the first Black woman to earn a pilot's license in America, but her accomplishments didn't end there. In ma… //

  • Episode 52 Food Fight

    00:30:58 26 January 2021 Listened

    // The Oyster Pirates of the Chesapeake Bay contend with the Toe Nail Governor and his mission to protect the oysters from extinction. A few years later, a new Food Fight erupts in middle America. This one is about Limburger Cheese and the Postal System. It ends … //

  • Episode 51: Roller Skates And Atomic Power

    00:35:28 22 December 2020 Listened

    // John Joseph Merlin created automata, musical instruments, clocks, and one of the first pairs of roller skates. His roller skate debut was pretty tragic (and hilarious). A.C. Gilbert was a magician turned toymaker who created some important and lasting toys, an… //

  • Episode 50: Let's Dance!

    00:34:46 29 November 2020 Listened

    // Maria Tallchief was a member of the Osage nation who happened to become the first major American ballet dancer. Her story is read by Ashley Thursby, a dancer with The Louisville Ballet. The Dancing Plague of 1518 began when Frau Troffea stepped out of her home… //

  • Episode 49: Under Your Feet

    00:31:10 28 October 2020 Listened

    // This episode is about places that used to be and which are now covered up by something new. Yarrow Mamout was an unusual man in early America, but the black business leader's story was literally buried by buildings near Washington DC. In the 2000s, his story c… //

  • Episode 48: Great Moments in Communication!

    00:33:38 29 September 2020 Listened

    // The Transatlantic Cable connected North America and Europe, allowing for communication like never before (at least for a few weeks). It sure wasn't easy - told by Greg and Abigail Maupin. Likewise, Alexander Graham Bell's invention changed the world of communi… //

  • Episode 47 Leonardo!

    00:33:55 28 August 2020 Listened

    // Leonardo da Vinci had some wins and some losses, but his impact was enormous. He kinda sorta finished a painting of a lady named Lisa that wound up in the King of France's bathroom. Centuries later a man named Vincenzo Peruggia stole it and hid it next to his … //

  • Episode 46 Deliveries!

    00:35:22 28 July 2020 Listened

    // Mary Fields was known as Stagecoach Mary, and her story is one of the great tales of the West. Likewise, Owney the dog, always captures the imagination. Michael Fleming, reads the story of Owney, and Melly Victor of Stoopkids Stories joins us as Stagecoach Mar… //

  • Episode 45: Parents!

    00:34:56 29 June 2020 Listened

    // Parents can be pretty amazing sometimes - these two stories feature parents who went above and beyond for their kids and their community. Ada Blackjack was an Inupiat woman who was the only survivor of an extreme Arctic expedition, and she did it all for her s… //

  • Episode 44: Freight Train

    00:31:41 29 May 2020 Listened

    // Elizabeth Cotten became a music star pretty late in her life. In fact, she was a grandmother. But when she was 11 she wrote a song that made it's way across the ocean and was learned by a band called The Quarrymen, who later became The Beatles. Enjoy the story… //

  • Episode 43: Hands!

    00:29:40 22 April 2020 Listened

    // A Special Episode for April of 2020. Join us as we meet Ignaz Semmelweis, Florence Nightingale, John Snow, and also a woman named Mary Mallon, who - for better or for worse - is now remembered as "Typhoid Mary." //

  • Episode 42: Bears!

    00:31:05 15 April 2020 Listened

    // Join Mick Sullivan for a story about the first bear in Theodore Roosevelt's life, a bear named Jonathan Edwards, and then the second bear in his life - one which gave rise to a cuddly creature in your bedroom. Then Hugh McNeal, a man joining Lewis and Clark ge… //

  • Episode 41: OK BLOOMER!

    00:34:15 10 March 2020 Listened

    // Amelia Bloomer helped change the world with a pair of underpants (which she didn't even invent). Among other things, it helped women ride bikes, and this led to a new independence in the late 1800's. Many women (even Susan B. Anthony) said the bike had more to… //

  • Episode 40 Robert Smalls And Basketballs

    00:30:01 20 February 2020 Listened

    // The Harlem Globetrotters were more than a show. They were an incredible barnstorming team who helped integrate the NBA. Told by Mick Sullivan with help from Dustin Baron Robert Smalls was responsible for one of the most daring escapes during the Civil War, hel… //

  • Episode 39 The Astronomer and the Photographer

    00:32:17 25 January 2020 Listened

    // Eadweard Muybridge made history with his photos, including one of a running horse. It's more interesting than it sounds.… //

  • Episode 38 Store Windows and Old Underwear

    00:25:48 19 December 2019 Listened

    // L. Frank Baum, an author of a classic book (which became a classic movie) was also partially responsible for our love of fancy holiday shop windows. Also, Meriwether Lewis gives his pal William Clark a re-gift he probably could've done without. //

  • Episode 37 Sewer Water and Water Water

    00:30:29 30 November 2019 Listened

    // John Wesley Powell is the first American of European descent to conquer the Grand Canyon, and he did it with one arm! Also, Paris was a pretty stinky place until they upgraded the sewers. Learn about poop, nightmen, and a couple of clever civil engineers who e… //

  • Episode 36 Mechanical Monsters!

    00:27:49 29 October 2019 Listened

    // Mary Shelley didn't just create one of the most memorable characters and important books in history, she also pretty-much invented science fiction. Heather Gotlib tells her original story on the author of Frankenstein. Have you ever heard about the chess playi… //

  • Episode 35: Polymaths!

    00:34:34 26 September 2019 Listened

    // A polymath is a person of wide ranging knowledge or ability, and in this episode we're telling the stories of two unsung polymaths. Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de St. Georges, was a world class fencer, composer, conductor and musician who spent time in the royal… //

  • Special Episode Otzi and Tumble!

    00:29:50 6 September 2019 Listened

    // We’re sharing this special episode with our friends from Tumble, A Science Podcast for Kids. First you’ll hear Mick’s telling of the discovery and disagreement about Otzi the Iceman. Then we turn it over to Lindsay and Marshall from Tumble for a story they pro… //

  • Episode 34: Museum Tales!

    00:29:37 14 August 2019 Listened

    // Isabella Stewart Gardner was a very unusual lady who created an incredible museum in Boston. Unfortunately some of her paintings have gone missing. Charles Wilson Peale painted people, but he also created America's first museum - right upstairs from where they… //

  • Episode 33: Prairie Dogs and Animal Bands

    00:33:00 20 June 2019 Listened

    // Mick Sullivan tells a story of the Prairie Dog who wound up on the Lewis and Clark Journey and had one of the most eventful lives imaginable. Heather Funk tells her story about the popular cartoon "Bremenskie Muzykanty" which infuriated the government of the S… //

  • Episode 32: Strange Things

    00:32:56 16 May 2019 Listened

    // The long awaited episode to coincide with the release of our book "The Meatshower!" Mr. Eric from What If World tells he's tory of Boston's Great Molasses Disaster and Mick Sullivan tells the story of the Kentucky Meatshower of 1876. To purchase the book visit… //

  • Ep. 31 April Fooling!

    00:31:38 9 April 2019 Listened

    // It's Kids Listen Sweeps Month and we're joining the April Fool's fun (though pretty late). This episode features Heather Gotlib's original story of the real-life, classic prank called the Berner's Street Hoax, in which an unsuspecting family's home becomes the… //

  • Ep. 30 Underwater!

    00:36:23 19 March 2019 Listened

    // Celebrate the big 3-0 with us as we head underwater. Brian West tells the story of Garrett Morgan, an inventor and brave man who created some really important things which are still around today. Mick Sullivan tells the story of Ezra Lee and the the long lost … //

  • Ep. 29 Happy Birthday, Athena!

    00:31:46 14 February 2019 Listened

    // Patty Hill (with the help of her sister Margaret) did much more than just write Happy Birthday, but that'd be achievement enough. Story by Heather Gotlib Their Friend Enid Yandell happened to be a world-class Sculptor. and in our telling of the tales, we'll we… //

  • Ep. 28: Trains And Movies!

    00:28:43 14 January 2019 Listened

    // In this episode, Mr. Eric of What If World  joins us to share the story of early moving pictures, including an often told (but probably untrue) story of the first train on film. The Lumiere Brothers revolutionized our world, find out why!… //

  • Ep. 27: Toys And Games

    00:26:56 5 December 2018 Listened

    // We're digging through the inductees of the Toy Hall of Fame to find great stories that span Abraham Lincoln to Frank Lloyd Wright and beyond.… //

  • Ep. 26: Lily May, Clara, and Leon

    00:26:50 7 November 2018 Listened

    // The people of the late 1930's saw some fun music made by some remarkable women.… //

  • Ep. 25: Fakes And Frauds!

    00:30:30 8 October 2018 Listened

    // Some people just can't be honest, and some try to pass off something phony as something real. This episode is about a would-be Shakespeare named William Henry Ireland, and a gang of body snatchers who try to pilfer a president's dead body - gross!… //

  • Ep. 24: Shipwrecks! Ida Lewis, Marquis de Lafayette, Sail Away Ladies

    00:28:34 6 September 2018 Listened

    // Join host Mick Sullivan and friend Hanna Zimmerman of Locust Grove as we share the stories of Marquis de Lafayette's steamboat shipwreck, and Rhode Island lifesaver Ida Lewis. Also features a performance of the song "Sail Away Ladies," Quiztime and more! //

  • Ep. 23: Hot Dog! A Tale of Kings, Queens, Dead Whales, and Johnny Verbek's Machine

    00:26:33 17 July 2018 Listened

    // From the electric bathers of Coney Island to the King of England, no food has been as satisfying as a hot dog. You won't believe it as we weave a tale of dead whales, muckrakers, publicity stunts, and President Roosevelt. Who knew the hot dog was so interesti… //

  • Ep. 22: Play Ball! Jackie Mitchell, Moe Berg, Summertime and more

    00:25:08 13 June 2018 Listened

    // You don't have to like baseball to like this episode!… //

  • Ep. 21: Journeys! Horatio and Bud, John Ledyard and more!

    00:26:05 21 May 2018 Listened

    // The history podcast for kids and adults joins the Kids Listen Sweeps party and tells two stories about two great adventures. Melinda Beck tells the tale of Horatio Jackson and the first drive across the country (and his dog Bud), while Will Oldham/Bonnie Princ… //

  • Ep. 20: Bridges - Emily Roebling, Sonny Rollins and more!

    00:30:20 6 April 2018 Listened

    // Join us for two tales connected by bridges. First, Emily Roebling winds up as a lead engineer in the building of the Brooklyn Bridge, the first American woman to find herself in such a position.… //

  • Ep.19 The Statue Of Liberty!

    00:26:49 7 March 2018 Listened

    // The Statue of Liberty could have wound up in Egypt, Philadelphia, or the bottom of the ocean. Once she wound up in New York she had to wait for America to raise a lot of money - which they did in many different ways.… //

  • Ep. 18: Music! Marian Anderson, The Great Caruso and more!

    00:23:23 7 February 2018 Listened

    // Episode 18 of the most engaging history podcast for kids!… //

  • Ep. 17 Spies!

    00:28:54 6 January 2018 Listened

    // Kate Warne saved Abraham Lincoln's life on the way to his inauguration. John Honeyman may (or may not)have been a double agent who helped George Washington's famous Crossing of the Delaware. We'll hear these stories and much more!… //

  • Christmas Special - Mummies and Bladders!

    00:21:06 15 December 2017 Listened

    // Christmastime means two things to us: mummies and bladders. //

  • Ep. 16 Up In The Air!

    00:29:17 7 December 2017 Listened

    // Have you ever heard about the time Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt ducked out of a dinner to take a flight over Washington DC?… //

  • Bonus Episode: Curious Names

    00:18:00 24 November 2017 Listened

    // There are a lot of really great names in the past - like, just really cool sounding names. So we're picking a few of our favorites and telling a story or two about them.… //

  • Ep. 15 Cartoons!

    00:25:31 7 November 2017 Listened

    // Everyone loves cartoons! So we’re taking an unusual look at two big moments in cartoon history – when a vaudeville performer and comic-strip writer made animation history on a cold Chicago night, and also the time a cheeky political cartoonist brought down one… //

  • Bonus Episode: Ghost Ships! A Kids Listen Halloween Sweep

    00:17:12 23 October 2017 Listened

    // Have you heard of the Mary Celeste? If you've heard of a ghost ship, this is probably the one.  In 1872 it was found under sail in the Atlantic Ocean but with absolutely no one on board.  What gives? And was this completely unique?  It wasn't, but it is certai… //

  • Ep. 14 Nature Pokers & Women of Science

    00:28:52 6 October 2017 Listened

    // Women of Science! Join us for some 19th Century STEM stories. Heather Funk tells you about Mary Anning and the origins of "She Sells Sea Shells." Mick Sullivan shares the story of Mary Somerville and the origin of the the word "scientist." Both ladies did rema… //

  • Ep. 13 The Cheesiest

    00:29:33 5 September 2017 Listened

    // Your favorite history show for the whole family is back and we're bringing the cheese! First, Graham Shelby reads "Andrew Jackson's Big Cheese," while Mick Sullivan shares some fun stories of hardtack, followed by the Civil War parody song "Hard Tack Come Agai… //

  • Ep. 12: Shaking Hands with Presidents

    00:27:54 8 August 2017 Listened

    // When Washington first became president, no one knew what to call him, and he certainly didn't want to shake EVERYONE'S hand. There were some growing pains in Presidential cordiality. Later, Lincoln wishes Jefferson never started the whole "handshake thing." Al… //

  • Ep. 11 Hittin' the Road: Niagara

    00:22:18 6 July 2017 Listened

    // It's time for the July Kids Listen Sweep! This episode features the story of Annie Edson Taylor, who was the first person to successfully survive Niagara Falls in a barrel. Also, how'd they even start building the first suspension bridge over Niagara? You migh… //

  • Ep. 10 Underwear: Washington and Charles Lee, Lincoln's Drawers and more

    00:27:03 13 June 2017 Listened

    // George Washington's frenemy Charles Lee, who you might remember from Hamilton, gets caught in his skivvies, the guy who built the Brooklyn Bridge remembers seeing Abraham Lincoln's undies, Mick sings a song about long underwear and more. Produced by Mick Sulli… //

  • Ep. 9 On The Move: Nelly Bly, Henry Box Brown, All Around this World

    00:29:28 9 May 2017 Listened

    // Nelly Bly decides to travel around the world in less than 80 days, much like Phileas Fogg, the fictional character from Jules Verne's "Around the Wolrd in 80 Days" Also Henry Brown escapes enslavement in a dramatic way, earning the nickname "Box" Brown, and he… //

  • Kids Listen Sweep Episode - Family Trees

    00:14:31 13 April 2017 Listened

    // Family Trees sure seem daunting, don't they? Once you get past your grandparents or great-grandparents it can quickly get confusing. Rae Anne Sauer from the Sons of the American Revolution National Headquarters in Louisville, KY has seen tons of people work t… //

  • Ep. 8: Magic? Mesmer, Fox Sisters, Robert-Houdin, I'll See you In My Dreams

    00:30:32 10 April 2017 Listened

    // Join host Mick Sullivan for some true tales of magic, or at least what appeared to be magic. Learn Franz Mesmer's gift to your vocabulary, hear about some young sisters who fooled America, and discover how a French Magician stopped a rebellion with his magic t… //

  • Ep. 7: Food Tales - Potatoes, Tomatoes, Ice Cream Cornucopias and Chicken Pie

    00:31:34 9 March 2017 Listened

    // This episode is fast paced and broken into small bites! We’ve squeezed in THREE great stories along with a song and quiz time! Really packed it in there - like sausage in a casing! Victoria Reibel wonders, did George Crumb invent potato chips? Jason Lawrence i… //

  • Ep. 6 Heights: Ferris Wheel, Charles Blondin, East of the Sun and more!

    00:25:16 8 February 2017 Listened

    // Episode 6 is all about Heights! Victoria Reibel reads a story about the time The Chicago World's Fair had to build something to top the Eiffel Tower. Jason Lawrence tells the tale of the the world's leading antebellum funambulist. The Tamerlane Trio performs "… //

  • Ep. 5 Birds: Moon Migration, Cher Ami, Cluck Old Hen and more!

    00:23:19 4 January 2017 Listened

    // In honor of National Bird Day, this episode features some great bird stories from history. Victoria Reibel reads the story of Charles Morton, a man who tried to explain the mystery of bird migration with an otherworldly hypothesis. Jason Lawrence reads the tal… //

  • The Past And The Curious Holiday Short 2016

    00:10:22 1 December 2016 Listened

    // In this quick Holiday Short, we explore a few of the stories people offer as explanations for the unusual Christmas Pickle Tradition.… //

  • Ep. 4: Mail Tales: Pony Express, Air Powered Subway, and more

    00:30:06 12 November 2016 Listened

    // The Pony Express lives in legend, but didn't last long. Find out what it took to be join the team. (read by Victoria Reibel) Alfred Ely Beach kept a secret from New York City and built a Pneumatic Subway underneath it in the 1800's! (read by Jason Lawrence) Th… //

  • Ep. 3 Anne Bonny, The Western Engineer, "Big Ol' Boat" and more

    00:32:20 16 October 2016 Listened

    // The origin of Port and Starboard Victoria Reibel reads stories about Anne Bonny, and Stephen Long's unusual dragon-like steamboat, the Western Engineer. Tamerlane Trio performs original song "Big Ol' Boat" (song recorded by Rob Collier) Quiz time and more! **C… //

  • Ep. 2: Barnum, Banvard, Paper Moon and more

    00:23:34 15 October 2016 Listened

    // Victoria Reibel tells the story of P.T. Barnum and an Egress. Also featured is the tale of John Banvard and his Mississippi Panorama, which was the longest painting in the world. The Tamerlane Trio performs their version of "It's Only a Paper Moon" (song recor… //

  • Ep. 1 The Past and The Curious: An Introduction

    00:08:16 7 October 2016 Listened

    // Teachers, parents, adults who love good stories: check us out.… //

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