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

Episodes page 3 of 4

1. Episode 47 Leonardo!

   28 Aug 2020 · 34 min

   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…

2. Episode 46 Deliveries!

   28 Jul 2020 · 35 min

   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…

3. Episode 45: Parents!

   29 Jun 2020 · 35 min

   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…

4. Episode 44: Freight Train

   29 May 2020 · 32 min

   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…

5. Episode 43: Hands!

   22 Apr 2020 · 30 min

   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."

6. Episode 42: Bears!

   15 Apr 2020 · 31 min

   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…

7. Episode 41: OK BLOOMER!

   10 Mar 2020 · 34 min

   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…

8. Episode 40 Robert Smalls And Basketballs

   20 Feb 2020 · 30 min

   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…

9. Episode 39 The Astronomer and the Photographer

   25 Jan 2020 · 32 min

   Eadweard Muybridge made history with his photos, including one of a running horse. It's more interesting than it sounds. Tycho Brahe lost his nose, but made some wild discoveries about our solar system - before he…

10. Episode 38 Store Windows and Old Underwear

    19 Dec 2019 · 26 min

    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…

11. Episode 37 Sewer Water and Water Water

    30 Nov 2019 · 30 min

    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,…

12. Episode 36 Mechanical Monsters!

    29 Oct 2019 · 28 min

    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.…

13. Episode 35: Polymaths!

    26 Sep 2019 · 35 min

    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,…

14. Special Episode Otzi and Tumble!

    6 Sep 2019 · 30 min

    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…

15. Episode 34: Museum Tales!

    14 Aug 2019 · 30 min

    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…

16. Episode 33: Prairie Dogs and Animal Bands

    20 Jun 2019 · 33 min

    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…

17. Episode 32: Strange Things

    16 May 2019 · 33 min

    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…

18. Ep. 31 April Fooling!

    9 Apr 2019 · 32 min

    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…

19. Ep. 30 Underwater!

    19 Mar 2019 · 36 min

    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…

20. Ep. 29 Happy Birthday, Athena!

    14 Feb 2019 · 32 min

    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.…

21. Ep. 28: Trains And Movies!

    14 Jan 2019 · 29 min

    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…

22. Ep. 27: Toys And Games

    5 Dec 2018 · 27 min

    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. Learn the stories of Milton Bradley's Game of Life (with a bit of Lincoln's…

23. Ep. 26: Lily May, Clara, and Leon

    7 Nov 2018 · 27 min

    The people of the late 1930's saw some fun music made by some remarkable women. Lily May Ledford and her band from Pinchem Tight Holler, KY (YEOW!!) play for President Roosevelt, First Lady Eleanor and the King and…

24. Ep. 25: Fakes And Frauds!

    8 Oct 2018 · 31 min

    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…

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

    6 Sep 2018 · 29 min

    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…

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

    17 Jul 2018 · 27 min

    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…

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

    13 Jun 2018 · 25 min

    You don't have to like baseball to like this episode! First, Kelly Moore shares the story of Jackie Mitchell, a young woman who struck out both Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig. Next, Bailey Mazik of the Louisville Slugger…

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

    21 May 2018 · 26 min

    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…

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

    6 Apr 2018 · 30 min

    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. Second, Sonny Rollins,…

30. Ep.19 The Statue Of Liberty!

    7 Mar 2018 · 27 min

    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.…

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

    7 Feb 2018 · 23 min

    Episode 18 of the most engaging history podcast for kids! Did the invention of the record player make an opera singer named Enrique Caruso the first superstar of music? It might just have. What did Marian Anderson do…

32. Ep. 17 Spies!

    6 Jan 2018 · 29 min

    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…

33. Christmas Special - Mummies and Bladders!

    15 Dec 2017 · 21 min

    Christmastime means two things to us: mummies and bladders. Join us as we meet a young William Clark, an accidental and enterprising watch salesman named Sears, and the hottest gift of the 1971 holiday season.…

34. Ep. 16 Up In The Air!

    7 Dec 2017 · 29 min

    Have you ever heard about the time Amelia Earhart and Eleanor Roosevelt ducked out of a dinner to take a flight over Washington DC? Or about how Bessie Coleman had to go all the way to France to learn how to fly an…

35. Bonus Episode: Curious Names

    24 Nov 2017 · 18 min

    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. This episode features American Revolution figure…

36. Ep. 15 Cartoons!

    7 Nov 2017 · 26 min

    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…

37. Bonus Episode: Ghost Ships! A Kids Listen Halloween Sweep

    23 Oct 2017 · 17 min

    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…

38. Ep. 14 Nature Pokers & Women of Science

    6 Oct 2017 · 29 min

    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…

39. Ep. 13 The Cheesiest

    5 Sep 2017 · 30 min

    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…

40. Ep. 12: Shaking Hands with Presidents

    8 Aug 2017 · 28 min

    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…

41. Ep. 11 Hittin' the Road: Niagara

    6 Jul 2017 · 22 min

    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…

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

    12 Jun 2017 · 27 min

    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…

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

    9 May 2017 · 29 min

    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…

44. Kids Listen Sweep Episode - Family Trees

    13 Apr 2017 · 15 min

    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…

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

    10 Apr 2017 · 31 min

    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…

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

    9 Mar 2017 · 32 min

    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…

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

    8 Feb 2017 · 25 min

    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…

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

    4 Jan 2017 · 23 min

    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…

49. The Past And The Curious Holiday Short 2016

    1 Dec 2016 · 10 min

    In this quick Holiday Short, we explore a few of the stories people offer as explanations for the unusual Christmas Pickle Tradition. We also found a Christmas Pickle recipe you probably won't want to try, and you'll…

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

    12 Nov 2016 · 30 min

    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…