Our American Stories
Episodes
The Great Thanksgiving Cranberry Scare of 1959
19 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, 400 million pounds of cranberries are consumed by Americans each year. Twenty percent of that is during the ...
My Encounter with God... While Piloting a Chopper in Vietnam
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dick Erickson, a Marine helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam, tells the story of the time he lost contact ...
The Story of America: Lincoln's First Inaugural
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 28th episode of our Story of America Series, Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the stor...
A Wife's Letter of Thanks to Her Husband After Losing Her Baby During Pregnancy
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Megan Bayer shares her touching letter of gratitude and healing to her constant companion through a struggle...
Why Is It Called a Crapper? (And Other Astonishing Facts About Your Toilet)
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our own Greg Hengler, and others, tell the splinter-free story of the toilet—and other toilet accessories....
How Automobiles "Saved the World"
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Miles C. Collier tells the story of how horses continued to play a central role in the urban fabric of Amer...
The Woman Who Voiced Rudolph
16 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Billie Mae Richards is a Canadian actress best known for voicing Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in the 1964 ...
How the USA Almost Went to War Over a Pig
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor, Anne Claire, tells the story of the time the United States almost went to war with ...
The 'Forrest Gump' of Drummers: The Story of Zoro
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, rarely does artistic rhythm rest as it does in Zoro the drummer. Hear from the man behind Maria's Scarf how...
The Man Who Was a Founder AND Mascot: KFC's Colonel Sanders
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Colonel Sanders did something that no other restaurant founder dared to do — he became his company’s own...
Irish Need Not Apply: The Story of How The Irish Went From Pariahs to Patricians
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, American progress, with all its tragedies and yet enduring hope, can be seen perhaps as clearly through th...
The Grass and the Furious: Ladies, Start Your Lawnmower Engines!
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Julie Tynmann is here with her story about the greatest show on turf.Support the show (https://www.ourameri...
Ben Franklin: Chess Can Make You A Better Person?
15 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ben Franklin has the distinction of many "firsts": He invented the lightning rod, the Franklin stove, bifo...
He Became a POW in Vietnam Two Days Before His Baby Was Born
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ken Wells always knew what he wanted to do: fly fast. But when that dream became a reality, it landed him as...
A Baby-Boomer’s Battle with Insanity and Fitness
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul, our regular contributor from Minnesota, is here to tell us his weight-loss resolution story.Support th...
The Story of a Bathroom Drug Deal Interrupted by Jesus
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Greg Laurie tells a success story of profoundly helping a man who was going astray. The call could no...
My Conversations With Two Fraternity Brothers Before They Died
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick tells the story of two college friendships that would impact him for...
The Wizard Hat Amendment of New Mexico
14 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Duncan Scott tells us his story of pranking the New Mexico State Legislature.Support the show (https://www....
Centerline: The Surprising History of Lane Markings
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, when it comes to infrastructure that helps keep us safe while we drive, perhaps the greatest cost to benefit...
"On The Wagon" & "Once In A Blue Moon" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 16)
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the Englis...
My Family Spent 4 Months Playing Battleship in a Cornfield
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the story itself is the stuff of legends...a sunken steamboat, buried treasure, and the drive of a group of ...
Jack Marucci Created a Baseball Bat For His Son in His Backyard—Now He Runs The Biggest Bat Company in America
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What started as a singular wood bat for his son led to the most popular and respected bat company in our country. Here's Jack Marucci with the story o...
The TV Show That's Taking Over the World: The Chosen
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Hollywood giants are ramping up new "faith limbs" - and this tectonic shift has begun with an amazing succes...
Possom for Supper?
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories listener Joy Neal Kidney shares the story of what her family ate during the Great Depre...
The Story Behind The Story of The Salem Witch Trials and The American Puritans
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, historical truths often emerge with time. Early on, a hush descended over 1692-1693 Salem Witch Trials for g...
A Black Cowboy is the Inspiration for the Lone Ranger?
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, The Lone Ranger, with his cry of “Hi-Ho Silver!” has become an American institution ranking with Paul Bu...
"In a Nutshell" & "In the Doghouse" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the Engli...
He Was A Black Man Man Who Hated Cops Until He Became One—On LA's Notorious Skid Row
12 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Senior Lead Officer Deon Joseph shares his journey from being indoctrinated to hate and fear police, to bec...
How Piggly Wiggly Created the Modern Supermarket
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, grabbing a basket while grocery shopping may seem second nature today, but the idea was once groundbreaking....
The Shocking Story Behind the Diamond Engagement Ring
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Zoellner purchased a diamond engagement ring and proposed. His girlfriend said "yes," and then suddenly...
The Story of How George Strait's "Love Without End, Amen" Came to Be
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, songwriter Aaron Barker tells the story of a life altering event in his life as a father that birthed one of...
“God Drilled the Hole”: The American Who Rescued the 33 Chilean Miners
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The 33, starring Antonio Banderas and Juliette Binoche, recounts the extraordinary true story of the 2010 Chilean mining disaster that buried 33 miner...
The Most Famous Actor In The World Enlists In WWII: The Story of Clark Gable
09 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Clark Gable was beyond the draft age when the U.S. entered World War II, but the 41-year-old enlisted as a p...
A Fake Ring, Real Temptation, and a Golden Marriage
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, she nearly wrecked her family with a marital affair... Here's Sarah Wells, author of American Honey: A Field ...
The Story of How Jackie Kennedy Saved New York's Grand Central Station
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, before she was an iconic First Lady, Jackie Kennedy was a born-and-raised New Yorker. By 1975—when she sett...
Ketchup King: The H.J. Heinz Story
08 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, his legacy is probably in your fridge right now. Though Heinz Ketchup is one of the most recognized corporate...
The Story of America: The Rise of Lincoln
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in our 27th episode of The Story of America Series with Dr. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, Bill tells...
Why Are There So Many Types of Screws?
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the differing fates of the Robertson and the Phillips head screwdrivers demonstrate that innovation is intima...
I Came to New York City Dead: The Story of Sarah Gonzalez's Redemption
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, coping with the loss of her father as a child, total rebellion could not stop God from pursuing Sarah Gonzale...
Snowflake Bentley
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Jerry Bergman tells the story of a teenage boy who became interested in snow. On January 15, 1885, at 20 ...
Vietnam Vets Wouldn’t Sell Their Story to Hollywood, But They Sold “We Were Soldiers” to the Writer of “Braveheart”
07 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, We Were Soldiers is a motion picture about the Vietnam War from writer/director Randall Wallace and starring ...
The Late, Great Stephen Ambrose: WWII and Getting Down to Business (The Italian Campaign)
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Even before the U.S. and British victory in the North African campaign in May 1943, there was disagreement am...
The Apollo 8 Crew’s Message from the Moon... Heard by 1 Billion People: 100 Bible Verses That Made America
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the role that the Bible play...
Aimee Semple McPherson and The Origins of The Megachurch
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, seeing Los Angeles beginning to bustle, Aimee Semple McPherson built a 5,000-seat church building with staine...
“On Skid Row” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 15)
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...
The Story "Of Beards and Men" and How They Define Masculinity in Culture
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, professor Christopher Oldstone-Moore makes the case that today’s bearded renaissance is part of a centuries...
From Willy Wonka to Matilda: The Story of One of the Greatest Storytellers For Children of the 20th Century—Roald Dahl
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Roald Dahl was a British author of popular children's books which have sold more than 300 million copies worl...
The Angel Of The Battlefield: Clara Barton
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Kaela Rider—a former civics and history teacher from Jacksonville, Florida, who now serves as Education Pro...
Karl Marlantes: Turning Ghosts into Ancestors
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Vietnam Veteran and best-selling author Karl Marlantes shares his story of war, memory, and loss. Support the...
Indians, a Jew, and a Hotel Partnership
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven was President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp... one of the great hoteliers of...
MIT's Basketball Coach: "Those Nerds Can Only Handle One Play
05 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, hear leadership lessons that Bill Koch took with him for the rest of his life! Support the show (https://www....
Jack London's "To Build a Fire"
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Jack London’s most famous works include The Call of the Wild and White Fang, both set in the Klondike G...
My Daughter, Out There... On The Beam
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, when Stephen Rusiniak became a father of a daughter, he had worries. When she became a high school gymnast, h...
Fighting Founders: The Alien and Sedition Acts
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the Alien and Sedition Acts are one of America's most controversial laws ever passed. Dr. Adam Carrington of ...
The Man Who Hung Out With Astronauts: Craig Sumner, NASA Engineer
02 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Craig Sumner worked at NASA from the time of the Apollo missions to the days of the space shuttle, helping to...
A Listener's Story: A Man, a Knife, and a Unforgettable Encounter
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Rich Muniz recounts what many others have experienced, and suffer from. He kept his cool and violently saved ...
Submarine Commander “Fearless Freddie" Warder: The Story of a Noble Torpedo Sniper in WWII
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, America won the Second World War because of men like Rear Admiral “Fearless” Freddie Warder. Here's his s...
The Story of The Wright Brothers
01 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, On a winter day in 1903, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, two brothers—bicycle mechanics from Dayton, ...
Meeting the Mother of My Foster Child Changed My Life
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Christina Dent shares how her life was forever changed after she became a foster mother. Support the show (ht...
The Story of South Carolina's Revolutionary War Heroine
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our regular contributor from South Carolina, Dennis Peterson, shares the story of Dicey Langston...an America...
The True Story Harrison Mayes—God's Advertiser From Appalachia
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Harrison Mayes was destined for a life in the coal mines of Kentucky from a young age—though he wanted to b...
How Gettysburg Influenced D-Day Through Eisenhower
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, if there was a single moment in American history—and a single man—that Dwight D. Eisenhower looked to for...
Burrito Restaurant Owner Offers Job to Burglar
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Diablos Southwest Grill in Georgia was broken into, and rather than seeking justice, the owner Carl Wallace m...
A Father’s Note to His “Timeless” Daughter…Who Functions At A Toddler Level
31 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Richmond radio host Jeff Katz shares a note that his daughter won't ever read, but will surely impact your li...
A Grave Escape
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, as if spending the night in a funeral parlor wasn't scary enough! Tom Ryan brings us a chilling tale from the...
The Civil War General Who Took His Dates to See His Severed Leg at the Smithsonian Museum
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Gettysburg National Park Service Ranger Matt Atkinson tells the story of the Civil War general who created th...
I Picked Up "Tex" Watson Hitchhiking AFTER the Manson Murders
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, following the Charles Manson murders, Manson's lead henchman, Tex Watson, stayed in Los Angeles for almost tw...
The One College Football Run That Changed My Life
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, T.C. Stallings is known for making one of the biggest runs in Louisville Cardinal football history. It was th...
The Time A Kid Sued Pepsi for A Harrier Jet
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the harrier jet is the pride and joy of the US Marine Corps, but it was also at the center of a lawsuit betwe...
The Story of the Barcode
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a barcode on most products, properly called a UPC, or “Universal Product Code,” is a necessity for every...
Chef Boyardee: American Hero
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Chef “Hector” Boiardi was just 16 years old when he arrived at Ellis Island. What happens after his landi...
"Hunky Dory" & "Hedge Your Bets" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 9)
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...
Ralph Cox: Last Guy Cut from 1980 U.S. Olympic "Miracle" Hockey Team
29 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ralph Cox is a former college hockey star who was squeezed out of arguably the greatest moment in sports hist...
How A Hollywood-Style Production Team (Known as the "Ghost Army") Duped and Helped Defeat Hitler's Army
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1943, the US Army came up with a daring plan to trick Hitler’s Army. They created a unit of artists, sou...
Hollywood Goes to War: The Story of Wayne Morris, the Brad Pitt of His Day
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, it’s time for another one of Roger McGrath’s “Hollywood Goes To War” stories. So far we’ve heard th...
Pepsi Had the 6th Largest Navy in the World?
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, as odd it may seem, the History Guy tells the story of how Pepsi came to own a fleet of Soviet naval ships. S...
“Put A Sock In It” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 18)
26 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...
A Mom and Son Run a Marathon in Every State
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Karen Thomson and her son Joe Meilink are the definition of determination. Here they are along with Joe’s w...
A Teen Remembers Her Hero Father Killed In The Line of Duty
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Shelby Houston, 18, delivered a sermon for her father—Richard Houston, a 21-year TX cop—killed in the lin...
"True Colors" & "Soap Opera" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 20)
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...
Yogi Berra: An American Success Story (by George Will)
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, George Will's volume on baseball is one of the most acclaimed sports books ever written. He's here to tell th...
The Story of "Wild" Bill Hickok: Lawman & Legendary Gun Fighter
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Old West legend “Wild” Bill Hickok—his name conjures up an image of an out-of-control gunslinger. What’...
A Media Titan Shares Stories of Mentors Who Impacted His Life
25 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Citadel Communications President and former ABC Board of Governors Director Ray Cole shares the stories of th...
The Heart of America: Texas Grocery Store Loses Power, Lets Customers Leave Without Paying
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, listener Tim Hennessey talks about his viral Facebook post that exemplifies the everyday goodness in this cou...
"Dark Horse & Dead Ringer" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions (Pt. 7)
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...
A Little Brother's Prayer to Be As Big As His Very Big Brother
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, a listener, Paul Bauer, tells the story of his prayer to be as tall as his very big brother, "Moose." Suppor...
The Men Who Built the Most Expensive and Most Powerful Gun
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, for a time, a near-mint Colt Walker held the distinction of being the most expensive gun ever sold after it w...
A Presidential-Sized Comeback: The Story of Ulysses S. Grant
24 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. John Marszalek and Eddie Rangel of the Grant Presidential Library tell the story about how Grant went fro...
The Surprising Story of the Dimaggio Brothers
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, here to tell the story of the DiMaggio brothers is the 4-times New York Times bestselling author, Tom Clavin....
The Day a Teenage Boy Met Elvis and the Colonel and Began Working with Them the Rest of His Life
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, doing maintenance in mansions, you could meet anyone, talk about anything - even find your career as an agent...
The God and Divinity Roots of America's Most Famous College—Harvard: 100 Bible Verses that Changed America
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the role that the Bible play...
“What’s Up, Doc?” Mel Blanc: The Man Behind 3,000 Cartoon Voices
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, if you added up all the hours from your childhood, chances are, the voice of Mel Blanc made up the majority o...
Buck O'Neil's Lesson on Dealing With Defeat Like a Man
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2021, former Negro Leauge Baseball player Buck O'Neil finally made it into the National Baseball Hall of F...
Brett Favre (Pt. 5 of 5): Playing in Green Bay, Rehab, and the Shocking Thing That Happened to Him Twice—Which Nobody Ever Knew!
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, much of what’s known about legendary NFL quarterback Brett Favre has been kept between the goal posts. So G...
A Black Man (Jesse Owens) and a Nazi: A Friendship Forged in Competition & Courage
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of United States Olympic legend Jesse Owens' and Nazi long jumper Luz Long’s friendship demonstra...
I Fell in Love at Lambeau Field (Home of the Green Bay Packers)
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 1980s, the Packers stadium had a kids-only section for kids between the 5th and 8th grades. During Jon...
From Hangtime to Primetime
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the 50s and 60s, the NBA was barely a professional league. Today it is a powerhouse worth billions. Here i...
Suffering Fueled His Greatness: John Hannah on What It Took to Become the Best NFL Offensive Lineman of All Time
22 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story comes to us from the guy Sports Illustrated said was the greatest offensive lineman of all tim...
The Sleeping Sentinel Who Received the Death Penalty, But Was Saved By President Lincoln
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, The Civil War soldier, William Scott, fell asleep at his post, at the time a transgression punishable by exec...
Lincoln: 1864
19 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Abraham Lincoln knew his presidency would go the way of the war. Hear how, even through the year 1864, the wa...