Journeys into Hidden America

Podcast: The Perry Principle Project

2011-05-23T17:27:00.000-07:00

Jessie Barth moved to Perry, New York in October, 2005 with her husband, a Perry native. She fell in love with the community and has been active in community life ever since.

One of her projects was to recall World War II stories of locals who lived that period while they were still around (“An intimate account of Parry citizens who experienced the war”). But the process, she came to realize that this book, which at first glance seemed to be about war, was in fact about more – “…a tribute to love, love for family, innate goodness, and Perry, New York”.

Jessie Barth joins us with her story and they story behind Perry in its Principle Project.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=589

Podcast: Hank Greenberg: The Hero Who Didn’t Want to Be One

2011-05-23T17:26:00.000-07:00

Hank Greenberg was one of baseball’s top players of his era.

But what is even more extraordinary than his grace and his power is that in Detroit of 1934, his swing—or its absence—became entwined with American Jewish history. Though Hank Greenberg was one of the first players to challenge Babe Ruth’s single-season record of sixty home runs, it was the game Greenberg did not play for which he is best remembered. With his decision to sit out a 1934 game between his Tigers and the New York Yankees because it fell on Yom Kippur, Hank Greenberg became a hero to Jews throughout America.

Yet, as Mark Kurlansky writes in Hank Greenburg: The Hero Who Didn’t Want to Be One, he was the quintessential secular Jew, and to celebrate him for his loyalty to religious observance is to ignore who this man was.

In this conversation, Kurlansky explores with us the truth behind the slugger’s legend: his Bronx boyhood, his spectacular discipline as an aspiring ballplayer, the complexity of his decision not to play on Yom Kippur, and the cultural context of virulent anti-Semitism in which his career played out.

What Kurlansky discovers in his story is a man of immense dignity and restraint with a passion for sport who became a great reader—a man, too, who was an inspiration to the young Jackie Robinson, who said, “Class tells. It sticks out all over Mr. Greenberg.”

Mark Kurlansky is most recently the author of The Eastern Stars: How Baseball Changed the Dominican Town of San Pedro de Macorís. Kurlansky has written, edited, or contributed to twenty books, which have been translated into twenty-five languages and won numerous prizes. His previous books Cod, Salt, 1968, and The Food of a Younger Land were all New York Times best-sellers.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=587

Podcast: Resurrecting a Village by Buying Up Main Street

2011-05-23T17:25:00.000-07:00

For several years, Greg O’Connell moved stealthily, buying building after building along a run-down stretch of Main Street in a small Finger Lakes region village in upstate New York. At first, folks did not know what to make of it all. But eventually it started to become more clear as he took control of more than a third of downtown and began chipping away at the building facades, renovating apartments and signing up tenants. Mr. O’Connell, 68, a big, shambling retired New York City detective, wants nothing less than to bring Mount Morris back from the dead and make it a western New York version of Red Hook, Brooklyn, where he made his name and millions.

The New York Times has profiled O’Connell twice within the last six months.

Mt. Morris is honored him on May 1 with a “Greg O’Connell Day”.

Greg O’Connell joins us with his story and that of how he re-built two communities – one in Brooklyn and one in Upstate New York.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=583

Podcast: Tennesee Williams Centennial

2011-05-23T17:24:00.000-07:00

Columbus, Mississippi is the birthplace of famous playwright Tennessee Williams, author of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and A Streetcar Named Desire. His birthplace, formerly the rectory of nearby St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, is now the welcome center for Columbus (300 Main St., Columbus).

In this conversation we talk with Brenda Caradine, a stalwart of the Columbus community, about how they celebrated the 100th anniversary of the birth of Tennessee Williams locally in 2011.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=581

Podcast: Joe Franklin Day

2011-05-23T17:23:00.000-07:00

Joe Franklin is credited with hosting the first television talk show. The show began in 1951 on WJZ-TV (later WABC-TV) and moved to WOR-TV (later WWOR-TV) from 1962 to 1993.

Known as “the king of nostolgia ” (he claims having invented the term), Franklin’s highly-rated television and radio shows, especially a cult favorite to cable television viewers (WOR/WWOR was a superstation during the latter part of his tenure) and his long-running “Memory Lane” radio programs, focused on old-time show-business personalities. Franklin has an encyclopedic knowledge of the music, musicians and singers, the Broadway stage shows, the films and entertainment stars of the first half of the 20th Century: he began his entertainment career at 16 as a record picker for Martin Block’s popular “Make Believe Ballroom” radio program; he is an acknowledged authority on silent film; he has the largest private sheet music collection in the world; and he has counted among his friends many show business legends, from Tony Curtis (with whom he grew up) to old vaudevillians (on his television show, Franklin has described how as a very young boy playing in Central Park he even met George M. Cohan

We speak with Bob O’Brien, himself and longtime fixture in New York television and radio, about Joe Franklin, the man, and about “Joe Franklin Day”.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=573

Podcast: The National Festival of the West

2011-05-23T17:22:00.000-07:00

The West and especially the area in and around Phoenix, Arizona has changed a bit in recent decades.

In the midst of all these changes there are threads of cultural continuity – one such thread is the Festival of the West.

The history and spirit of the cowboy and old west come alive at this annual event that takes place at WestWorld in Scottsdale.

Highlights include live music, Western Writers of America, chuck wagon cooking competitions, historical re-enactments.

In this conversation we go to the Festival of the West and speak with Wally Stevens to learn more about the event and how it has changed and adapted along with the area around it.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=571

Podcast: Benjamin Harrison’s Birthday

2011-05-23T17:20:00.000-07:00

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln – most of us know their birthday dates.

How about FDR, Ronald Reagan, George W. Bush of Barack Obama ?

How about Woodrow Wilson ? Grover Cleveland ?

Ever think about Benjamin Harrison ?

In Indianapolis, Indiana, home of our 23rd President they have.

The Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site is the former residence of 23rd U.S. President Benjamin Harrison (1889 to 1893).

A museum there is dedicated to his achievements
and his impact on United States history.

Each year, in March folks stage a Benjamin Harrison Day at the Indiana State Capital Building. A highlight includes a re-enactment of Benjamin Harrison case in the Supreme Court.

In this conversation we speak with Roger Harding from Indianpolis about Harrison, and just why he is recalled each year, and why it should matter to the rest of us.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=566

Podcast: National Anthem Day

2011-05-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

“The Star-Spangled Banner” was recognized for official use by the Navy in 1889 and the President in 1916, and was made the national anthem by a congressional resolution on March 3, 1931 (46 Stat. 1508, codified at 36 U.S.C. Section 301), which was signed by President Herbert Hoover.

Before 1931, other songs served as the hymns of American officialdom. “Hail, Columbia” served this purpose at official functions for most of the 19th century. “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee also served as a de facto anthem before the adoption of “The Star-Spangled Banner.” Following the War of 1812 and subsequent American wars, other songs would emerge to compete for popularity at public events, among them “The Star-Spangled Banner.”

In this conversation, we speak with Dave Hilderbrand from Baltimore, home of Fort McHenry about the anthem, its origins, its place today and about “National Anthem Day”.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=564

Podcast: The Blonde Bombshell

2011-05-23T17:18:00.000-07:00

Jean Harlow was born on March 3, 1911.

To mark what would have been her 100th birthday, we remember this original sex symbol of American film.

Called the “Blonde Bombshell” or “Platinum Blonde” (due to her platinum blonde hair), Harlow was ranked as one of the greatest movie stars of all time by the American Film Institute.

Harlow starred in several films, mainly designed to showcase her magnetic sex appeal and strong screen presence, before making the transition to more developed roles and achieving massive fame under contract to MGM. Harlow’s enormous popularity and “laughing vamp ” image were in distinct contrast to her personal life, which was marred by disappointment, tragedy, and ultimately her sudden death from renal failure at age 26.

In this conversation, we recall the legend and life of Jean Harlow with Harlow fans and authors Darrel Rooney and Mark Vieira.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=561

High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America

2011-05-23T17:16:00.000-07:00

Cookbook author Harris (The Africa Cookbook, 1998) tells the story of the African diaspora through food, from the foodstuff brought along with African slaves to barely maintain them on the Middle Passage to the undeniable imprint of African American cuisine on southern American and Caribbean food. She traces African foods (yams, okra, black-eyed peas, corn), flavoring, cooking methods, and food rituals from the abduction of Africans and enslavement in the Americas to travel throughout the American and European continents, recounting tribulations and joy. Along the way, she profiles famous and obscure but gifted cooks; cooks in the big houses of slave plantations; “Pig Foot” Mary, who grew wealthy from sales of food she cooked on a stove mounted on a baby carriage; chefs who served meals to presidents; and members of a cooperative of black hoteliers in Philadelphia in the nineteenth century. Along with historical context, Harris offers recollections from her own travels and ends with selected recipes.

ABOUT THE GUEST: Jessica B. Harris is a a best-selling author. Her works have appeared in Esquire, Gournet, Food & Wine, Cooking Light & Eating Well. She is a contributor to food websites zesterdaily.com and Saveur. She is a professor of English in NYC and scholar-in-residence in the Ray Charles Chair in African-American Culture, at Dillard University in New Orleans. She was recently inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverages in America. She lives in New York, New Orleans and Martha’s Vineyard.

WEBSITE: http://Africooks.com

BOOK INFO: High on the Hog, A Culinary Tour from Africa to America/Jessica B. Harris/Bloomsbury USA/ISBN-13: 9781596913950

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=557

Alaskans Win National Snow-Battlers Championship (NPR News)

2011-03-08T07:29:00.000-08:00

From NPR News:

There was a new competition at the Fur Rendezvous festival in Anchorage, Alaska, this year: team snowball fighting. Thirty-two teams competed in the tournament. The winners — a team called the Rum Runners — have the chance to compete for the United States at the international competition in Japan next year. NPR's Melissa Block talks with Gary Ray, a co-captain of the Rum Runners.

http://www.npr.org/2011/03/07/134342253/Alaskans-Win-National-Snow-Battlers-Championship

An American Original: The Back Cow Root Beer Float

2010-10-06T11:02:00.000-07:00

On August 18, 1893 Frank J. Wisner, owner of Cripple Creek Brewing, served the first root beer float in Cripple Creek, CO. Inspired by the moonlit view of snowcapped Cow Mountain, he added a scoop of ice cream to his Myers Avenue root beer and began serving it as “Black Cow Mountain”. Kids loved it; the name was shortened to “Black Cow”. Cripple Creek still sells beverages based on its original formulas.
In August, 2010 we speak with Mike Lynn of Cripple Creek Brewing of Naperville, Illinois about the Black Cow, its origins, its staying power, and its presence today this many years later.

At:http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=501

Old Fiddler’s Convention @ 75

2010-10-06T11:01:00.002-07:00

The Old Fiddler’s Convention, one of the most prominent traditional music contests in the United States, has been held annually in Galax, Virginia since 1935. It has long attracted the best up-and-coming musicians in the bluegrass firmament.

We speak with Tom Jones about the event and just what it means to musicians, music lovers and the community.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=496

A World’s Fair of Money

2010-10-06T11:01:00.001-07:00

The American Numismatic Association’s “World’s Fair of Money” gives visitors the chance to see some of the world’s most beautiful and valuable coins, interact with top numismatists.

Jay Beeton talks with us about this most unique world’s fair.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=494

New York’s Last Original Beer Garden

2010-07-31T12:29:00.000-07:00

Since 1910, Bohemian Hall has been a part of New York City history. It is the last original remaining Beer Garden in all of NYC. Bohemian Hall is run and managed by the Bohemian Citizens’ Benevolent Society of Astoria, a fraternal organization dedicated to education and preserving the Czech and Slovak communities in the area.

In this Journey into Beer, we speak with Debbie Van Cura from the Bohemian Hall Benevolent Society and a member of the Astoria (Queens) Historical Society about the historical role of beer gardens in New York and what Bohemian Hall’s legendary beer garden is all about today.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=487

Before Disney & Ray Kroc, there was Fred Harvey

2010-07-31T12:28:00.000-07:00

The legendary life and entrepreneurial vision of Fred Harvey helped shape American culture and history for three generations—from the 1880s all the way through World War II—and still influence our lives today in surprising and fascinating ways.

Appetite for America is the real-life story of Fred Harvey—told in depth for the first time ever—as well as the story of this country’s expansion into the Wild West of Bat Masterson and Billy the Kid, of the great days of the railroad, of a time when a deal could still be made with a handshake and the United States was still uniting. As a young immigrant, Fred Harvey worked his way up from dishwasher to household name: He was Ray Kroc before McDonald’s, J. Willard Marriott before Marriott Hotels, Howard Schultz before Starbucks. He inspired Walt Disney. His eating houses and hotels along the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad (including historic lodges still in use at the Grand Canyon) were patronized by princes, presidents, and countless ordinary travelers looking for the best cup of coffee in the country. Harvey’s staff of carefully screened single young women—the celebrated Harvey Girls—were the country’s first female workforce and became genuine Americana, even inspiring an MGM musical starring Judy Garland.

We speak with award-winning journalist Stephen Fried who has re-created the life of this unlikely American hero, the founding father of the nation’s service industry, whose remarkable family business civilized the West and introduced America to Americans.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=485

Rochester’s Subway

2010-07-31T12:27:00.000-07:00

The Rochester Subway or Rochester Industrial and Rapid Transit Railway was an underground rapid transit line in the city of Rochester, NY from 1927 to 1956. It was a Depression generation project that rivaled the best of them. Its scope as a rapid transit system rivaled that of New York and Boston. But it did not last long. This is its story.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=483

A July Fourth Ping Pong Ball Drop Tradition

2010-07-31T12:26:00.000-07:00

In Inet, NY in the midst of the Adirondacks, here’s how they spend July Fourth: A seaplane drops color-coded ping pong balls onto the field at Fern Park and hundreds of children race around to collect 3 balls each, which they then exchange for prizes. We speak with Mitch Lee about the Ping Pong Ball Drop and about life in Inlet which is pretty far off the beaten path.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=481

Boom Box Parade

2010-07-31T12:24:00.000-07:00

One year in Connecticut there was no band for a parade. From that challenging situation was born what has become a July Fourth tradition – The Boom Box Parade. Folks march with their boom boxes without a band – the patriotic music is provided courtesy of a local radio station. But that’s just the start of it.

We speak with Wayne Norman about the Boom Box Parade – how it got started and what it has come to mean this many years later.

At:http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=479

Roadtrips to America’s Baseball Landmarks

2010-07-31T12:19:00.000-07:00

To some baseball is more than a game, and to these folks of importance can be shrines.

Chris Epting is one of those persons. In Roadside Baseball, he has chronicled the locations of America’s baseball landmarks – some 500 in all.

They range from some of the obvious ones like the site of th old Polo Grounds, Ebbets Field and Yankee Stadium to Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.

But there are many more – some quite obscure, but all interesting.

In this Journey into Baseball we speak with Chris Epting about his journeys and what he found.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=477

The House That Built Ruth

2010-07-31T12:18:00.000-07:00

A Catholic school in Baltimore that traces its roots to Yankees slugger Babe Ruth recently closed, the victim of declining enrollment and tough economic times.

Ruth spent the better part of 12 years at St. Mary’s Industrial School for Boys until 1914, when he left at age 19 to sign with the Baltimore Orioles of the International League. After he joined the Yankees in 1920, he took the St. Mary’s band to major league ballparks to raise money to replace the main school building destroyed in a fire.

St. Mary’s closed in 1950, and for 48 years it has been the site of the all-boys Cardinal Gibbons School. During the Spring, the Archdiocese of Baltimore said that Gibbons and 12 other schools would close in June because of falling enrollment, rising costs and financial problems exacerbated by the recession.

The school board has resisted the decision. There were protests. There was even a radio campaign to try to save the school and the adjacent field where the Babe played as a youth..

We speak with Michael L. Gibbons, the executive director of the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore about what happened and what a historical loss that the demise the school and its field would mean locally and to baseball fans worldwide.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=475

All Things Wiffle Ball

2010-07-31T12:17:00.000-07:00

It’s old school and new school. It’ s unique and ubiquitous. It’ s yellow and white. It’ s red, white, and blue. It’s one of America s favorite brands: a classic for nearly 60 years and still a fad-proof fan favorite. The Wiffle Ball remains the great equalizer, befuddling batters of all ages. It curves, zips, and zooms with a mind of its own, turning anyone into a major league pitcher. It stands alone with its eight slots of perforated perfection, distinguished by its asymmetry and unpredictability. With millions of Wiffle bats and balls sold each year, its following is unparalleled with a devotion bordering on obsession. Just ask comedian Drew Carey s manager, Rick Messina, creator of Strawberry Field, one of the country s premier Wiffle venues. Turning his neighbor s adjoining house into a press box and locker room with stadium seats and lights, Mussina set the gold standard for the backyard Wiffle field.

In Wiffle Ball, author Michael Hermann, president of Wicked Cow Entertainment, and The Wiffle Ball Inc.’ s, brand managers, gives readers an inside look at this palatial Wiffle get-up and at the best Wiffle fields around, as well as the down-and-dirty on how in 1953 a down-on-his luck shoe polish salesman and his 13-year-old son concocted the first Wiffle Ball from spare perfume packaging, turning a plastic orb into an American icon.

In this Conversation on the Road we speak with Michael Hermann.

He explores with us The Science of Wiffle, and why a Wiffle Ball, well, wiffles.

He shows us all the how to s: how to build the best field; how to throw the best sinker ball; and how to best tape up a Wiffle Bat, and more.

At:http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=473

Creating More $ for Your Community in a Time of Less through Your Community Narratives, Media & Economic Development

2010-05-05T05:19:00.000-07:00

They're gathering in Oklahoma City for the annual Main Street conference from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Wish I could be there myself. It's a great event and a great place to exchange ideas.

To those at the conference, and those like myself who are there in spirit and virtually (how our world has changed!), here's another idea perhaps worthy of consideration and discussion.

At this time in which communities are being forced to do more with less, there are hidden assets to be tapped into. Your community has its community narrative and community stories, and these narratives can mean money.

In this media world, what distinguishes you, and provides for a sense of place can be leveraged as never before as a dymanic tool for economic development.

Your community has a smart community narrative.

These stories and narratives can be at once informative and entertaining. They can also provide an important catalyst to bring in needed monies - and what community wouldn't like that.

"Journeys into Hidden America" has been in the business of storytelling and smart community narratives for almost 25 years. These days these we can be found in places such as SIRIUS-XM Radio, http://www.hiddenamerica.com; http://conversationsontehroadf.com and http://www.journeysinto.com. As importantly, these narratives are used "smartly" in the form of "public-private partnerships" - where communities get to promote their narratives and create business through a unique "radio-based multi-media platform" - highlighted by regular features on SIRIUS-XM Radio complimented by blogs, podcats, social media and more.

We're soon to unveil an exciting podcast/powerpoint describing what we can do for you and your community. We hope you'll get a look at it when it's available at http://conversationsontheorad.com
(It's currently accessible as a podcast @ http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=448).

In the menatime, if you're interested in more on how we can help your community make the most of its storties, contact at Eric Model at (201) 694-5933 or modeltr@sprynet.com

Podcast: Smart Community Narratives, Media & A Wise Economy

2010-04-21T06:11:00.000-07:00

Eric Model and Della Rucker chat about how Community-based narratives can be a powerful tool to communities, businesses, media, and the public alike.

Della has decades of experience in community planning and economic development. Eric has been chronicling the “offbeat, off the beaten path, overlooked and forgotten” for almost 25 years.

They have gotten together to help make the most of stories that tap into a sense of place and a sense of who we are. They are also narratives that can also provide a “customized branded-content opportunity” through a unique radio-based multi-media platform.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=448

Podcast: A Day Celebrating Louie Louie

2010-04-15T05:40:00.001-07:00

April 11 is International Louie Louie Day. It provides an annual opportunity to celebrate a song that has been called by some “the greatest part of song of all time”. It has been recorded more than any other song in rock history (by one estimate more than 2400 times), and was almost declared the state song of Washington.

In this Journey into Hidden America, we speak with Louie Louie enthusiast and entertainer Andy Martello about Louie Louie Day.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=442

Podcast: Baseball Americana

2010-04-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

Baseball, the sport that helped reunify the country in the years after the Civil War, is still considered the National Pastime. The Library of Congress houses the world’s largest baseball collection, documenting the history of the game and providing a unique look at America since the late 1700s. Now Baseball Americana (Smithsonian Books, 2010) presents the best of the best from that treasure trove. From baseball’s biggest stars to street urchins, from its most newsworthy stories to sandlot and Little League games, the book examines baseball’s hardscrabble origins, rich cultural heritage, and uniquely American character.

The more than 350 illustrations—many never before published—featured first-generation, vintage photographic and chromolithographic baseball cards; photographs of famous players and ballparks; and newspaper clippings, cartoons, New Deal photographs, and baseball advertisements.

We speak with co-author Harry Katz about the book and how it came to be.

Katz is the former curator in the Prints and Photographs Division of the Library of Congress and a lifelong Red Sox fan. He curated the Library’s website devoted to historical baseball cards as well as multiple graphic art exhibitions.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=440

Podcast: Recalling the John Wilkes Booth’s Escape

2010-04-15T05:38:00.002-07:00

On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth shot and President Abraham Lincoln at the Ford’s Theater in Washington, D.C. Lincoln died soon thereafter.

A popular area tour just outside Washington is a 12 hour bus ride that takes riders over the route used by Abraham Lincoln’s assassin. We speak with Laurie Verge of the Surratt House Museum about John Wilkes Booth, Mary Surratt (the first woman executed in the United States) and the John Wilkes Booth Escape Route Tour.

For more info, see: http://www.surratt.org

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=436

Podcast: World Championship Pickled Qail-Egg Eating

2010-04-15T05:38:00.001-07:00

They’ve been at it again in Grand Prairie, Texas in a one of a kind event.

It’s the world championship pickled quail-egg eating contest in which contestants devour as many of these gourmet delights as possible in the 60 second limit.

The eggs, about the size of an olive, are soaked in jalapeno.

This world-renowned Traders Village contest chomped in at #5 in the Travel Channels Top Ten all-time great eating contest in the world.

We speak with Alan Hughes of Trader’s Village about this unique event, its origins, and about the art of being a championship pickled quail-egg eater

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=434

Podcast: FBI’s 10 Most Wanted List Turns 60

2010-04-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

March 14, 1950 was the date that the Federal Bureau of Investigation instituted the “10 Most Wanted Fugitives” list an effort to publicize particularly dangerous criminals who were at large. From 1950 to 2008, 491 fugitives have appeared on the list; 460 have been located. Generally, the only way to go off the list is die or be capture. The FBI has come to cooperate with the producers of T.V.’s “America’s Most Wanted” to further publicize those fugitives.

In this Journey in Hidden America we speak with Bradley Bryant, Chief of the Violent Crime Unit of the FBI, about the list, its history and just what it means to the bureau.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=430

Podcast: A Day’s Outing for Spring

2010-04-03T09:05:00.001-07:00

Journeys into Hidden America contributor Elizabeth Muse joins us to chat about some ways to spend a Day’s Outing now that the snow has melted and the winter chill has gone away.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=411

Podcast: Sorry Charlie Day

2010-04-03T09:04:00.000-07:00

Back in the 1990’s Cathy Runyan-Svacina was going througha tough stretch. In response, she decided to create a day to recognize anyone who has been rejected and lived through it. That day became Sorry Charlie Day. We speak with Cathy about her inspiration and how it is celebrated. BTW, you can join the “Sorry Charlie, No-Fan-Club-For-You Club” by sending her your best rejection story (along with a SASE) (Her address: 7812 NW Hampton Rd, Kansas City, MO 64152

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=406

Podcast: Betting on When The Ice Will Break on an Alaska River

2010-03-02T12:19:00.002-08:00

Now that the Vancouver Winter Olympics are over, attention can turn to some other unique activities. How about this one: Alaskans have been betting on when the ice on the Tanana River in the town of Nenana will break each spring since 1917, placing their wagers in red cans in grocery stores, gas stations and other retailers around the state.

This lottery began in 1917 when a group of surveyors working for the Alaska Railroad whiled the time they spent waiting for the river to open and boats with supplies to reach them by forming a betting pool. Interest in the pool continued and spread through Alaska. This lottery has paid out nearly $10 million in prize money with the winning pool in recent years being near $300,000. The 2009 total reached $283,723.

In this Journey into Hidden America, we speak with Sherry Fourness about what they do there for fun, and how you can get involved in it – if betting on when the ice will break sounds like fun to you.

Recorded: February 9, 2010

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=376

Podcast: Remembering A Notorious Valentine’s Day in Chicago

2010-03-02T12:19:00.001-08:00

The Saint Valentine’s Day massacre is the name given to the murder of seven people as part of a Prohibtion era conflict between two powerful criminal gangs in Chicago in 1929: the South Side Italian gang led by Al Capome and the North Side Irish gang led by Bugs Moran. Former members of the Egan’s Rats gang were also suspected to have played a large role in the St. Valentine’s Day massacre, assisting Capone.

Chicago historian and supernaturalist Richard Crowe - is author “Blood, Roses & Valerntine” – The Haunted Story of the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre – Author of a Tour about Chicago’s Super-Natural. He is alo host of a St. Valentine’s Dinner and tour of the notorious sites of the massacre.

We speak with about the events and his passion in realying them to others.

Recorded on February 16, 2010

Podcast: Buffalo Bills @ 50 Years

2010-03-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

In this past football season, we got to see just what a difference a sports team can make to the community when the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl.

Another team that has meant a lot to its community is the Buffalo Bills.

This year marked the 50th season of the Bills. The Buffalo Historical Society marked the occasion with an exhibit. It chronicled the unique relationship between the team and the town.

The Bills are most remembered for the likes of Jack Kemp, O.J. Simpson, Thurman Thomas, Jim Kelly, Doug Flutie, Lou Saban, Marv Levy, the old War Memorial Stadium, and one of their most dedicated fans, the late Tim Russert.

In this Journey into Hidden America, we speak with longtime Bills fan and memorabilia collector Greg Taunter about his collection, the exhibit and his love for the Buffalo Bills.

Greg grew up in Central New York (Elmira), and though he now lives near Boston, he remains a Bills fan and a source of Bills History. In fact, after he moved to Boston some 20 years ago, he retained his Bills season tickets and bought a condo in Buffalo so as to cut down on travel between Boston & Buffalo.

His contribution to the exhibit included more than 500 pieces of Bills memorabilia, ranging from game-worn jerseys bobbleheads to Flutie Flakes.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=366

Wise Economies & Smart Community Narratives - Part I

2010-02-23T05:50:00.000-08:00

We like to share these “Journeys into” stories with you. We find them unique and entertaining. Good stuff. We hope you agree.

At the same time, this “good stuff” can mean dollars – especially to communities. These stories and narratives can be “smart community stories and narratives” – specifically as much needed catalysts for economic development – whether in the from of travel and tourism, or Main Street quality of life.

Morerover, these smart narratives can be part of a broader contenporary approach to community and communties in the 21st century – part of a “Wise Economy”

In this Conversation, we speak with Della Rucker. Della has over 17 years’ professional experience in economic development, community planning, entrepreneurship development and public involvement. An area of expertise is the preparation of comprehensive plans, market analyses, economic development strategies, community participation initiativeand other project for dozens of communities.

She adeptly can help make these important principles understandable and something that communities can use ofr both immediate and long-term tangible results.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=357

Podcast: Navajo Code Talkers Remembered

2010-02-23T05:47:00.001-08:00

Code Talkers is a term used to describe people who talk using a coded language. It is frequently used to describe Native Americans who served in the United States Marine Corps whose primary job was the transmission of secret tactical messages. Code talkers transmitted these messages over military telephone or radio communications nets using formal or informally developed codes built upon their native languages. Their service was very valuable because it enhanced the communications security of vital front line operations during World War II.

The name code talkers is strongly associated with bilingual Navajo speakers specially recruited during World War II by the Marines to serve in their standard communications units in the Pacific Theater. Code talking, however, was pioneered by Choctaw Indians serving in the U.S. Army during World War I. These soldiers are referred to as Choctaw Code Talkers.

Other Native American code talkers were used by the United States Army during World War II, using Cherokee, Choctaw and Comanche soldiers. Soldiers of Basque ancestry were used for code talking by the US Marines during World War II in areas where other Basque speakers were not expected to be operating.

In this Conversation on the Road, we speak with Jeremy Boucher and Zonnie Gorman from Gallup, New Mexico about the Talkers and about an exhibit at the Gallup Cultural Center that chronicled this unique and important part of our nation’s history.

At:http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=353

Manhattan Pickle Emporium Still Has Juice (NPR)

2009-12-30T05:20:00.001-08:00

From NPR News:

by Sarah Reynolds

"What good is a steak or a hot dog without pickles? Everybody has their own taste. I like half sours, my mother loves sours" - Len Zurling, customer

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113763154

Journey into Nebraska Podcast: A Traditional Scandinavian Christmas on the Plains

2009-12-30T05:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas is Santa Claus, mistletoe and the giant tree at Rockefeller Center. But It’s also so many smaller seasonal traditions and customs.

One such regional traditional Christmas can be found in Elkhorn, Nebraska. It was there on the Prairies and the Great Plains that many Scandinavians made their home.

This heritage is celebrated each year at the Little Scandinavian novelty shop on Main Street, the Old Lincoln Highway.

Christmas traditions from Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland are to be found being celebrated. There’s food and music and customs in the midst Norwegian sweaters, Scandinavian textiles, candles napkins and other novelty gifts. There’s a Scandinavian Deli, and even free coffee and Scandinavian Ginger Snaps.

In this “Journey into Nebraska” we speak with Leona Anderson of the Little Scandinavia about her little corner of Scandinavia in Nebraska and how they celebrate and preserve their traditions at Christmas-time there.

Yopu can hear the podcast @ http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=325

Podcast: 50 Years of Rocky the Squirrel & Bullwinkle J. Moose

2009-12-30T05:14:00.000-08:00

On November 19, 1959. Rocky and Bullwinkle first went on the air. “Tongue in cheek dialogue” contrasted with the simple plots in which Rocky (Rocket J. Squirrel) and Bullwinkle Moose tangled in Cold War fashion with Soviet bad guy Boris Badinov and his wife, “The Beautiful” Natasha (who worked for Mr. Big).

Other popular features on the show included “Fractured Fairy Tales” (with Everett Edward Horton), “Bullwinkle’s Corner” and the Adventures of Sherman and Mr. Peabody (an intelligent talking dog). In 1961, the program was re-named the Bullwinkle Show, though characters and format remained the same.

Joining us to talk about it and more is regular “Journey into Hidden America” contributor Bob Thompson, the Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture.

You can hear the podcast @ http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=315

Podcast: Road trips to Prepare for a Traditional Thanksgiving

2009-12-30T05:12:00.000-08:00

“Over the river and through the woods” goes the song.

Many of us have a mental picture about the perfect Thanksgiving. Some of su extend tis image beyond the Thanksgiving to the preparations for Thanksgiving Day as well.

In this Journey into Hidden America, we speak with contributor Elizabeth Muse from A Days Outing about some ideas for shopping which can take beyond the mega-Super Market and the local parking lot to places beyond the interstate and off the beaten path – places for superior food and a quality life experience too.

You can hear the podcast @ http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=313

Podcast: Frankenstein Friday

2009-11-03T05:31:00.000-08:00

We talk with Ron MacCloskey, founder of Frankenstein Friday and The Franky Awards.

This holiday has been designed to honor and celebrate the “mother” and “father” of Frankenstein, Mary Shelley and Boris Karloff. Every year a different venue is used to celebrate the occasion. In years past it has included a torchlighting ceremony, film festival and awarding of THE FRANKY.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=301

Lincoln Highway the Way It Was: Tiny stretch of bricks keeps Omaha suburb alive

2009-11-02T06:35:00.001-08:00

Folks doing business in historic downtown Elkhorn know that they are in the midst of a much larger city, having been annexed by the City of Omaha a couple years ago. But they still have their brick streets in the mingle of quaint restaurants and shops as well as one of the most pristine remnants of the old Lincoln Highway – in the original brick and narrow lanes. It has sparked a neighborhood revival.

Leona Anderson of Little Scandinavia from Elkhorn joins us to talk about it in this “Journey into Nebraska”.

http://conversationsontheroad.podbus.com/?p=291

A Triple XXX Family Restaurant

2009-10-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

It’s not what it sounds like.

The Triple XXX Restaurant in Lafayette, Indiana is not only a family-friendly place, it has been revered by adults and kids alike for generations.

Based on a famous line of root beer, it is now serving up a new generation its classic cuisine and atmosphere.

Owner Craig Ehresman explains some what continues to make the Triple XXX so meaningful and make it a place to go.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

A Path to Great Weekend Trips: A Day's Outing

2009-10-07T13:27:00.000-07:00

We’re not the only ones around who can lead you to intersting places beyond the interstate and off the beaten path.

A Day’s Outing is a free online guide to find activities for day and weekend trips, based on your specific location and your personal interests. All you have to do is answer four simple questions and you are on your way. Just state where you are starting from, select the types of outings, whether it is a farmers’ market, a museum exhibit or wine festival, then determine the amount of time you have available to reach the outing itself, and finally, supply the day you want to go.

A Day’s Outing reveals the undiscovered activities that surround you every day, wether you are starting from your home, or are visiting an unknown city while on a business trip or vacation.

We speak with A Day’s Outing founder Elizabeth Muse about how she can help you find some of the great weekend happenings that are just around the corner.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Orphan Motor Company: Nebraska’s last Packard Dealership gets new life

2009-10-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

Bob Cox lives on a sprawling ranch in the Nebraska Panhandle. He sells ag real estate and insurance. He collects old cars, cars that are now orphans. Packards, Plymouths, Oldsmobiles. He also restores and sells a few, prefers to drive old Mopars like his rare 1963 Chrysler 300H and a 1965 Barracuda. A year ago he bought and restored the state’s last surviving Packard dealership in Scottsbluff. The dealer went out of business shortly after the last Packard rolled off the assembly line in Indiana. Today there’s a 1946 Packard in the showroom again, reminiscent of the one that his folks brought him home in from the hospital.

In this “Journey into Nebraska”, we speak with Bob Cox about the Orphan Motor Comapny, and just what it has meant to him, others and the community.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

How a Texas Business Became a Destination: A Nursery, Tea Room & The World’s Largest Teapot

2009-10-07T13:18:00.000-07:00

Located on Hwy 6 in Navasota, 15 minutes south of Bryan-College Station and just an hours drive from Houston, Martha’s Bloomers opened in 2000 as a Home and Garden store and has grown into a dining experience and all-day shopping destination.

We speak with Sturat Thompson, founder of Martha’s Bloomers about how he started this business and how it has evolved over the years. We were especially interested in the World’s Largest Teapot, which came as an outgrowth of a tea room he installed to go along with the garden shop.

It also has one of the largest green houses in the area filled with lush tropical plants.

In addtion, there is a pottery house , which was originally a 90 year old, barn-type treasure, was spared from demolition and moved from its original location in Brenham to Navasota. The pottery house is overflowing with glazed and terra cotta pottery from around the world.

It’s a unique success story that we are happy to share with you.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Where They throw Rolls at Those Dining

2009-08-18T20:45:00.001-07:00

Lambert’s Cafe is known as “Home of the Throwed Rolls”. Though it is distinguished from other restaurants by its policy of providing large 32 oz.. drinks, a list of side items that are passed around to all customers, and free refills on nearly all entrees, it is most famous for throwing their homemade dinner rolls to the customers.

We speak with Jerry Johnson from Sikeston, Missouri about the roll-throwing tradition, and how Lamberts has pleased customers from its early days on Main Street in Sikeston until today – where Lamberts touts three locations (Ozark, Missouri and Foley, Alabama) and brings loyal customers from far away.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

"The World's Biggest Cupcake"

2009-08-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

You may have recently seen the picture on the internet – that of JodiLee Knops celebrating the setting of the Guinness record for the world’s largest cupcake at Mall of America in Minneapolis on Saturday July 18, 2009. It weighed in at nearly 151 pounds, including 15 pounds of fudge filling and 60 pounds of yellow icing. It was one foot tall and two feet wide.

We speak with JodiLee about just how and why she did it.

You can see that picture of JodiLee celebrating at:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31985149/displaymode/1176/rstry/31994119/

BTW, it appears this record was short lived. We read on MSN.com that a new record was ceritifed by The Guinness folks just a month later – this one a 1,224-pound triple vanilla cupcake with pink frosting. You can read about it at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32438528/ns/us_news-weird_news/?GT1=43001

We, nonetheless, hop you’ll listen to and enjoy our interviews with the the title holder.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

The Nebraska Town Where Glen Miller Honed His Skills

2009-08-18T20:41:00.000-07:00

Andela Taylor joins us in this “Journey into Nebraska”. Andela is the economic developer in Cambridge, Nebraska - a south central Nebraska community that lies along Highways 6 and 34, the old DLD [Detroit-Lincoln-Denver] Highway.

Each year she and her mother, B-n-B owner Gloria Hilton, organize an event as they celebrate the big band music of Glenn Miller who played with the Tommy Watkins [he was a Cambridge native] Orchestra in the second floor ballroom downtown known as Thorndike Hall.

The ballroom is listed as one of Heritage Nebraska’s Fading Places and a move is afoot to restore the space. Watkins was credited with finding the young aspiring musician [Miller] in Denver and helping him hone his skills in a Nebraska community.

Miller later moved on to California and started his own band.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

The Worlds’ Only Lifesize Chocolate Moose

2009-08-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

Home-made chocoalte is a New England tradition in places like Route 1 in Scarborough, Maine.

Len Libby has been a regional fixture since the 1920’s. But since 1997, Len Libby has become a destination ofr something else as well.

There, at their retail store, one can have the experience of coming across
Lenny, the World’s Only Life-size Chocolate Moose, all 1700 pounds of him in chocolate.

We speak Maureen Hemond from Len Libby about Lenny and other Len Libby traditions.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Branch Rickey’s Effort To Save Baseball from Itself

2009-08-18T20:37:00.001-07:00

July 27, 2009 marks 50 years since the founding of the Continental Baseball League.

If that does not mean much, it’s not suprising. In fact, the Continental League never played a game.

But the story behind the rise and demise of the Continental League remains a fascinating one these many years later.

We speak with author Michael Shaprio about his book, “Bottom of the Ninth – Branch Rickey, Casey Stengel and the Daring Scheme to Save Baseball From Itself”. It is a strong historical record that resonates today. A big-time “what if” can not be ignored.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

The A&P Historical Society

2009-07-21T22:46:00.001-07:00

In the mid-1950s, A&P was the dominant food retailer. In a few markets, A&P had up to 75% of the market share, with stores in 39 states.

The company was first founded in 1859 as The Great American Tea Company by Geroge Huntington Hartford and George Gilman in New York City. It was renamed “The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company” in 1870.

Over the years, in mnay ways the A&P story reflects the story of America (and Canada).

In this conversation, we mark 150 years of A&P by talking with Craig Grybowski of the A&P Historical Society.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Walt Disney’s Railroad Story: A Fascination that Led to A Kingdom

2009-07-21T22:45:00.000-07:00

Few people realize the significance railroading played in the evolution of the Disney empire. Encouraged by Walt’s family and railfans inside and outside the Disney organization, Michael Broggie has chronicled the tale of Walt Disney’s personal involvement in railroading.In this conversation, Broggie, author of Walt Disney’s Railroad Story: The Small-Scale Fascination That Led to a Full-Scale Kingdom (Pentrex, 1997) shares with us the private realm of Disney railroading.

Walt Disney’s love affair with trains began in his hometown of Marceline, Missouri. His first job was selling tobacco, candy, and newspapers on the Missouri Pacific line. By 1950, his enthusiasm for realistic model trains had evolved into an elaborate backyard live steam railroad. Walt’s Carolwood Pacific Railroad included a 46-foot-long trestle, loops, overpasses, gradients, an elevated dirt berm, and a 90-foot tunnel underneath Mrs. Disney’s flower bed!

Broggie shares this history and more with us in this discussion.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

The World's Biggest Catsup Bottle

2009-07-21T22:44:00.000-07:00

If you’re driving on Route 159 just south of Collinsville, Illinois, you’ll see a water tower in the shpe of a cataup bottle. 170 feet tall, it’s described as the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle.

The water tower has a fascinating story behind it.

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the bottle, and they’re celebrating in Collinsville to mark the occasion.

Mike Gassmann joins us from Collinsville to share with us the stories of the World’s Largest Catsup bottle. the first was in 1949 when built. The second in the 1990’s when it was threatened with demolition but the community rallied to save it. the third chapter continues today as the catsup bottle continues to be celebrated.

This conversation is another part of that ongoing celebration.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

The Museum of Patriotism

2009-07-07T07:51:00.001-07:00

The National Museum of Patriotism in Atlanta recently its new facility downtown.

By its very name, you may think you know what the place is all about.

This shrine to patriotism is a flag-waver, but not in the traditional sense.

We speak with Executive Director Pat Stansbury about the museum, its origins (It was founded by Nicholas Snider, a retired UPS executive who created a large collection of sweetheart jewelry), its function and just what it represents to Americans and those beyond our borders.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

The New Deal Story of America thru its Foods

2009-06-30T12:39:00.001-07:00

As part of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal response to the Great Depression, he created the Federal Writers Project, sending writers to various parts of the land to write on various topics - including food. The project, called “America Eats”, was abandoned in the early 1940’s because of World War II and never completed. Instead the files were archived in the Library of Congress.

Food historian Mark Kurlansky joins us to discuss the book he wrote based on these lost files. “The Food of a Younger Land” brought the unassembled materials to light and created this version of the guide that never was.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

National Bathroom Reading Month

2009-06-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

Since 1988, the Bathroom Readers’ Institute has headed a movement to highlight this specialized pastime. In this conversation, we speak with Gordon Javna from the Institute, who is also publisher of Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader about National Bathroom Reading Month, the Bathrrom readers’ Institute and about Uncle John.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.com

The Legacy of Charles Kuralt at Chapel Hill

2009-06-22T14:33:00.000-07:00

On July 4, it will be 12 years since the passing of Charles Kuralt - the CBS News journalist best known for his “On the Road” essays.

In this conversation, we speak with Donald Shaw from North carolina who shares with us his passion for Kuralt and what his work represented.

We hear about how Kuralt’s work and his CBS office have been preserved at the University of North Carolina’s Charles Kuralt Learning Center (Kuralt is buried on campus at Chapel Hill).

We also talk of what Kuralt meant and continues to represent these years later.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Introducing journeysinto.com

2009-06-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

Anyone that's been in our neck of the woods knows that we could have used a re-branding a long time ago.

Some good content. Multi-media. But to more than afew folks, it was more than a bit confusing.

With this in mind, we have created a new umbrella place to go. It's called http://journeysinto.com.

Once there, you can take a journey into Hidden America, Canada, Beer or Hockey (with others to follow).

The content and the feel, hopfully, remain. And, with any look, less confusion.

The Dawn of American Radio

2009-06-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

Long before the internet, another young technology was transformed–with help from a colorful collection of eccentrics and visionaries–into a mass medium with the power to connect millions of people.

When amateur enthusiasts began sending fuzzy signals from their garages and rooftops, radio broadcasting was born. Sensing the medium’s potential, snake-oil salesmen and preachers took to the air, at once setting early standards for radio programming and making bedlam of the airwaves. Into the chaos stepped a young secretary of commerce, Herbert Hoover, whose passion for organization guided the technology’s growth. When a charismatic bandleader named Rudy Vallee created the first on-air variety show and America elected its first true radio president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, radio had arrived.

In Anthony Rudel tells the story of the boisterous years when radio took its place in the nation’s living room and forever changed American journalism, politics and entertainment.

In this conversation we speak with Anthony Rudel, author of “Hello Everbody: The Early Days of American Radio” about those early days and just how in many ways those days were similar to what we see today.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Remembering Benny Goodman at his centennial

2009-06-07T11:09:00.000-07:00

Benny Goodman would have been 100 on May 30, 2009.

Though gone since 1986, the music and legacy of the King of Swing live on.

In this journey, we speak with Alan Bache who is part of a series of concerts and programs this year honoring Goodman and his music during this centennial year.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Going on the Road with a Purpose: Heritage Travel, Inc.

2009-04-29T09:20:00.000-07:00

A new online community is being launched this Spring via Heritage Travel, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

This new community is being designed as a catalyst to capture and harness passion for experiences and places alive with heritage, history and culture. It’s intended for those who want to do more than just go on “get-away” vacations – travel with a purpose, explore the world, connect with people who interests. It can redefine the meaning of “Travel.”

We speak with Heritage Travel, Inc. CEO John Williams about this community and how it is part of an evolution (ourselves included) in how we think of community and how we go about making community in the 21st century.

For more on Heritage Travel Inc., see: http://gowithapurpose.com/

On the Smithsonian’s Re-opened Museum of American History

2009-03-04T06:40:00.000-08:00

A favorite stop for tourist and native alike in Washington, DC is the Smithsonian’s Musuem of American History.

After being closed for renovation, the museum is now open again. We speak with Washington Post columnist about the museum - what iit was, what it is and what that means to us all.

At: http://conversationsontheroad.com

Great American Beers: Twelve Brands that Became Icons

2009-03-01T06:52:00.000-08:00

Beer has always been an important part of American culture. Bill Yenne wrote a book that looks at the history of a dozen brewers (Acme, Ballantine, Fallstaff, Hamm’s, Lone Star, Lucky, Miller High Life, Olympia, Pabst, Rainer, Rheingold and Schlitz) and what made them matter. It’s about beer but its’ about much more.

Bill Yenne joins us for this Journeys into Beer.

At:
http://conversationsotheroad.com

Traditional Rural Mardi Gras Run

2009-03-01T06:51:00.000-08:00

Mardi Gras is best known in New Orleans. But the tradition is not limited to the Crescent City.A traditional Mardi Gras is to be found in the form of a Courir de Mardi Gras in Church Point, Louisiana, On Louisiana’s Cajun Prairie northwest of Lafayette.

The object of the Courir is to go from farm to farm in costume and on horseback or by wagon and collect ingredients for a communal gumbo to be served at the Church Point Saddle Riders Club. The meal is accompanied by live Cajun French music and dancing.

We speak with Todd Richard about the Courir de Mardi Gras (actuall two - one for adults and one for kids).

A more complete description of the event follows or can be found at the event website: http://www.churchpointmardigras.com

The podcast can be heard at:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Bowling Across America

2009-03-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

For Mike Walsh, the answer was simple: bowl. Propelled by a curiosity to see America through a common, if beer-framed, lens, he quits his job and sets out to meet the people who populate the country’s bowling alleys. His adventure becomes much more than a simple bowling trip as he veers beyond the game’s ten frames and into the heart of America. The result was a book, BOWLING ACROSS AMERICA: 50 States in Rented Shoes.

We speak with Mike Walsh about the inspiration for his trip, the trip itself and how the experience changed him.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Honoring Abraham Lincoln in the Style of his time

2009-03-01T06:49:00.000-08:00

Col. Theodore Henry L. Henry - Commander & Band Manager, 10th Illinois Volunteer Calvary Regiment NFP - joined us in this conversation.

Colonel Henry leads a 19th century period orchestra that is played at a Bicentennial Ball to be held at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of President Lincoln in Springfield, Illinois.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

The Cowboy Yodeler at the Cowboy Poetry Gathering

2009-03-01T06:48:00.000-08:00

Wylie Gustafson is a singer/songwriter who has toured nationally and internationally with his band, Wylie & The Wild West (formerly Wylie & The Wild West Show). The band is known for its blend of Western swing, classic country, cowboy, rockabilly, folk—and yodeling—served up with infectious energy.

Wylie is best known for his yodel, which has become a symbol for Yahoo on its commercials.

Wylie Guftason is a fixture at the annual National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nevada.

We speak with Wylie about his life on the range, his career, his music (and yodeling), and what makes the Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko so special.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

First Night Boston

2009-02-14T14:25:00.000-08:00

A New Years Eve tradition since 1976, First Night Boston was the first event of its kind.

It is one night festival for the arts offering a diverse multi-venue offering of events and activities.
This conversation talks about the event then and now.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com

Memorial Day Where It Started - Part II

2008-12-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

Barbecues, a long weekend, store-wide sales, the unofficial start of summer. That’s what Memorial Day represents to many these days.

Lost in the shuffle is the actual act of remembering. Who is supposed to be recalled, and why ?
How and where did the holiday start ?

Last year we went to Waterloo. New York to hear about that community’s claim as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

There are more than afew other communities with their own claims.

One such community is Bolasburg, Pennsylvania in the foothills of the Alleghenies. It’s described as a dot on the map, and a place that could be easily overlooked if not for marker by the side of the road that reads: “Boalsburg. An American Village - Birthplace of Memorial Day”.
We pay a visit to Boalsburg, Pennsylvania to speak with longtime resident and historian of sorts Margeret Tenis about Boalsburg’s role in the origin of Memorial Day. We also see how they honor war dead and their community’s legacy today.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access May, 2008)

Gullah: Richness & Resiliency along the Sea Islands & Beyond

2008-12-30T11:58:00.000-08:00

The Gullah are African-Americans who live in the low country region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes the coastal plain and the Sea Islands.

The Gullah are known preserving their African linguistic and cultural heritage. They speak an English-based creole language containing many African loanwords and significant influences from African languages in garmmar and sentence structure. The Gullah language is related to Jamaican Creole, Bahamian Dialect, and the Krio language of Sierra Leone in West Africa. Gullah storytelling, foodways, music, folk beliefs, crafts, farming and fishing traditions, etc. exhibit influences from west and Central African cultures.

In this conversation, we speak with educator, singer, actress and historian Anita Singleton-Prather, a native of the Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina. Through Anita we also speak to her character, Anita Peralie Sue - a personality based on Anita’s grandmother.

As she has done on stage and film, Anita creatively entertains and educates us about Gullah culture - a culture more vibrant and diverse than most might be led to believe.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access May, 2008)

Minnesota's 150 Years of Statehood

2008-12-30T11:57:00.000-08:00

The land of 10,000 Lakes is celebrating 150 years of statehood this year. On May 11, 1858, Minnesota was admitted to the Union as the 32nd state.

We speak with Tayne Danger from the Sesquicentennial Commission in St. Paul about Minnesota’s origins, its history as a state, and just what they’re doing this year in the way of celebrating.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access May, 2008)

What Would Morrow Do ?

2008-12-30T11:56:00.000-08:00

April 25, 2008 would have been the 100th birthday of Edward R. Murrow. A pioneer in broadcast journalism both on radio and television, his spirit looms large on media news more than four decades after his passing.

In a conversation with Rick Buselle of the Murrow School of Communications at Washington State University, we speak of the legacy of Murrow. We also contemplate what Murrow’s response to challenging times might teach today’s breed of broadcast journalist.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike

2008-12-30T11:55:00.000-08:00

There’s a stretch of road, 13 miles (21 km), now abandoned that was once part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It was bypassed in 1968 when a modern stretch opened to ease traffic congestion. The reasoning behind the bypass was to reduce traffic congestion at the tunnels.

In this case, the Sideling Hill Tunnel and Rays Hill Tunnel were bypassed, as was one of the Turnpike’s travel plazas. The bypass is located just east of the heavily congested Breezewood interchange on exit 161.Today, the “Abandoned Turnpike”, as it is commonly known, has become a popular tourist attraction.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

The Smallest Post Office in the USA

2008-12-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

There’s a unique post office along Route 41 in Ochopee, Florida which has become something of a tourist destination unto itself.

This closet-sized, 7×8-foot building used to be an irrigation pipe shed for a tomato farm. It was pressed into service after a fire destroyed the Ochopee general store — which also housed the post office — in 1953.

The town, which sits on the edge of the Everglades, and which reportedly has a population of 11, has been happy with it ever since.

We speak about it with Gene Wooten, who owns the building. Our conversation also gets into some other local flavor, including a culinary dish called Gator Tails.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

“Happy Days Are Here Again”: The End of Prohibition After 75 Years

2008-12-30T11:53:00.000-08:00

April 7, 2008 marked the 75th anniversary of the official beginning of the end for Prohibition. On the date in 1933, legal beer production resumed in the United States, sparking celebration among brewers and imbibers alike. Historian William Rorabaugh, author of Alcoholic Republic, puts the event into historical context.

Make sure to also check out Mr. Rorabaugh as he spoke with NPR’s Robert Siegel on this subject on All Things Considered:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89441573

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

Where They Toss Typewriters

2008-12-30T11:52:00.000-08:00

In Springfield, Missouri each April during Administrative Professionals Week (f/k/a Secretaries Week), some of these vital “gatekeepers” ascend a fifty-foot cherry-picker to throw office objects (over the years ranging from classic typewriters to computer terminals). Overcoming gender and environmental iisues, this event is now in its 18th year.

Dave Roberts of host radio station KGBX describes what takes place at their annual Typewriter Toss and how you can take part.

For more info about the Typewriter Toss:
http://www.kgbx.com/cc-common/mainheadlines2.html?feed=105990&article=3486868

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

Recalling the Life and Death of MLK Forty Years Later at the Lorraine Motel

2008-12-30T11:50:00.000-08:00

On April 4, 1968 Martin Luther King was killed at the Lorriane Motel in Memphis. The site, preserved as it was then on the exterio,r has been transformed inside. It is now the National Civil Rights Museum.

Allison Fouche of the Museum speaks with us about this special day at the Museum. She also provides some context for the observance - describing what happened at the site after the King Assassination and after all the pain what the site has come to represent.
For more about the National Civil Rights Museum, visit their website: http://www.civilrightsmuseum.org

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

By the way, if you get the chance, catch a “Hidden America” segment in which Mark Walsh & David Goodfriend of Left Jab speak with Rev. Jesse Jackson. He was beside Dr. King at the time of ther killing and he returned to the Motel turned Museum on April 4, 1008, from where he spoke to Mark & David. It was a powerful interview on a powerful day.

Spring Pilgrimage: A Celebration of Season and Traditions

2008-12-30T11:48:00.000-08:00

In Columbus, Mississippi Spring is just not Spring. It is Pilgrimage time.

The annual Columbus Pilgrimage is an award-winning event with a reputation as one of the best and most authentic historic home tours in the South.

But Pilgrimage is more than tours of the many well-maintained antelbellum mansions.

We speak with Nancy Carpenter and Brenda Caradine, both anchors in the Columbus community about the tours, and what the Pilgrimage has come to represent.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access April, 2008)

The Spiedie

2008-12-30T11:47:00.000-08:00

The spiedie (IPA: /spɪdɪ/) is a dish local to Greater Binghamton in the Southern Tier of New York State, and somewhat more broadly known and enjoyed throughout Central New York state.

A Spiedie consists of cubes of chicken and pork, but it may also be made from lamb, veal, venison or beef. The meat cubes are marinated overnight or longer (sometimes for as long as two weeks under a controlled environment) in a special spiedie marinade, then grilled carefully on spits over a charcoal pit. The freshly prepared cubes are served on soft Italian bread or a submarine roll, wood skewer and all, then drizzled with fresh marinade.

We learn more about the food and its role in regional culture from Sam Lupo of Lupo’s restaurant, an area institution (They ship a mean spiede sauce too).

For Lupo’s: http://www.spiedies.com/

For the Spiede Fest: http://www.spiediefest.com/main.aspx

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access March, 2008)

This Year’s Town Meeting Day in Vermont

2008-12-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

Lost in the presidential primary news on March 4 (Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island primaries) was that it was not only primary day in Vermont, but Town Meeting Day there too.

We speak with University of Vermont Professor Frank Bryan. He is the leading authority of the Town Meeting as a Vermont institution, and he shares with us a rundown about this tradition and what was on the mind of Vermonters this year.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access March, 2008)

The Legacy of the “Nut Lady” & the Nut Museum Collection

2008-12-30T11:44:00.000-08:00

We talk with Dr. Christopher Steiner, a professor of art history and museum studies at Connecticut College about the Nut Musuem, its late curator and the present day nut collection.

It was Dr. Steiner, who in 2002 rescued the collection, and who is dedicated to preserving, interpreting and communicating the legacy of Elizabeth Tashjian.

Tashjian, who debated whether she was a nut culturist or a nut artist, but was, as the New York Times wrote ”indisputably, well, nuts enough about nuts to win fame (but not fortune) as matriarch of the Nut Museum in Old Lyme, Conn.”. She died last year at age 94.

According to an obituary in the Times, Ms. Tashjian hated being called “the Nut Lady” and died without fulfilling her dream of opening a nut theme park certain to surpass Disneyland. (Her reasoning: Squirrels are cuter than a certain mouse.). She is best known to many as an entertaining and eccentric television gurst with Carson, Letterman and Leno, etc.

We get a handle on her and the nut collection here.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access March, 2008)

National Flirting Week

2008-12-30T11:43:00.000-08:00

“National Flirting Week” has become an annual event (parallel to the week of Valentine’s Day).

It celebrates the ancient art of flirting and recognizing the role it plays in lives. We speak with author and “Love Coach” Robin Gorman Newman about flirting, and its role in cultures.

Robin’s website: http://www.lovecoach.com

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access February, 2008)

Remembering Red Barber, 1908-2008

2008-12-30T11:41:00.000-08:00

On Feb. 16, 2008, Columbus, Mississippi, will celebrate the centenary of one of its illustrious native sons, Walter Lanier “Red” Barber. Considered one of the seminal figures in sports broadcasting, Barber made his indelible mark as a radio play-by-play announcer for the Cincinnati Reds (1934-1938), the Brooklyn Dodgers (1939-1953) and the New York Yankees (1954-1966).From “the catbird seat,” the Ol’ Redhead called games for the Reds, Dodgers and Yankees using language he made famous, phrases like “tearin’ up the pea patch” and “I’ll be a suck-egg mule.”

Though there were many firsts throughout his storied career, perhaps none was more significant than the role Barber played in the integration of Major League baseball by Jackie Robinson. Barber told the story in his 1982 book: “1947: When All Hell Broke Loose in Baseball.”

In 1981, Barber, by then well into retirement, was introduced to a new generation of admirers by Bob Edwards, host of National Public Radio’s Morning Edition. Each Friday for 12 years Red and the Colonel (as Barber dubbed Edwards) would chat about a wide range of topics.
Barber, the son of a school teacher and a railroad engineer, lived the first 10 years of his life in Columbus, Mississippi.

On the weekend of his centennial, Barber’s hometown will host a banquet featuring Edwards, and noted broadcast historian Curt Smith.

Also planned for that weekend is the dedication of a state historic marker near Barber’s first home in Columbus.

In this conversation, we speak with Curt Smith, author of “Voices of the Game”, the definitive work on baseball broadcasting ”, and with Glenn Lautzenhiser of Columbus, who as much as anyone, is responsible for making this unique event happen.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access February, 2008)

A Wisconsin Community’s Claim as Groundhog Capital

2008-12-30T11:40:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of year when we pay attention to groundhogs.

Will it be an early Spring or will there be eight more weeks of winter ? (The impact of global warming and media attention on groundhog predictions should be a future topic)

These days many communities have their own groundhogs predicting the weather. Staten Island, NY and St. Louis are but two of those places. And of course, there is Phil who has made a small Pennsylvania town famous.

There is, however, one community in Wisconsin that not only has a groundhog, but it claims to be “Groundhog Capital of the World”. Needless to say this does not sit well with some elsewhere - especially Phil’s hometown in Pennsylvania.

We speak with Sarah Vitale from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin to get their take on this claim.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access February, 2008)

Tying the Dots: From The Original Amateur Hour to America Idol

2008-12-30T11:39:00.000-08:00

Professor Robert Thompson, our expert on American Television and Popular Culture from Syracuse University joins us to look at Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour - truly the original American Idol program which debuted on television sixty hours ago this year.

This television pioneer was successor to Major Bowes’ Original Amateur Hour, a radio fixture dating back to 1934.

We talk about the similarities between the original and modern day program, the differences between them, and just what it all means about us as a society. We even touch upon the gong, a variation of the Vaudevillian hook that inspired Chuck Barris’ ”The Gong Show”.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access January, 2008)

Christmas Time in Santa Claus (Indiana)

2008-12-30T11:38:00.000-08:00

Many years ago folks in Santa Fe, Indiana had trouble gettting a post office for their town (There was already a community with that name). So in a lark an applicant to the U.S. Post Office filled in “Sant Claus” for the town name.

Years later the post office and the community not only thrived but propered - especially during Christmas season.

We speak with Pat Couch about what it’s like during the holiday season, and just what it’s like to live in a place named Santa Claus.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access January, 2008)

Boston’s Continuing Tea Party

2008-12-30T11:35:00.000-08:00

Though the event took place centuries ago, the Boston Tea Party remains an important event.
Each year one of the triggers to the American Revolution is remebered at the Old South Meeting House.

We speak with Robin DiBlasse about how Boston recalls this important event in history these days.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access January, 2008)

National Tie Month

2008-12-30T11:34:00.000-08:00

Twenty per cent of all ties sold are bought as Christmas gifts. Nemo Turner of The Protocol Institute speaks to us about ties and their proper use.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access December, 2007)

The World Famous Fish House Parade

2008-12-30T11:33:00.002-08:00

Some folks go shopping after Thanksgiving. Up north in Minnesota, many would head out to the lakes with winter fish houses.

Afew years back a couple of guys were sitting in an Aitkin, Minnesota cafe observing what seemed to be a parade of fishes houses en route to the lakes. Why not have a real parade, they thought.

The “World Famous Fish House Parade” is now a local institution. Some three dozen uniquely and humorously decorated fish houses used for ice fishing during the winter are on parade and on display.

We speak with Sue Marxen from Aitkin about the culture of ice fishing, fish houses as well as the parade.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access December, 2007)

Remembering the Edmund Fitzgerald

2008-12-30T11:33:00.001-08:00

To folks like me, it started from a Gordon Lightfoot song.

But beyond the song, the story of the Edmund Fitzgerald is a fascinating one. The ore carrier broke into two during a heavy storm in Lake Superior in 1975, resulting in 29 lives lost.

Each year this tragedy and other shipwrecks are recalled throughout the region.

We speak with Lee Radzak of the Split Rock Lighthouse, where a beacon is lit each year to remember the crew of the Edmund Fitzgerald and others who lost their lives on the lakes.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access November, 2007)

A Day at the Outhouse Races

2008-12-30T11:31:00.000-08:00

Some years ago, folks in Mountain View, Arkansas wanted to brng folks to their community during the fall foliage season.

They came up with a Beanfest, but with beans you can’t stop there. Logically, the fun eventually played out to include the after beans.

One thing led to another and now each year folks come from far and wide to watch and compete in the annual Outhouse Races.

Jimmy Edwards speaks with us from Mountain View about beans, outhouse racing and a lot of fun.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access November, 2007)

A Talk with A Pumpkin Chucker

2008-12-30T11:30:00.000-08:00

What happens to all those pumpkins that are not smashed on Mischief Night or turned into Pumpkin Pie? Many become part of a municipal mulch pile, but others are turned into competitive projectiles.

We are talking about pumkpin chuckers. No, this is not like what you have seen on Letterman. It is much more. Part sport, part science, part art form.

For this Conversation on the Road, we speak to a chucker from Montana, Scott Kellum. He tells us about what he does, why he does it, and about the community of chuckers.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access November, 2007)

A Taste of Burgoo

2008-12-30T11:29:00.000-08:00

Burgoo is a soup made from chicken, beef and vegetables, cooked for several hours until the flavors have blended and the ingrediaents have become a thick stew. Its origins are said to have come from the hills of Kentucky.

Each October the small central Illinois community of Utica stages a Burgoo Festival. Gerald Hulslander from the LaSalle County Historical Museum, which stages the event, speaks with us about the origins of Burgoo locally and what happens each year at their Burgoo Festival (especially how the community pot of burgoo is prepared).

We try (without success) to garner some of the sceret ingredients that make the local version of Burgoo special to thsoe who keep coming back every year.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access October, 2007)

Music of America: Celebrating the Singing Cowboy

2008-12-30T11:28:00.000-08:00

In his time Gene Autry was the real thing. To those who know he remains big.
Known as “the Singing Cowboy”, he made his mark in records, film, radio and television.
This September he would have turned 100.

To mark the occasion, folks at the Gene Autry Museum in Gene Autry, Oklahoma celebrated the man and the culture he represented in a big way.

Mary Schutz of the Gene Autry Museum speaks with us about Gene Autry, his legend, and the way they are celebrating his life this year. She also tells about the museum and even the town named after him.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access October, 2007)

Must See TV Over the Years

2008-12-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

Prof. Robert Thompson, professor of Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University, is an author of six books and a leading authority on the impact of television on popular culture.
He speaks with us about a series of television shows celebrating milestone anniversaries and their impact on television and on our society - they range from Bachelor Father to Thirty Something and a lot in between.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access October, 2007)

Music of America: Guitar Flat-Picking Championships & More at Walnut Valley

2008-12-30T11:26:00.000-08:00

For more than 30 years Walnut Valley, Kansas has been the scene for an annual family event that features four stages with eight contests, at least 14 workshops and more. Larry Junker talks to us from Walnut Valley about its origins and traditions.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access September, 2007)

Labor Day Remembrance: Walter Reuther, 20th Century Labor Giant

2008-12-30T11:25:00.000-08:00

Walter Reuther would have truned 100 years old on September 1, 2007.

He was President of the United Auto Workers during the mid 20th century. But he was much more. His life represented the life and times of millions in the labor movement.

As we remember Walter Reuther on the occasion of his 100th birthday anniversary, we see just how different times are today.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access September, 2007)

Vinyl Record Day

2008-12-30T11:11:00.000-08:00

Gary Freiberg has created a day intended to recognize the cultural influence that vinyl records and album covers have had for more than 60 years. He talks with us about the origins of this day and how it is observed in his California hometown and elsewhere.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access August, 2007)

Music of America: W.C. Handy

2008-12-30T11:10:00.000-08:00

Most everyone has heard the name W.C. Handy. But what do you really know about this giant of American music ? Yes he wrote the St. Louis Blues and is considered to be the “Father of the Blues”, but he accomplished so much more. Join us as we go to Handy’s original hometown of Florence, Alabama(Memphis and New York are among the places claiming part of him too). Florence stages an annual W.C. Handy Festival and we stop in to gain some insight.

At:
http://conversationsontheroad.com (Access August, 2007)