*/ ?>

History
**Western Fringe**

Western Fringe is a podcast about the weird history of Colorado.

westernfringe@protonmail.com

Latest Episodes:

Theosophical Colorado pt. 2: The Brotherhood of the White Temple Nov 13, 2023

We talk about Sedalia's Brotherhood of the White Temple. Topics include: Egyptology, lizard people, hollow Earth, esoteric Christianity, and the CIA's research into Astral projection.

Sources:

"Found: Page 25 of the CIA’s Gateway Report on Astral Projection" by Vice

"Apocryphon" by The Sword

Theosophical Colorado pt. 1: The St. Germain Foundation Oct 28, 2023

We discuss Colorado's theosophical cults — The St. Germain Foundation and later the Church Universal and Triumphant. Helena Blavatsky, Nazi esoterica, the Freemasonic roots of St. Germain, the cults movement to Ouray, Colorado and their groundbreaking religious freedom lawsuit, the rise of the Church Universal and Triumphant, including their headquarters in the 1960s at the Broadmoor hotel in Colorado Springs. Also QAnon guy Michael Flynn and his plagiarized Elizabeth Clare Prophet prayer.

Sources:

The Secret History of the World by Mark Booth

An embarrassing amount of Wikipedia

"*******" by Jets to Brazil

Dirty Dozen: The 12 Tribes Cult Aug 27, 2023

[TW: Child abuse, child sexual abuse]

I'm back from the prolonged break with my friend/new cohost Jenna to discuss the 12 Tribes cult and their many child labor-, child abuse-, and child pornography-related scandals, but also their tasty offerings and quaint local cafes.

Sources:

@DrBlobb's thread

FBI Report

"STATE PROBES CULT IN CHILD-LABOR SCANDAL – ACTING ON HEELS OF POST REPORT" by NY Post

"Protect the Abuser" by Broward Palm Beach New Times

"In Germany's Twelve Tribes sect, cameras catch ‘cold and systematic’ child-beating" by the Independent

"Twelve Tribes sect may have smuggled children to Czech Republic" by Radio Prague International

"Man convicted after 'bizarre' child-porn confession" by Prince George Citizen

"Investigation Finds Children Working in Factory Packaging Beauty Products Sold at Major Retailers" by Inside Edition

"‘They are evil’: Ex-Twelve Tribes members describe child abuse, control inside religious cult" by Denver Post

"Tribal conflict" by Colorado Springs Indy

"Maté Factor's Twelve Tribes community called out by Vice" by Colorado Springs Indy

"God's Got It" by Old Crow Medicine Show

Intro to Demonology (ft. Jason Cordova) Sep 28, 2022

This is a quick bonus episode, featuring a conversation with Jason Cordova of the Crypto Science Society about Demons.

Additional Reading:
"The Black Monarch Hotel offers spooky decor and an exclusive phantom party" by Colorado Springs Independent (my collab with CSS)
"Demons, Furries, and Transgender People Focus of CO Springs Candidate" by Colorado Times Recorder
"Demon Brother" by Murder City Devils

Out of Focus (on the Family) Sep 01, 2022

We discuss the life and work of James Dobson, and Focus on the Family's influence on the military, anti-LGBTQ policies, and conservative politics in America.
Sources:
Jesus and John Wayne by Kristin Kobes Du Mez
"Some Kinda Hate" by Colorado Springs Independent
"Vineyard church says it heals, but some say it hurts Concerns raised about 'cult-like' group" by The Baltimore Sun
"Christian Billionaire Philanthropist Bill Hwang Charged with ‘Historic’ Stock Scam" by Religion Unplugged
"Lawsuit Alleges Billionaire’s Christian Foundation Engaged in Self-Dealing" by Christianity Today
"Hard to Be" by David Bazan

Going to Trinidad (The Trans Episode) Mar 27, 2022

In honor of the Days of Blood, or Trans Day of Visibility, we are exploring Trinidad's history as the "Sex Change Capital of the World." We talk about the history of trans people, in antiquity and the modern era, and the work of Dr. Stanley Biber and later Dr. Marci Bowers, as they provided gender confirmation surgery to over 6,000 trans people in Trinidad.

Sources:
Going to Trinidad by Martin J. Smith
The Histories by Herodotus
Gilgamesh translated by John Gardner
The Johns Hopkins Newsletter
"My New Vagina Won’t Make Me Happy" by Andrea Chu Long
"Crying in a Bathroom Stall" by Dyke Drama
Further Listening:
One From the Vaults

The Man Who Sold The Moon Mar 07, 2022

Robert A. Heinlein, famed sci-fi writer, lived in Colorado Springs in the 1950s. We look at the life of Robert Heinlein, his connections to L. Ron Hubbard and Jack Parsons, the Esalen Institute, and Heinlein's own connections to weird mysticism and the occult.

Sources:
Robert A Heinlein: In Dialogue With His Century Volume 1: Learning Curive (1907-1948) by William H Patterson
Turn Off Your Mind: The Mystic Sixties and the Dark Side of the Age of Aquarius by Gary Lachman
Programmed to Kill: The Politics of Serial Murder by David McGowan
"The Night They Blew Up The Moon" by Hot Rod Circuit
Further Study:
"I'M YOUR PUPPET: The Sorcerous Sinema of Kenneth Anger" by Subliminal Jihad
"Sons of Sam" Netflix Documentary
"Self Improvement" by Heidi Beedle, Colorado Springs Independent

The Mountain Mafia Feb 21, 2022

We talk about the Smaldone crime family. Bloody shootouts in Pueblo during the 1920s, gory gangland killings in Denver in the 30s, weird mob connections to Harry S Truman and Colorado Governor Ralph Carr, among others. Things get weird with mentions of Anton LaVey and Clyde Smaldone's take on "conspiracy theories" surrounding the JFK assassination.

Sources:
Smaldone: The Untold Story of an American Crime Family by Dick Kreck

The Death of Seymour Cray Feb 07, 2022

Computer pioneer Seymour Cray died after a traffic accident in Colorado Springs in 1996. His computers were used in a variety of military and intelligence roles, so is it possible that Cray's death was something more than it seems? Possible but not likely. We talk about the life and death of Seymour Cray.
Sources:
Seymour Cray Biography
"Colorado Springs computer firm broadens its reach with first commercial product" - Colorado Springs Gazette
"Assassination on X-Mas Eve" by Archers of Loaf

The Moo-tilators Jan 17, 2022

Starting in 1975, Colorado was ground zero for the cattle mutilation phenomenon. Today we look at the reporting of two journalists, Dane Edwards of the Brush Banner and Dorothy Aldridge of the Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph, as they cover the strange phenomenon that still persists today, which the FBI dubbed the result of "natural predator activity."

Sources:
The Oregonian
Denver Public Library
Colorado Springs Independent
The Black Vault

To the Top Part 2: Silent Soldiers for Quiet Wars Jan 10, 2022

The CIA, secretly training a rebel army in Colorado? It's more likely than you think. After World War II, the CIA used Camp Hale to train Tibetan resistance fighters during the late 1950s and early 1960s. One of the instructors, Anthony Poshepny, later became notorious for sketchy conduct during the Vietnam War.
Sources:
The CIA's Secret War in Tibet by Kenneth Conboy and James Morrison
The Shadow Circus: The CIA in Tibet
"Agent Provocative" by SF Weekly
"Love and Empire: The Dalai Lama, and Arrested Histories of the Tibetan Resistance Army" by Carole McGranahan
"Satellite" and "Crash Into Me" by Dave Matthews Band by Heidi Beedle

Further Listening:
"THE SASQUATCH GAP: Bigfoot, Almasty, and Cold War Cryptozoology" by Subliminal Jihad

To the Top Part 1: The Fast and the Fuhrerous Jan 02, 2022

We talk about Camp Hale, the Colorado Army base that was home to the 10th Mountain Division during World War II, but also home to 400 German POWs and the 620th Engineer General Service Company, a misfit unit of Nazi sympathizers. One of those soldiers would go AWOL with 2 German POWs in one of the biggest treason cases of the war.

Sources:
Something Like Treason by Bill Sonn
Colorado Encyclopedia
"The War" by Lucero

Further Listening:
Programmed to Chill: Who Financed Hitler? pt. 2, or, Detroit Krautrock City
Programmed to Chill: Spyclopedia #1, William Stephenson pt. 2, or, FBI Foot Guys

Nuke-O-Rado Part 5: Fallout Dec 19, 2021

The final installment of the Nuke-O-Rado series, we discuss the Grand Jury investigation into Rocky Flats' alleged environmental crimes, the clean-up effort, and the ongoing legacy of Rocky Flats. We're also joined by Giselle Herzfeld and Usama Khalid of the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center to discuss their efforts regarding Rocky Flats.

Sources:
Ambushed Grand Jury by Wes McKinley and Caron Balkany
My reporting in the Colorado Springs Independent
Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center
excerpt of "Radiation Suit" by Hot Rod Circuit

Nuke-O-Rado Part 4: Waste Disposal Dec 13, 2021

Things get weird in the waning days of Rocky Flats. A UFO sighting, two missing persons cases, and of course continued concerns about the disposal of nuclear waste and the rising rates of cancer for Denver-area residents. It all culminates with a raid on the plant by the FBI.
Sources:
Dark Side of the Mountain
Colorado Bureau of Investigation
Brother Tony's Boys by Mike Echols
Ambushed Grand Jury by Wes McKinley (there was a website where you could download a free .pdf, which I did a few weeks ago, the page is gone now. Weird.)

Nuke-O-Rado Part 3: Swords to Plowshares Dec 06, 2021

In this episode we talk about Colorado's Operation Plowshare projects in Rulison and Rio Blanco. Were they covers for the construction of Deep Underground Military Bases? That makes about as much sense as the stated purpose of natural gas exploration. We also look into how the rise of the Environmental Protection Agency along with local and federal health agency oversight convinced Dow it was time to pass the baton to Rockwell International, who took over in 1975, trying to reform the image of the plant and prove how safe it was while the Jefferson County Health Department conducted damning studies on cancer rates and public sentiment turned against the nuclear weapons plant.

Sources:
AEC Promo video
Archival news clippings (Thanks Pikes Peak Public Library!)

Nuke-O-Rado Part 1: The Manhattan Project and the Nuclear Arms Race Nov 22, 2021

In this episode we take a look Colorado's role in the Manhattan Project with the Uranium mining operations in Uravan and the Uranium refinery in Grand Junction. After World War II, Colorado was chosen as the site for Dow Chemical's plutonium manufacturing plant, Rocky Flats, which had it's first series of accidents in 1957.

Sources:
Atomic Heritage Foundation
Department of Energy
Rocky Flats Timeline by Pat Buffer
Demon Core Incident
Many of the documents I will be citing in this series came from the Office of Legacy Management's website, and it appears those .pdfs aren't available anymore, LOL. If you want to take a look at the source documents feel free to email westernfringe@protonmail.com