History

History Dispatches

History Dispatches is a daily history show hosted by father and son duo Matt and McKinley Breen. The show covers people, places, events and even objects from throughout history. While any topic is fair game, Matt and McKinley hold a soft spot for the offbeat and wacky stories that most people don’t know about.

Latest Episodes:

The Amazing Life of Ima Hogg Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

We all love a good silly pun name. There are the classics, such as Harry Pitts, or Seymour Butts. But one of the best was also a real person - Ima Hogg. Born in the late 1800’s to the governor of Texas, she would - either despite or because of her interesting name - lead a remarkable life. She became a patron of the arts, contributor to historic preservation, and an early proponent of mental health research and care. This is the story of Ima Hogg.

Sources

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/hogg-ima

https://www.humanitiestexas.org/programs/tx-originals/list/ima-hogg

https://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/hall-of-fame/ima-hogg/

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ImaHogg.jpg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Sterling Hall Bombing Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

On Aug. 24, 1970, a bomb went off outside of Sterling Hall, the home of the Army Math Research Center at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The destruction damaged 26 buildings, killed one man, and injured several others. It was, until 1995, the most destructive act of domestic terrorism in United States History. This is the story of the Sterling Hall Bombing.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sterling_Hall_bombing

https://mediamilwaukee.com/special-projects/sterling-hall-bombing/

https://onwisconsin.uwalumni.com/the-blast-that-changed-everything/

Images

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sterling_Hall_bombing_after_explosion_1.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sterling_Hall_Bombers.jpg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Rafael Hernández Marín Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Born in 1892, Rafael Hernández Marín rose from humble origins to one of the greatest musicians in history. He started playing professionally at the age of 14, served in a military band in WWI, and ended up touring the world. His style took influences from African American music, Cuban, Puerto Rican, Mexican, and others. He wrote over 3,000 songs, and is one of the greatest Latin American artists of all time. This is the story of Rafael Hernández Marín.

Sources

https://en.enciclopediapr.org/content/rafael-hernandez-marin/

https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/rafael-hernandez

"Preciosa" by Marc Anthony - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbbB1BFL-qg&list=RDRbbB1BFL-qg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Hodag Dec 02, 2025

Show notes

In 1893, a newspaper in northern Wisconsin reported the discovery of a Hodag - a mythical creature associated with Paul Bunyan. Reports of the creature would continue to pop up over the next few years - until one was captured and put on display at the local county fair. However, interest from the scientific community quickly revealed the Hodag to be a hoax. But that did not stop the Hodag from cementing its place in American folklore.

Sources

https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS2321

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodag

Image: by Gourami Watcher - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hodag_002.jpg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Battle of Cannae Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

Under a hot afternoon sun in 216 BC, the great Carthaginian general Hannibal scored one of the greatest victories in military history. Outnumbered by 30,000 men, he lured the Roman army into a trap, surrounded and destroyed the entire army. This is the story of the Battle of Cannae.

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Adolf Lindstrøm - the Polar Chef Nov 28, 2025

Show notes

In the early 1900s, one man proved essential to polar exploration. This man took part in multiple expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic - including the first traversing of the Northwest Passage by ship, and the first journey to reach the South Pole. Explorer Roald Amundsen said the man, “has rendered greater and more valuable service to the Norwegian polar expeditions than any other man.” The amazing thing is that this man was a cook. This is the story of Adolf Lindstrøm - the Polar Chef.

Sources

https://amundsen.mia.no/en/person/adolf-henrik-lindstrom-2/

https://frammuseum.no/polar-history/explorers/adolf-henrik-lindstrom-1866-1939/

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Adolf_Lindstrøm_med_prøver_av_fisken_på_King_William_Island,_1904.jpg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Treaty of Breda Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

In 1667, the Treaty of Breda was signed, ending the Second Anglo Dutch War. However, this treaty was so impactful that it solidified the golden age of the Dutch Republic for the next century, and gave England control over what would become the United States. This is the story of the Treaty of Breda.

Sources

https://opil.ouplaw.com/page/492

https://www.britannica.com/event/Treaty-of-Breda

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Congress_of_Breda.jpg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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History of Grog Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Alcohol and ships have gone hand-in-hand ever since humans have set out onto the oceans. In time, drinking became an honored ritual - and even a right. But in the 1600s, alcohol consumption within the British Navy became so troublesome a new concoction was developed to curb the excesses of the sailors. This was the combining of rum with water. This is the history of Grog.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grog

https://vinepair.com/articles/the-definitive-history-of-grog/

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Royal_Navy_during_the_First_World_War_Q17966.jpg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Great Raft of the Red River Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

For over 1,000 years a massive, natural log jam covered great swaths of the Red River in Louisiana. Known as the Great Raft, it was integral part of the Caddo culture. Unfortunately, it also made the river unnavigable for ships. As such the United States government attempted to clear it, and only managed to do so thanks to the use of high explosives. But the process forever altered the course of the river thanks to extreme ecological damage. This is the story of the Great Raft of the Red River.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Raft

https://www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry?entry=RE009

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/042254248e6f471fa2a2cf1ec880ca08

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Photographic_Views_of_Red_River_Raft_25.jpg

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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James Bond in Film Nov 24, 2025

Show notes

In 1962, the film Dr. No was released, introducing the world to one of the world’s greatest - and most enduring secret agents. Over the next 60+ years, James Bond would be portrayed by seven different men in 27 films. This is the story of the men who have played Bond. James Bond.

Sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Bond

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portrayal_of_James_Bond_in_film

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Fleming

History Dispatches is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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