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:

John Colter's Run Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

In 1809, one of America’s first mountain men - John Colter - was captured by hostile Blackfeet warriors. His companion was killed. But Colter - stripped naked and without any weapons - was given a chance to live. It was a cruel game pitting him against hundreds of armed Blackfeet. The only advantage he had was a few hundred yards lead. This is the story of John Colter’s Run.

Sources

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

https://lewis-clark.org/members/john-colter/

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

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The Mystery of the Tunguska Incident Jul 31, 2025

Show notes

In the early hours of June 30, 1908, a massive explosion devastated the Tunguska region of Siberia. Despite leveling thousands of square kilometers of forest, and locals describing it as artillery fire, the Tunguska event went unsolved for decades. And even today, speculation remains. This is the mystery of the Tunguska Incident.

Sources

https://www.nasa.gov/history/115-years-ago-the-tunguska-asteroid-impact-event/

https://www.britannica.com/event/Tunguska-event

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

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tunguska_event#/media/File:Tunguska_Ereignis-1.jpg

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

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Knights Templar Jul 30, 2025

Show notes

Everyone knows about the Knights Templar. And despite existing for less than 200 years, they are a part of a million stories, myths and legends. There are video games, movies, books, songs and so much more about the order. But all that aside - this is the real story of the Knights Templar.

Sources

https://www.livescience.com/knights-templar.html

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

https://www.galapagos.org/conservation/project-isabela/

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

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

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Project Isabela: The Galapagos Goat War Jul 29, 2025

Show notes

The Galapagos Islands are some of the most incredible, but fragile, ecosystems in the world. Isolated for millions of years, the 1800s saw the introduction of goats, leading to extreme devastation. To combat this, in 1997, the ambitions Project Isabela was conceived. And the goal was simple - eradicate 140,000 goats on three separate islands.

Sources

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281292713_The_Atlas_of_Isabela_Project_An_illustrative_document_of_the_biggest_successful_goat_eradication_project_on_islands

https://www.galapagos.org/conservation/project-isabela/

Image: https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-and-white-goat-on-brown-and-green-grass-3782880/

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

Interested in advertising on History Dispatches? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

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Assassination attempt of Teddy Roosevelt Jul 28, 2025

Show notes

On Oct. 14, 1912, Theodore Roosevelt departed his hotel in Milwaukee Wisconsin - on his way to a campaign speech. He got into an automobile, and as he gave a wave to the cheering crowd, a man stepped forward and shot Roosevelt in the chest. Despite a blood stained shirt and a bullet lodged in his chest, Roosevelt drove to the location of his campaign stop - and gave a 50 minute speech. This is the story of the Assassination Attempt on Teddy Roosevelt.

Sources

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

https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2019/07/the-pocket-items-that-saved-the-life-of-theodore-roosevelt/

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Theodore_Roosevelt_speaking_from_a_car_in_Milwaukee_Wisconsin_on_Oct._14,_1912.webp

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

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Versailles Rail Accident Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

On May 8, 1842, the locomotive of a train traveling to Paris from Versailles, broke an axle. The carriages behind the locomotive piled into it, and caught fire - leading to a catastrophic inferno. Upwards of 200 people were killed. This is the story of the Versailles rail accident - the first major railway disasters in history - and the deadliest in the world at the time.

Sources

https://www.geriwalton.com/versailles-railway-accident-of-1842/

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

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Meudon_1842.jpg

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

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Jack Black: The Greatest Rat Catcher Jul 24, 2025

Show notes

In Victorian London rats were one of the nastiest pests, responsible for numerous diseases, and untold economic damages. To combat these rodents, the profession of rat catcher evolved. And the greatest of these rat catchers was a man named Jack Black - the self styled Royal Rat Catcher of Queen Victoria.

Sources

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-selfappointed-king-of-victorian-rat-catchers

https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/roundtable/her-majestys-rat-catcher

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Black_(rat_catcher)#/media/File:Jack_Black.jpg

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

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Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska and the "horrible hand" dinosaur Jul 23, 2025

Show notes

Zofia Kielan-Jaworowska was a Polish scientist and the first woman to lead a dinosaur excavation expedition. On her explorations of the Gobi Desert, she discovered many famous animals, including Deinocheirus—a dinosaur that, for decades, was known only by its enormous, terrifying claws. But when we finally found the rest of its body, it turned out to look more like Jar Jar Binks. This is the story of Zofia, and the dinosaur that surprised us all - as told with our guests - Sabrina and Garret from the I Know Dino podcast.

Sources

Thanks to Sabrina and Garret from the I Know Dino Podcast. Listen to them. It's a great show.

I Know Dino Website: https://iknowdino.com

I Know Dino Book: https://books.disney.com/book/i-know-dino/

(The book is awesome - we highly recommend it).

https://archive.org/details/inpursuitofearly0000kiel/page/n5/mode/2up

https://archive.org/details/huntingfordinosa00kiel

https://iknowdino.com/deinocheirus-episode-527/

https://www.nature.com/articles/520158a

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2014.16203

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13874

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13930

Image: Photo by Garret Kruger

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

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The Lost Episodes of Doctor Who Jul 22, 2025

Show notes

One of the most popular and enduring science fiction television shows is Doctor Who. First premiering in 1967, it has aired over 600 episodes. And yet, despite its cult status, almost 100 of the early episodes are totally missing. This is the story of the lose - and recovery - of these lost episodes.

Sources

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

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/nov/11/lost-doctor-who-episodes-found-owner-reluctant-to-hand-them-to-bbc

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

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

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The Caravel Jul 21, 2025

Show notes

The 1400s ushered in the classic Age of Discovery. In the span of just a few decades, Europeans rounded Africa, crossed the Atlantic to find a New World, and circumnavigated the globe. And a major reason for this was a small ship - the caravel - which will be the backbone of ocean-going exploration for a century. This is the story of that innovative vessel.

Sources

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

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

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

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