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:

Alfred the Great and the Great Heathen Army Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

The year was 865 AD, and the largest viking army ever assembled landed on the shores of England. What ensued was 20 years of pillage and conquest that was only stopped by the young king of Wessex, Alfred the Great.

Sources

"Alfred the Great" by David J. Sturdy

Image: Author and @Steve Daniels - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Statue_of_King_Alfred_in_Wantage_Market_Square.jpg

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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The Rosetta Stone - the Key to Unlocking Egypt's Past Apr 11, 2025

Show notes

On July 15, 1799, French soldiers discovered a large stone slab along the Nile Delta. They knew it was something special. But no one at the time realized it was the key to opening up the vast history of ancient Egypt. This is the story of the Rosetta Stone.

Sources

British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/everything-you-ever-wanted-know-about-rosetta-stone

"The Rosetta Stone: Unlocking the Ancient Egyptian Language" - https://arce.org/resource/rosetta-stone-unlocking-ancient-egyptian-language/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosetta_Stone

Image: @Hans Hillewaert - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rosetta_Stone.JPG

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Johnny Appleseed Apr 10, 2025

Show notes

For five decades John Chapman wandered the American frontier, from Pennsylvania to Illinois, planting thousands of apple trees and changing the American frontier. In the process, he established himself as one of America’s most foundational myths. This is the story of Johnny Appleseed.

Sources

"Johnny Appleseed: the man, the myth, the American story," by Howard Means

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=637870

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot Apr 09, 2025

Show notes

On the evening of Nov. 4, 1605, a man in a cloak, hat and riding boots was discovered in a small storage room - called an undercroft - directly under Westminster Palace in London. Hidden in the room were 36 barrels of gunpowder. The man was Guy Fawkes. His plan was to blow up Parliament. This is the story of the Gunpowder Plot.

Sources

"Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot" - https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/guy-fawkes-and-the-gunpowder-plot/#gs.lflwi2

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Fawkes

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunpowder_Plot

Image: Photo by Gary Rogers - https://www.mildenhall.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000438892/

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

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The Battle of Blair Mountain - America's Largest Labor Uprising Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

West Virginia, 1921, saw 10,000 miners begin a march to push for better pay and conditions, as well as recognized unions. They would be stopped on the slopes of Blair Mountain - but not until after several days of bitter fighting. It was the largest armed uprising in the United States since the Civil War. This is the story of the Battle of Blair Mountain.

Sources

"The battle of Blair Mountain: the story of America's largest labor uprising," by Robert Shogan

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blair-miner.jpg

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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The Heist of the Irish Crown Jewels Apr 07, 2025

Show notes

On July 6, 1907, at Dublin Castle, in Dublin, Ireland, Sir Arthur Vicars, the Ulster King of Arms, opened up his safe in his office library. In doing so, he revealed the theft of Jewels of the Order of St. Patrick - more commonly known at the Irish Crown Jewels. The theft of the jewels - which today would be worth in the millions - has never been solved.

Sources

"Royal Raid: The curious case of the Irish Crown Jewels" - https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-62924392

"The Theft of the Irish Crown Jewels" - https://dublincastle.ie/the-theft-of-the-irish-crown-jewels/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irish_Crown_Jewels

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

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

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Alberta Rat Campaign Apr 04, 2025

Show notes

In the 1950's, Alberta, Canada, was under attack. By Rats! In response to an invasion of rats, the government of Alberta embarked on one of the most successful pest control campaigns in history.

Sources

"History of rat control in Alberta" - https://www.alberta.ca/history-of-rat-control-in-alberta

Image: Poster released by the Alberta Department of Public Health circa 1948. (A17202b/Provincial Archives of Alberta)

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Kensington Runestone Apr 03, 2025

Show notes

In 1898, Olof Ohman, a Swedish immigrant, was clearing some land in Minnesota, and came upon a large stone slab with some intricate runes - the kind used by Norse Vikings centuries earlier. After the runes were deciphered, it was determined that the runestone dated back to 1362, and marked the furthest western exploration of the legendary Viking explorers. This is the story of the Kensington Runestone.

Sources

"The Kensington Runestone Hoax" - https://ahotcupofjoe.net/2023/07/the-kensington-rune-stone-hoax/

Wikepedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington_Runestone

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

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Battle of Castle Itter Apr 02, 2025

Show notes

In the final days of the Second World War, one of the conflict's strangest battles took place. A group of French politicians, German soldiers, and American tankers teamed up to defend a castle from an attack by the SS. This is the story of the Battle of Castle Itter.

Sources

"The Last Battle: When U.S. and German Soldiers Joined Forces in the Waning Hours of World War II in Europe" by Stephen Harding

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

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Bessie Coleman - the First African-American Pilot Apr 01, 2025

Show notes

On June 15, 1921, Texas-born Bessie Coleman took to the sky in her airplane - and in the process, became the first black woman and first Native American to earn a pilot's license in the United States. In this episode, we look at this aviation pioneer.

Sources

Cradle of Aviation Museum: https://www.cradleofaviation.org/history/history/women-in-aviation/bessie-coleman.html

Saturday Evening Post: https://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2025/02/the-high-flying-feats-of-bessie-coleman/

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bessie_Coleman

Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bessie_Coleman_in_1923.jpg

The Explorers Podcast is part of the Airwave Media Network: www.airwavemedia.com

Interested in advertising on the Explorers Podcast? Email us at advertising@airwavemedia.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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