Hometown History

Welcome to Hometown History, where the forgotten past comes alive. Our mission? To unearth the hidden gems of history that do not make it into the textbooks. Whether it's a local legend that's been overlooked, a historical event that shaped a small town, or a mysterious occurrence lost in the annals of time, we dig deep to bring you the untold stories that deserve to be heard.

Tune in as we travel back in time, uncovering the history you thought you knew and introducing you to the stories you never knew existed. Let's rewrite history, one hometown at a time.

The player is loading ...

165: Nursing Through the Ages, Part 2 – Florence Nightingale and the War on Death

Recent Episodes

View all

June 11, 2025

165: Nursing Through the Ages, Part 2 – Florence Nightingale and the War on Death

When war-torn wards near the Bosphorus Strait reeked of sewage and despair, Florence Nightingale arrived with 38 nurses, a ledger, and one stubborn oil-lamp. In today’s Hometown History, Shane Waters traces how Nightingale’s ...

Listen to the Episode

May 29, 2025

164: Nursing Through the Ages, Part 1: The Dark Origins of Nursing

Long before starched whites and stethoscopes, nursing grew out of medieval convents, overcrowded workhouses, and disease-ridden wards where desperate women labored with little training and even less respect. In this debut epi...

Listen to the Episode

March 27, 2025

163: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Sodder Children: A Christmas Eve Tragedy

In this episode of Hometown History , we explore the chilling and unsolved mystery of the Sodder children, who vanished on Christmas Eve, 1945, after a fire destroyed their home in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Despite the dev...

Listen to the Episode

Jan. 29, 2025

162: The Bone Wars: Paleontology’s Greatest Rivalry

In this episode of Hometown History, we dive into one of the most intense scientific rivalries of the 19th century—the infamous "Bone Wars." Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope, two leading paleontologists, began as colleagues but quickly turned into bitter enemies. What started as a comp…

Listen to the Episode

Jan. 16, 2025

161: The Curse of Rebel Without a Cause: Hollywood’s Tragic Tale

In this episode of Hometown History, we explore the eerie and tragic events surrounding one of Hollywood’s most iconic films, Rebel Without a Cause. While celebrated for its portrayal of youthful rebellion, the film is remembered for more than its performances—it’s also linked to a string of untime…

Listen to the Episode

Dec. 30, 2024

160: Psychiana: The Mail-Order Religion That Swept America

In this episode of Hometown History, we uncover the rise and fall of the Psychiana Movement, one of the most unusual religious movements in American history. Founded in 1929 by Frank Bruce Robinson, a man with a troubled past, Psychiana promised its followers the power to communicate directly with …

Listen to the Episode

View all Episodes

Join the Email List

Reviews

Fascinating stories!

"I love these wonderful stories of history. Everything Shane does is perfection, and this is no exception. Thank you for your detailed research & for sharing the history behind these locations."

lindy luvs music | Jan. 15, 2023

Made me cry

"There’s a Gus Grissom high school in Buffalo New York, but while I knew how he died, I never knew how he lived. I am glad I wasn’t driving as I usually am when I listen to the podcasts or I would hav…"

Ruth Dempsey | July 13, 2023

Thank you!

"More clean history content for us nerds with children. Thank you for sharing and supporting local history."

batpigmom | Aug. 25, 2023

See all reviews

Related Shows

Hometown History

Recent Episodes

165: Nursing Through the Ages, Part 2 – Florence Nightingale and the War on Death

164: Nursing Through the Ages, Part 1: The Dark Origins of Nursing

163: The Mysterious Disappearance of the Sodder Children: A Christmas Eve Tragedy

162: The Bone Wars: Paleontology’s Greatest Rivalry

161: The Curse of Rebel Without a Cause: Hollywood’s Tragic Tale

160: Psychiana: The Mail-Order Religion That Swept America

Listen On

Reviews

Related Shows

Foul Play: Crime Series

Hometown History

Obscura: A True Crime Podcast

Who Killed Sister Cathy?

Decoding the Zodiac Killer

The Redhead Murders

The Asian Madness Podcast

Mystery Inc

Safe Space from the Workplace

Rotten to the Core

Disaster

Our Curious Past

The Hidden Staircase

Frightful