The Nifty Fifty Show

Mar 15 2024
The Nifty Fifty Show Podcast artwork

Have you ever gone on a road trip or looked at a map and wondered...what makes that place different from all others? In this podcast, I talk about the stories that give places their identity. The Nifty Fifty Show is the perfect companion for the road warrior, armchair traveler, and the curious, as well as the perfect antidote to the dreaded word "flyover." So pull out a map, and let's get going!

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The Hurricane Party Makes a Good Story

Mar 15 2024 26 mins  
Some parties are infamous, becoming legends. The Hurricane Party of 1969--while Hurricane Camille roared on shore--is one of those parties. But what really happened in Pass Christian, Mississippi all those years ago? Were there really a bunch of hedonists laughing in the face of death, or just a group of people staying together for company? Find out in this episode how a quest to m

The Bonapartes in America

Mar 08 2024 28 mins  
The name Napoléon evokes France instantly. But what if he had closer ties to the United States...? While Napoléon never came to the US (he thought about it for a hot second), his family did. Two brothers, Joseph and Jérôme, would spend some time here, dazzling American society. Achille Murat, a nephew, would renounce his titles and move to Florida. Join me on this wild ride to

Reverse the River!

Mar 01 2024 19 mins  
The Chicago River pops up in the news every March when it's dyed green. Have you ever wondered why Lake Michigan isn't subsequently green? You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Chicago River emptied in Lake Michigan, but that's not the case anymore. In this episode, I discuss how a group of politicians and engineers got together to pull off the ultimate reverse Uno card on Mother

The Gallstone in Omaha's Gut

Feb 23 2024 17 mins  
Borders are one of mankind's enduring geographic obsessions. Sometimes, natural features lend a hand to form them...until they decide to switch places overnight like the Missouri River did in 1877, stranding a little part of Iowa on the wrong side of the river. This anomaly eventually landed at the center of three Supreme Court cases, each one attempting to untangle tricky ideas su

The Flushing Remonstrance

Feb 16 2024 22 mins  
Freedom of religion is often touted in the American public arena. But where did it come from? This episode answers that question: Flushing, New York. When Quakers find refuge in a tiny farming village to the east of New York City, Peter Stuyvesant wants nothing to do with them. He gets, however, more than he bargained when many in the town rise up against him. What results is a fou

Yankton: A Mother City Full of Cement

Feb 09 2024 16 mins  
The United States is full of small cities, spread out over a vast landscape. One of these towns is Yankton, South Dakota. It's likely that more people look at it from a plane than visit it. However, Yankton is full of surprises. It has two nicknames: the Mother City of the Dakotas and Cement City! Tune in to find out how Bismarck stole the territorial capital, leaving Yankton with

All the Windows in Oklahoma City

Feb 02 2024 22 mins  
Ever wonder why we don't have supersonic planes? Just ask Oklahoma City in 1964. The military and the FAA joined up for Operation Bongo II, subjecting the people of Oklahoma City to over 1,200 sonic booms for roughly six months. The result was a space age tragicomedy, full of broken windows, shrinking furniture, and exploding backyards.

Utah's Salty Stage: the Great Salt Lake

Jan 26 2024 19 mins  
There's nothing like flying in or out of Salt Lake City and seeing the vast expanse of the Great Salt Lake and its barren surroundings. As the western boundary to Utah's most populous region, the lake has seen its fair share of strange events. In this episode, we dive into three of the most bizarre dramas to use the Great Salt Lake as their stage, including a grave digger, whales,

Welcome to the Nifty Fifty Show!

Jan 19 2024 2 mins  
Hello! The Nifty Fifty Show is a podcast exploring the many places that make up the United States. There are no flyover states here!