It’s been over 150 years since Illinois soldiers faced Santa Anna in the Mexican War. However, traces of that battle fought over 1500 miles to the south can still be found in the names of cities and the relics in museums…..
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Today a transcontinental flight from New York to L.A. might take about five hours. But do you know how long the first such flight took? We celebrate the 100th anniversary of flying coast-to-coast with this special look back at the best of the American countryside 2012……
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It’s a tradition the last week of each year we give you the “Best of the American Countryside.” And in 2012 we interviewed 110 year old Helen Netherton. Since that original broadcast, Helen passed away at her home just shy of turning 111. Today we go back to listen to her wisdom on living a full life on this edition of the American Countryside.
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It was Christmas 1945. German POWs at Camp Algona in Algona, Iowa would be returning to Europe the next year. This was the final Christmas they would spend with many of the Americans they had built friendships with during their time here…..
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At first glance, it might appear to be an odd request. A U.S. commander asked a group of German POWs to construct a nativity scene in Algona, Iowa…..
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Santa needs his sleigh to make deliveries around the world and this man makes sure he’ll never run out of transportation…..
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In 1968, O.J Simpson won the Heisman Trophy, but it was this man who was runner-up in the Heisman balloting that year. His story is one he shares with many across the Hoosier state and the nation as well…..
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Although California and Alaska are most often the epicenter of major earthquakes in the United States, it was the Midwest that produced one of the most violent events in history. It’s been 200 years since that quake in southeast Missouri, a quake felt on the east coast that you can still see the effects of today…..
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In Memphis, Missouri, there’s a café where great food has been served for about 65 years now. This is the story of the family who began the place and what’s you’ll find hanging from the ceiling…..
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Imagine unearthing history from nearly two centuries ago to find the secret routes people used to gain their freedom. That’s what this man does and he leads tours of the hideaways used to shuttle hundreds north to escape the bonds of slavery…..
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Railroads spanned these two cities on opposite sides of the Mississippi River, but it was a secret railroad that had Eric Robinson most interested. Here’s a look at the path to freedom that passed through this important site on the mighty waterway…..
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Some sports not only require thousands of hours of training, they also require a hefty financial investment. For those who run Alaska’s famous Iditarod, it is a part of their life…..
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Sterling Cale acted with bravery and courage during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Why, then, was he going to be court-martialed? He couldn’t believe what he was hearing……
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He was an eyewitness to history, a man who was in the waters of Pearl Harbor during and after the Japanese attack, doing his part to fight back and preserve life…..
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He was a farm boy from Illinois who thought he’d received the prime spot for anyone to serve in the military. On December 7th, 1941, he found himself surrounded by a day that will live in infamy…..
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If Santa Claus needed a place to buy all of his decorations, this would be it. It’s big business in small town Michigan and it brings Christmas cheer every day of the year…..
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Our nation’s Bill of Rights guarantees its citizens freedom of speech and the right to assemble. When you are director of the Nevada nuclear test site, you see plenty of people exercising those rights…..
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From the 1950s to 1992, this area north of Las Vegas was where the U.S. conducted most of its nuclear weapons testing and this man was director of the site when that work came to an end…..
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Andrew McCrea interviews former Nevada Test Site Director, Nick Aquilina
Drilling a hole in the ground may not sound too important. However at this site, much of today’s drilling technology was perfected, and that location may surprise you…..
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Most cities would not promote nuclear tests and fishing at lakes void of fish. But that’s what this place did, and it grew as a result…..
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