http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/28Nov16-Blue-Owl-Bakery-1.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 2:59 — 2.0MB)Some of the nation’s most successful businesses began in someone’s home.  That’s the case for Mary, who turned her need…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/17Nov16-Iran-Hostage-Rocky-Sickmann-7.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)When someone in our military dies in the line of duty, we often memorialize them and their service, and rightly…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/16Nov16-Iran-Hostage-Rocky-Sickmann-6.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:00 — 2.1MB)In the middle of his most try time, Rocky Sickmann wondered if God was still there – if God would…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/15Nov16-Iran-Hostage-Rocky-Sickmann-5.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)January 20th, 1981 was inauguration day in the U.S.  It was also the day a 444 day hostage crisis ended…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/14Nov16-Iran-Hostage-Rocky-Sickmann-4.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:00 — 2.1MB)For those of use old enough to remember the events of 1979 and 1980, we may recall the plight of…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/11Nov16-Iran-Hostage-Rocky-Sickmann-3.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)Rocky Sickmann was in a position to change the course of U.S. history.  If he had pulled the trigger on…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/10Nov16-Iran-Hostage-Rocky-Sickmann-2.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)In 1979 Rocky Sickmann received his first assignment at a Marine Security Guard.  He knew it could be a challenge,…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/10/09Nov16-Iran-Hostage-Rocky-Sickmann-1.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:00 — 2.1MB)Rocky Sickmann grew up in a rural area not far from St. Louis.  He had never ventured too far from…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/09/21Oct16-Museums-in-a-Museum.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)Did you ever imagine you might turn a collection into your own museum?  This man has museums within museums.  In…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/09/20Oct16-Harold-Bell-Wright.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:00 — 2.1MB)There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Harold Bell Wright.  He was one of the top author’s a century…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/09/19Oct16-Branson-Worlds-Largest-Toy-Museum-2.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)The parents of every young kids, and some old ones, know they love their toys.  Tom Beck set out to…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/09/18Oct16-Branson-Worlds-Largest-Toy-Museum.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:00 — 2.1MB)What should you do with your time when you retire?  Tom and Wendy Beck took an adventure that resulted in…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/09/14Oct16-Dicks-Five-and-Ten-3.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)This is the type of store you can get lost in.  Not because the layout is a maze, but rather…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/09/13Oct16-Dicks-Five-and-Ten-2.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:00 — 2.1MB)An average Wal-Mart SuperCenter has 142,000 items.  Steve Hartley runs a store much smaller in size, yet carries over 75,000…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/09/12Oct16-Dicks-Five-and-Ten-1.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)You might think Steve is operating a business that died long ago.  After all, almost all the other similar stores…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/04/13Sep16-1904-Worlds-Fair-4.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 2:59 — 2.0MB)Some say this event was the beginning of the ice cream cone and iced tea.  Those facts may be debated,…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/04/12Sep16-1904-Worlds-Fair-3.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)It was a race like none other.  The Olympic marathon of 1904 featured a runner who hoped a ride, two…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/04/09Sep16-1904-Worlds-Fair-2.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:01 — 2.1MB)You would think hosting the World’s Fair would have been a large enough event to keep a city busy.  But…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/04/08Sep16-1904-Worlds-Fair-1.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 3:00 — 2.1MB)Today, St. Louis’ Forrest Park is home to several museums and plenty of green space.  Roll back the clock over…

http://americancountryside.com/wp-content/gems/2016/04/18Aug16-Paraolympian-John-Gilbert-3.mp3Podcast: Download (Duration: 2:59 — 2.0MB)As we all know, you have to be at the top of your sport to compete in the Olympics.  John…