Cheese Curds, Beer, and Murder

The Call — Part 1

The Disappearance of Evelyn Hartley | 1953

Cheese Curds, Beer, and Murder

On October 24, 1953, fifteen-year-old Evelyn Grace Hartley disappeared while babysitting at a home on Hoeschler Drive in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

When Evelyn failed to make an arranged telephone call to her parents, her father went looking for her. What he discovered would launch an investigation that left an entire community searching for answers.

In this first installment of our two-part investigation, we explore:

• Evelyn's life, family, interests, and aspirations.
• The seemingly ordinary babysitting assignment.
• The telephone call that never came.
• Her father's unsettling discovery.
• The home, its occupants, and the first stages of the investigation.
• Witness accounts and the questions surrounding Evelyn's disappearance.

A Note to Our Listeners

Evelyn Hartley was more than the subject of a missing-person investigation. She was a young woman whose life mattered deeply to her family, friends, and community.

We share her story with respect for everyone affected by her disappearance. Our purpose is not to sensationalize tragedy, but to remember the people whose lives were forever changed.

Research & Sources

This episode draws on historical accounts of Evelyn Hartley's disappearance. Specific source citations and links should be added here after verification against the final episode script.

Production & Copyright

Created, owned, and produced by North Star Productions.

© 2026 North Star Productions. All Rights Reserved.

All original scripts, narration, recordings, and production elements created for this podcast are the intellectual property of North Star Productions.

Theme Music & Licensing

“Long Day” — Purpple Cat Source: Pixabay License: Applicable Pixabay Content License Used as opening and closing theme music.

Music copyright remains with its original creator. Third-party materials remain the property of their respective copyright holders.

Listen & Follow

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6KoqgEJeGo1yg604j0Pppl

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id6829327628

Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/046134ee-7f34-4311-9a94-89fa8b19cf35

iHeartRadio: https://iheart.com/podcast/348871407/

Coming Next: Part 2

The investigation continues as we examine the evidence, investigative leads, and unanswered questions surrounding Evelyn's disappearance.

Because every town has a story. And some stories should never be forgotten.

Welcome to Cheese Curds, Beer, & Murder

A Wisconsin and Midwest

True-Crime Podcast

In the quiet Wisconsin town of Plainfield, a seemingly harmless man named Ed Gein concealed secrets that would shock the nation and inspire some of Hollywood's most infamous horror films.

But behind the headlines were two women whose lives were tragically connected by the same killer.

Mary Hogan, a tavern owner who mysteriously disappeared in 1954, and Bernice Worden, a hardware store owner whose murder in 1957 led investigators to Gein's secluded farmhouse. The shocking discoveries that followed would finally reveal what happened to Mary nearly three years earlier.

Join us for a chilling, fireside journey through the crimes of Ed Gein, the investigation that exposed his terrible secrets, and the Wisconsin community forever changed.

Because Mary and Bernice were more than victims in a notorious killer's story. They were women with lives, families, and futures of their own—and they deserve to be remembered.

Welcome to Episode One of Cheese Curds, Beer & Murder.

Theme Music: Long-Day By:Purrplecat

Welcome to Cheese Curds, Beer & Murder, where Wisconsin charm meets the darker side of the Midwest told with the warmth of an old friend sitting beside a crackling fire.

From quiet country towns to chilling unsolved mysteries, we explore the crimes, secrets, and tragedies that have shaped communities across Wisconsin and the heartland.

But this isn't just another true-crime podcast about notorious killers and sensational headlines.

Here, the victims come first.

Behind every crime is a human being whose life mattered. Someone who was loved, someone who had dreams, a family, friends, and a future that may have been stolen from them.

We believe their names deserve to be remembered just as much as, if not more than, the names of those who harmed them.

Our promise is simple: We'll pursue the truth, distinguish facts from speculation, honor the victims, respect the survivors, and never forget the families left behind.

Because these aren't just fascinating stories to tell around a warm fire. They're real lives, real losses, and communities forever changed.

So grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and settle in.

Real people. Real stories. Lives worth remembering.

Welcome to Cheese Curds, Beer & Murder. We're awfully glad you're here.

Theme Music: Long-Day By: Purrplecat