Highway to History Podcast

After the Civil War concluded in 1865, and the failure of Reconstruction in the South, the white citizens of the southern states unleashed a system of race based terrorism on black Americans so severe it caused The Great Migration northward, wherein black southerners emigrated in mass to northern cities and towns to start new lives. In the North, tragically, they'd face the same type of systematic violence they did in the South on a smaller scale, but no less savage. The terror was called lynching and it was perpetrated by various brutal means, not just hanging. The legacy of lynching can still be felt today throughout America, though many choose to look away rather than confront Lynching's impact on the United States.  

Thank you to the Trendy Dads for their cover of The B-52's "Private Idaho."

This week Mark and London dive into more current events such as the tragic New Orleans terrorist attack, the Las Vegas cyber truck attack, the Resnick family and how they tie to the Los Angeles fires, the upcoming TikTok ban, the passing of President Jimmy Carter and his human rights advocacy, Trump's recent comments about Canada and Greenland, as well as his shift on H1-B visas, and of course Idaho representative Heather Scott advocating to roll back gay marriage in America. 

We got away from following a specific subject matter this episode and focused on some relevant topics in the news right now. Between the assassination of the United Healthcare CEO, the fall of Assad's regime in Syria, UFO's spotted over New Jersey, and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, there's a lot of history in the making happening before our eyes. 

Do UAPs, better known as UFOs, exist? Have they flown over the Boise Foothills? The possibility exists many say and the Boise area and Idaho happen to be hot-spots for unexplained phenomena. Project Sign started in 1948 and was succeeded by Project Grudge the following year, both projects were eclipsed by the more famous Project Blue Book in 1952. Blue Book lasted until 1969, offering proof that the government took such claims, whatever the truth may have been, seriously. All three investigatory projects took place, in part, in and around Idaho, and the term "flying saucer" was even coined by a Boise resident. Being based out of Idaho it only made sense for us to dive into the recent UAP Congressional Hearings, Area 51, the Roswell Incident, what whistle-blowers are saying, and more. 

Do UAPs, better known as UFOs, exist? Have they flown over the Boise Foothills? The possibility exists many say and the Boise area and Idaho happen to be hot-spots for unexplained phenomena. Project Sign started in 1948 and was succeeded by Project Grudge the following year, both projects were eclipsed by the more famous Project Blue Book in 1952. Blue Book lasted until 1969, offering proof that the government took such claims, whatever the truth may have been, seriously. All three investigatory projects took place, in part, in and around Idaho, and the term "flying saucer" was even coined by a Boise resident. Being based out of Idaho it only made sense for us to dive into the recent UAP Congressional Hearings, Area 51, the Roswell Incident, what whistleblowers are saying, and more. Stay tuned for part two.

For as long as humans have formed civilizations, and probably before, we have  assassinated our leaders. Some deserved what they got, while others did not, but then again, opinions - even educated ones - are relative.  It was a shame, I think most non-shitty humans can say, that Adolph Hitler never was assassinated though attempts were made, while the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. was a national, even world, tragedy. London and Mark talk about many known and lesser known assassinations, including the "explosive" ending of one of Idaho's first state governors on this episode of the Highway to History Podcast!

Recorded on September 18, 2024.

There are a few foundational horror movies that live in the cultural consciousness of America, films that shocked and frightened the more innocent population of the United States of the past. The Exorcist awakened the fear of demons among us, not to mention within us, in 1973, while the Texas Chainsaw Massacre made travelers weary of stopping in small town America for gas and snacks the following year. From Rosemary's Baby to Halloween, the genre of horror took off in the 1970s, leading to the tremendous output seen in the 1980s. The Amityville Horror closed out the decade in 1979 with the terrifying tale of the Defeo Family murders on November 13, 1974 by troubled son, Ronald Defeo Jr. The Lutz Family moved in a little over a year later, and wove a tale so frightening millions of people bought the subsequent book, based on a "true" story, and flocked to the movie theaters a year later. Ed and Lorraine Warren had already achieved fame as America's favorite supernatural experts, and they made sure to capitalize off of America's most famous haunting. However, controversy surrounds the Warrens and the Lutz Family themselves. We dive into the mess, talking about the murders, alleged haunting, the controversy surrounding the story and the cultural phenomenon The Amityville Horror became, plus a few more horror movies.  Happy Halloween!  

Our guest Phillips Hayman is an HONEST mechanic that I myself use! He can be reached at: (208) 421-0895.

There's a mystique surrounding crabbers and fishermen risking it all in some of the most dangerous environments on earth to reel in a good catch. From fishing for Salmon in far north-coastal Alaska, to crabbing for kings in the Bering Sea, you need to be tough to hack it! London and Mark recently sat down with mechanic, fisherman and crabber Phillips Hayman to talk about life lived on the edge of civilization where big personalities compete for fish and too much sleep is the enemy, an impediment to serious money. We talk about the use of cocaine to stay awake during the fierce derby days of the 1980s, to running drugs on crabbing and fishing vessels to make a little extra scratch. Phillips tells some illuminating truths about the real Deadliest Catch stars and much more! The next time you enjoy a plate of seafood or a few crab legs, just remember some tired SOB busted their asses to get it there! 

Recorded August 23, 2024.
Join writer/historian Mark Iverson and writer/history-enthusiast London Talbot as they discuss the nuance of history. This episode we have our first guest, Timothy Guill, a historian, a lecturer at Boise State University, a father, a veteran, as well as an expert in conspiracies in the United States and the psychology behind them. We talk about the Ruby Ridge incident in Northern Idaho, the Waco Massacre, the Tuskegee Experiments, and the anti-semitic roots within many of the more absurd conspiracies theories. History isn't always pretty folks, but it's what got us here today. 

Recorded August 14, 2024.
Join writer/historian Mark Iverson and writer/history-enthusiast London Talbot as they discuss the nuance of history. This episode covers topics like Fred Hampton and the Black Panthers, the genocide of Indigenous Americans, the complexity of Abraham Lincoln, and a little about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. History isn't always pretty folks, but for better or worse, it's what got us here today.