Hack historians James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy explore the dark origin story of America’s most glamorous political dynasty. Long before JFK captured the nation's imagination, his father Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. was amassing a fortune through bootlegging, stock manipulation, insider trading, and political backroom deals — with more than a few suspicious deaths along the way. This is the story of how the house of Kennedy was really built: Before Camelot.

Before it became a millionaire’s retreat and before U-boats prowled its shores during World War II, Jekyll Island began as a gift — an honor bestowed by James Oglethorpe upon one of Britain’s most principled and peculiar political minds: Sir Joseph Jekyll. A fiery Whig reformer, Jekyll spent four decades fighting corruption in Parliament, championing sobriety to the point of needing personal security, and helping bankroll Oglethorpe’s fledgling Georgia colony. His reward? A slice of untamed coastal wilderness in the New World that would one day bear his name.

Before it became a millionaire’s retreat and before U-boats prowled its shores during World War II, Jekyll Island began as a gift — an honor bestowed by James Oglethorpe upon one of Britain’s most principled and peculiar political minds: Sir Joseph Jekyll. A fiery Whig reformer, Jekyll spent four decades fighting corruption in Parliament, championing sobriety to the point of needing personal security, and helping bankroll Oglethorpe’s fledgling Georgia colony. His reward? A slice of untamed coastal wilderness in the New World that would one day bear his name.

In the final episode of Jekyll Island and the Secret Origin of the Fed, hack historians Thornton Kennedy and James Ottley peel back the curtain on the conspiracy theories—and cold, hard truths—surrounding the creation of the Federal Reserve. What was really at stake when six men, representing some of the wealthiest interests in America, met in secrecy on Jekyll Island? Was it public good or private gain that drove them? With a cocktail in hand and a raised eyebrow, your hosts explore the Fed’s shadowy birth, its elusive mechanics, and the enduring suspicion that it was less about stability and more about control. A century later, are we any closer to knowing who really holds the power?

In Episode 3 of Jekyll Island and the Secret Origin of the Fed, hack historians James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy recount the 1910 journey right out of a movie of America’s financial power players to a secluded Georgia island under the guise of a duck hunting trip. Using only first names and traveling in stealth, the group—including a man who had never hunted duck in his life—crafted the blueprint for what would become the Federal Reserve. It’s a tale of hidden agendas, private railcars, and one of the most consequential meetings in U.S. history.

In the second leg of the journey to Jekyll Island and the secret 1910 meeting that laid the groundwork for the Federal Reserve System, History for Cocktail Parties hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy dive into the economic chaos triggered by the 1890 Silver Purchase Act and the devastating Panic of 1893. This episode uncovers how debates over gold and silver shaped America’s monetary system, fueled the rise of the Populist Party, and inspired one of the most enduring allegories in American culture: The Wizard of Oz. With political unrest, economic collapse, and symbolism hiding in plain sight, the road to Jekyll gets even more colorful.

History for Cocktail Parties hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy take listeners on a journey that ultimately leads to Jekyll Island, Georgia — the secluded site of a secret 1910 meeting that laid the groundwork for the Federal Reserve System. This episode explores the dramatic history of American money, revealing how financial panics, backroom deals and banking reforms shaped everything from the formation of political parties to the location of the nation’s capital.

In the final installment of our three-part series on The Masters Tournament, hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy take listeners back to the very first tee-off in Augusta. This episode explores the inaugural 1934 tournament and how Bobby Jones—after serving with distinction during World War II—returned home to find his dream had taken root. Ottley and Kennedy trace how Jones' postwar legacy and vision helped elevate The Masters into one of the most prestigious events in all of sports.

In this episode of History for Cocktail Parties, hosts James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy explore the origins of Augusta National Golf Club, delving into why Bobby Jones and Clifford Roberts selected Augusta, Georgia, as the site for their course. They discuss the club's early financial challenges and how these struggles led to the creation of the inaugural Augusta National Invitation Tournament in 1934, which would become the prestigious Masters Tournament. The episode offers a compelling look at the vision and determination that transformed the former Fruitlands Plant Nursery into one of golf's most iconic venues.

In the debut episode of History for Cocktail Parties on The Masters — a tradition unlike any other — hack historians James Ottley and Thornton Kennedy dive into the story behind the creation of Augusta National Golf Club. They explore the unlikely partnership of golf legend Bobby Jones, Wall Street financier Cliff Roberts and renowned golf course architect Alister MacKenzie. Despite coming from vastly different backgrounds, together they crafted one of the most iconic golf courses in the world.