Hometown History

By Shane WatersSociety & Culture True Crime History

Hometown History episodes

January 01, 2024 The Met Museum's Dark History of Art Theft
It's the 19th century. New York City is blossoming. And amidst this growth, there's a buzz around a new institution that's popping up that will change the cultural landscape forever. Today, this institution sits on Fifth Avenue, hosting events like the Met Gala. Nestled on the edge of New York City's Central Park, this institution has become synonymous with art, culture, and history.
TIMELINE
1872: Since its inauguration in 1872, the Met's treasures had multiplied exponentially, and the Douglas Mansion, though regal in its own right, had grown weary and cramped under the weight of history.
1874: With the blueprint in hand, and the land awaiting its transformation, 1874 marked the commencement of a construction endeavor that would span six long years.
1880: On the crisp morning of March 30th, 1880, a monumental dream was realized.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of New York City is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 123 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

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Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
27 min
December 18, 2023 Secrets of the Met Museum: The Humble Beginnings
New York City, New York. December 11th, 1969, a date the Met Museum won't soon forget. The night was chillingly cold, with a thick fog rolling through the streets of New York City, obscuring the facade of the famous museum. Inside, the gallery stood silent and majestic, every piece of art exuding the aura of centuries gone by. Unknown to the guards and the visitors who had left for the day, a sinister plot was about to unravel, and one that would shake the very foundation of the institution.
TIMELINE
1870: Founded in 1870 and inaugurated at its present location in 1880, New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art was a relatively late entrant compared to its European counterparts.
1948: The Met Museum has long displayed a 4,000-year-old Sumerian statue from Iraq, and it has been one of the centerpieces of the museum since 1948.
1969: December 11th, 1969, a date the Met Museum won't soon forget.
2011: In Italy, after a relentless investigation spanning a decade, a trove of 6,300 Greco-Roman artifacts were wrestled from his possession in 2011.
2012: While Hecht, who passed away in 2012 at age 92, was never convicted due to the expiration of the Statue of Limitations, he consistently refuted any role in illegal art transactions.
2023: In 2023, a total of 27 ancient relics, hailing from ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt, and valued at a staggering $13 million, were seized for the way they were acquired by the museum staff.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of New York City is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 122 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
25 min
December 04, 2023 Virginia Hall: America's Most Dangerous Spy
Baltimore, Maryland. In the darkest days of World War II, when entire nations were trapped in the clutches of brutal regimes, and the winds of despair howled through occupied streets, there was a light, a beacon of determination, courage, and hope. Her name was Virginia Hall, known only to a select few, but her exploits were the stuff of legends. Working tirelessly behind enemy lines, she became a symbol of resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity. This is the woman who won World War II.
TIMELINE
1906: Virginia Hall was born on April 6, 1906, in the city of Baltimore, Maryland.
1941: For example, Virginia's first stint in the SOE was when, in the dead of night in 1941, she was parachuted into Lyon, a region in France, and assigned the code name Marie.
1945: Just one year after her capture, in 1945, World War II ended with the surrender of Germany.
1966: In 1966, Virginia Hall retired from the CIA, closing a chapter on a life of service, bravery, and unyielding determination.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Baltimore is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 121 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
25 min
November 20, 2023Project Sunshine: America's Dark Secret
In the shadow of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, a more sinister American program was brewing. Project Sunshine had an innocuous nameâ€"but between 1955 and 1970, the US government orchestrated a horrifying operation that would remain classified for decades. When rumors began to surface about "baby body snatching," most dismissed them as conspiracy theories. They were wrong.
Behind laboratory doors, American scientists were studying strontium-90, a radioactive isotope from atomic blasts that mimicked calcium and infiltrated bones. To understand its effects, they needed samplesâ€"untainted by environmental radioactivity. The solution was unthinkable: secretly obtaining the remains of deceased infants and children. From the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki to bodies shipped from British hospitals, approximately 6,000 children became unwitting subjects in classified nuclear experiments.
The scale of deception was staggering. Documents stamped "top secret" revealed collaboration between US nuclear labs and Britain's Atomic Energy Authority. Nobel laureates instructed colleagues to "do a good job of body-snatching" for their country. Families like Jean Pritchard's discovered their infant daughter's body parts had been taken without permission. When President Clinton commissioned an investigation, the brutal truth emerged: corruption was the method, and children's bones were the currency of a Cold War-era betrayal.
Discover the truth behind Project Sunshineâ€"a conspiracy theory that proved all too real. New episodes every Tuesday. This is Episode 120 of Hometown History's "Secrets from WW2" series.
EPISODE SUMMARY
Between 1955 and 1970, the United States government conducted a classified program called Project Sunshine that secretly obtained the bodies of approximately 6,000 deceased infants and children for radiation experiments. Initially dismissed as conspiracy theory, declassified documents revealed a shocking collaboration between American nuclear scientists and British hospitals to study strontium-90's effects on human bones. This episode explores how government betrayal, institutional secrecy, and the pursuit of Cold War-era scientific advancement led to one of the most ethically disturbing programs in American history.
KEY EVENTS & TIMELINE
1945
August 6 & 9: Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Concerns emerge about strontium-90 radioactive fallout effects
Early 1950s
Project Sunshine secretly initiated to study strontium-90 in human bones
Initial focus on obtaining remains from Hiroshima/Nagasaki victims
1955-1970
Peak operational period: ~6,000 bodies collected
British scientists at Harwell and Medical Research Council participate
Bodies obtained from UK hospitals including Central Middlesex Hospital
Samples also collected from Hong Kong, Cambridge, London, San Francisco
Nobel laureate Willard Libby instructs colleagues on "body-snatching" methods
Remains coded with impersonal designations (e.g., "Baby B-1102," "Baby B-595")
1970s
Project Sunshine officially ends as ethical standards shift
Most documentation sealed or destroyed
British government continues to deny involvement
1990s
President Bill Clinton commissions investigation
Declassified documents expose US-UK collaboration
Jean Pritchard and other families discover unauthorized body part removal
American Department of Energy releases partial documentation

KEY LOCATIONS
United States
Federal nuclear research laboratories (specific locations remain classified)
San Francisco collection sites
United Kingdom
Harwell nuclear research facility (primary UK coordination center)
Medical Research Council facilities
Central Middlesex Hospital, London
Royal Marston Hospital
Cambridge medical facilities
International
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan (initial victim remains)
Hong Kong (additional body part collection site)

KEY FIGURES & ORGANIZATIONS
Scientists & Officials
Willard Libby: Nobel Prize-winning chemist who coordinated body-snatching efforts, instructed colleagues that "human samples are of prime importance"
Organizations
UK Atomic Energy Authority (coordinated British participation)
Medical Research Council (facilitated hospital access)
US Department of Energy (released partial documentation in 1990s)
British nuclear industry (provided infrastructure and secrecy)
Families
Jean Pritchard: Mother whose infant daughter's legs were taken without permission; became advocate for victims after declassification
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
23 min
November 06, 2023 The Night Witches: Soviet Women Who Terrorized the Nazis
Moscow, Russia. It takes a special something to strike mortal fear into the hearts of Nazi German soldiers. To be deemed a witch by these forces is nothing short of an honor. An honor afforded to female pilots in the Soviet Air Force. They were hated and feared so much that any German pilot who managed to down their plane was automatically awarded the Iron Cross Medal, typically awarded for bravery in battle.
TIMELINE
1917: The year was 1917, and Russia had boldly declared legal equality for women.
1941: On October 8, 1941, Order Number 0099 heralded the creation of three new women's regiments.
1944: From August 1944 through May 1945, the women continued their operations over Poland, participated in the East Prussian Offensive, and assisted in the Vestula Odor Offensive.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Moscow is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 119 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
24 min
October 09, 2023 North Carolina's Forgotten Gold Rush of 1799
Charlotte, North Carolina. In the pages of American history, stories of gold, greed, and glory often cast their glimmering shadow. But before the famous California gold rush, a lesser-known, yet equally compelling chapter unfolded. A chapter ignited by a child's curiosity in a shiny rock found in the heart of North Carolina. So, the year is 1799 in the rolling countryside of North Carolina. There's a breeze. The birds are chirping. It's a storybook morning.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Charlotte is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 118 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
If you liked this: Episode 200 (Bessemer City, North Carolina)
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
24 min
September 25, 2023 When Washington Poisoned Prohibition Alcoholv
Washington, DC. It's Christmas Eve, 1926. New York City was adorned with a sparkle of snow and a festive glow. Families gathered in their homes, and the streets were bright with carols and holiday cheer. But in the corridors of Bellevue Hospital, a nightmare was unfolding. A man stumbled through the doors. His face flushed, his eyes wide, with an unexplainable terror. He claimed that Santa Claus, not jolly and kind, but a sinister version wielding a baseball bat, was chasing him through the streets of New York.
TIMELINE
1893: Founded in 1893, the League masterfully played upon post-war prejudices, painting alcohol as an unpatriotic indulgence.
1921: Congress, sensing the growing crisis, acted with the Emergency Beer Bill of 1921, limiting the types of alcohol and alcohol content a physician could prescribe.
1926: In the darkened alleys of 1926 New York City, 585 people met their end.
1928: In 1928, Bix raised a glass in New York, unaware that he was toasting to his doom.
1933: In 1933, with a heavy heart and the weight of countless lives lost, the government repealed the 18th Amendment, ending prohibition.
2012: In the Czech Republic, methanol poisoning struck once again in 2012, leading the government to a desperate and fruitless attempt to ban alcoholic drinks.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Washington is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 117 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
25 min
September 12, 2023 Sweet Success: Milton Hershey's Legacy of Generosity
Hershey, Pennsylvania. We all know the classic American story about the evil capitalist like Citizen Kane. He bullies his way to the top, crushes his rivals, and loses all human decency along the way. This story is the opposite of that story. This is the story of the good capitalist Milton S. Hershey of Hershey Candy Bar fame, who looked out for his employees and founded two thriving company towns, one in Pennsylvania and the other on the island of Cuba.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Hershey is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 116 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
If you liked this: Episode 176 (Erie, Pennsylvania)
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
39 min
August 28, 2023 When Las Vegas Marketed Atomic Bomb Tests
Las Vegas, Nevada. How would you feel about pulling up a lawn chair to watch a nearby explosion of an atomic bomb? Believe it or not, this used to be common. When the U.S. government chose a nuclear testing site about 60 miles outside of Las Vegas, the city did what it did with just about everything else. It turned it into a marketing campaign. It used the proximity of these massive radioactive disasters to get more people to come to Vegas.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Las Vegas is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 115 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
If you liked this: Episode 91 (Reno, Nevada)
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
20 min
August 14, 2023 Las Vegas: From Railroad Stop to Sin City
Today, you go anywhere and you say, ah, I'm from Las Vegas. Whoa, really? And yet, to this day, people will say, what hotel do you live in? Are you kidding me? You've got 3 million people living here. Are you kidding me? No. And yet, I've had that. I've had people say, you run a museum there? What is it? About poker chips or something? No, it's a museum. I run three museums, or I did. I was like, really? Yes. Three museums in five locations with a sixth outreach. Okay.
WHY THIS MATTERS
The story of Las Vegas is a reminder that the events that shaped America didn't always happen in the biggest cities. What unfolded here left marks on the community that are still visible today. The full story is more complicated, and more human, than the version most people know.
Episode 114 | Hometown History | Hosted by Shane Waters
If you liked this: Episode 91 (Reno, Nevada)
Hometown History explores forgotten stories from small-town America. The overlooked events, hidden triumphs, and buried tragedies that shaped the country we live in. New episodes every Tuesday. Find every episode at mythsandmalice.com/hometown-history

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
32 min

About Hometown History

From the publisher's feed

Discover forgotten stories from small-town America that never made it into history books. Hometown History is the podcast uncovering hidden American history—overlooked events, local mysteries, and…