We dig into the eerie presidential death cycle known as Tecumseh’s Curse or the Zero-Year Curse. Tracing the origins of the legend to Native American revenge, planetary alignment, and even Satan, we look at the facts and fantasies behind this pattern—and how it had a real-life impact on the presidency.

Find out more at plodpod.com and send your local lore to [email protected].

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We dig into the truth and lore about the mysterious life and death of Sarah Shelton Henry, Patrick Henry’s wife—a woman who suffered from mental illness and was confined in the basement of their home in Beaverdam, Virginia.

This local lore was suggested by our listener Klayr. An essential source in putting this episode together was the book "In Sickness and in Health: The Marriage of Patrick Henry and Sarah Shelton" by Mark Couvillon.

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We welcome James Bish and Dr. Richard Gardiner to talk about why they strongly believe the story of George Washington and his father’s cherry tree is not a myth—and that the real myth is that the story has been firmly debunked. 

James Bish is the author of I Can't Tell A Lie: Parson Weems and the Truth about George Washington's Cherry Tree, Prayer at Valley Forge, and Other Anecdotes

Bish and Gardiner cowrote a fascinating paper backing up their claims: An Analysis of the Scholarly Consensus Regarding George Washington and the Cherry Tree “Myth.”

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In the first part of our deep dive into one of the greatest myths in American history, we explore Mason Locke Weems—the complex character behind the story of young George Washington taking a hatchet to his father's favorite cherry tree. Who was this book-peddling parson, and how did this story become so popular and so debunked?

You'll definitely want to hear our next episode, too, where we talk with two men seeking to turn everything you know about this myth on its head.

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20 years after William Howard Taft’s famous possum and taters feast inspired the failed Billy Possum toy, a real live Billy Possum wandered into the annals of presidential—and baseball—history. This is his story.

Check out our Season 4 episode "The Rise and Fall of Billy Possum" and Howard’s just-published article in Smithsonian Magazine about Billy Possum at https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/how-a-stuffed-animal-named-billy-possum-triedand-failedto-replace-the-teddy-bear-as-americas-national-toy-180986072

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We kick off Season 6 with a deep dank dive into a hoax about the early presidents and cannabis that fooled a Surgeon General in 1971 and is still claiming victims today. It’s the straight dope on the relationship between hemp and presidents like George Washington, John Adams, James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and Abraham Lincoln.

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Season 6 premieres this Presidents Day, and it's focused on some of the biggest and weirdest myths in presidential history. From cherry trees to bath tubs, we're digging into the drama, personalities, and real stories behind these legends.

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During our hiatus ahead of Season 6, we're excited to share this fascinating episode of a podcast called Historical Blindness. In this episode, host Nathanial Lloyd digs into the conspiracy theories surrounding the Illuminati in America, including the role they played in the Election of 1800 between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.

Check out Historical Blindness at https://www.historicalblindness.com/ - including his latest on the legends surrounding Abraham Lincoln!

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Behold our brand new 2025 Presidential Pets wall calendar at https://www.lulu.com/shop/plodding-through-the-presidents/presidential-pets-plodding-through-the-presidents/paperback/product-rmv895m.html

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While we’re on hiatus before Season 6 debuts, we’re excited to share this episode of Presidencies of the United States, an excellent podcast hosted by our good friend Jerry Landry. Howard is Jerry’s guest on this special episode where they talked about one of Howard's favorite topics: the wild Election of 1800.

Check out Presidencies of the United States at https://www.presidenciespodcast.com/

For information on how you can help folks affected by the California wildfires, check out https://www.vox.com/climate/395295/los-angeles-wildfires-help-donate-volunteer-organizations

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Behold our brand new 2025 Presidential Pets wall calendar at https://www.lulu.com/shop/plodding-through-the-presidents/presidential-pets-plodding-through-the-presidents/paperback/product-rmv895m.html

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Remembering 39th President Jimmy Carter, we share the quirky story of Carter's encounter with a distressed swamp rabbit while fishing in Georgia—and how it turned into front page news. This was originally part of our Season 3 episode "Cara Finnegan & Photographic Presidents." 

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Vote for us in the 2024 Discover Pods Awards at https://discoverpods.com/2024-discover-pods-awards-voting/

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