Special Collections

The American Revolutionary War won independence for thirteen British colonies and founded the nation now known as the United States. However, this was not the only war fought that created the nation as we now know it. In the mid-1830s, Texas fought for its own independence from Mexico. Remember the Alamo was the rally cry of the Texan army in their final battle. While it has been nearly 200 years since that battle, Americans are still remembering that tragic and heroic day in American history in many ways. One can be by visiting The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Our guest today is the Director of Education Sherri Driscoll.

Also in today's episode we visit with BYU professor of Mexican History Evan Ward to better understand how the battle impacted the other side. We also cover a \[brief] history of Texas and the many countries that have laid claim to that land (including Texas itself), and listen to a Special Compilation of different songs inspired by the Battle of the Alamo.

You can learn more about The Alamo at: www.thealamo.org

Did you know that the Roman army used to pay their soldiers in salt? You'll learn lots of weird facts just like this about your condiments and spices in this Special Collections episode, featuring interviews with the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, TN and the National Museum of Mustard in Middleton, WI. Join Special Collections as we explore whether a hot dog is a sandwhich, the history and mythology of salt, and contenders of the perfect combination of bread and condiments.

Learn more about the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museums and National Museum of Mustard at:

http://thesaltandpeppershakermuseum.com/ 

https://mustardmuseum.com/

Many children wish they could visit Santa at his workshop at the North Pole, but that is impossible. Or is it? Turns out, there is an actual town called North Pole, and it’s about as close to the actual North Pole as you’d ever want to get. Located in central Alaska, North Pole remembers Christmas well past December with the slogan, “Where the Spirit of Christmas Lives Year Round.” And ever wonder where a letter addressed to Santa actually ends up? Surprisingly, a lot of letters find their way to Indiana of all places - Santa Claus, Indiana to be specific. Yes, there really is a town named Santa Claus, and there are few places that get into the Christmas spirit quite as well. Today we get into the Christmas spirit through interviews with both towns - from Santa Claus we have Melissa Arnold, the Executive Director of the Spencer County Visitors Bureau, and from North Pole we have Mayor Mike Welch.

Also in today’s episode, learn about some ways that big cities celebrate the holidays and build up your Christmas trivia with some Christmas-themed world records. Also, find out how Santa learns whether you’ve been naughty or nice though Santa’s Hotline, and hear some adorable answers to our man-on-the-street segment, where we ask kids what they would get their parents for Christmas.

From all of us at Special Collections, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

From live action films to animated shorts, it’s likely that the breadth of Walt Disney’s achievements will never be surpassed. His imagination and energy, whimsical humor, and love for animation has made his films a quintessential part of the American childhood. The winner of 22 Academy Awards, he is considered one of the most influential Americans to have ever lived - but how many Americans actually know much about Walt Disney’s life? Today on Special Collections we learn more about Disney’s personal life and achievements through the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, California. Our guest today is Kirsten Komoroske, the Executive Director of the museum.

Also in today’s episode, learn about Disney’s contribution to both World War I and World War II, despite not fighting in either of them. Reminisce about your childhood with our man-on-the-street segment as we ask people about their favorite Disney memories, and get in on the debate as the Special Collections production team share what their favorite Disney movies, villains, and songs are.

Check out the Walt Disney Family Museum at thier website: https://www.waltdisney.org/

The American Revolutionary War won independence for thirteen British colonies and founded the nation now known as the United States. However, this was not the only war fought that created the nation as we now know it. In the mid-1830s, Texas fought for its own independence from Mexico. Remember the Alamo was the rally cry of the Texan army in their final battle. While it has been nearly 200 years since that battle, Americans are still remembering that tragic and heroic day in American history in many ways. One can be by visiting The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Our guest today is the Director of Education Sherri Driscoll.

Also in today's episode we visit with BYU professor of Mexican History Evan Ward to better understand how the battle impacted the other side. We also cover a [brief] history of Texas and the many countries that have laid claim to that land (including Texas itself), and listen to a Special Compilation of different songs inspired by the Battle of the Alamo.

You can learn more about The Alamo at: www.thealamo.org

Cultures represent themselves in many different ways - like social customs, food, art, and language, to name just a few. One of the most fascinating and unique ways a culture is represented is through the way people respect and remember their dead. The National Museum of Funeral History located in Houston, Texas is one place where visitors can experience funeral traditions from around the world - and through the ages. With exhibits celebrating Dia de los Muertos, educating on the history of embalming and other funeral practices, and honoring the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, this museum is an exploration of how, why, and in what ways we honor our dead. Our guest today is Genevieve Keeney, President of the National Museum of Funeral History.

Also in today’s episode, learn more about how funerals are put together today through an interview with Lance Nelson of Nelson Family Mortuary, located in Provo Utah. Hear about Jeff’s first emotional experience watching Coco, and how death is represented through the sci-fi genre. Also learn a bit about the unusual funeral practice of drive-in viewings, and learn what random people on the street fear more than death in our man-on-the-street segment.

Check out the National Museum of Funeral History: https://www.nmfh.org/

Learn more about Nelson Family Mortuary: https://www.nelsonmortuary.com/

Many children wish they could visit Santa at his workshop at the North Pole, but that is impossible. Or is it? Turns out, there is an actual town called North Pole, and it’s about as close to the actual North Pole as you’d ever want to get. Located in central Alaska, North Pole remembers Christmas well past December with the slogan, “Where the Spirit of Christmas Lives Year Round.” And ever wonder where a letter addressed to Santa actually ends up? Surprisingly, a lot of letters find their way to Indiana of all places - Santa Claus, Indiana to be specific. Yes, there really is a town named Santa Claus, and there are few places that get into the Christmas spirit quite as well. Today we get into the Christmas spirit through interviews with both towns - from Santa Claus we have Melissa Arnold, the Executive Director of the Spencer County Visitors Bureau, and from North Pole we have Mayor Mike Welch.

Also in today’s episode, learn about some ways that big cities celebrate the holidays and build up your Christmas trivia with some Christmas-themed world records. Also, find out how Santa learns whether you’ve been naughty or nice though Santa’s Hotline, and hear some adorable answers to our man-on-the-street segment, where we ask kids what they would get their parents for Christmas.

From all of us at Special Collections, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

From live action films to animated shorts, it’s likely that the breadth of Walt Disney’s achievements will never be surpassed. His imagination and energy, whimsical humor, and love for animation has made his films a quintessential part of the American childhood. The winner of 22 Academy Awards, he is considered one of the most influential Americans to have ever lived - but how many Americans actually know much about Walt Disney’s life? Today on Special Collections we learn more about Disney’s personal life and achievements through the Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco, California. Our guest today is Kirsten Komoroske, the Executive Director of the museum.

Also in today’s episode, learn about Disney’s contribution to both World War I and World War II, despite not fighting in either of them. Reminisce about your childhood with our man-on-the-street segment as we ask people about their favorite Disney memories, and get in on the debate as the Special Collections production team share what their favorite Disney movies, villains, and songs are.

Check out the Walt Disney Family Museum at thier website: https://www.waltdisney.org/

What do pelicans, Al Capone, and Native American rights activists have in common? One word: Alcatraz.

Known for its infamous inmates, clean escape record, and ominous appearance, the Island of Alcatraz has lived on as one of the most famous maximum security prisons in the United States. But this rocky island off the coast of San Francisco has a history much deeper than its time as a prison. Today we learn about the history of “The Rock” and the people who spent time there - from inmates and guards to citizens and Native activists. Our guest today is Sarah Anderson, a Park Ranger with the National Park Service and Alcatraz expert.

Also in today’s episode, learn what inmate processing on Alcatraz was like through our helpful Welcome to Alcatraz broadcast, hear about some other Alcatraz inspired prisons in pop culture, and be sure to catch up with Hank and Larry, our friends from the Old Idaho Penitentiary, who have found themselves in a bit more trouble than before.

Welcome to another episode of Special Corrections.

Ah, Thanksgiving. A time for us to remember what we are grateful for, to feast on turkey and pie, and re-tell that story of pilgrims and Native Americans feasting together. But what do we really know about the supposed ‘First Thanksgiving’?

The original 1621 Thanksgiving celebration in Plymouth was only sparsely recorded, which left American educators, politicians, and historians to fill in a lot of holes. The result has led generations of Americans to believe that the first Thanksgiving celebration was only a happy dinner between early Pilgrim settlers and the Wampanoag tribe, but it’s only one event of a destructive history. ­­Our guest today is Kathleen McDonald, the Executive Director of the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian in Evanston, Illinois. Tune in to learn about the history and traditions of Native American tribes, the first Thanksgiving, and respectful ways we can celebrate these next few weeks. The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian is “one of only a few museums in the nation that focuses exclusively on the history, culture, and arts of the American Indian and First Nation peoples of the United States and Canada”, as listed on their website.

Also in today’s episode, get an inside look on how Thanksgiving has affected Native American tribes as we visit with members of the Tribe of Many Feathers, the Brigham Young University student club for Native Americans. See how a burnt turkey can be a work of art through a story pulled from our episode with the Burnt Food Museum, learn the truth behind Benjamin Franklin’s supposed adoration of the turkey, and walk away with some new trivia about Thanksgiving-themed world records.

Check out the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian at their website: https://www.mitchellmuseum.org/