The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery

By Jennie Johnson & Dianne Hartshorn

The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery is a podcast for cemetery lovers, preservationists, and even those who've never walked among the graves. Join hosts Jennie and Dianne as they explore old cemete

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How many episodes does The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery have?

The podcast currently has 293 episodes available.

Best of The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: Episode 291- Some "Grave" Situations and Updates
Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email. This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne cover three difficult cases of desecration and loss. In Pennsylvania, a man is facing 496 counts after allegedly stealing over 100 sets of human remains from historic Mount Moriah and at least two other cemeteries in nearby counties. In Florida, three suspects are wanted nationwide for breaking into mausoleum niches and stealing heirloom jewelry. Maybe you can help identify them and bring them to justice. And finally, Jennie and Dianne share an update on Lafayette Cemetery in Lafayette, Colorado. After the city discovered that more than 150 years of inconsistent record-keeping has left the historic city-owned cemetery much fuller than records showed, families who purchased plots are now facing heartbreaking decisions. If you would like to read the full articles on each of these cases, here are the links: Pennsylvania Case: https://courthousenews.com/judge-pauses-hearing-for-man-accused-of-stealing-100-corpses-remains-from-historic-cemetery/ Florida/Nationwide Case: https://www.fox35orlando.com/news/3-suspects-wanted-cemetery-thefts-across-florida-other-states Lafayette, CO Case: https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/lafayette-cemetery-records-reveal-bodies-empty-plots/73-b3f6c35a-e7ce-44b3-932e-137010a1c19d Beyond the Grave 2026: Gothic Tragedies of the Gilded Age Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-grave-presents-gothic-tragedies-of-the-gilded-age-tickets-1997269261125?aff=oddtdtcreator Purchase your tickets for the 37th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl on August 22, 2026, here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-37th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1992231897234?aff=oddtdtcreator Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun merch here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com Family Tales: A free printable is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing Support the show
August 20, 202642min
Number 2: Beyond the Grave: Gothic Tales of the Gilded Age: Presented by Evergreen Heritage and The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast
Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-the-grave-presents-gothic-tragedies-of-the-gilded-age-tickets-1997269261125?aff=oddtdtcreator October 2nd and 3rd at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Tours depart every 30 minutes. Follow the link above for times and full details. For generations, people have gathered after dark to tell stories of restless spirits, mysterious houses, promises that reach beyond death, and guilty hearts that refuse to remain silent. This year, we bring that tradition to the historic grounds of Evergreen Cemetery with four unforgettable tales of the strange and supernatural. Throughout the evening, guests will encounter: John Charrington’s Wedding by Edith Nesbit: A wedding day approaches, and John Charrington has made one thing very clear: nothing will keep him from meeting his bride at the altar. Nothing. The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: Behind the locked doors of a quiet room, a woman becomes increasingly fascinated by the strange yellow wallpaper surrounding her—and by what she believes may be moving behind it. In the Confessional by Amelia B. Edwards: A mysterious encounter, a dark secret, and a confession lead us into one of Victorian literature’s wonderfully unsettling supernatural tales. The Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe: A man insists that he is perfectly sane. But beneath the floorboards, something refuses to remain silent. And no visit Beyond the Grave would be complete without a stop at Evergreen’s historic chapel, where Queen Palmer will be waiting to receive her guests. Come experience an evening where literature, history, and the atmosphere of Evergreen Cemetery meet. Bring your curiosity. Bring your courage. And remember—some stories were never meant to stay buried. Support the show
August 09, 20263min
Number 3: Episode 289 - Where The Columbines Grow: A Colorado Day Special
Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email. Happy Colorado Day! On August 1, 1876, Colorado became the 38th state admitted to the Union, thereby becoming the Centennial State. On this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, Dianne and Jennie celebrate Colorado's 150th birthday with some state trivia, chat about the upcoming annual Central City Cemetery Crawl, explore the story of a pioneer woman who made Colorado her home, and Dianne shares an exciting Ordinary Extraordinary historical discovery she recently unearthed while going through her own family's documents and photographs. As one of our state songs says, "Tis the land where the columbines grow, Overlooking the plains far below, While the cool summer breeze in the evergreen trees, Softly sings where the columbines grow." Purchase your tickets for the 37th annual Central City Cemetery Crawl on August 22, 2026, here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gilpin-historical-society-37th-annual-cemetery-crawl-tickets-1992231897234?aff=oddtdtcreator Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com Family Tales: A free printable is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing Support the show
July 30, 202647min
Number 4: Episode 288 - "Take the Back Roads" the life of Minnie Pearl
Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email. Howdy! This week on the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast, Jennie and Dianne are joined by award-winning author and historian Mary Ellen Pethel, who shares the Ordinary Extraordinary story of Sarah Ophelia Colley Cannon, or as most of the world knows her, Minnie Pearl! Born in 1912 in Centerville, Tennessee, Sarah often recalled how her upbringing in a small town shaped her outlook on life. After moving to Nashville during the Great Depression to study theater, she joined a touring company and developed the iconic country girl persona we know today, inspired by her friend Mattie Burden. Her big break came in 1940 when she debuted at the Grand Ole Opry, making audiences laugh with her signature greeting and comedic style. Over her fifty-plus year career, she shared the stage with country music legends like Patsy Cline and Hank Williams, while also mentoring young artists like Elvis Presley and Garth Brooks, new to the industry. As Dolly Parton said, "Minnie Pearl became my friend in 1964. I was 18, new in town, and Minnie Pearl took me under her wing. She gave me good advice, the how to’s, the how not to’s, the when to’s, and the when not to’s. I learned a lot from her as a woman and as a professional entertainer but above all that, as a good, solid human being. Minnie was more than a big laugh. She was a big heart, and I will always love her." Image Credit: By Denny-Moeller Talent, Inc. (management company) - eBay itemphoto frontphoto back, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16626755 You can read all about Minnie Pearl in "Howdy! The Minnie Pearl Story' by Mary Ellen Pethel and Don Cusic. https://utpress.org/9798895270585/howdy/ You can watch the PBS documentary, 'Facing the Laughter: Minnie Pearl" directed by Barbara J. Hall, here: https://www.pbs.org/show/facing-the-laughter-minnie-pearl/ Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com Family Tales: A free printable is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing Support the show
July 23, 202639min
Number 5: Episode 287 - The "Dirty Little Coward" and the Marshal's Badge
Send us a text! We love hearing from listeners. If you'd like a response, please include your email. On this episode of The Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast, Jennie and Dianne wander back in time to the wild west days of Old Colorado City, Colorado, to share the story of how "the dirty little coward who shot Mr. Howard" played a small part in that city's politics in 1891. Resting in a tidy grave at Evergreen Cemetery in Colorado Springs is Mr. John Henry Holt, who was once marshal of Old Colorado City and was presented with a very special badge by one Bob Ford, an infamous outlaw during the heyday of the western frontier. Need an Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery Podcast tee, hoodie or mug? Find all our taphophile-fun much here: https://oecemetery.etsy.com Family Tales: A free printable is now available! Gather 'round the table and dig into your roots! This interactive family history game is perfect for holidays, reunions, or just because. Ask, listen, and laugh your way through generations of stories and secrets. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UT_R56qEwNTIxIBrTy8KFyVmGnFOe7g8/view?usp=sharing Support the show
July 16, 202625min