Every once in a while I stumble upon a story that leaves me thinking wow there is no way this is true. This story is one of those. From stories of the past to some a little more present dark and twist might be an understatement. If you read the title you know what town this is. If you haven’t well it’s Skidmore Missouri. This town puts the misery in Missouri. 

Skidmore is a city in Western Missouri. The population in the latest census is 245 people. When you look up this town everything that it’s known for is not good. Not good at all. We use Wikipedia for a lot of stuff and you know this place is pretty dark based on it’s Wikipedia. It’s legit the shortest Wiki page I have ever seen. There are multiple major stories this town has seen I’m not even sure where to begin. Talking with a friend from near the area he suggests starting with the town bully. 

The town bully is officially known as Ken Rex McElroy. He was born in 1934 the 15th of 16 kids born to a poor migrant tenant farming couple Tony and Mabel. He dropped out of school at 15 and was known as a thief, cow rustler, and womanizer. For over 20 years he was suspected of being involved in theft of anything from grain to gas to booze to livestock. Somehow was never charged in any of the 21 convictions. He ended up having more than 10 kids with multiple women. 

In the ’60s and ’70s, he was more than the town bully and often referred to as a dictator. He ran the town from everything I have read and heard. He legit raped and pillaged for over 2 decades. If he thought you were pretty you were now his. It didn’t matter if you were 12 or older. He would steal whatever, whoever, whenever, and if you didn’t like it, watch out. He stole a 12-year-old girl that he did terrible things to and married and made her have his child at 14. The parents fought back he stalked them, burned their house down, and killed their pets. When the girl escaped and went back home he did the same exact thing to that family again and took her back. 

Just like myself, you are thinking how in the heck could he do this? He had such a stronghold over anyone who wanted to press charges. He had a mob-connected lawyer, he would harass you like no other. He would stalk you, shoot you anything he wanted and so feared the police wouldn’t do anything. There is a story that in the summer of 1973 he was arrested for arson, assault, and statutory rape. He was released on a 2500 bail. His very young wife and their maybe fled and were put into foster care in a nearby town. When he got out he sat outside the foster home for hours at a time. He then told the foster family that they would trade him a girl for a girl so he could get his child back. He even threatened the foster family as he knew where their biological daughter went to school and which bus she rode. A few weeks before the dust settled on this he then shoots a farmer twice with a shotgun after the farmer told him to stop shooting on his property. He was charged with assault with intent to kill. He was acquitted after some locals came to his rescue.

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Let’s stick with the 1970s a wild time not only in the US but NY. There is a lot of good but even more bad that is going on not only in the US but the world. As mentioned in a previous episode the Texas Killing Fields was going on and so were some other serial killers. This one is fairly close to home. The Adirondacks. 

The Adirondack Mountains are a massif of mountains in Northeastern New York that form a circular dome approximately 160 miles wide and covering about 5,000 square miles. Not an ideal place to have to have a manhunt. Especially in the 70’s when technology was not nearly as good as it is today.

12 crazy nights are something that these residents had to go through. This story starts in a heavily wooded area near the intersection of Route 8 and 30 in the town of Wells. Wells is in Hamilton County in NY with a population of 674 according to the last census. Four kids were camping when an unidentified man with a rifle tied them up and then proceeded to stab 18-year-old Philip Domblewski. 

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This topic was submitted by a viewer who said they would love our take on this story. That is flattering but it also could be they want to hear me pronounce a ton of names wrong. Sadly there are a lot of names in this story. Regardless this topic and this story in history is intense and mind-boggling. What are we talking about? The Texas Killing Fields.

They say everything is bigger in Texas apparently that is a thing with their killing fields. Hopefully, it’s the only killing field. I’m sure you have heard of The Texas Killing Fields as it hit Netflix in 2022 and has been covered by many people in books and shows. Maybe you haven’t heard of it so let's tell you about it think that is why you are hear right?

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Welcome to the Yore Town Podcast, where we unravel the forgotten tales and unearth the extraordinary history hidden within the heart of small towns. In this riveting episode, we delve into the annals of time to recount the harrowing events surrounding the explosion at Benson Mines in 1908, a tragic incident that claimed the lives of several individuals and left an indelible mark on the community.

Join us as we take you on a journey through the past, painting a vivid picture of life in a bustling mining town at the turn of the 20th century. Through meticulous research and compelling storytelling, we'll bring to light the circumstances that led to the tragic explosion and its aftermath, shedding light on the lives lost and the resilience of a community bound together by shared tragedy.

In true Yore Town fashion, we'll also uncover lesser-known stories, anecdotes, and fascinating historical tidbits that enrich the narrative, offering a deeper understanding of the era and the lives touched by this calamitous event. So sit back, tune in, and let's venture into the depths of history to reveal the captivating and often chilling stories that shape the fabric of small-town America on the Yore Town Podcast.

Time spent with good friends is one of the few things folks from any time, place or walk of life can enjoy and look forward to. If you’re one of my good friends not named Matt or Megh, chances are, when we get together, we’re playing Dungeons & Dragons. This juggernaut of high fantasy role playing, math, drama, conquest, triumph and anguish has been the epicenter of so many enjoyable times in my life. But … like most things good and amazing in this world … The shine hides a shadow … and my beloved DnD is no exception.

The psychiatric center came first. Initially, it was to be call the Ogdensburg State Asylum for the Insane, but the name was changed to the St. Lawrence State Hospital before the first patient was admitted. In the late 1970's, it was re-christened the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center.

Step into the shadows of one of Canada's most chilling unsolved mysteries with our latest episode of Cold Case Chronicles. In this installment, we delve deep into the riveting tale that has perplexed investigators and captivated the world for decades – the enigmatic saga of the Blind River Killer.

In the summer of 1991, the tranquil town of Blind River, Ontario, was thrust into a nightmare as a series of gruesome murders sent shockwaves through the community. In this gripping podcast episode, we meticulously piece together the timeline of events, examining the perplexing clues, suspicious circumstances, and the ripple effects that continue to haunt the town to this day.

Join us as we explore the lives of the victims, the tireless efforts of law enforcement to crack the case, and the chilling signature that left both residents and investigators trembling. We'll hear from local residents who vividly recall the tension that gripped the town during those fateful months and the lingering sense of unease that lingers in its aftermath.

Drawing on expert analysis, firsthand accounts, and the latest insights from criminal psychology, we'll attempt to unravel the motivations behind the Blind River Killer's heinous acts. Could a breakthrough be on the horizon after all these years? And what does the unsolved nature of the case reveal about the challenges of solving crimes in a world that has evolved so rapidly?

Prepare to be drawn into a web of mystery, intrigue, and unrelenting suspense as we shed light on the Blind River Killer – a figure who defied identification, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions. Tune in to Cold Case Chronicles and immerse yourself in this haunting exploration of a case that continues to send shivers down the spines of those who dare to seek the truth.

Burke Idaho according to Wikipedia is a ghost town in Shoshone County, Idaho, United States, established in 1887. Once a thriving silver, lead and zinc mining community, the town saw significant decline in the mid-twentieth century after the closure of several mines. It’s in Shoshone County that went from 1400 people in the early 1900’s to around 15 people in the 1990’s.

Shout-out to Collin Wood at Artota Records for the tunes you hear in this episode. If you are looking for custom tunnage email him at [email protected]

Yore Town is a podcast that features your town's dark, wild and sometimes

unbelievable past that will have you thinking there is no way that

really happened here. Matt, Megh, and Zac dust off the books, and hit

the streets and an occasional nursing home to unveil Yore Town’s past.

From small towns to where we live to big cities before they were what

they are today, this is Yore Town, Yore Stories

The year was 1872 and Maria Shay was pronounced dead and was a victim to an abortion gone wrong. Who was Maria Shay? Maria was a female originally from Morrisburg NY. She moved to Waddington NY where she lived for several years giving her this connection to Ogdensburg and the murder that occured. After living in Waddington for awhile she then packed up and moved to Pennsylvania for a bit where she lived with her sister in 1871. She got into a little bit of a bind when down there and decided to take the Rome Railroad back to the North Country March 7th 1871 five months pregnant and enough cash on hand to have the abortion. When she arrived in town it was reported by you guessed it the St Lawrence Republican that she went straight to the Baldwin House with the intent of producing a miscarriage. She was instructed upon arrival to send a note to Dr. McMonagle. Dr McMonagle who is he? Funny you might ask lets give a little history on this guy.

In 1894 Clayton NY was shocked to a horrific scene when a ship couldn’t outlast a storm on the mighty Lake Ontario and all hands on deck lost their lives.

October 11th 1894 is a day that will live on for many in the small village of Clayton. Clayton is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2010 census. The town is named after John M. Clayton, a federal political leader from Delaware. The town contains a village also named Clayton. Both are northwest of Watertown.

On this particular day Lake Ontario was getting a brutal storm and was described as angry, hostile, and forbidding with gale force winds blowing from the northwest and just kept getting more and more powerful. Somewhere out there was a three masted vessel traveling from Detroit to Cape Vincent carrying 22,00 bushels of grain. That boat was named The Hartford. The Hartford was built at the Linn & Craig Shipyard in Gibraltar, Michigan, and launched in September, 1873.