Episodes

  • 60: PATREON BONUS: An Iron Rod Through the Head

    60: PATREON BONUS: An Iron Rod Through the Head
    Jun 25 2025
    Here’s a true story: In 1848, an iron rod shot through a man’s head. It smashed up under his cheekbone and came out the top of his skull.

    Ready for the wild part? Despite the fact that the iron rod destroyed much of his brain’s left frontal lobe, he survived. Phineas Gage’s story baffled the medical community. His injury became one of the most talked-about medical events of the 19th century.

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:
    Caulfield, Margo. “Cavendish Historical Society News: Phineas Gage Walking Tour.” Cavendish Historical Society News (blog), May 16, 2013.     https://cavendishhistoricalsocietynews.blogspot.com/2013/05/phineas-gage-walking-tour.html. MacMillan, Malcom. An Odd Kind of Fame: Stories of Phineas Gage. MIT Press, 2002. “The Case of Phineas Gage (1823 - 1860) · Beyond the Bone Box,” n.d. https://collections.countway.harvard.edu/onview/exhibits/show/beyond-the-bone-box/the-case-of-phineas-gage. The University of Akron, Ohio. “Anniversary at Cavendish,” n.d. https://www.uakron.edu/gage/anniversary.dot. Twomey, Steve. “Phineas Gage: Neuroscience’s Most Famous Patient.” Smithsonian Magazine, n.d. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/phineas-gage-neurosciences-most-famous-patient-11390067/.
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    1 hr and 49 mins
  • 59: PATREON BONUS: The Original Kardashians!

    59: PATREON BONUS: The Original Kardashians!
    Jun 18 2025
    Back in their day, the seven Sutherland sisters were a household name. They were celebrated for their outrageously long, thick hair. For years, audiences gathered ‘round to watch the sisters undo their updos. Audiences gasped as the sisters’ hair tumbled, in unison, to the floor. Soon, money poured in. The sisters spent every cent of it.

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from:
    “How 7 sisters made a fortune off their Rapunzel-like hair,” by Maria Ricapito for Atlas Obscura
    “Untangling the tale of the seven Sutherland sisters and their 37 feet of hair,” by Lisa Hix for Collectors Weekly
    “Introducing the amazing seven Sutherland sisters,” by Brandon Stickney for sideshowworld.com
    “Tressed for success,” by Dianne L. Sammarco and Kathleen L. Rounds for The Buffalo News
    “The Seven Sutherland Sisters,” by Dianne L. Sammarco and Kathleen L. Rounds for newengland.com
    “Hocus Pocus – Untangling the Sutherland Sisters,” by Linda Secca Spina for lindaseccaspina.wordpress.com
    “Showplace of the countryside was the seven sisters’ mansion,” by Arch Merrill for The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
    “The amazing seven Sutherland sisters,” by Ferdinand Meyer V for peachridgeglass.com
    “Show and Tell: Seven Sutherland sisters’ hair grower,” by Stassa Edwards for Mental Floss
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    2 hrs and 3 mins
  • 58: PATREON BONUS: The Society for Indecency to Naked Animals

    58: PATREON BONUS: The Society for Indecency to Naked Animals
    Jun 11 2025
    Alan Abel was driving down a Texas highway when traffic came to a sudden stop. As it turned out, a herd of cattle was crossing the road. How annoying! Then – shock of all shocks – a cow and a bull started mating, right there, in the middle of the road, IN FRONT OF GOD AND EVERYBODY.

    Some motorists giggled. Some averted their eyes. Some were shocked.

    Alan couldn’t believe what was happening. Didn’t those animals have any decency? Didn’t they have any common sense? Someone needed to create some rules! The way Alan saw it, the world would be a much better place if we started putting clothing on animals.

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from:
    “Society for indecency to naked animals,” NPR.org
    “Alan Abel, history’s greatest hoaxer,” by Jake Rossen for Mental Floss
    “The fine art of hoaxing,” by Dave Von Drehle for The Arizona Republic
    The documentary, “Abel Raises Cain”
    “College may ban animal nudity,” by Andrew T. Weil for The Harvard Crimson
    “The campaign to make ‘indecent’ animals wear clothing,” by Zachary Crockett for Priceonomics.com
    “Underwear for Horses? A hoax, cemented in print,” The New York Times
    The album, “Inside SINA”
    “10 questions for the best prankster ever,” by Nicole Tourtelot for Esquire
    “The more you weigh, the more you pay,” by Joshua Foer for Esquire
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    2 hrs and 1 min
  • 57: PATREON BONUS: Windshield Wipers!

    57: PATREON BONUS: Windshield Wipers!
    Jun 4 2025
    Picture it. Ontario. 1953. It was Robert and Phyllis Kearns’ wedding night. Bob did his best to open the champagne, but the cork shot out and smacked him square in the eye. He screamed! Phyllis screamed! There was blood everywhere!

    Bob ultimately went blind in that eye, but the experience got him thinking about eyes and how they work. So, years later, when he was driving in the rain and his one-speed windshield wipers went too fast for the sprinkle, he thought to himself, “I wish windshield wipers worked more like an eyelid.” And since Bob had a PhD in mechanical engineering, he immediately got to work on the first intermittent windshield wiper. Things went great for a minute! …and then they got terrible.

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kristin pulled from:
    “The flash of genius,” by John Seabrook for The New Yorker
    “Inventor Winning Long Legal Battle With Auto Maker : Patents: Robert Kearns developed the intermittent windshield wiper more than 20 years ago. He claims the car companies stole his idea.” by James Risen for the Los Angeles Times
    “An obsession with justice and auto parts,” by Michael Cieply for The New York Times
    “Accomplished, frustrated inventor dies,” by Matt Schudel for the Washington Post
    “The epic, decades-long battle between Ford and a small-time inventor,” by Zachary Crockett for The Hustle
    “Wiper man Robert Kearns won his patent fight with Ford, but that didn’t mean he was out of the woods,” by Ken Gross for People.com
    “Alabama woman stuck in NYC traffic in 1902 invented the windshield wiper,” by Joe Palca for NPR
    “Who made that windshield wiper?” by Dashka Slater for The New York Times Magazine
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    2 hrs and 2 mins
  • 56: JC Penney Loses *Almost* Everything (Part 4)

    56: JC Penney Loses *Almost* Everything (Part 4)
    May 28 2025
    The Great Depression hit James Cash Penney hard. It decimated his finances. It worried him. It humbled him. After some soul searching, he came to realize that he could make a comeback.

    JC Penney the man proved to himself, and the world, that he still had something to offer. But the story didn’t end quite as sweetly for JCPenney the store.

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:
    Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.
    Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.
    Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.

    Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!

    Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.
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    2 hrs
  • 55: JC Penney Becomes Rich *and* Cool (Part 3)

    55: JC Penney Becomes Rich *and* Cool (Part 3)
    May 21 2025
    James Cash Penney had an ambitious dream. He wanted to own 50 Golden Rule stores. Over the course of just a few years, he achieved that dream and then some. But tough lessons in his personal life taught him that financial success wasn’t everything. So, he pulled back. He reevaluated his life. He travelled. He sought counsel from his pastor. He even bought a ticket on the Titanic!

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:
    Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.
    Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.
    Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.

    Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!

    Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.
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    1 hr and 45 mins
  • 54: JC Penney Was a Hustler! (Part 2)

    54: JC Penney Was a Hustler! (Part 2)
    May 14 2025
    Say what you will about James Cash Penney Jr. Just don’t say he didn’t work his booty off. After he left his hometown, James tried desperately to succeed as a businessman. He found work as a sales person. He bought a struggling butcher shop/bakery. With each effort came failure.

    Then he discovered a new kind of business. It was called the Golden Rule Dry Goods Store. The store featured low-priced goods in a clean environment. The store owners treated their customers with respect. James went to the store, hoping to be hired. He knew that if he could get his foot in the door, he’d one day find success.

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:
    Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.
    Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.
    Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.

    Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!

    Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.
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    1 hr and 37 mins
  • 53: Is JCPenney the Best Department Store? (Part 1)

    53: Is JCPenney the Best Department Store? (Part 1)
    May 7 2025
    Normie C starts this series with a bold claim: That JCPenney is the best department store ever. This raises a lot of questions. Questions like… Really? Has Norm been to other department stores? Also, really??

    In Part 1, Norm loads us up with all the context we’ll ever need about James Cash Penney Jr. A poor farm boy from Missouri, Penney would eventually create a chain of department stores with more than 2,000 locations worldwide. (If you’re able, please listen to this episode while wearing your finest St. John's Bay polo.)

    Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:
    Currey, Mary Elizabeth. Creating an American Institution: The Merchandising Genius of J.C. Penney. Dissertations-G, 1993.
    Kruger, David Delbert. J.C. Penney: The Man, the Store, and American Agriculture. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017.
    Penney, James Cash. Fifty Years with the Golden Rule. Harper and Brothers, 1950.

    Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!

    Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.
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    1 hr and 23 mins