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McHistory McHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be heard periodically on GLT's Sound Ideas. The series is produced in partnership with the McLean County Museum of History.
McHistory

Podcast Directory
McHistory

McHistory

From WGLT

McHistory goes back in time to explore big moments and small stories from McLean County history. McHistory episodes can be heard periodically on GLT's Sound Ideas. The series is produced in partnership with the McLean County Museum of History.

Most Recent Episodes

Writing about Abraham Lincoln's life

It seems like a new biography of President Abraham Lincoln comes out every few years, trying to uncover new perspectives of his time and character. Lincoln himself didn't write much about his life so what he did put down on paper has an outsized importance. On today's episode of our feature series McHistory, listen how a Bloomington-Normal man nudged Lincoln to do that. McHistory is a co production of WGLT and the McLean County Museum of History. You heard Bill Kemp and Frankie Gordey. Charlie Schlenker produced this episode. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Courting and calling on New Year's Day

Human beings have marked the turning of the year with many different traditions over thousands of years. Some practices have fallen out of favor. Today, American society celebrates on New Year's Eve, and not New Year's Day, though this was not always the case. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McHistory: A Civil War Christmas

McHistory: A Civil War Christmas Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rollin,' rollin,' rollin,' keep them doggies rollin' ... through Central Illinois

In the early 1800s, supply chains were a lot shorter, but the lack of mechanized transportation sometimes made it tremendously difficult to bring goods to market. Yet, a regional — edging toward national — marketplace did thrive. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rollin,' rollin,' rollin,' keep them doggies rollin' ... through Central Illinois

Listen · 6:47

Death in the barnyards – the sudden freeze of 1836

This episode of McHistory chronicles a huge temperature drop in the winter of 1836 that unsettled settlers and led to stories and tall tales for generations. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ange Milner was much more than ISNU's first librarian

It takes a beloved or significant figure in the history of an institution to name a building after that person. Illinois State University ended up naming two libraries for Angeline Vernon Milner. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Cousin Emmy' was a pioneer of country and roots music

Bloomington-Normal and McLean County are not really known as a cradle of country music. But there was this one time...in the 1930s. Cynthia May Carver, better known by her stage name "Cousin Emmy," was a pioneer in country and roots music during the golden age of radio from the 1930s to the 1960s. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The last legal MLB spitballer pitched in Bloomington

Hall of Fame pitcher Burleigh Grimes was the last major league pitcher to legally throw a spitball. Grimes played with seven different major league teams, though mostly with the Dodgers and Cardinals. He retired in 1934, the year before he came to Bloomington. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary broadcaster 'Stretch' Miller knew how to tell a story

There are truths. And there are poetic truths, ones that illustrate the human condition even if the stories portrayed lack a certain...accuracy. Why let facts get in the way of a good story, after all? Legendary broadcaster and storyteller Campbell "Stretch" Miller had that attitude toward life and storytelling in McLean County and elsewhere. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The up and down lives of Bloomington's 'indoor chauffeurs'

There was a time when people operated elevators across the country, instead of passengers just pressing buttons as they do today. Meet the elevator operators who kept McLean County moving. Support the show: https://donate.nprstations.org/wglt/wglt-choose-donation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

McHistory

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