The Nifty Fifty Show

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts221/v4/7c/5f/b0/7c5fb00d-2297-7aa6-9395-d6d0c8d27022/mza_13888924411873430328.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

Kennen Sparks

9 episodes

8 months ago

Some parties are infamous, becoming legends. The Hurricane Party of 1969--while Hurricane Camille roared on shore--is one of those parties. But what really happened in Pass Christian, Mississippi all those years ago? Were there really a bunch of hedonists laughing in the face of death, or just a group of people staying together for company? Find out in this episode how a quest to make a memorial led to the truth of what really happened on the Gulf Coast that fateful night.

All content for The Nifty Fifty Show is the property of Kennen Sparks and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Episodes (9/9)

The Nifty Fifty Show

The Hurricane Party Makes a Good Story

1 year ago

26 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

The Bonapartes in America

The name Napoléon evokes France instantly. But what if he had closer ties to the United States...? While Napoléon never came to the US (he thought about it for a hot second), his family did. Two brothers, Joseph and Jérôme, would spend some time here, dazzling American society. Achille Murat, a nephew, would renounce his titles and move to Florida. Join me on this wild ride to discover the impact of the Bonapartes in America!

1 year ago

28 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

Reverse the River!

The Chicago River pops up in the news every March when it's dyed green. Have you ever wondered why Lake Michigan isn't subsequently green? You'd be forgiven for thinking that the Chicago River emptied in Lake Michigan, but that's not the case anymore. In this episode, I discuss how a group of politicians and engineers got together to pull off the ultimate reverse Uno card on Mother Nature by reversing the Chicago River to solve their sewage woes.

1 year ago

19 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

The Gallstone in Omaha's Gut

Borders are one of mankind's enduring geographic obsessions. Sometimes, natural features lend a hand to form them...until they decide to switch places overnight like the Missouri River did in 1877, stranding a little part of Iowa on the wrong side of the river. This anomaly eventually landed at the center of three Supreme Court cases, each one attempting to untangle tricky ideas such as avulsion and diversity of citizenship. Welcome to Carter Lake!

1 year ago

17 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

The Flushing Remonstrance

Freedom of religion is often touted in the American public arena. But where did it come from? This episode answers that question: Flushing, New York. When Quakers find refuge in a tiny farming village to the east of New York City, Peter Stuyvesant wants nothing to do with them. He gets, however, more than he bargained when many in the town rise up against him. What results is a foundational document that influenced the Constitution, leaving an immense legacy.

1 year ago

22 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

Yankton: A Mother City Full of Cement

The United States is full of small cities, spread out over a vast landscape. One of these towns is Yankton, South Dakota. It's likely that more people look at it from a plane than visit it. However, Yankton is full of surprises. It has two nicknames: the Mother City of the Dakotas and Cement City! Tune in to find out how Bismarck stole the territorial capital, leaving Yankton with a "bitter memory" and how Yankton is connected with some of the great engineering marvels.

1 year ago

16 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

All the Windows in Oklahoma City

Ever wonder why we don't have supersonic planes? Just ask Oklahoma City in 1964. The military and the FAA joined up for Operation Bongo II, subjecting the people of Oklahoma City to over 1,200 sonic booms for roughly six months. The result was a space age tragicomedy, full of broken windows, shrinking furniture, and exploding backyards.

1 year ago

22 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

Utah's Salty Stage: the Great Salt Lake

There's nothing like flying in or out of Salt Lake City and seeing the vast expanse of the Great Salt Lake and its barren surroundings. As the western boundary to Utah's most populous region, the lake has seen its fair share of strange events. In this episode, we dive into three of the most bizarre dramas to use the Great Salt Lake as their stage, including a grave digger, whales, and a lonely flamingo.

1 year ago

19 minutes

The Nifty Fifty Show

Welcome to the Nifty Fifty Show!

Hello! The Nifty Fifty Show is a podcast exploring the many places that make up the United States. There are no flyover states here!

1 year ago

2 minutes