Explorez tous les épisodes du podcast The Ouija Broads: Tales from the Pacific Northweird

Devon tells Liz about Seattle's current controversy with a feel-good ending: the story of the Hot Rat Summer mosaic in Capitol Hill's Cal Anderson Park.

AKA "Saint Rat", Hot Rat Summer is a mosaic that has won the heart of its community while getting caught in city's larger push for tougher graffiti laws and punishments, as well as continuing the conversation about the importance of trans visibility. With the controversy heating up in June and July of 2025 and a resolution on our about August 4, this is our most current Pacific Northweird story covered to date. 

We talked for over an hour and a half on and around Hot Rat Summer, going over public art, community rights and roles, trans visibility, laws and policies, art history, and more: editing this episode down to just about 40 minutes was a challenge. If you'd like the 60 minute version, join us over on Patreon where we left in bits about Liz's work on Expo '74, Devon's experience editing, a deeper dive into public policy thanks to Liz, and a small aside about big balls.

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• Show Notes/Sources Consulted: ouijabroads.com/show-notes 

Liz tells Devon about Peter Max, the German-American artist who designed the iconic US Expo '74 stamp, which features the “Cosmic Runner" or "Cosmic Jumper" traveling through a colorful world, and the controversy surrounding his false claim that he also illustrated The Beatles' film, "Yellow Submarine". 

And just in time to close out Gay Wrath Month, Liz throws in a little bonus connection between Expo '74 and José Julio Sarria, aka Mama José, the celebrated gay rights activist, drag queen, and the first openly gay candidate for public office in the United States. A rough-cut edit with extended Expo '74 content is on our Patreon for subscribers, too! 

Images and more info can be found on Liz's website, Visit Expo '74, at https://www.visitexpo74.com/art-and-music. 

Devon tells Liz about "fearsome critters"--characters from American logging camps that are not cryptids, despite often appearing on cryptozoological lists. We sneak in a Pride Month tie-in (are you a Squink or a Gumberoo? Bisexuals claim Ball-Tailed Cats, FYI), and Liz quizzes Devon on some old timey logging terms. 

Liz tells Devon the meaning behind the mysterious (and vaguely combative) SPOKANE WAS A RAILROAD TOWN billboards recently spotted in Spokane. She shares the cast of characters behind the boards, and ties the story in to Expo '74's legacy: "The best of what Expo was is the best of what Riverfront Park still is, which is a place where every body can come, and you don’t have to have a specific membership or whatever: you just show up."

Spokane was a railroad town? No, darling: Spokane is a railroad town. 

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The story of Oregonian Kent Couch's adventures in cluster ballooning.  

We discuss the case of William Toomey, a man who ended his journey in a church in Boise, Idaho and left quite a mystery behind.  It's mentioned at the top, but this episode is all about somebody who died from suicide, so skip it if needed. We also touch briefly on the issue of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy, but don't go into any particular detail, just acknowledging that it happened and became a part of the public consciousness. 

Ouija & Broads is available at this link. 

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The Broads return with a new season about castaways, explorers, and wanderers. We open with Fu Sang, the legendary land that some believe is Oregon...

We close Skid Road with the man who gave it another one of its many names: Maynardtown. What makes a middle-aged doctor leave his family in Cleveland behind and trek the Oregon Trail? How far can someone go for the chance to marry the woman he loves? Most importantly, what is a magoozle and how does it give us not just Skid Road, but Seattle itself and even the entirety of Washington State? Only one way for you to find out... come join us for one last romp on the wrong side of the tracks. 

This episode brought to you by washingtonstatelandforsale.com.  

Ouija & Broads is available at this link. 

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Devon takes us down... deep down into the Seattle Underground! Let's learn about Bill Spiedel and the unique world he helped preserve beneath Seattle's streets.  (We kinda allude to this at one point but Spiedel did like a dash of flavor with his history, so let's take it all with a "as told by" grain of salt. I still don't quite buy that anybody lived with reverse toilets as a daily problem.) This episode brought to you by washingtonstatelandforsale.com.  

Ouija & Broads is available at this link. 

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This time we went all in on one block. Yes, one individual singular solitary block of Seattle. But there's quite a bit to say about this block, as it turns out. This is also an episode where the story necessitates talking about the anti-Asian attitudes and policies of late 19th/early 20th century Washington State and the U.S., including the Chinese Exclusion Act and the internment of Japanese Americans during WW2. You know our style, we don't get into detailed descriptions of hate crimes or anything, but like always, use your judgment and be good to yourselves.

Devon tells Liz about the Flower of the North, Klondike Kate Rockwell! Content notes: Kate gets engaged while underage (probably), and toward the end of his life, Pantages was accused of sexually assaulting a minor. No details, we basically just say 'this was the accusation, he went to trial, he was convicted, then acquitted,' but wanted to give you the heads-up. 

Ouija & Broads is available at this link. 

In our continuing Skid Road coverage, we explore how the business of pleasure shaped early Seattle.  Content notes: Plenty of mentions of sex work in here, one dude is accused of having an underage mistress, and there's a fatal shootout at the end. The West! Jeez... 

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The tale of the Golden Spruce and Grant Hadwin finds its conclusion at long last. 

Welcome to Ouija Broads: Skid Road! We kick things off with the tale of Henry Yesler, Seattle's city father who's really more of a city vodka aunt, his adventures, his influences, the Seattle he knew, and the intriguing women he loved. 

Liz and Devon emerge from their subterranean stronghold to tell people about technical turbulence, the new season's premiere date, and a delightfully surprising show tie-in.   Ouija & Broads is available at this link. 

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Devon tells Liz about an animal that's made up, despite also being real. 

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We're back! Devon tells Liz the first part of a tale about a very special tree: where it came from (botanically and spiritually) and what made it so special. CW: Mentions of the impact of colonization on the Haida people, including a smallpox epidemic. Brief mention of slavery. 

At long long last! The treasure, the lighthouse, the court battle, the things that remain. What a ride this story was.  For potential content concerns, all the same bad news is going on - drowning, shipwreck, etc. - and we also reference the Lincoln assassination and its method a few times. Also a brief opium mention.

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We continue our Graveyard of the Pacific coverage with the Brother Jonathan, an antebellum sidewheeler that loaded itself up with a fortune in gold and a rogue's gallery of Northwestern notables before running afoul of the Dragon's Teeth of St. George's Reef.

Devon tells Liz two tales from the Graveyard of the Pacific: a lost anchor, and a mysteriously abandoned ship.  CW: One of the theories for the abandoned ship involves a murderer and there's a brief mention of blood. And if you got that thalassophobia this is not your ep, my friend. 

Liz tells Devon about some spooky cryptids and a less spooky, more sweet one, too. CWs: Some mentions of guns being used by eager cryptid hunters, but nobody actually hits anything. We also briefly discuss deer with chronic wasting disease.

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Devon tells Liz about a Seattle mansion with ghosts up to the rafters.  Content warnings are along the typical ghost story lines - some of the variations of the ghost legends involve murder, in a few of those the victim is a baby. The first owner of the house died a horrific real-life death by suicide and that's discussed at 13:30-15:00, then is mentioned again at the very end of the episode. 

Liz tells Devon the tale of a strange Spokane institution, its namesakes, and what comes next for its signature creatures. 

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Devon tells Liz two stories about the wondrous power of spite. 

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Liz tells Devon about a very interesting mansion in British Columbia, the people who lived there, their lives after death, and the mansion's own life after death. 

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Devon tells Liz about a very only-in-Alaska situation....

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Liz tells Devon about the exciting conclusion (or is it?) to the decade-long hunt for Forrest Fenn's treasure!

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Liz tells Devon about a legendary pirate treasure of the Oregon coast. 

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Devon tells Liz about famed performers who trod the stage, by which of course we mean some pet moose who also may or may not have been vaudeville performers. 

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Devon tells Liz the tale of two Spokane women who walked all the ding-dang way to New York City. WALKED! 

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Everybody staying inside seemed so much more far-fetched when we taped this... ah well, what about an army barracks full of Alaskans, a giant earthquake, and a washing machine mishap? Enjoy!

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Devon wraps up the story of the Donner expedition. CW for starving, death, and references to cannibalism. 

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In the first half of an epic two-parter, Devon tells Liz the tale of the Donner Party and their not-so-excellent adventure.

Somewhat evident, but uh... CW for starving, death, and references to cannibalism. 

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Liz tells Devon about the sharks of Puget Sound, with a focus on the very weird six-gills and their mysterious behavior. 

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Devon tells Liz about three of the newest green options for body disposal in Washington State. Blunt discussion about dead bodies in this episode, including some of the grosser stuff, so steer clear if that's not your thing. 

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Liz tells Devon the tale of Spokane hometown boy Rainbow Man. CW: Some violence mentioned, and Rollen was not the most mentally well dude. 

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Devon tells Liz about Pike Place Market and some (more) of its signature ghosts. 

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Liz tells Devon about our home-grown bryophyte bandit of Idaho.  CW: Drug use. 

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Devon tells Liz about the mystery of the Mima Mounds. Also, we get sidetracked on a whole discussion about glitter. 

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Liz tells Devon about the enigmatic Bird Woman of the Shoshone, including highlights of her time with the Corps of Discovery, some of the many ambiguities about her limited historical presence, and the conflicting reports of when and where she died. CW: Westward expansion bad vibes, Sacajawea was abducted at 11 and sold to a man who got her pregnant by age 15, spousal abuse. 

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Devon tells Liz about a very strange intercontinental animal delivery expedition. 

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An early standout gets its own feature episode as Liz tells Devon all about the Manito-Hillyard line.  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ouijabroads

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Devon tells Liz all the surprising things that make the common crow much weirder (and cooler) than most know. 

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Liz tells Devon about what she learned at the Second Annual Sasquatch Roundup, including tales from Ken "Rainbow Cougar" Edwards, Alasquatch and the Port Chatham Hairy Man, a review of different sasquatches from the Northwest, and an update on her belief in Bigfoot or lack thereof. 

The whole episode has elements about the conference woven in, but Sasquatch discussion proper starts around 30 min. 

Liz tells Devon the tale of our hometown semi-nudist and full iconoclast, Willie Willey.  Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ouijabroads

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Devon tells Liz about Ezra Meeker, an OG Oregon Trail pioneer who, in his twilight years, LARPed the trail to fame and glory. Liz is excited and doesn't actually let Devon tell the story until about 20 minutes in. 

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Liz tells Devon about an entire ghost city in Alaska, the science that probably explains it, and the hoax that definitely doesn't. 

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Devon tells Liz about a mountain, a ghost, and an amazing race.

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Liz tells Devon about assorted strangeness associated with Fairchild Airforce Base, including murder, ghosts, nuclear armaments, and urban legends.

WARNING! Fairchild had a mass shooting that is *extremely* briefly mentioned and a B-52 crash that is discussed in somewhat more detail, so steer clear if either of those is going to stress you out. 

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Crime, but not too scary! Devon tells Liz about what happened when some bumbling bandits tried to get rich quick by snatching a young heir to a timber fortune. 

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