Explore every episode of the podcast The Past and The Curious: A History Podcast for Kids and Families

George Shannon was the youngest member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and his inexperience showed itself a time or two. He did get lost once for 16 days, the longest span of time anyone was separated from the expedition party.  In the 1920s, a woman named Rattlesnake Kate captured imaginations after an encounter with 140 rattlesnakes. The result (in addition to fame) was a one-of-a-kind snakeskin dress. 

The Bunion Derby (featured in the last episode) also featured a few four-legged friends, including dogs named Blisters and Shin Splints. We'll also re-visit the Pony Express and meet the Chilean Recluse Spiders who have lived peacefully at the Finnish Museum of Natural History for Decades.

November of 2026 will mark the 100th Anniversary of Route 66, a highway that inspired road trips, neon signs, writers, singers, and even a movie about talking cars. But first, the Bunion Derby was a publicity stunt for attention on Route 66 and it was America's first cross-country ultra-marathon.

It was the best of swine, it was the worst of swine. This is a much requested episode: the great Pig War that almost launched a 3rd violent conflict between American and Great Britain. Enjoy the history and absurdity of it all. Also is the story behind an official breed of pigs known as Danish Protest Pigs.

Episode 119 looks at some key moment inside Indepedence Hall (and the time they almost tore it down). Likewise, we'll meet Mary Katharine Goddard, who published the first version of the Declaration to contain the names of all the signers. If you look closely, you can find her name on the important document too! And to start it off we learn about when Ben Franklin told Thomas Jefferson a story to help him understand the value of editing.

An escaping cow, Operation Beaver Drop, and a migration mystery solved by a bird with a spear - all on this episode of Important Animals From History - Volume 4!

The story of the Lost 40 - an old growth forest in Minnesota that got lost for nearly a century thanks to a surveying error. We're talking lumberjacks, old growth trees, and silly mistakes. Also, the 27th Amendment which was brought back from the dustbin of history thanks to a college student who didn't get the grade he had hoped for on an essay!

Signalman Jack was a baboon who worked in the railway in South Africa. Cacareco was a Black Rhino elected to political office in Brazil. Pickles was the dog who found the missing World Cup trophy. All of them were awesome. All of them will be in Mick's upcoming book.

How did an extinct flower not seen since 1881 wind up being the subject of a modern day project to recreate a scent from the past? It was a long path from Dr. Charles Short in the 1860s to Dr. Christina Agapakis in the 2010s. And it's a cool story!

The Second volume of Important Animals From History, from an upcoming book by Mick Sullivan.

The Amber Room was a feat of artistic ability (and a lot of money) but after WWII it has disappeared entirely. Have you seen it? After that we learn about secret codes, the Enigma Machine, Alan Turing, Navajo Code Talkers and more!

The first release teasing Mick's upcoming book! This episode features three animals of note: Clara the Rhino, Mozart's Starling, and a whale named Mocha Dick. Let's ride through the tales of animals of history!

Carolin Hampton needed to pioneer rubber gloves int he operating room after Joseph Lister's big ideas. Richard Etheridge was the first Black keeper at an official Life Saving Station and his team's rescue of a shipwrecked family was dramatic and historic.

You might be surprised to learn the history of the iconic sandwich and all of the ingredients that go into the recipe. First published in 1901, the availability of peanut butter, jelly and sliced bread has changed a lot over the years. And that's great, so let's eat (or just listen). Special thanks to Lindsay and Marshall from Tumble Podcast for their inspiration on the subject, and help with this episode!

Two misers for the price of one! Charles Dickens created the world-famous character Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1840s, but he may have been inspired by a real-life miser named John Elwes. Another famous miser is buried in a Jewish cemetery in Krakow, Poland. However, it turns out that Yossele the Holy Miser wasn't as miserly as everyone believed him to be during his life.

Two fascinating stories from World War II. One is about Rose Valland, a French woman who worked as a spy in Nazi-occupied Paris. Her bravery saved thousands of works of art, many of which were returned to the families who originally owned them.  Secondly, the story of German U-boat U-1206 is a doozy. The new toilet onboard was confounding, and it got the the better of the boat's commander. The result was a big blunder by the German Army. 

The Erie Canal and The Chicago River were two of the most impressive engineering feats in history. For the 200th Anniversary of the opening of the Erie Canal we look at the opening celebration, along with a fun musical diversion or two. And how can you talk about moving water without talking about the efforts to change sanitation in Chicago? This included reversing the flow of the river that runs through the city!

We're a part of Big Emotions this week! We’re feeling all squishy this week, as we dive into two of the strongest emotions of all. Love is powerful, joyful, and comforting - and when it changes or we feel its absence, sadness often follows. Sadness can feel heavy, but it helps us slow down, notice what matters, and deepen our connections. In this episode, we explore the softer, quieter corners of the heart where love and sadness meet. You’ll hear stories of friendship, loss and connection, showing how these big emotions help us grow and understand ourselves in new ways. Contributing podcasts in this episode: But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids• The Past and The Curious • Newsy Pooloozy Hosted by: Jerry Kolber of Who Smarted? PDF Activity Sheet for SEL  Check out the music in each episode  About this series: Big Emotions: Kids Listen Mashups is a 7-part audio adventure where creators from the Kids Listen community come together to explore feelings in all their shapes and sizes. Each episode pairs two related emotions, sharing original clips and reflections to help kids (and grownups!) understand, name, and navigate their feelings. Follow Kids Listen on Instagram and LinkedIn

Did a no-longer-living Mark Twain send a novel from the great beyond with a Ouija Board? Find out about the real story with help from our pal Nate DuFort of the podcast, Unspookable.

Episode 110! Peter the Great, The Hairy Eagle and more! Did I decide on an episode about Peter the Great just so I could say 6-7 a few times to be cringe and make kids laugh? Yes, yes I did. But it's a really fun story about when the Tsar of All Russia travelled "incognito" through Europe.  And as a bonus, we're talking hair sales, hair wreaths, and even the not-so-famous "Hairy Eagle!"

Episode 109 tells the story of Lincoln's the speech Lincoln lost before his inauguration in 1861. Also included is the story of Ely S. Parker, an indigenous Seneca man who made an impact in the Civil War - and who had really nice handwriting.

Composer Joseph Haydn is buried with two skulls. You'll never believe why (hint: it has to do with phrenology). Meanwhile Thomas Paine's bones went missing thanks to an overly enthusiastic fan.

Henriette D'angeville was the first woman to climb Mount Blanc in the Alps, despite everyone advising her not to try it. Decades later, Julia Archibald Holmes (a friend of John Brown's) became the first woman to summit Pike's Peak, a feat that Pike himself never did.

Philo Farnsworth loved electricity so much he came up with a way to invent television - as a 14 year old! Centuries beforehand Stephen Gray, a British scientist, learned more about electricity than anyone before him - and he used children to show how it worked!

This episode will make you hungry! Rufus Estes and Chin Foin both left a big mark on food, both lived in Chicago at the same time, and both had their food featured in important cookbooks in 1911.

The year 1917 gave us both the birth of the Cottingly Fairies and the silly fake history known as the Bathtub Hoax.

A man named Hadji Ali, but known as Hi Jolly, was an important figure with the US Army's short lived Camel Corps, and his legend lives on today. Around the same time a man named Elisha Otis changed the world with the elevator brake. It was safe and carried people higher and higher!

Two guys who grew up on farms. Both were tinkerers. Benjamin Banneker, a free Black American created the first striking clock built in America. Richard Pearse, from New Zealand, was a pioneer in flight. Was he a first? we don't know for sure. But he was pretty interesting!

Episode 101 tells the story of Tori Murden-McClure's solo row across the Atlantic Ocean. In addition to her story, hear her speak with Mick on the 25th anniversary of her successful solo crossing. Learn more about Tori in her book, "A Pearl in the Storm," or from the Audible recording of Dawn Landes's musical, Row: https://www.amazon.com/Row/dp/B091QB7SMS Or hear Dawn's album of the same name, based on Tori's story here: https://dawnlandesofficial.bandcamp.com/album/row

Episode 100, y'all! Beautiful Jim Key was born sickly and weak, but became world famous and is remembered as the smartest horse in the world. His training and care came from a former enslaved man named Doctor William Key, and together, they made a profound impact on the world. Likewise, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer was a museum curator in South Africa who discovered a fish believed to be extinct in 1938. The discovery made a tremendous impact on science and natural understanding. Plus, she was very cool.

Our 99th Episode! This episode features the narration talents of musician Will Oldham, also known as Bonnie Prince Billy. Will tells the story of Rhyolite, a town once founded in Death Valley after the discovery of gold by Frank "Shorty" Harris. Today it is a ghost town. But first, Mick tells the story of the Bone Wars, when Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope should have gotten along, but didn't. Still, they made some major paleontology and dinosaur discoveries. Stories written by Mick Sullivan, with editorial help from Will Oldham. Music arranged and performed by Mick Sullivan.

The Resolute Desk is a fixture in the Oval Office. American Presidents have used it during some of the country's most pivotal moments. But what does the Resolute Desk have to do with England's dangerous expeditions into the Arctic in the 1800s? Find out on this episode - and learn about ghost ships, the search for the Northwest Passage, and a gift in honor of international friendship and diplomacy. This episode is sponsored by/brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/PCPOD and get on your way to being your best self.

Episode 98 goes to the Netherlands. There is something remarkable about the Dutch when it comes to glass lenses and scientific tools. Maybe Hans Lippershay invented the telescope. Maybe it was some kids in his town. Or maybe it was one of two other guys who seem to have come up with the idea at the same time and place. And as far as microscopes go, a dutch man named Antonie von Leeuwenhoek got obsessed with microscopes. He is remembered as the father of microbiology.

Episode 97 is all about ice cream. Eat it anytime of year - it's a treat that we might take for granted today. It used to be expensive, impossible, or potentially dangerous. From George Washington to Edmund Albius to Nancy Johnson to the Hokey Pokey Man, the stories around ice cream are richer than double chocolate chunk. Written, edited, and produced by Mick Sullivan. Original music by Mick Sullivan

Episode 96 is all about Ice - in preparation for our following episode about Ice Cream. Boston's Frederic Tudor became the "Ice King" by taking ice to places in the world where it had never been before. But it wasn't easy Dr. John Gorrie was looking for ways to care for the sick and became one of the first humans to make ice himself. It sparked a cool revolution.

Episode 95 covers two great stories of international competition. First, The Field of Cloth and Gold was a historic summit that brought together Henry VIII and Francis I with the hopes of peace, competition, and maybe a bit of wrestling. Second, the 1904 Olympics put a Cuban runner named Felix Carvajal on the map. He didn't win the Olympic marathon, but his spirit made him the winner among the crowds who saw him.

Minerva Hoyt was a wealthy socialite who loved to escape to the desert of California and sleep in the sand. Her hard work and dedication in convincing people about the value of the desert led to preservation of today's Joshua Tree National Park. Col. Charles Young was born before the end of the Civil War and he would go on to be the third Black graduate from West Point Military Academy. When the Buffalo Soldiers under his command were put in charge of Sequoia National Park he became the first Black superintendent of a National Park.

Episode 93: Milk has been a lot of things through the years, but it was often poisonous, spoiled or both. Learn about how far we've come in making milk safe, and who may or may not have helped us get to the root cause of what was making milk dangerous.  From Dr. Anna Bixby and the mystery of Milk Sickness to Gail Borden who invented condensed milk, it's been a long road to your grocery store. 

Did Captain Hanson Gregory invent the donut? Did the Lord Mayor of Nottingham get trucked by a truckle of cheese during the Nottingham Cheese Riots of 1766? Find out in this very special episode.

Episode 91 is about Anne Carrol Moore and The Western Library! Anne Carroll Moore is one of history's most important children's librarians, but not everyone is in love with her legacy. She still changed the world, and mostly for the better. And Louisville, Kentucky's Western Library is the first library in America built for, and staffed by African-Americans and it became a training ground for many librarians around the country.

In The Meatshower Part 2 (Electric Burgoo) the saga continues. Originally we aired a segment in 2019 to coincide with Mick's book "The Meatshower: The Mostly True Tale of an Odd and (Somewhat) Edible Occurrence," and since then, new information has come to light. A man named Frank Reiser has come into possession of a new specimen from the unusual 1876 phenomenon. We have an exclusive interview with Frank, and share the story of how he found it, what it means, and what we can learn from it. Also included in this episode is The Meatshower Part 1 - in case you missed it, or if you would like to listen again!

Episode 89 looks into the origin of time zones in America and Daylight Saving across the globe. There's bugs, sunburns, train crashes, dropping timeballs, and smashed pocket watches.

Episode 88 features two incredible Black Americans who were friends born in the 18th Century. James Forten (1766-1842) was a Revolutionary War Veteran who owned one of America's most successful sail-making companies. He was also influential abolitionist and early Civil Rights leader. His friend Francis "Frank" Johnson (1792-1844) was an equally influential musician. When he published his original piece of music "Bingham's Cotillion" he became the first published Black musician in American History. The European and American tours his band made also made history. Hear recent recordings of his music on the Museum of the American Revolution's website: https://www.amrevmuseum.org/the-music-of-francis-johnson-a-soundtrack-to-antebellum-black-philadelphia Thanks to Sponsor Green Chef. Go to greenchef.com/60CURIOUS and use code 60CURIOUS to 60% off, plus 20% off your next two months.

Episode 87: Potatoes and Rocks It’s our annual end-of-year episode dedicated to toys and we have some fun with Mr. Potato Head and Pet Rocks. From the first toy on a commercial to the earthiest fad, you might soon find yourself out digging in the dirt in search of one natural new friend or another!

Walt Whitman was inspired after hearing Ralph Waldo Emerson speak, and self-published a book of poems he would continue updating for his entire life. When not writing poetry, he worked as a nurse during the Civil War, and published some unusual exercise advice. Dr. Mary Edwards Walker is the ONLY woman in American history to be awarded the Medal of Honor. Her efforts during the Civil War were unmatched, but recognition has been hard to come by for her story.

Cuddly as a cactus and charming as an eel, he’s your new favorite snarky talk show host. Join The Grinch (and his faithful dog Max) each week as he rants against Christmas cheer and roasts celebrity guests like chestnuts on an open fire. Starring Saturday Night Live’s James Austin Johnson as the notorious curmudgeon and broadcasting straight from Who-Ville, will The Grinch send these famous folks back down Mt. Crumpit, or will they soften his stance against Christmas and grow his heart three sizes? Grab your hot cocoa and cozy slippers and listen along to find out! Listen to ‘Tis The Grinch Holiday Talk Show: https://wondery.com/shows/the-grinch/

Stephen Bishop was an enslaved man who became one of the most famous tour guides in the world. His unusual grave stands near Mammoth Cave National Park. Josie Laures joined a team to spend months in isolation in a cave, in the name of science!

Episode 84 is more tales of walking. Meet competitive and record setting pedestrians like Robert Barclay Allardice, Ada Anderson, Edward Payson Weston, and Haitian-American walking super-star Frank Hart. Also hear about two pedestrians who built entire homes with things found on their walks. Simeon Ellerton in England, and Ferdinand Cheval in France.

Episode 83 features the stories of two unusual men who walked a lot. One was a mysterious man in Northeastern America who spoke to nearly no one for years, despite walking a monthlong circular path. He was known as The Old Leatherman. Also, hear the story of Oxekula a man who boarded a boat from Russia, bound for America despite not knowing a soul, nor a lick of English. His mysterious journey through coastal Virginia caught everyone off guard since no one could understand his unusual language. Thanks to Hello Fresh for their support. Go to HelloFresh.com/50pastandcurious and use code 50pastandcurious for 50% off plus 15% off the next 2 months

Episode 82 features the story of the Transcontinental Railroad, including the famous Golden Spike. Also in this episode is the story of Joseph Kekuku, a boy from Hawaii who changed music after being inspired by a random occurrence, possibly involving another railroad spike. If you'd like to learn more about Kekuku and the role of Hawaii in music through the steel guitar, I recommend the book Kika Kila, by John Troutman. It was very important to creating this episode.