Episodes
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
44: Mustapha Kemal Jape
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Thursday Sep 16, 2021
Hugh tells the story of a petty exchange that took place in the pages of the New York Tribune and the Syracuse Post-Standard, and culminated one hundred years ago today.
Monday Sep 13, 2021
43: The Death of Rev. Samuel J. May, Part 2
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Hugh reads the Syracuse Daily Standard's story about the funeral of Rev. Samuel J. May, which includes details about the sights, smells and sounds that he's found nowhere else.
Friday Sep 10, 2021
42: Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Friday Sep 10, 2021
Hugh talks about a tennis champion from 1921, and a disturbingly familiar misogynistic media potshot at her.
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
41: The Death of Rev. Samuel J. May, Part 1
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
Sunday Jul 18, 2021
Hugh analyzes the media coverage of the life of Rev. Samuel J. May during the week following his death. Hugh does not do a good job of maintaining his composure in the face of the New York Herald's mind-boggling hypocrisy.
To see all articles referenced in the episode, follow along with the companion blog post.
Sunday Jun 06, 2021
40: Gerrit Smith, Horace Greeley and Obscure Politics
Sunday Jun 06, 2021
Sunday Jun 06, 2021
Hugh parses—and asks for help interpreting—three articles printed 150 years ago yesterday:
- The Chicago Tribune's account of Gerrit Smith's hot take on Victoria Woodhull
- The Philadelphia Evening Telegraph throwing shade at the Democracy for its hypocrisy over Jeff. Davis
- The Chicago Tribune's snark at Horace Greeley throwing his hat in the ring for a Presidential run
Follow along with the show notes.
Wednesday May 26, 2021
39: Salt Spat, Part 2
Wednesday May 26, 2021
Wednesday May 26, 2021
One hundred fifty years ago, folks in Pennsylvania, Australia, Chicago and Iowa had strong opinions about Syracuse salt producers and the tariffs they favored. In this episode, Hugh endeavors to explain why that matters to our interpretation of the nineteenth century.
Follow along with the show notes.
Monday May 24, 2021
38: RECALLING THE GREAT FAKE
Monday May 24, 2021
Monday May 24, 2021
After getting his own episode number wrong, Hugh examines a report from one hundred years ago this week about a spectacularly fatuous convocation of advertisers around the Cardiff Giant. The giant snake of Baldwinsville also puts in an appearance, as do various miraculously cured users of patent medicines.
Follow along with the show notes.
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
37: Salt Spat, Part 1
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Wednesday Apr 28, 2021
Hugh reads two long pieces from the Salt Company of Onondaga printed in the Syracuse Daily journal and the New-York Tribune 150 years ago today.
Follow along with the show notes.
Friday Apr 23, 2021
36: Devil's Fiddle
Friday Apr 23, 2021
Friday Apr 23, 2021
Hugh paints a picture of the Syracuse of 1871, with a special focus on one remarkably annoying sound. He ends with a demonstration of the noisemaker that caused such a sensation.
Follow along with the show notes.
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
35: Ham and Eggs For Two
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Wednesday Apr 14, 2021
Hugh has the most fun yet with this silly little story printed in Emporia, Kansas 150 years ago today. He examines the spread of this viral meme that originated six months earlier with one man's embarrassing moment during an Episcopal church service in Syracuse.
Follow along with the show notes.