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Bigfoot! Kushtaka! And an alien! For generations, The Strangest Story Ever Told has delighted—and frightened—audiences. Today, we get to the truth and shed new light on one of Alaska's most enduring myths. learn more and read a transcript at https://www.wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/strangest-story contact us: [email protected]

When Bill Taylor was a young boy, he accompanied his father on board the steamship Hattie Gage, as it towed the Star of Bengal to sea. Thanks to advances in AI audio restoration, for the first time ever, you can now hear the story in his own words. Learn more, and read a transcript, at http://wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/blog/taylors-version

The Army has its man, but the Courts have the final say. A gruesome death threatens to rekindle a bloody conflict between the Army the Tlingit. And Senator John Hipple Mitchell flexes his political muscle to shut down the Army's case against his henchman, John Carr. Learn more and read a transcript at http://www.wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/strangecustoms

The Cassiar Gold Rush floods Fort Wrangel with miners, merchants, and people hoping to make it rich. Deputy Collector John Carr makes his stake on smuggling, extortion, and fraud. While he makes friends with the local merchants, he finds an enemy in a man called King Lear. As the gears of government turn, Army has surprises in store. Learn more and read a transcript at http://www.wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/strangecustoms

It's a true story of crime in the Alaskan frontier. Our story kicks off with the many lives of John Carr, a career criminal on the run from justice. When he finds his calling in Portland's criminal underground, the doors of political power open for him — including one in far away Fort Wrangel, at the peak of the Cassiar Gold Rush. Learn more and read a transcript at http://www.wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/strangecustoms

Strange Customs is a three-part series debuting Thursday, February 15, 2024 and each week after! Subscribe to Wrangell History Unlocked on your favorite podcast app, or visit http://www.wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/strangecustoms

James Kennedy was the Chief Engineer aboard the steamship Kayak the night the Star of Bengal was lost forever. Today, you'll hear the story in James Kennedy's own words. Thanks to his grandson, Bob Kennedy, we'll play a tape recording of him from 1947. And thanks to his great-great-grandson John Schenk, we'll hear his testimony read aloud from 1908. Taken together, it's one man's story of a harrowing, deadly night. Transcript and more available at http://www.wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/star Have a piece of the Star of Bengal story to share? Get in touch! [email protected]

Election results help historians to track change over time. Today's episode covers votes for president from Wrangell 1960 - 2020. If you'd like to follow along with charts, visit us at http://wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/president

When Merlin Elmer Palmer joined the Marines, he sealed his legacy. He lives on as the namesake of two American Legion Posts today. But who was he? Today, we chart his incredible life story, from his roots in Nebraska, through adventures in Alaska, to his service in World War 1. Battle sequences are reconstructed using artillery and ammo sound effects. Pictures, news clippings, and episode transcript here: http://wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/palmer

Today, we're honored to feature a guest episode from the incredible podcast series, Klondike Gold Rush History Podcast. In this installment, hosts Pascale and Keith Halliday explain the routes to the gold fields, and why those who came through Wrangell were described as "unfortunate dupes." Find Klondike Gold Rush History Podcast online at www.klondikegoldrush.org.

There's an old Wrangell legend that dead Chinese cannery workers were left in barrels on Deadmans Island. This legend has been printed, quoted, and repeated. But there are reasons to doubt it's true. To find some answers, we dig into the burial traditions of Chinese, European, and Tlingit residents of southeast Alaska. learn more: http://wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/deadmansisland contact us: [email protected]

It's the the Roaring 20s. This is the true story of Joan Lowell, a beautiful young woman with a story to tell – including one about her father's shipwreck, the Star of Bengal. This is a tale of Hollywood, Broadway, a best-selling book, and the invention of a great American hoax. Learn more: http://wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/star

The steamship captains are once again in a fight for their lives, this time to clear their names. The investigation into the wreck of the Star of Bengal takes unexpected twists and turns, as a Wrangell witness drops a bombshell. We deconstruct the chief inspector's report, and show what he got wrong. Learn more: http://wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/star

The only hope of rescue for the Star of Bengal lies with the two steamships Hattie Gage and Kayak, but both of them are in a race for their lives. We'll use eyewitness statements to reconstruct the ship's final moments and the accusations of cowardice against the steamship captains. Learn more: http://wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/star

It's the summer of 1908, and the Star of Bengal bids farewell to San Francisco. After a long, hard season of fishing and canning salmon, the 138 men throw a farewell party before sailing home. But a dark fate lays ahead. Learn more: wrangellhistoryunlocked.com/star