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PODCAST

Our American Stories

Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can refresh their spirit, and be inspired by our stories.

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

30:17

How Walt Disney Built the Happiest Place on Earth

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/31

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Disneyland opened in 1955, the world had never seen anything like it. Walt Disney had spent years dreaming of a place where stories could be touched—where families could explore imagination as if it were real. But opening day was far from Walt's dream come true. Rides broke down, fake tickets slipped through the gates, and the California heat softened the pavement underfoot. Still, he refused to give up. Walt’s vision reshaped what an

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7:59

How Yogi Berra Became a Baseball Legend

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/31

On this episode of Our American Stories, Yogi Berra’s name sits beside the greatest baseball players of all time, but his story reaches beyond home runs and Hall of Fame records. Before he became a Yankees legend, Berra served his country at D-Day, carried quiet discipline into the dugout, and changed what it meant to lead from behind the plate. George Will, one of America’s most respected sportswriters, shares how Yogi’s mix of grit, humor, and loyalty turned him into an American

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20:18

How a Simple Jam Session Became Rock’s Greatest...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/30

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Traveling Wilburys formed almost by accident. When George Harrison needed a B-side, he called Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, and Jeff Lynne, and together they recorded “Handle With Care.” The chemistry was instant, and within months, they became a band the world couldn’t ignore. Their blend of humor, heart, and melody carried through every track, especially “End of the Line.” Our own Greg Hengler shares how these

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9:59

From Breakdown to Breakthrough: The First Tow Truck

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/30

On this episode of Our American Stories, every tow truck on the road carries the legacy of one inventor. In Chattanooga, mechanic Ernest Holmes transformed the simple problem of how to lift a stranded car into the first tow truck. Using his own Cadillac, he built a wrecker strong enough to pull vehicles from ditches and reliable enough to serve the growing number of motorists across America. That invention became the foundation of the towing industry, shaping everything from heavy-duty recovery

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7:59

Treating the Cause, Not the Symptoms: A Listener's...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/30

On this episode of Our American Stories, at thirty-eight, Tim Hennessey looked like the picture of health. He lifted weights, played racquetball, and kept a busy schedule. But inside, his body was breaking down. Chronic pain, migraines, and high blood pressure left him desperate for answers. A doctor diagnosed an autoimmune condition and prescribed medication for life, but one look at the side effects made Tim pause. Instead, he chose to start over. Here’s Tim with the story of how he turned

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10:49

The Sculptor Bringing World War I Back to Life

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/30

On this episode of Our American Stories, sculptor Sabin Howard has spent years shaping the story of World War I in bronze. His National World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C. captures the quiet strength of soldiers, nurses, and families who carried the weight of the Great War. Rather than focusing on battlefields or weapons, his work centers on the people who lived through them and the humanity that endured. Through his words and his art, Howard gives form to sacrifice. Hear stories of a lost

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27:28

Pat Summitt: The Coach Who Refused to Lose

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/30

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pat Summitt built a dynasty at the University of Tennessee one season at a time. Her players feared her stare as much as they trusted her guidance, and together they set a new standard for excellence in college basketball. Eight national championships and more than a thousand wins made her the most successful coach in NCAA history, but her greatest achievement was how she elevated the women who played for her. Our own Greg Hengler revisits the story of a

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20:18

A Weekend in Step with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/29

On this episode of Our American Stories, for Steve Stoliar, working for Dick Cavett meant crossing paths with some of Hollywood’s most legendary names. But nothing compared to the weekend he spent in the company of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. They were both older at that point, long past the silver screen, yet their presence carried the same quiet command that had once filled theaters. Over those forty-eight hours, Steve watched how two very different men moved through the world they had

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17:58

The Story of America: The March of the Flag and the...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/29

On this episode of Our American Stories, at the turn of the twentieth century, the United States stood at a crossroads. A nation once defined by independence and internal expansion—from “sea to shining sea”—began to face the pull of empire. Territories overseas raised questions about the very ideals we claimed to uphold. Could a republic built on liberty hold colonies of its own? In the 37th episode of our ongoing Story of Americaseries, Dr. Bill McClay, author ofLand of

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10:49

How a Miracle Mineral Became a Global Health Hazard

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/29

On this episode of Our American Stories, asbestos began as a miracle. It could resist heat and strengthen concrete, and it seemed to promise safety in every home and factory it touched. For decades, people believed it was the key to a safer modern world. Then the coughing started, and the walls themselves became a threat. The History Guy shares the story of asbestos from its first mining to its slow discovery as a killer hidden in plain sight. Support the show

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19:28

Behind the Invasion: Stephen Ambrose on the Work That...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/29

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Allied troops stormed the beaches of Normandy, D-Day was a plan held together by men and machines working in silence. Few have told that story better than historian Stephen Ambrose. Drawing from years of research and interviews, Ambrose brought to life the people who turned one of history’s most complex operations into a triumph of courage and coordination. In this episode, we feature Stephen Ambrose in his own words, sharing how D-Day took

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7:59

Killing Sparrows for Shoes? One Family’s Story from...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/29

On this episode of Our American Stories, during the Great Depression, millions of Americans faced hunger, unemployment, and poverty. Families across the United States found inventive ways to survive when jobs disappeared and banks failed. In Iowa, one family turned to canning corn, repairing old shoes, and biking from farm to farm to kill sparrows, a job that paid just enough to get by. Our regular contributor Joy Neal Kidney shares a Depression-era story passed down through her family, offering a

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20:18

The Family That Rebuilt Their Life One Pen at a Time

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/28

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 2011, Chad and Jess Schumacher were working for a growing tech company outside Chicago. They had a new home, a baby on the way, and steady careers that seemed secure. Then the company failed. Within months, their savings were gone, and the life they had planned slipped out of reach. Chad’s father had recently retired and started woodworking with a friend from Vietnam. When his father invited him down to the garage, Chad went. They spent the afternoon

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9:59

Pat Boone’s Unexpected Turn into Heavy Metal

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/28

On this episode of Our American Stories, for more than forty years, Pat Boone stood as one of America’s most enduring entertainers. His smooth voice carried songs like “Love Letters in the Sand” and “April Love,” and his reputation for clean-cut wholesomeness made him a symbol of the nation’s musical past. But in 1997, Boone did something that stunned both fans and critics: he appeared at the American Music Awards dressed in black leather and released In a Metal

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7:59

In the Shadows of Bataan: The Untold Story of the...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/28

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Japanese forces invaded the Philippines during World War II, a group of American nurses found themselves caught in the fighting on Bataan. Evacuation was still possible, but they chose to stay. In makeshift hospitals carved out of the jungle, they cared for wounded soldiers through heat, bombardment, and disease. Supplies disappeared. Food ran out. Still, they worked—often through the night—using what little they had to keep their patients

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10:49

He Travels the Country Reviewing... Onion Rings?

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/28

On this episode of Our American Stories, most food critics chase Michelin stars or fine dining, but Tyler Groenendal is chasing something crispier. From diners in small towns to highly rated restaurants in America’s biggest food cities, this Michigan native has spent years traveling the country reviewing one thing: onion rings. What started as a quirky side gig has grown into a devoted following and a deeper appreciation for the people behind America’s best comfort food. Join us as Tyler

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27:27

How a Two-Time Senate Loser Became President

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/28

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the spring of 1860, Abraham Lincoln was hardly a national name. He’d lost two Senate races and was known mostly as a sharp debater from the Midwest. Yet within weeks, this unlikely candidate from Illinois captured the Republican nomination—and soon after, the presidency. What happened in those few extraordinary days at the convention in Chicago changed the course of American history. Gary Ecelbarger, author ofThe Great Comeback, shares the

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10:49

Centerline: How a Stripe of Paint Saved the American...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/27

On this episode of Our American Stories, every day, we trust our lives to a few thin lines of paint. But the open road used to be the Wild West for most motorists. Drivers relied on instinct to stay in their lanes—and many didn’t. Accidents piled up until one motorist decided to paint a line down the middle of a Michigan road. That single act gave birth to the modern centerline—the thin stripe that turned chaos into order. Over time, it evolved into the pavement markings and road

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7:59

Honor and Loyalty: The Story of Japanese American...

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/27

On this episode of Our American Stories, they were Americans by birth but treated as outsiders when the war began. After Pearl Harbor, many Japanese Americans were sent to camps under suspicion of aiding the enemy. Yet from those same camps came volunteers who joined the U.S. Army, determined to prove their loyalty. Known as the Nisei, these second-generation Japanese Americans fought in Europe’s bloodiest battles and helped redefine what it meant to be American. Major General James Mukoyama,

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38:16

The American Pilot Who Forgave His Japanese Captors

Our American Stories ·

2025/10/27

On this episode of Our American Stories, in the dark months after Pearl Harbor, the United States launched the Doolittle Raid, a daring strike on Tokyo meant to lift American spirits. Among the men who volunteered was Jacob DeShazer, a young bombardier whose life would take a turn few could imagine. Captured and imprisoned in a Japanese POW camp, he endured starvation, torture, and isolation. Yet years later, the man who once bombed Japan returned not as a soldier, but as a missionary. His journey

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1,677 results

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