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History Spelunkers

History Spelunkers

Written by: History Spelunkers Podcast
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About this listen

Hello friends! Welcome to the History Spelunkers Podcast. In this show we delve deep into the bowels of history in order to discover stories of the niche and obscure aspects that are so often forgotten or left out of wider narratives. Whether you are wanting to study up for a trivia competition, or are just listen to some friends talk about strange things, this is the podcast for you! We have everything from space sandwiches and American emperors, to Mormon wars and glowing cats. If any of those sounds interesting to you, hopefully you will join us as we dive down the rabbit hole!

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Episodes
  • EP 53: Mormon Sucession Crisis
    Jan 20 2026

    In this episode we revisit the Mormons and discuss how their early history caused a series of schisms which led to the plethora of so-called "Mormon denominations". These include presidential debates, a King of Beaver Island, and massive governmental raids!


    Shownotes:

    • https://northernmichiganhistory.com/james-strangs-assassination/
    • https://gtjournal.tadl.org/2015/the-murder-of-james-jesse-strang-ruler-of-the-mormon-colony-at-beaver-island-1856/
    • Special Thanks to American Zion: A New History of Mormonism; Book by Benjamin Park
    • Music is an excerpt from "All-American Prophet" from The Book Of Mormon (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2011) written by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone.
    • Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds
    • LDS Resource on Polygamy: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/polygamy-latter-day-saints-and-the-practice-of-plural-marriage
    • https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/mormons-polygamy/
    • https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/06/02/church-that-traces-back-joseph/
    • https://kutv.com/news/local/process-begins-to-select-new-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-leadership
    • https://youtu.be/W-jrlaqqw00?si=A7KOuIwPqfaSzyHc
    • https://youtu.be/r1ssF7PV27c?si=M4ydSZ58UlYF6S-9
    • https://youtu.be/Fiorzo4nOwg?si=I27tylzqrVYFuoGX
    • https://youtu.be/FtkYSuRY8Jc?si=w1V3au6w0ZBPWEhN
    • https://youtu.be/aaDm_m9yYRQ?si=6UKiZD8KfD2_idhR
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 44 mins
  • EP 52: Please Leave a Message After the Death
    Oct 30 2025

    Happy Halloween! Do you believe in ghosts? Well you aren't alone a lot of people believe that those who have gone on before us occasionally come back to help us on our own journeys. The Victorians Era had a lot of people believing in it, probably because they had people who were able to directly communicate with them. So dive into today's episode to find out what the ghosts were saying.


    Shownotes:

    • Episode art is an engraving of the Fox Sisters, Margaretta and Catherine are on the left and center respectively, 1852, public domain via Wikimedia Commons
    • "This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War" by Drew Gilpen Faust
    • Audio clip is from Episode 102 of tv show Penny Dreadful created by John Logan
    • Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds
    • https://blog.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/2021/10/14/understanding-the-1920s-spiritualism-revival/
    • https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/31/why-did-so-many-victorians-try-to-speak-with-the-dead
    • https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/what-we-do/uc-in-the-community/exhibitions-and-collections/southern-spirits/history-of-spiritualism
    • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0XMn095fd0&ab_channel=KazRowe
    • https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/hayden-maria-b-ca-1852
    • https://iapsop.com/spirithistory/spiritualists_petition_to_congress.html
    • https://www.weirdhistorian.com/everything-you-need-to-know-about-spirit-slate-writing-and-of-course-kindred-phenomena/
    • https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/61871
    • https://www.encyclopedia.com/science/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/slate-writing
    • https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/spirit-trumpets-dead-speak
    • https://www.britannica.com/topic/ectoplasm-occultism
    • https://www.britannica.com/science/ideomotor-effect
    • https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/11950/pg11950-images.html
    • Table Turning: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrYamQTDagE
    • Telegrams From the Dead (1994), PBS documentary available on Youtube via blackcentury, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk-lJJ3RdgI
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 59 mins
  • EP 51: The Animal Avengers
    Oct 18 2025

    Hello one and all! History Spelunkers is back with even more of the niche history content you love. In today's episode we look at a class of animals who have gone above and beyond in serving alongside their humans on the fields of war. While we thank all military animals for their service we wanted to highlight some who's tales were just too incredible to believe were true.


    Shownotes:

    • Episode photo is Sgt. Stubby with his military medals. Public domain via Wikimedia commons
    • Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds
    • https://www.history.com/articles/the-last-major-cavalry-charge-70-years-ago
    • https://www.marines.mil/News/Marines-TV/videoid/296891/
    • https://portal.ct.gov/MIL/MAPO/History/People/Stubby-the-Military-Dog
    • https://sleeplessmusingsofawellgroomedmoustachedman.wordpress.com/2013/07/31/kurt-the-wonder-doberman-one-of-many-canine-heroes/
    • https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/2009/08/15/heroic-warrior-canines-name-put-on-memorial
    • https://uswardogsheritagemuseum.org/a-dog-called-chips/
    • https://lenatoritch.com/project/chips-the-war-dog/
    • https://digital.library.ucla.edu/catalog/ark:/21198/zz0002qbjp
    • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/7072669.stm
    • https://pigeons-of-war.com/2022/10/26/pigeon-heroes-of-the-great-war-spike/
    • https://web.archive.org/web/20131106012209/http://www.history.army.mil/news/2013/131025a_pigeon.html
    • https://www.marines.mil/News/Marines-TV/videoid/651326/dvpTag/Animation/
    • https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2022/11/23/the-marine-who-was-a-duck-yes-an-actual-duck/
    • https://time.com/archive/6782570/marines-good-old-siwash/
    • https://time.com/4731787/wojtek-the-bear-history/
    • https://www.britannica.com/animal/Wojtek-the-Bear
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 31 mins
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