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Hometown History

Hometown History

Written by: Shane Waters
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Discover forgotten stories from small-town America that never made it into history books. Hometown History is the podcast uncovering hidden American history—overlooked events, local mysteries, and untold tragedies from communities across the nation. Every week, meticulous research brings pre-2000 small-town stories to life in 20-minute episodes. From forgotten disasters to local legends, hidden chapters to pivotal moments, each episode explores a different town's overlooked history. Perfect for history enthusiasts seeking forgotten American stories, small-town history, and local history that shaped our nation. Respectful storytelling meets educational depth—history podcast content for curious minds who want to learn about America's hidden past without hour-long episodes.

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Episodes
  • East Montpelier, Vermont: The 14-Hour Marriage That Ended in Murder

    East Montpelier, Vermont: The 14-Hour Marriage That Ended in Murder
    Jan 20 2026

    On September 5th, 1889, George Gould walked up the path to the Cutler farm in East Montpelier, Vermont, with his new wife Laura. They had been married for barely fourteen hours. By noon, George would be dead—shot in the face at point-blank range by a man who had waited twenty-two years for his chance.

    The murder of George Gould sparked one of the strangest legal cases in Vermont history. What began as a simple crime of passion became a decades-long tragedy involving a scandalous courtroom confession, a wedding performed through prison bars, and a woman who could never escape the name of her husband's killer.

    Timeline of Events:

    - 1867 – Sherman Caswell begins working at the Cutler farm after returning from Civil War service

    - September 4, 1889 – Laura Cutler and George Gould marry

    - September 5, 1889 – Sherman Caswell shoots George Gould from an upstairs window

    - March 1890 – Caswell convicted of second-degree murder, sentenced to life

    - April 1890 – Laura marries Caswell through prison bars

    - 1902 – Sherman Caswell pardoned after twelve years

    - April 2, 1911 – Laura dies; death certificate lists her name as Laura Caswell

    Sources: The Argus and Patriot newspaper (Montpelier, VT), Vermont Historical Society, VTDigger "Then Again" column.



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    18 mins
  • Turtle Lake, North Dakota: The Wolf Family Murders of 1920

    Turtle Lake, North Dakota: The Wolf Family Murders of 1920
    Jan 13 2026
    On April 22, 1920, someone entered a farmhouse three miles north of Turtle Lake, North Dakota, armed with a shotgun and a hatchet. By morning, eight people lay dead—seven members of the Wolf family and their teenage hired hand. Only eight-month-old Emma Wolf survived, left crying in her crib for two days while her family's bodies grew cold around her.The Wolf family were German-Russian immigrants, part of a wave of settlers who had fled Tsarist oppression to build new lives on the Great Plains. Jacob Wolf had carved out a decent living on his quarter-section of land—fifty sheep, a two-story house, a wife named Beata, and seven daughters. They worshipped in German, kept to themselves, and measured success by how much land they could pass to the next generation.Within twenty-four hours of the bodies being discovered, investigators focused on Henry Layer, a German-Russian neighbor who had been feuding with Jacob Wolf over a property dispute. What followed was called "the third degree"—prolonged interrogation involving sleep deprivation, physical abuse, and psychological pressure. After an all-night session, Layer confessed. But the confession would prove deeply problematic.This episode examines one of North Dakota's darkest chapters: a case where the need for answers may have outweighed the pursuit of truth, where a tortured confession was accepted despite contradicting physical evidence, and where questions about what really happened that night have persisted for over a century.Timeline of EventsThe Wolf family murders represent one of the most brutal crimes in North Dakota history, occurring during a period when German-American communities faced intense scrutiny following World War I. Understanding the timeline reveals the troubling speed with which Layer was identified, interrogated, and convicted.April 22, 1920: The murders occur at the Wolf farmstead north of Turtle LakeApril 24, 1920: Neighbor discovers the crime scene; eight-month-old Emma found alive after two days aloneApril 25, 1920: Henry Layer brought in for interrogation; confesses after all-night "third degree" questioningApril 28, 1920: Mass funeral held at the Wolf farm; eight victims buried togetherMay 1920: Layer's trial lasts three days; jury deliberates six hours before guilty verdict1922: Layer's wife divorces him; North Dakota Supreme Court denies appealJune 1925: Layer dies in prison from appendicitis complications, maintaining questions about his sole guiltHistorical SignificanceThe Wolf family case illuminates troubling aspects of early twentieth-century American justice—particularly the widespread acceptance of coerced confessions as legitimate evidence. The "third degree" was standard police practice nationwide in 1920, with officers routinely using physical and psychological pressure to obtain confessions. Layer's interrogation, which left visible bruising and lasted through the night, was considered normal procedure.The case also reflects the vulnerability of immigrant communities during periods of heightened nativism. German-Americans had faced persecution during World War I—lynchings, forced loyalty oaths, and bans on German-language schools. The German-Russian settlers around Turtle Lake knew what happened when communities became targets. Their need for closure, for someone to blame, may have contributed to accepting a confession that didn't fit the physical evidence.Modern forensic analysis has raised serious questions about Layer's guilt. The angle of shotgun wounds suggested a shooter taller than Layer's five-foot-six frame. Blood spatter patterns indicated multiple attackers. The physical labor of moving six bodies was likely impossible for one person in the timeframe described. Boot prints at the scene didn't match Layer's footwear. Yet in 1920, a signed confession trumped forensic inconsistencies.Emma Wolf, the sole survivor, was adopted by relatives and lived until 2003. She carried the weight of being "the Wolf girl" her entire life—a living reminder of a tragedy that shattered a community and left questions that may never be answered.Sources & Further ReadingThe Wolf family murders have been extensively documented through court records, newspaper archives, and historical research. Vernon Keel, a journalist who grew up near Turtle Lake, wrote "The Murdered Family," a work of historical fiction that reconstructs events based on legal records and family accounts.Prairie Public Broadcasting — "Death of Henry Layer" (Dakota Datebook series) provides verified historical timelineState Historical Society of North Dakota — Maintains archival photographs and court documents from the 1920 trialMcLean County Museum (Washburn, ND) — Houses newspaper clippings and physical artifacts from the case"The Turtle Lake Murders" podcast by Forum Communications — Four-part investigation featuring interviews with Emma Wolf Hanson's son Curtis and forensic analysisSupport this podcast at — https://...
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    23 mins
  • Boise City, Oklahoma: The Night America Bombed Its Own Town

    Boise City, Oklahoma: The Night America Bombed Its Own Town
    Jan 6 2026

    On July 5, 1943, just hours after Fourth of July celebrations had ended, the residents of Boise City, Oklahoma woke to the sound of explosions. Bombs were falling from the sky, and in the chaos, terrified citizens assumed the worst—that America was under attack. What they didn't know was that the bombs raining down on their tiny Panhandle town weren't coming from Germany or Japan. They were coming from the United States Army.

    A B-17 Flying Fortress crew from Dalhart Army Air Base in Texas had departed on a routine night training mission, headed for a practice bombing range in nearby Conlen, Texas. But the navigator, Second Lieutenant John M. Daly, got catastrophically lost. In the darkness of the Oklahoma Panhandle, he spotted four lights arranged in a pattern and assumed he'd found his target. He was 43 miles off course. Those lights belonged to the Cimarron County courthouse square.

    Over the next thirty minutes, six 100-pound practice bombs fell on Boise City—the only time in American history that the continental United States was bombed by its own military forces. The bombs struck near a garage, a Baptist church, and several locations around the town square. And yet, miraculously, not a single person was killed or seriously injured.

    This is the story of an extraordinary night in a tiny Oklahoma town—a story of wartime confusion, terrified civilians, and a community that responded to catastrophe with something America often forgets is possible: grace.

    Section 2: Timeline of Events

    The accidental bombing of Boise City occurred during a pivotal year of World War II, when military training operations had transformed the American Southwest into a landscape of air bases and practice ranges.

    Key Dates:

    Spring 1943: Dalhart Army Air Base established in Texas, 45 miles south of Boise City, to train B-17 Flying Fortress crews for the European Theater

    July 4, 1943: Boise City celebrates Independence Day; Fourth of July festivities conclude late evening

    July 5, 1943, 12:30 AM: First bomb strikes near Forrest Bourk's garage off the courthouse square

    July 5, 1943, 12:30-1:00 AM: Five additional bombs fall over 30 minutes; residents initially believe town is under enemy attack

    July 5, 1943 (morning): Sheriff discovers bomb casing stamped "U.S. ARMY"; Dalhart Army Air Base confirms error

    50th Anniversary (1993): B-17 crew invited back to Boise City; all decline, though radio operator sends audio tape for celebration

    Section 3: Historical Significance

    The Boise City bombing stands as a remarkable example of how ordinary Americans responded to extraordinary circumstances during wartime. Rather than demanding court-martials or pursuing legal action, the community chose pragmatism and grace. The Army apologized, paid for all damages, and the town moved on—understanding that accidents happen in war, even on home soil.

    The incident also reveals the human cost of wartime training operations that history often overlooks. While B-17 crews were preparing to fly dangerous missions over Nazi-occupied Europe, mistakes could—and did—happen. Navigator John M. Daly's error ended his aviation career that morning, but the rest of his crew continued training and eventually flew combat missions over Germany.

    Today, the bombing serves as a reminder that patriotism during World War II wasn't just about fighting overseas—it was about communities like Boise City extending grace to the young men learning to fight that war, even when their training literally hit too close to home.

    Section 4: Sources & Further Reading

    The history of the Boise City bombing has been preserved through local journalism, museum archives, and regional historical documentation. These sources provide first-hand accounts and verified details about that remarkable night in 1943.

    Sources:

    Cimarron Heritage Center Museum — Boise City, OK | The museum displays an actual practice bomb from the incident along with photographs and newspaper clippings. Address: 1300 N Cimarron Av



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    20 mins
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