Podcasts by Tour Guide Tell All

The Election of 1876 from 2023-12-01T14:58:02

The Election of 1876 is probably the wildest election story and also integral to understanding the next 50 years of American history. It also serves as the final footnote of the Civil War, testing ...

The Women Found in Arlington Nat’l Cemetery from 2023-11-17T17:00

This Veterans Day we wanted to talk about the women who have made our military and our country great, so we decided to focus on some of the many fascinating women buried at Arlington National Cemet...

Harry Houdini Died on Halloween from 2023-10-31T12:00

Harry Houdini was a magician, an escape artist, a skeptic, and a showman. We wanted a spooky spectacular star for an October spooky episode, and Houdini put the spectacle in spectacular.   Join R...

The Long and Interesting Career of Associate Justice William O. Douglass from 2023-10-19T17:00

OYEZ OYEZ OYEZ! It's October, which means the Supreme Court is back in session and the Rebeccas are digging into some of the history of the Court this month. 

Associate Justice of the Sup...

The Sinking of the RMS Lusitania from 2023-09-28T17:00

Most of us have at least heard of the sinking of the RMS Lusitania being one of the proximal causes of the United States entering WWI, but that isn't *entirely* true.  As usual, there is more to...

SPECIAL ANNOUNCMENT: For the weekend of Sept. 16-17! from 2023-09-14T20:59:23

Listen up Tour Guide Tell All fans, we've got a special announcement about the exciting Literary Hill BookFEST taking place here in DC at Eastern Market on Sunday, September 17, 2023.

  Listen

Planting Seeds: The Washerwomen of Atlanta Strike from 2023-09-14T20:21:55

The beginning of September marks the end of summer, and though we all enjoy that last 3-day weekend to get those summer plans checked off, it's important to remember the WHY of Labor Day.  

The Dollar Princesses of the Gilded Age from 2023-08-31T17:29

This week, we take a look at a social phenomenon that took the Gilded Age by storm; young, rich, American women marrying into the titled aristocracy of the fading British Empire, also known as "Dol...

Digging Deeper: The Hamilton - Burr Duel from 2023-08-17T19:45:21

Join the Rebeccas this week as we get into heat of the spicy beef between Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr and look a little bit past the musical's interpretation and looking at what really lea...

The Corrupt Bargain from 2023-07-28T08:00

(APOLOGIES IF YOU DOWNLOADED BEFORE FRIDAY 7/28...the wrong file was posted.  Try again and let us know if there are any problems!?   If you think that corruption in politics is new, goodness do we...

The Day...the Music... Died... from 2023-07-14T17:07:57

Join the Rebecca's as we veer away from our DC roots and tackle an important event in modern cultural history, an event that would come to become known as "The Day the Music Died" after a tribut...

The Articles of Confederation: America’s Training Wheels from 2023-06-22T20:08:09

Join the Rebeccas before we start making July 4th plans to hear about what came after the Declaration of Independence; the Articles of Confederation. Most of us remember the important conversati...

WELCOME BACK! Let’s Tour the White House! from 2023-06-01T18:53:40

Greetings and apologies to our amazing listeners. April showers brought us some May technical glitches as well as a very full tour schedule, but we are back and kicking off June in style as the ...

The Art of the Capitol Building from 2023-04-20T17:00

April rolls along with a discussion about art in the United States Capitol. There is a lot of art and some of it is great! And some of it is.... less great!   Join Rebecca and Becca as we discuss t...

The Life of William Seward from 2023-04-08T16:56:47

April kicks off a little late for us, as the famous DC Cherry Blossoms have meant lots of tours and a very busy schedule. But fear not! To make up for it, we bring you an extra long episode as we t...

The Real Story of the Real Helen Keller (Yes, She’s Real!) from 2023-03-16T14:08

Women’s History Month continues with someone you think you know all about, but do you really?   Join Rebecca and Becca as we discuss Helen Keller, why she’s famous, and what else she probably shoul...

Happy International Women’s Day! from 2023-03-08T17:45:40

We wanted to pop into your feed to wish all our listeners a Happy International Women's Day! 

Sharing Women's History is important to us at Tour Guide Tell All - half of our episodes are ...

Oveta Culp Hobby: American Trailblazer from 2023-03-02T17:00

We begin Women's History Month by of course acknowledging that women's history is American history and American history is women's history, while also taking the opportunity to take a deep dive int...

The Amazing Marian Anderson from 2023-02-16T17:00

Black History Month continues with singer and Civil Rights activist Marian Anderson. Called "The Voice of the Century," she not only broke boundaries, and did it with flair and style, but she also ...

The Legacy of Dred Scott from 2023-02-02T16:55

The famous Supreme Court decision delivered by Chief Justice Roger Taney was supposed to settle the "question of slavery" once and for all, but instead, it quickened the pace of the nation teari...

(MINI) The Controversy of the Korean War Memorial from 2023-01-26T17:00

For this week's Minisode, we lost Canden but have Dan to explain the latest controversy swirling around the new addition to the Korean War Memorial on the Mall in Washington, DC. $22 million dol...

The Tragedy of Leo Frank from 2023-01-19T18:43:22

The sad case of Leo Frank is a good window into the supposedly "New South" of the early 20th century.  Join Becca and Rebecca as they delve into the horrific case of a young girl brutally murder...

(MINI) Dr. Mary Edwards Walker from 2023-01-12T17:06

Dr. Mary Edwards Walker is worthy of a full episode and story but for now, here is a little bit of her amazing life.

If you're interested in learning more:

• Negley, Keith. Mary...
  Listen

The Beating of Charles Sumner from 2023-01-06T10:45:49

As the anniversary of the January 6th attack on the Capitol rolls around, join The Rebeccas as they look at another episode of violence at the Capitol by examining the case of Rep. Preston Brook...

Washington Crossing the Delaware: A Feel Good Christmas Story from 2022-12-15T22:44:48

As we finish up our third year, the Rebeccas cover the amazing story of General George Washington's clever plan to launch a sneak attack against the wintering British Army in Trenton, New Jersey...

(MINI) Hidden Things to Find in DC from 2022-12-08T18:00

Let's find out about some of the hidden things you can find in DC with Canden and Dan.

(MINI) Embassy Row from 2022-11-10T17:56

Canden and Dan are back with a short episode about Embassy Row, a uniquely DC place in Washington DC.

Find out more about Embassy Row: h...

The Election of 1968: The Year that Broke America (Part I) from 2022-11-03T17:00

Election Day at TGTA means only one thing: an election pod! We have done several election related pods in the past: 1912, 1860, and 1976, but this year we wanted to tackle our toughest election cha...

MINI: Why is it called the District of Columbia from 2022-10-20T17:00

Welcome to the first mini-episode! Dan and Canden briefly talk about why it is called the District of Columbia.

Comments or Questions? Or have an idea for future episodes - #pitchtothepod...

LeDroit Park: Music, Historic Homes&a Book! from 2022-10-13T17:00

BUY CANDEN'S NEW BOOK: https://citybyfootdc.checkfront.com/reserve/?item_id=1592

In celebration of Canden's newest ...

The Salem Witch Trials from 2022-10-06T17:00

October is Spooky Season at TGTA, and everywhere else, so we have brought you some Witches for your spooky delight. The Salem Witch Trials are shrouded in myth and legend but is there more than ...

NEW SEGMENT: Should Have Asked A Tour Guide from 2022-09-29T17:00

Hi all ... Dan and Canden are rejoining the hosting team to bring you a special mini-episode twice a month on the weeks The Rebeccas are off.

Focusing on people, places, and things in DC ...

March on Washington (1963) from 2022-09-15T17:00

I have a dream... That is the most famous moment from the March on Washington in 1963, but Rebecca and Becca will tell you all about the whole event.

Comments or Questions? Or have an i...

Haymarket Affair from 2022-09-01T17:00

In May 1886, workers in Chicago were rallying for an 8 hour workday when a bomb changed the course of labor rights, the working class and labor unions. Becca and Rebecca talk more about the Haym...

Custer’s Last Stand from 2022-08-18T17:00

We are headed out west again, talking about perhaps the quintessential battle in the Plains Wars: The Battle of Little Bighorn, aka Custers Last Stand   Join Becca and Rebecca as we discuss Custer,...

SEASON 3: Yalta Conference from 2022-08-04T17:00

Tour Guide Tell All is BACK for the fall! We are starting with a pivotal moment at the end of world war 2, the Yalta Conference between Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin discussing war aims and peac...

JULY SPECIAL: Helen Hayes from 2022-07-24T10:12

Melissa brings the story of Helen Hayes as our special July episode as Tour Guide Tell All takes a short summer break. We'll be back in August with all new episodes.

Helen Hayes is rememb...

Washington National Cathedral with Andy Bittner from 2022-06-16T17:00

Heads up, y'all - we've been doing so many tours (yay for work! boo for having time to record). We're going to take a break for a few weeks. We'll have a Patron Only episode in July and then we'll ...

A Wedding in the White House from 2022-06-02T17:00

 Grover Cleveland married a (MUCH) younger woman 136 years ago today - June 2, 1886. There have been a handful of wedding ceremonies in the White House, but this is the only Presidential Wedding...

Astronauts at Arlington National Cemetery from 2022-05-26T17:00

Do you know how many Astronauts are honored at Arlington National Cemetery?

Comments or Questions? Or have an idea for future episodes - #pitchtothepod? Email us Listen

The Story of Clara Harris from 2022-04-07T17:00

Clara Harris and her fiancé were witness to one ofnthe most famous episodes in American history but are little known and less discussed themselves. 

Join Rebecca and Becca as they discuss...

Alva Vanderbilt Belmont from 2022-03-18T10:03:07

Women’s History Month continues with a woman who embodies so many of the contradictions of the women's movement: Alva Vanderbilt Belmont   Join Rebecca and Becca as they discuss this paragon of NY ...

SPECIAL MINI EPISODE: Anne of Cleves from 2022-03-07T11:16

Anne of Cleves was one of Henry VII's wives ... she was known as the Ugly One. But was she?

Each month patrons get TWO special episodes of Tour Guide Tell All, but we're releasin...

Helen Hamilton Gardener from 2022-03-04T10:10:24

As we march into Women's History Month (see what we did there?), the Rebeccas wanted to highlight one of the more fascinating but definitely lesser known heroes of the Suffrage Movement, Helen H...

Bayard Rustin from 2022-02-17T07:10

Familiar names such as MLK, FDR, Wilberforce University appear in this week's episode about a figure who you may not know a lot if anything, about. Becca and Rebecca remember Bayard Rustin, a black...

Mary Church Terrell from 2022-02-03T17:00

It’s Black History Month and we are ready for you with some amazing history! We are celebrating one of the most important women in American history, Mary Church Terrell. Activist, writer, suffra...

Do You Remember the Alamo? from 2022-01-20T17:03

Becca, a Texan, and Rebecca, a New Englander, talk about a place you've heard of but maybe don't know much about - The Alamo.

Comments or Questions? Or have an idea for future episodes...

The Forgotten War of 1812 from 2022-01-06T17:05

With the one-year anniversary of the January 6th attack, we thought a fitting way to remember that day would be to discuss the only other time the US Capitol has been attacked. The War of 1812 i...

TEASER: Women in Prohibition Patron Only Episode from 2021-12-30T13:50:12

For December’s patron episode, we are chatting about something of interest to both the Rebecca’s: the intersection of women and prohibition. 

Join us as we chat a little about this fascin...

History&Holidays at the Willard Hotel from 2021-12-16T17:00

Presidents, and patriots, and foreign princes, and all kinds of cool people have stayed at the Willard. It's one of the oldest hotels in DC so we're going to give it a little bit of history and tal...

Pearl Harbor from 2021-12-02T17:00

We love an anniversary here at the Tour Guide Tell All and this is a big one. This year, 2021 is the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the sneak attack on US Naval forces by the E...

A Century of Episodes from 2021-11-25T09:01

Y'all, we've had 100 Episodes of Tour Guide Tell All. We could not have done it without our Patrons.   If you want to help support us and become a patron yourself (which gives you voting rights for...

Victoria Woodhull&Tennie Claflin from 2021-11-18T17:00

Let’s talk about some groundbreaking and scandalous sisters: Victoria Woodhull and Tennie Claflin. These 2 sisters went from rags to riches to rags to affairs with Vanderbilts and free love and ...

Election of 1860 from 2021-11-04T17:00

Our first episode of November is always going to be about an election! Becca and Rebecca talk about the pivotal election of 1860, which led to President Abraham Lincoln and the American Civil Wa...

The Cuban Missile Crisis from 2021-10-21T17:01

What is scarier than the end of the world? For your spooky October listening we have an episode about what nearly became a real nuclear apocalypse, the Cuban Missile Crisis. It even took place a...

American Spiritualism from 2021-10-07T17:24:28

This week, to kick off some spooky themes for the spooky month of October, the Rebeccas delve into the fascinating, ethereal world of American Spiritualism; the belief that the dead are real spirit...

The Assassination of President McKinley from 2021-09-23T17:00

Did you know that Secret Service wouldn't start protecting the President until after 3 presidential assassinations (and many more attempts?) Becca and Rebecca talk about the assassination of Pre...

Johnstown Flood of 1889 from 2021-09-09T17:00

Welcome to the start of Tour Guide Tell All Season Two!

Rebecca and Becca are back to talk about some Labor History for September. We are starting with a natural disaster that wasn’t so ...

The Missteps of the Donner Party from 2021-08-19T17:00

Listener request! A pod listener has requested that we talk about: The Donner Party! One of the most famous stories about the early west, an infamous tale of misunderstanding, bad advice, arrogance...

George Washington's Personal Secretary: Tobias Lear from 2021-08-12T17:00

For nearly 15 years, Tobias Lear served as George Washington's right hand man.

Join Becca and Rebecca for his many career changes, scandalous life and what happened to George Washington's...

Gilded Age Scandal: The Shocking, Tragic Story of Evelyn Nesbit from 2021-07-29T17:00

This week we have a scandal of a different kind, a darker kind. We are tackling the story of Evelyn Nesbit and the architect Stanford White. A story about desire and greed at the height of Gilde...

Secret Washington DC with Author Joann Hill from 2021-07-15T17:00

Join us for a very special interview with DC educator and author, Joann Hill! Joann shares her experience as a lover of all things DC and her new book, Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, ...

The Election of 1976 from 2021-07-08T17:00

A more modern story for you history lovers, Becca and Rebecca bring you back to 1976 to talk about Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, Walter Mondale, Bob Dole & others.   Comments or Quest...

The Pearl Incident from 2021-06-29T19:55:11

Becca and Rebecca discuss the Pearl Incident - a dramatic attempted escape of enslaved persons in Washington DC - that most people have never heard of.   I really feel like this should be a better ...

Memorial Day Special: The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier from 2021-05-31T04:03:51

Apologies to all our incredible listeners! Tours are up and running and we had some technical issues to work out, so we are a bit behind on releasing episodes. However, we wanted to drop this parti...

Patron Request: Louis Brandeis from 2021-05-14T20:08:37

"There are just case after case after case where Brandeis is going to write dissents or write opinions that are going to be cited for years and years to come, that are going to be so influential......

Presidential Children (Mother's Day Special) from 2021-05-06T18:18:55

It’s (almost) Mother’s Day and we are celebrating Tour Guide Tell All style! We thought it might be fun to see a different side of our presidents, talking about them as family men, and discussin...

Larger than Life: Marjorie Merriweather Post from 2021-05-02T06:42:55

Apologies to all our faithful listeners! We ran into some technical issues with our software and equipment so we are a bit late posting this episode. Thank you for your patience!

________...

The California Gold Rush from 2021-04-22T17:00

“Sometimes there are events in history that are overblown, and sometimes there are events in history that are “underblown”; this one is perfect. We make as big a deal out of it (The Gold Rush) a...

World War I and the New National World War I Memorial from 2021-04-15T19:20:14

"(WWI) is a war that is under-studied in the United States. Somebody said this to me once, that we feel about World War II in the United States, the way that Europeans feel about World War I.......

1893 World's Columbian Exposition: Crossroads of America from 2021-04-09T12:34:29

There are few events in American history that are truly a crossroads of people, ideas, and technology but the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition is one of them. Join us as we discuss this landmar...

Our April fool: Dan Sickles from 2021-04-01T17:00

“He’s so fun to talk about. I think he’s kind of perfect for April Fools because the story is just so over the top and ridiculous.”

We have something special for April Fools, a scandal fo...

Special Anniversary Re-Release: The Attempted Assassination of Ronald Reagan from 2021-03-30T08:46:08

This is a special re-release of one of our very first episodes, dropped today to mark the 40th anniversary of the attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan in Washington, DC.   Thank you for a yea...

Francis Perkins: The Quiet Powerhouse of the Labor Movement from 2021-03-25T17:35:36

“So as FDR is approaching her about joining his cabinet, about becoming this cabinet appointee, she has adapted a very specific look, which is sort of no nonsense, black and navy suits, very little...

The Brilliant and Bombastic Flo Kennedy from 2021-03-18T17:00

"When it came to...rhetorical style, Flo was a down and dirty kinda type...Let’s say the uncomfortable thing, let’s get up into our uncomfortable space, because that’s where we can start to move...

YouThink You Know Pocahontas? from 2021-03-11T17:30:35

‘Everybody has heard the name, and I feel like there’s an overview where everyone has this shared collective experience of Pocahontas, and as you’re probably not going to be surprised to learn, ...

Madaline Pollard from 2021-03-05T11:37:19

"I think she’s really remarkable because she never paints herself as an angel either.  She realizes that first of all, that’s never going to work, and second of all, that’s not real."

  Listen

Eugene Bullard: The Black Sparrow from 2021-02-25T10:31:49

"Bullard, son of an enslaved man and a Creek Indian woman, who escaped the racism of the American south, was in Paris with a pocketful of money. His dream was finally realized. Except it was 1914."...

The Incredible Barbara Jordan from 2021-02-19T12:21:44

"It’s fascinating how much in a short, relatively short political career, she is so admired, she is so celebrated….she is called a genius, she is called a hero; the salvation of American politic...

The First Two Black Senators in US History from 2021-02-11T17:00

“I got the idea to do this topic specifically on Twitter, someone tweeted about how when Hiram Revels, the very first African American Senator was appointed, because all senators in those days were...

Black History at Arlington National Cemetery from 2021-02-04T18:14:47

"And his experience is not unique.  There were men who fought in World War I, Black soldiers who would be beaten up for wearing their uniforms, who would be attacked for talking about their serv...

Black History Month Special Re-Release: Carter G. Woodson from 2021-02-01T17:00

In honor of Black History Month, we're re-releasing our mini episode on Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History Month.

This episode originally aired July 2020

---

"He...

History of Presidential Inaugurations Part (Tippecanoe&Tyler) II from 2021-01-28T17:00

  “You can sort of imagine the way it breaks down - Harrison is obviously going to run on this platform of Martin Van Buren as a snob, as an elite, as someone who has fiddled while the nation has b...

History of Presidential Inaugurations (Part I) from 2021-01-21T17:37:26

“What I would like to see is the moving out of the White House. So the way that this happens, at exactly noon when the legal transfer of power takes place there is a small army of staff that basica...

George Remus&THE BESTEST New Year's Eve Party EVER! from 2020-12-31T17:00

“So, the party. It's New Year's Eve 1921 to 1922. Remus is going to throw this massive party. He invites 100 people of the finest families in Cincinnati, and he’s going to give them all kinds of cr...

Christmas Traditions at the White House from 2020-12-26T12:04:32

"But really, most of what I think the average American Family associates with Christmas or the Holiday Season is a 20th century invention, so we don't have a lot of records of early Presidents t...

The Outrageous and Tragic Life of Evalyn Walsh McLean from 2020-12-17T18:11

“(Evalyn Walsh McLean) is so famous that she took this big trip to Russia, and Cole Porter wrote about her. And this is when I turn my chair around backwards and I lean over to show teenagers ho...

The Petticoat Affair from 2020-12-10T17:30:26

“The Petticoat Affair is an amazing name. To me, it reads like a bodice-ripper title - this would be some sultry book you would take to the beach or it sounds like an old period movie.  I love t...

The Salacious Scandals of Warren G.Harding from 2020-12-03T17:00

“I read this, and I feel that this is the most true statement about Warren Harding that has ever happened, one of his biographers said of him that he starts out life as a small town newspaper edito...

American Indians in Washington DC from 2020-11-26T08:00

"...it's kind of heartbreaking to me to think that there was an entire community of people, a whole culture that not only has been wiped away from the earth, but the only legacy left - doesn't e...

Myths About Thanksgiving from 2020-11-19T17:00

“The Pilgrims are zealots, you used the correct word. We don’t like to discuss that because the Pilgrims give us warm and fuzzies, but the truth is they’re basically religious zealots. They idea we...

Alice Pike Barney from 2020-11-12T17:00

“So she and Oscar Wilde, her new friend, spend a day at the beach and they get to talking and sharing and Alice reveals how much she used to love art, the art studies she did as a young woman, a...

Election of 1912 from 2020-11-03T07:00

“We are going to talk about the election of 1912, which is a doozy. There’s a lot going on, and some of our favorite and least favorite characters in American history are going to play starring ...

Rebel Rose, the Confederate Spy from 2020-10-29T17:08

“My supposition is that Rose O’Neal Greenhow had sex appeal. I think she had the kind of thing you can’t capture in a photo, particularly at the time. There is obviously something beguiling in h...

The Plague Pits of London (Mini Episode) from 2020-10-26T19:14:20

“Now as I always say to my friends and family when they visit London, and to my tour guests, if you are standing in a park, a garden, a square, or a market, look around; because the only reason ...

Five Deaths at the Capitol from 2020-10-22T17:00

“I've never stayed the night in the Capitol, I have never personally seen a ghost but I would not be surprised and I trust anyone who says they've had these encounters, because so many people ha...

The Congressman and The Argentine Firecracker (Mini Episode) from 2020-10-19T17:26:10

“Out of the town car pour 5 individuals, 2 men and 3 women. One of the women, in evening dress, immediately takes off running toward the tidal basin and jumps into the water. They fish her out, ...

Oak Hill Cemetery from 2020-10-16T16:57:54

“It is really like a country club for the after life...you have this cemetery that is specifically seeking out in its early years important Washington D.C. names, it grows as a very prestigious ...

The Grave Robbing of Mt Zion Cemetery from 2020-10-12T17:00

One local of Georgetown, a descendent of of some people buried here described what the cemetery was once like: "one could see bodies sticking out of the side of Mount Zion. Soil erosion was such a ...

Christopher Columbus does NOT deserve a holiday... from 2020-10-08T17:00

While you may just enjoy the fact that there is a three day weekend coming up, let us explain why there are a number of reasons that it should NOT be a day celebrating Christopher Columbus. Ther...

Ghosts of Georgetown from 2020-10-05T17:00

If you believe that ghosts come from tortured spirits - you don't have to look hard to find stories of tragedy here in Georgetown.

Canden shares a few of the tragic tales and ghost stori...

The Current Wars: Westinghouse vs Edison from 2020-10-01T17:00

I feel very strongly that George Westinghouse was an amazing human and more people should know about him. And Thomas Edison was a jerk. 

Do you know who invented the FIRST incandescent ...

Scandal on the South Side: The Black Sox from 2020-09-24T17:00

“This episode has it all - baseball, the American past time, it has mobsters, money, capitalism and labor disputes."

Tour Guide Tell All heads over to Chicago to talk about the infamous ...

Constitution Day Part II from 2020-09-17T20:05:04

“He has studied deeply before coming to this Convention. He has read everything he can read about the past, about the present, what was happening in Ancient Greece, what was happening in Rome, w...

Constitution Day, Part 1 from 2020-09-14T15:11:48

"It might be weird to say I love the Constitution but I really do.... I love the promise of American and the foundation of America. I think the Constitution is amazing and fascinating.... I thin...

Two Bombings at Embassy Row from 2020-09-10T17:00

“The two stories I’m going to tell you, they both involve a bombing and they take place geographically about a block and a half apart, but that is where their similarities end, the stories have ...

Wild Women of Washington (Bonus Episode) from 2020-09-07T11:11

We wanted to do a quick shoutout to segue from suffragists to other badass women in Washington DC history. 

• You can get a signed copy of the book in our store: Listen

Watts Mill, Virginia (Mini Episode) from 2020-08-03T19:00:33

We take our Monday mini episode a little further south to Chatham, VA where Canden is restoring a 19th century grist mill. 

Follow the journey on Instagram or Facebook @wattsmi...

Drinking Habits of our Presidents from 2020-07-30T17:00

“So, we share our love of drinking with many people who have occupied the highest office in the land!"

In this episode, we're leaning into the summer heat wave by cracking open a couple ...

Adalaide Johnson (Mini Episode) from 2020-07-27T17:00

“So here you have all these women gathered at the Capitol, at a time where very few women serve in Congress, you have this monument that isn't just to quaintly acknowledge the 19th Amendment, it...

William Jennings Bryan from 2020-07-23T16:45:25

"He's also an interesting illustration, I think of this idea that...it's hard to get a good man elected President. It's hard to get a good person, somebody with this much integrity, because they...

Carter Woodson Memorial (Mini Episode) from 2020-07-20T17:00

"He's listed as one of 100 greatest African Americans...But his greatest legacy...is that Black History Week has turned into a month, and is celebrated and recognized across the country."

Henry Clay from 2020-07-17T20:44:38

“In 1810, Clay gets elected to the United States House of Representatives.  So, he's been in the Senate for two months, he's been in his state legislature but in 1810 he goes to the US House of ...

Bartholdi Fountain and Park from 2020-07-13T19:45:01

“....Bartholdi Park was always one of my favorite little oases on Capitol Hill and anyone who works up there, any of the staffers, will probably tell you the same.”

In this mini-episode ...

History of Baseball in Washington DC from 2020-07-09T23:33:35

"What's fascinating about the Washington Grays is that they were one of the best teams in baseball but so many people don't know about them. They were a phenomonal team - they won 9 consecutive pen...

Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence from 2020-07-06T17:03:33

To tie in with our discussion about the Declaration of Independence, our mini episode this week focuses on a lovely hidden gem of a memorial in Washington, to the Signers of the Declaration.   Listen

Myths About the Declaration of Independence (Bonus Episode!) from 2020-07-04T16:44:58

Tour Guide Tell All is ready for the 4th of July, except that we celebrate on the WRONG day! We are here to tell the real story about the Declaration of Independence and how we have all been liv...

The Assassination of Pres. James Garfield from 2020-07-02T17:25:15

“Garfield is, I think, one of the greatest tragedies in the American presidency.  He's a man who held such promise for the country at a time where we really were on this path, this post-Civil Wa...

Josephine Butler from 2020-06-29T17:00

“She was the daughter of sharecroppers, she was the granddaughter of enslaved people...she's not very far removed from the Civil War era.  She comes from Virginia to Washington, D.C., she's goin...

Common Washington DC Myths from 2020-06-25T16:49:25

Did George Washington really chop down a cherry tree? Is the White House made from stone from Croatia? Is Robert E. Lee really sculpted into the back of Lincoln's head at the Lincoln Memorial? Listen

Joan of Arc Statue from 2020-06-22T16:51:48

Joan of Arc, this peasant teenager from the middle of nowhere, has basically just gotten a vision from God telling her that she needs to put the Prince in Reims and make him king. Sure, why not? Wh...

Frederick Douglass from 2020-06-18T17:42:04

"His life is so expansive and it really does reflect this incredible roller coaster of race in America and of so much change, how much the country changes - for the good and for the worse - betw...

James Buchanan Memorial from 2020-06-15T17:00

This is a man who probably would have been totally forgotten about, he would be in the dustbin of history, he'd be a President that none of us except for dorky tour guides and people who like to...

Betsy Ross and the American Flag from 2020-06-11T17:00

All Americans have heard the story of Betsy Ross and the first American flag, but how much of that story is real? Join us as we discover the real Betsy and why the truth might be even more interest...

Malcolm X / Meridian Hill Park from 2020-06-08T20:22:38

"It becomes a huge rally point for all sorts of political statements that the residents of Washington DC wanted to make so rallies for Civil Rights, rallies for the poor, rallies to eliminate hu...

The Mattachine Society from 2020-06-05T15:26:05

"Frank Kameney, who does not have a law background, petitions the Supreme Court pro se, which means he does this on his own. They do not grant him cert, they do not hear his case. So that is the...

Final Flight, Final Fight: Interview with Author Erin Miller from 2020-06-02T14:27:53

"The reason we asked you on here was because your grandmother had a very special role in WWII, a role that a lot of people today still aren't always familiar with, so can you tell us a little bi...

WWII at Arlington Cemetery from 2020-05-28T17:27:35

"As they are retreating, he's going to hold off the Germans on his own with his rifle as the men retreat. He's also on his radio directing artillery fire to the German lines. Once he runs out of...

Remembering WWII: Oral Histories from 2020-05-26T16:10:34

"You know where I was on VE Day? I was in Washington DC. The streets were so crowded the buses couldn't run" 

Rather than listen to us talk about WWII, we interview three people about th...

Sidney Dillon Ripley: The Spy Behind the Smithsonian from 2020-05-21T08:33:33

"He was once airlifted to meet a Thai King. He jumps out of a plane. He is holding a machine gun and he has a tuxedo in his backpack."

Sidney Dillon Ripley was a spy during WWII as part ...

FDR&Churchill from 2020-05-17T21:05:44

"She has decided that married into the upper echelon is not enough for her only daughter. So Alva Vanderbilt decides in order to show up New York society she is going to get something for her da...

Julia Child was a Spy? (WWII Special Series) from 2020-05-14T11:55

"One of the things she worked on was shark repellent. This was a big problem during the war. They were developing explosives to combat German U boats but these explosives were being set of by sh...

The New Eisenhower Memorial from 2020-05-10T11:22

“He's probably the last president that will get bipartisan support for a memorial.  Democrats like him for big government things like the Department of Education and NASA and the interstate syst...

May 8th: Harry S Truman&VE Day from 2020-05-08T13:28

“He is one of five candidates but he is going to win this primary and he wins this primary because he is the kind of guy who joined any club that would have him, went to every Army get-together,...

Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II from 2020-05-03T12:13:26

Our highlight mini-sode this week focuses on the Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism During World War II, sometimes called the Japanese Internment Memorial.

Rebecca shares with us m...

Winston Churchill (WWII Special Series) from 2020-04-30T13:00

May 8, 2020 is the 75th Anniversary of VE Day, so we're focusing on WWII figures and sites for the entire month across all platforms using #WWII75FTBF.

Dan and Rebecca share a bit more a...

Lincoln Emancipation Memorial from 2020-04-26T15:04:38

On this bonus episode about hidden sites in DC, the Lincoln Emancipation Memorial is one of the most fascinating statues in Washington, not only for what it represented when it was cr...

LSD with Kennedy and the Murder of Mary Meyer from 2020-04-24T22:22:44

“She's pushing forty and she's kind of this wild divorcee...she has these feet in both worlds and she is this wild child but also not a spring chicken.  She do...

George Mason: Forgotten Founder from 2020-04-19T15:44:41

“George Mason is the most important Founding Father that you’ve never heard of.  You’ve never heard of him because he gets into a fight with the one person you don’t want to get into a fight wit...

The Curse of Robert Todd Lincoln from 2020-04-17T15:33:11

“Robert Todd Lincoln says later in his life that his dad was always gone...so you have this workaholic father, you have these two younger brothers who take the cute...

Washington DC's Hidden Titanic Memorial from 2020-04-12T14:10:15

“And I have to take a moment to talk about the artist who designs it, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney because she is really fascinating.  She is Vanderbilt, like THE Vanderbilts - she is the second dau...

The Truth About Charles Lindbergh from 2020-04-10T12:11:55

“Lindbergh is a really great, I think, reminder that history is complicated and messy people make history.  No one is all good or all bad and that is the great thing about this, that we can kind...

Attempted Assassination of Reagan from 2020-03-31T12:07:05

“Ronald Reagan, I don’t care what you think about his politics, and we live in a very left of center city, but I don’t care what you think about President Reagan’s politics, the man is an honest...

All About Alice from 2020-03-27T13:51:31

“She eventually has a long term affair with a Senator and, by the way, there is some Senate versus House of Representatives rivalry between her and her husband, he's in the House and her new par...

TRAILER: Tour Guide Tell All from 2020-03-21T11:45:51

Professional Tour Guides in Washington DC share the true and sometimes scandalous stories from history, DC travel tips and hacks, hidden gems and hilarious stories of what we've heard on tours. ...