Archives On The Air
Archives on the Air takes listeners deep into the archives of the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center. The AHC collects and preserves primary sources and rare books from Wyoming, the Rocky Mountain Region, and select aspects of the American and global past. Voiced by the AHC's Birgit Burke (previously by Molly Marcuse), each new episode of Archives on the Air reveals a fascinating tidbit from the AHC's vast collection.
Latest Episodes
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Stella Hanau was called before the federal government’s Loyalty Board in 1948. She faced charges of holding subversive meetings and associating with communists. Ultimately, she was cleared of all charges, but the experience led her to resign from her position as an editor in the U.S. Department of Commerce.
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Emigrants moving West in the mid 19th century found entrepreneurs manning ferry crossings along their route. Charges for transporting a wagon varied widely, depending on demand.
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Beginning in 1915, the Canadian branch of the British Expeditionary Force in France published its own twenty-four-page newspaper. It provided a unique perspective on military life during World War I.
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The Wyoming Territorial Penitentiary housed convicts beginning in 1873. Prisoners were required to adhere to a code of silence.
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Dr. Lillian Heath was Wyoming’s first female physician. Although esteemed by her male colleagues, at times her female patients were less respectful. She posed as a male for late night emergency calls in and around Rawlins.
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Young Japanese American mothers in Heart Mountain faced unique challenges as they raised their families in an internment camp.
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The American Committee for Defense of British Homes organized in 1940 to collect donations of arms, ammunition, binoculars and more to supply the British Home Guard as they defended British shores against German invasion.
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The Air Force’s SR-71 aircraft was designed to fly fast and high, while performing reconnaissance missions abroad.
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Residents of Wyoming contributed to the collection of a wide range of materials during the Second World War. Ranging from silk stockings to scrap metals and kitchen fats, the items collected were recycled into parachutes, ships and explosives.
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Wyoming Senator Al Simpson met with Iraqi President Saddam Hussein in April 1991. Tensions were high between Iraq and the U.S. as Iraq had recently threatened Israel, gassed the Kurds, and killed a British journalist.