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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The development of the telegraph and Morse code revolutionized communication across the United States in the mid-nineteenth century.
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An anti-communist sentiment was one of the driving features behind the film version of George Orwell’s Animal Farm. The animated, feature length movie was co-produced in Great Britain by American filmmaker Louis de Rochemont.
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Just Plain Bill, a radio soap opera that aired from the 1930s to 50s, was written and produced by husband and wife team Frank and Anne Hummert. It was one of many serialized programs created by the couple during the golden age of radio.
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King Edward VIII of the United Kingdom ruled for less than a year. He abdicated the throne in 1936 in order to marry American divorcee Mrs. Wallis Simpson.
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Offering visas for sale to the highest bidder is a controversial approach to managing immigration in the United States. Economist Julian Lincoln Simon favored the idea in a 1985 paper on the subject.
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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.