Shows
Uncharted LancasterRiver Highway: The Era of Susquehanna Log RaftsFrom the late 18th through the early 20th century, the Susquehanna River functioned as one of America’s most important commercial highways. This episode explores the dangerous world of the river raftmen—skilled laborers who guided enormous, hand-built log rafts hundreds of miles downstream, supplying timber to growing cities like Baltimore and Philadelphia. The lumber they carried became ships, homes, mines, and the backbone of a rapidly expanding nation.The story doesn’t end at the river’s edge. After selling their rafts, many raftmen walked the long Raftmen’s Path back home to preserve their hard-earned wages, com...
2026-02-0538 min
Uncharted LancasterRoslyn Mansion: A Husband's Gilded Age Birthday GiftThis episode explores Roslyn Mansion, one of Lancaster’s most striking Gilded Age homes and a masterpiece of late Victorian design. Built in 1896 and designed by renowned architect C. Emlen Urban, Roslyn was commissioned by Peter T. Watt, co-founder of the Watt & Shand department store, as a birthday gift for his wife, Laura Watt. With its limestone turrets, Scottish baronial styling, and richly detailed interiors, the mansion was meant to signal wealth, taste, and permanence at the height of Lancaster’s industrial prosperity.The episode traces the estate's architectural significance alongside the personal history of the Watt fami...
2026-02-0241 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Buzzard Gang: The Jesse James Gang of the EastThis episode dives into the violent, fascinating true story of the Buzzard Gang—one of the most infamous outlaw families to ever roam the rugged hills of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Rising from post–Civil War poverty, brothers Abe Buzzard and Ike Buzzard transformed a life of petty theft into a full-blown criminal enterprise marked by bold burglaries, armed confrontations, and a reputation that earned them the nickname “the Jesse James of the East Coast.”Operating from the remote strongholds of the Welsh Mountains, the Buzzards used the rocky terrain around the Blue Rocks to evade law enforcement and disa...
2026-01-2932 min
Uncharted LancasterGeneral Edward Hand: Patriot, Physician, and Master of Rock FordThis episode explores the remarkable—and complicated—life of Edward Hand, an Irish-born physician who rose to prominence during the American Revolution. Serving as a major general and adjutant general under George Washington, Hand played a critical role in the war, expertly deploying Pennsylvania riflemen in strategic delaying actions that helped shape key moments of the conflict.After independence, Hand reinvented himself once again—this time as a Federalist politician and civic leader in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where he became a central figure in the young republic’s political and social life. He spent his final years at Historic...
2026-01-2643 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Bausman House EavesdropperThis episode explores one of Lancaster’s most curious architectural details—the stone face known as the Eavesdropper carved into the exterior of the historic Bausman House. Built in 1762, this rare sandstone residence stands apart not just for its age, but for the watchful figure set beneath its eaves, silently observing the street below.We trace the meaning behind the eavesdropper, a symbolic warning against gossip in an era when open windows, close quarters, and public conversation blurred the line between private and public life. The episode follows the term’s evolution—from Old English references to roof run...
2026-01-2234 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Gentleman Bum of House RockWho was Colonel John Mead—the so-called “gentleman bum” of the Susquehanna River hills? In this episode of the Uncharted Lancaster Podcast, we explore the remarkable life of a well-spoken, well-read hermit who spent decades living in caves and rock shelters along the riverbanks of southern Lancaster County. Known for his courtesy, intellect, and mysterious past, Mead welcomed railroad workers, vacationers, and curious travelers into his rocky home at House Rock, becoming an unlikely local celebrity at the turn of the 20th century.From whispered theories about his origins and the unexplained “Colonel” title to the fire that destr...
2026-01-1931 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Susquehanna Ice Railroad of 1852In the winter of 1852, an unrelenting cold turned the Susquehanna River into an icy barrier, threatening to halt commerce and mail along one of the nation’s most important rail corridors. This episode tells the extraordinary story of how the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad responded—by building a temporary railroad directly on the frozen river between Havre de Grace and Perryville.Rather than risk a locomotive on the ice, engineers used stationary steam engines, ropes, and pulleys to carefully slide loaded freight cars across the frozen expanse. For more than forty days, thousands of tons of good...
2026-01-1536 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Face in the Window on Carter's HillIn this episode, we unravel the strange history and enduring folklore behind a ghostly face staring out from the attic window of an 18th-century brick farmhouse in Peach Bottom, Pennsylvania. For generations, locals have whispered chilling explanations—some claim it’s the haunted visage of a Civil War widow, others insist it’s a death mask placed there in vengeance.The truth, however, is no less fascinating. The face is a plaster teaching model once owned by 19th-century phrenologist Henry Carter. His daughter reportedly positioned it in the window as a prank to startle passersby, never imagining it wou...
2026-01-1230 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Enola Low Grade: Iron, Blood, and Engineering GloryThis episode traces the dramatic rise—and lasting legacy—of the Enola Low Grade, one of the most ambitious railroad engineering projects ever undertaken in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Constructed between 1903 and 1906 by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the Low Grade was designed as a nearly level freight bypass, allowing massive trains to move efficiently along the Susquehanna corridor without the punishing climbs common to earlier rail lines.Achieving that vision came at an enormous cost. Millions of cubic yards of earth were moved, and the project’s price tag—equivalent to roughly half a billion dollars today—was matched by a devas...
2026-01-0839 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Albatwitch: Pennsylvania's Little BigfootIn the area around Chickies Rock, near the ancient Susquehanna River, stories of a 4-foot-tall hairy ape-man have circulated since Native Americans dominated the region. As recently as 2024, people have seen the hairy beast. Legend says this small, hairy creature would terrorize picnickers up at Chickies Rock in the 1800s by stealing their apples and pelting the cores back at them. This episode of the Uncharted Lancaster Podcast takes a deep dive into the story of Columbia's little bigfoot—the Albatwitch.To learn more, visit UnchartedLancaster.com.Learn about other unique people and places like th...
2026-01-0530 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Mile-Long Covered Bridge That Became a Civil War FirebreakOn June 28, 1863, Lancaster County was saved by fire.The Columbia–Wrightsville Covered Bridge—once the longest covered bridge in the world—spanned the Susquehanna as the only crossing between Harrisburg and Maryland. When Confederate troops reached Wrightsville during the Gettysburg Campaign, Union militia made a desperate decision: burn the bridge rather than let the enemy cross.In just hours, a mile-long wooden tunnel collapsed into the river, stopping the invasion at the water’s edge. If it had stood a little longer, Confederate troops could have marched straight into Lancaster County—and history here might...
2026-01-0127 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Conestoga Wagon: American Ship of Inland CommerceOn the approaching December 31, 1717, anniversary of the Conestoga Wagon, this episode takes a deep dive into the history of the Conestoga wagon—America’s original “ship of inland commerce.” Developed in 18th-century Pennsylvania, particularly in Lancaster County, these massive wagons were built to haul heavy freight between farms and markets long before canals and railroads reshaped transportation.We examine what sets the Conestoga apart, from its curved floor designed to stabilize cargo to the powerful Conestoga horse bred to pull it. The episode also explores the wagon’s cultural legacy—how the bells of wagons inspired the phrase “arri...
2025-12-2936 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Belsnickel: A Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas TraditionMeet the Belsnickel: A Wild Pennsylvania Dutch Christmas Tradition! Forget the jolly Santa Claus—Pennsylvania German folklore brings us the Belsnickel, a shaggy, fearsome figure who’s part Christmas cheer and part moral compass!Draped in tattered clothes and fur, adorned with deer antlers and foliage, the Belsnickel embodies the untamed spirit of the season. With birch switches in one hand and a sack of treats in the other, he’s here to reward the good and remind the naughty of their missteps.The drama begins weeks before Christmas, as the Belsnickel taps on win...
2025-12-2532 min
Uncharted LancasterHow the Lancaster Woolworth Sparked a Christmas TraditionIt’s the autumn of 1880 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A young businessman has recently opened a store and quickly found success by offering high-quality goods at low prices. The store has become a popular destination for traveling salesmen.One morning, a young traveling salesman from Germany enters the store and shows his goods to the proprietor, who isn’t impressed. “What purpose do they serve?” he asks. “They’re literally useless.” Still, the businessman decides to take a chance. He tells the salesman, “I’ll take one box, but only if they can be sold on a sale-or-return basis.”T...
2025-12-2231 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Lancaster Bathtub That Started a RevolutionLancaster's Bathtub Revolution: How America’s First Tub Made a SplashDid you know Lancaster, PA, was home to America’s first bathtub? In 1839, Jacob Demuth installed this trailblazing tub at 116 East King Street, marking the start of a hygiene revolution. Crafted from heavy wood and reinforced with iron bands, the tub resembled a modern bathtub in shape but was filled the old-fashioned way—with water heated in a tea kettle and poured by hand.At the time, bathing was a luxury, and the city charged a $3 annual fee for each tub’s water su...
2025-12-1831 min
Uncharted LancasterLancaster Crematorium: The Country’s First Public CrematoriumAmerica’s First Public Crematorium Was in Lancaster!Tucked away behind a line of trees in Greenwood Cemetery stands a crumbling red-brick building that changed the course of American funerary practice. Built in 1884, the Lancaster Crematorium was the first public crematorium in the United States—a bold and controversial innovation at a time when cremation was seen as sacrilegious and scandalous.Spearheaded by the Lancaster Cremation and Funeral Reform Society—made up of doctors, scientists, and civic leaders like J.P. McCaskey and A.J. Steinman—the facility was designed to combat overcrowded cemeteri...
2025-12-1526 min
Uncharted LancasterThe Unfinished Dream of the Pequehanna InnThe Pequehanna Inn: The Grand Hotel That Never Was.High above the mouth of the Pequea Creek lie the moss-covered foundations of a dream that almost transformed the Susquehanna River gorge. In 1906, Lancaster builder John K. Hartman began constructing the Pequehanna Inn — a towering 384-room resort meant to be the crown jewel of a booming Pequea, complete with verandas, glass-domed dining halls, hilltop gardens, and breathtaking river views.Then came disaster: a destroyed bridge, construction delays, financial collapse, and the death of a key backer. The project fell silent, leaving only stone walls an...
2025-12-1234 min
Slice of the ParanormalInside the Ephrata Cloister: Ghosts, Odd Rituals, and Hidden RelicsEpisode 56: Slice of the Paranormal visits the haunted Ephrata Cloister in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the land of hex signs, shoofly pies, and restless ghosts. This historic religious community is said to be haunted by former members and soldiers who were treated within its wooden walls during the Revolutionary War. Even today, artifacts continue to surface, amulets, glass trumpets, and rumors of a golden goblet still buried somewhere beneath the soil, each one whispering of Pennsylvania Dutch superstitions and spiritual beliefs from centuries past. It's hard not to feel the presence of ghosts here, where echoes of prayers, songs, and...
2025-11-1245 min
The SparkGaming Safety with Roblox; Ghost Stories with Adam Zurn(00:00:00) We learn about Roblox new initiative for parents that will help inform them on how to educate their children to interact safely online. (00:22:13) Adam Zurn shares local ghost stories with us in honor of Halloween week.Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
2025-10-2844 min
Simplifying ComplexityHow curiosity worksToday we’re joined by Dani S. Bassett, J. Peter Skirkanich Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and External Professor at the Santa Fe Institute, and Perry Zurn, Visiting Associate Professor of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Cornell University and Provost Associate Professor of Philosophy at American University. In today’s episode, Dani and Perry explore the concept of curiosity. Connect: Simplifying Complexity on Twitter Sean Brady on Twitter Sean Brady on LinkedIn Brady Heywood website This show is produc...
2024-10-1443 min
Jon Divine LiveAlive Events Podcast | Episode 29 - Jersey Shore VibezThis week, Jon Divine is bringing some warm, fun and high energy music to get you ready for the summer. Featuring tracks from artists like Steve Aoki, Tiesto, Joel Corry, Jax Jones, Throttle, Dua Lipa and more!
Be sure to subscribe and listen weekly.
Follow us on social media:
@officlajondivine
@aliveeventsent
Tracklist:
| Welcome To The Playhouse (Clean) | Steve Aoki & DJ Diesel aka Shaquille O’Neal
| ABCDEFU x Heads Will Roll (Scooter Bootleg / Clean) | GAYLE vs Yeah Yeah Yeahs x A-trak x Discotech
| Sorry Bam Bam (DJ Harry Dunkley Mashup) | Joel Corry & Merk & Kremont & Hawk
| Uptown Funk (Hypelezz Mashup) - Energy 7 |
| Be...
2022-02-1157 min
Alive Events PodcastAlive Events Podcast | Episode 29 - Jersey Shore VibezThis week, Jon Divine is bringing some warm, fun and high energy music to get you ready for the summer. Featuring tracks from artists like Steve Aoki, Tiesto, Joel Corry, Jax Jones, Throttle, Dua Lipa and more! Be sure to subscribe and listen weekly. Follow us on social media: @officlajondivine@aliveeventsent Tracklist: | Welcome To The Playhouse (Clean) | Steve Aoki & DJ Diesel aka Shaquille O’Neal | ABCDEFU x Heads Will Roll (Scooter Bootleg / Clean) | GAYLE vs Yeah Yeah Yeahs x A-trak x Discotech | Sorry Bam Bam...
2022-02-1157 min
Lancaster ConnectsEp 17 - June 30th, 2021 - White Chimneys' Jessica MeyerOn Episode 17 of Lancaster Connects, we talk to Jessica Meyer from White Chimneys to discuss the history of her property, the second oldest building in Lancaster county. We also dive into their 300th anniversary event that's happening July 3rd.
You'll also get a 4th of July Lancaster History Nugget from Uncharted Lancaster's Adam Zurn.
There's also:
Our weekly local events roundup
Our food truck alert - which food trucks will be where and when
How you can help the Lancaster Community
Our Pet of the Week
Our $25 Gift Card Giveaway for local...
2021-06-301h 30Lancaster ConnectsEp. 15 -June 16th, 2021 - Lancaster Farm Sanctuary, Jonina Turizi
On Episode 15 of Lancaster Connects, we're joined by Jonina Turzi to tell us about the important work done by Lancaster Farm Sanctuary to help rescued farm animals live a happy life. As the co-founder of the Farm Sanctuary, Jonina shares some stories and clips with us that will brighten up your day!
This week it's Jeff's turn to host solo while Ben is away, so we asked Adam Zurn from Uncharted Lancaster to 'drop in' and help out with the Local History Nugget, which is a pretty neat story that ties in with #Juneteenth.
There's also:
Our weekly...
2021-06-161h 08
The NormThe Norm - May 19, 2021 - Touchless Solutions from www.Zurn.caNorm Murray speaks with Adam Findlay, Zurn Canada's Digital Sales Manager. Upgrade your restrooms to touchless with touchless solutions from www.zurn.ca. The Pandemic has put a spotlight on cleanliness & personal hygiene, with clean, efficient washrooms. Reliable sensor faucets & flush valves are vital tools for today’s building mgr.
2021-05-1915 min
Practical PreservationPractical Preservation Podcast Featuring Adam Zurn of Uncharted LancasterAdam Zurn, founder of Uncharted Lancaster, joined the Practical Preservation Podcast to discuss his website’s dual function as an educational and adventure tool. We covered multiple topics, including: How his background as a child of the 1980s influenced his curious, adventurous side, and the inspiration for Uncharted Lancaster How Uncharted Lancaster includes “adventures” with directions...Read More
2020-08-1332 min
Edict Zero - FISEdict Zero – FIS – EP203 – “The Road Not Taken”
EDICT ZERO – FIS – Season 2
Episode 3 – “The Road Not Taken”
#CREDITS#
VOICES:
James Keller, Julie Hoverson, Phil Rossi, Tanja Milojevic, Russell Gold, Michael Hudson, Kim Poole, Glen Hallstrom, Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard, and Jack Kincaid.
EXPANDED VOICE CREDITS
DOI Agent Simon Griever _____________ Michael Hudson
Ambassador __________________________ Jack Kincaid
Misc voices _________________________ Jack Kincaid
E-1 Embassy Op on ship ______________ Tanja Milojevic
Special Agent Benjamin Zurn _________ Russell Gold
“Pat”, The Room Manager System ______ Jack Kincaid
Special Agent Nick Garrett __________ James Keller
Nurse in background _________________ Tanja Milojevic
Z-Chip R...
2011-12-0600 minEdict Zero - FISEdict Zero – FIS – EP202 – “Everything Changes (II)
EDICT ZERO – FIS – Season 2
Episode 2 – “Everything Changes (II)”
#CREDITS#
VOICES:
James Keller, Julie Hoverson, Phil Rossi, Tanja Milojevic, Russell Gold, Gwendolyn Jensen-Woodard, Bill Fisher, Matthew McLean, and Jack Kincaid
EXPANDED VOICE CREDITS
Gretchen Tizwa, conspiracist ________ Tanja Milojevic
Special Agent Jewels Kircher ________ Julie Hoverson
Ventura Fire & Rescue _______________ Bill Fisher
Federal Security Ground Force _______ Jack Kincaid
_____________________________________ Tanja Milojevic
_____________________________________ Matthew McLean
Special Agent Nick Garrett __________ James Keller
Rescue Voice ________________________ Bill Fisher
Toaster “To The Class of ’98” _______ Matthew McLean
Tactical Commander John Bradoch...
2011-12-0400 minEdict Zero - FISEdict Zero – FIS – EP108 – “Byproducts”
EDICT ZERO – FIS – Season 1
Episode 8 – “Byproducts”
#CREDITS#
VOICES:
James Keller, Julie Hoverson, Phil Rossi, Tanja Milojevic, Russell Gold, Glen Hallstrom, Jane Eastman, and Jack Kincaid
EXPANDED VOICE CREDITS
Dirwin, Office Manager System________ Jack Kincaid
Janet Cull, Zenas Corporation________ Tanja Milojevic
Nemtex Rep, coworker ________________ Jack Kincaid
The Croaky-Voiced Man _______________ Jack Kincaid
Mister Cook _________________________ James Keller
Melissa Parker ______________________ Tanja Milojevic
Jacob Tonell, Sr. ___________________ Jack Kincaid
Radio voice _________________________ Tanja Milojevic
Senior SSA Roddy Malin ______________ Jack Kincaid
TD Academy Trainer, SA Carrie Dar...
2011-04-0900 minEdict Zero - FISEdict Zero – FIS – EP107 – “Kinesis”
EDICT ZERO – FIS – Season 1
Episode 7 – “Kinesis”
#CREDITS#
VOICES:
James Keller, Julie Hoverson, Phil Rossi, Tanja Milojevic, Russell Gold, Jennifer Dixon, Glen Hallstrom, Kim Poole, and Jack Kincaid
EXPANDED VOICE CREDITS
Ambassador & others _________________ Jack Kincaid
Ivan, EZMS System ___________________ Glen Hallstrom
Melissa Parker ______________________ Tanja Milojevic
Mister Cook _________________________ James Keller
Special Agent Melinda Parish ________ Kim Poole
Detective Saxon & other W.I. cops ___ Jack Kincaid
Special Agent Marcus Briggs _________ Phil Rossi
Special Agent Kora Reznik ___________ Tanja Milojevic
Special Agent Jewels Kircher ________ Julie Hoverson
2011-03-0100 min