Shows
Mainely HistoryDescendants Walk in York with Meadow Dibble, Danny Bottino and James KencesThree organizers of the November 2024 Descendants Walk in York discuss the practice of public history and commemoration of tragic local history, in this case York's role in the 1724 massacre at Norridgewock.
2025-07-311h 11Mainely HistoryDogsledding in Maine with Jonathan HayesJonathan Hayes, a breeder, musher, and historian of Seppala sled dogs discusses the history of Maine's own breed of Siberian Husky, descended from Togo, a famous canine participant in the 1925 Serum Run to Nome, Alaska.
2025-07-241h 21Mainely HistoryIt's Pronounced "Jail": an Old York Live Show!Joel Lefever and Erin Tewksbury join Tiffany, Ian, and a live audience at the Old York Historical Society to talk about the history of the Old York Gaol, and how it transformed from a prison to an icon of local history and, eventually, tourism.
2025-06-271h 00Mainely HistoryPejepscot Portage Mapping Project with Joe Hall- A Live Show in Auburn!Joe Hall joined Tiffany, Ian, and a live audience at the Auburn Public Library for a conversation about the project to map and commemorate the Wabanaki Pejepscot Portage.
2025-06-121h 12Mainely HistoryAgnes the Spy with Elizabeth DeWolfeElizabeth DeWolfe returns to talk about the life of Jane Tucker "alias Agnes," an undercover detective hired to spy on a Kentucky congressman's mistress caught up in one of the most notorious scandals of the Gilded Age.
2025-05-311h 22Mainely HistoryRemembering Lovewell's Fight with Robert CrayRobert Cray, historian of war and memory, discusses the history and commemoration of the locally famous "Lovewell's Fight" of 1725 with Tiffany and Ian.
2025-05-221h 10Mainely HistoryLogging the Maine Woods With Jason NewtonJason Newton starts off Season 3 by discussing the era of industrial scale logging in Maine's northern forests.
2025-05-011h 04Mainely HistoryA John Ford Christmas Western? with Vaughn JoyFilm historian Vaughn Joy triumphantly returns for another end of year bonus episode, this time assessing a genre-mixing Christmas Western directed by Maine's own John Ford.
2024-12-231h 05Mainely HistoryReturn of the Right Whales with Gina LonatiMarine Biologist Gina Lonati returns to the pod to discuss Maine's most endangered marine mammal.
2024-12-151h 19Mainely HistoryStephen King's MaineAuthor Sharon Kitchens discusses the Maine places that shaped the career of the "King of Horror" Stephen King, and his influence on the Pine Tree State.
2024-10-2649 minMainely HistoryMaine's First (and next?) State Flag with Shenna BellowsSecretary of State Shenna Bellows joins the show to discuss the history of Maine's state flags as voters decide whether to bring back the old "Pine Tree" flag.
2024-10-1947 minMainely HistoryHannibal Hamlin, Lincoln's First Vice President with Jack FurnissJack Furniss, historian of Civil War era party politics, discusses why Maine Republican Hannibal Hamlin made an attractive vice president for Abraham Lincoln in 1860, why he was dropped from the ticket in 1864, and what a Hamlin administration might have looked like.
2024-09-081h 41Mainely HistoryFrances Perkins with Rebecca Brenner GrahamRebecca Brenner Graham returns to the pod to discuss Frances Perkins's little-known work aiding refugees from Nazi Germany.
2024-07-271h 11Mainely HistoryConstitution Redacted with Catherine BurnsCatherine Burns discusses the history behind Maine's 1875 redaction of parts of the state constitution dealing with public lands and obligations to Wabanaki nations.
2024-06-301h 14Mainely HistoryPolar Exploration with Genevieve LeMoineGenevieve LeMoine of Bowdoin College's Peary MacMillan Arctic Museum discusses the controversial contest to reach the North Pole.
2024-04-061h 20Mainely HistoryMurder in a Mill Town with Elizabeth DeWolfeElizabeth DeWolfe discusses the tragedy, trial, and media sensation surrounding the death of a young Biddeford mill worker named Berengera Caswell in 1849.
2024-02-241h 16Mainely HistoryDiet & Riot: Vegetarianism in Maine with Avery Yale KamilaFood writer and historian of vegetarianism Avery Yale Kamila speaks with Tiffany and Ian about dietary reformer Sylvester Graham's controversial Maine speaking tour, which drew both fans and riotous critics in the 1830s.
2024-02-171h 12Mainely HistoryBehind the Music with Bryan Den HartogIan chats with composer Bryan Den Hartog about how he created the music of Mainely History.
2024-01-2229 minMainely HistoryPatrick Dempseymas! with Vaughn JoyFilm historian Vaughn Joy returns to discuss the baffling 1988 Christmas movie "Some Girls," starring Lewiston's own Patrick Dempsey in this bonus episode.
2023-12-211h 32Mainely HistoryThe Proclamation of 1763 with Alexandra MontgomeryAlexandra Montgomery returns to the pod for a discussion on the significance and complicated legacy of the Royal Proclamation of 1763 for Mainers and their neighbors on both sides of the US-Canadian border.
2023-12-171h 11Mainely HistoryThe Clotilda’s Last Voyage with Jeremy EllisJeremy Ellis, president of the Clotilda Descendants Association, speaks with Tiffany and Ian about the final ship of enslaved Africans illegally brought to the United States in 1860, and their ties to Maine-born slave trader Timothy Meaher.
2023-11-291h 19Mainely HistoryHenry Wadsworth Longfelloween!Meg North and John Babin discuss the haunted past and present of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Portland home with Tiffany and Ian.
2023-10-2758 minMainely HistoryMeet the Cohosts!New Mainely History co-host Tiffany Link joins Ian to talk about day jobs, side-gigs, historical dinner guests, and what to expect for Season 2!
2023-10-1921 minMainely HistoryGathering of the Damned: A Mainely History Live Show!In this live show at the Maine Historical Society, Hannah Peterson and Daniel Bottino spoke with Ian about the 1735 trial, incarceration, conversion, and execution of Patience Boston, a Nauset indentured servant.
2023-10-171h 23Mainely HistoryRevolutionary Women In Dependence With Jacqueline BeattyJacqueline Beatty discusses how New England women navigated life a new American republic that assumed their dependent status, while equating true citizenship with independence.
2023-09-011h 00Mainely HistoryThe Quebec Expedition Part 2 with Tiffany LinkPart Two of Tiffany Link's discussion of the failed Quebec Expedition of 1775-1776.
2023-08-0951 minMainely HistoryThe Quebec Expedition with Tiffany LinkTiffany Link discusses Benedict Arnold's doomed expedition through Maine to seize Quebec during the American Revolutionary War.
2023-08-091h 12Mainely HistoryMaine’s Mythical Vikings with John SextonMedievalist John Sexton discusses why so many 19th century Mainers were looking for lost Viking settlements, and what we know today about the actual exploits of Norse seafarers in the North Atlantic long ago.
2023-06-301h 30Mainely HistoryDoing History with Dan Mandell and Alden VaughanDan Mandell and Alden Vaughan talk about the work that goes into finding and preparing historical sources for publication, and changes in the craft of history in this wide-ranging discussion.
2023-06-291h 12Mainely HistoryEastport’s Sardine Boom and Bust with Brian PayneBrian Payne discusses how ecological, commercial, and cultural transformations caused the decline of independent herring fishermen in Downeast Maine a century ago.
2023-03-2055 minMainely HistoryLaughing at Work with Hanji Chang and Andy O’BrienThe creators of Temp Tales discuss the origins and reception of their cult classic animated series with Ian, including the aspects of Maine's history that influence their work.
2023-02-211h 23Mainely HistoryMasters of the House with Gideon Cohn-PostarGideon Cohn-Postar discusses the important legacy of Maine's two Gilded Age Speakers of the House with Ian, while making time to bash newly relevant President Grover Cleveland.
2023-02-011h 39Mainely HistoryAnnaKendriChristmas! withVaughn JoyVaughn Joy returns to the pod to discuss the Yuletide cinematic contributions of Maine's best-loved 21st century cultural export- Anna Kendrick- in this special end of year Bonus episode.
2022-12-231h 37Mainely HistoryLydia Maria Child with Lydia MolandLydia Moland speaks with Ian about the pivotal career of a 19th century radical activist whose best known work today is a children's song about visiting grandmother on Thanksgiving.
2022-12-211h 16Mainely HistoryThe Klan in Maine with Ashley Johnson Bavery and Thomas MacMillanAshley Johnson Bavery and Thomas MacMillan discuss the extensive--even mainstream--influence of the Klan in 1920s Maine and the nation.
2022-11-231h 19Mainely HistoryPlanchettes, séances, and spiritualism with Larissa Vigue PicardLarissa Vigue Picard speaks with Ian about a planchette held in the Pejepscot History Center, and the role of devices like these in the world of 19th century séances, mediums, and spiritualists.
2022-10-291h 11Mainely HistoryThe Portland Observatory with James RiskJames Risk and Ian discuss the construction of the iconic Portland Observatory in Munjoy Hill, and its role in the network of maritime signal stations in the early American republic.
2022-09-2742 minMainely HistoryPotato Country with Kim Smith and Craig GreenKim Smith and Craig Green of the Presque Isle Historical Society discuss the rich history of potato farming in Aroostook County, including its impact on the region's culture and economy.
2022-08-2546 minMainely HistoryBeer in Colonial Maine with Emerson BakerIan joins Emerson Baker on a special on the road episode featuring discussion of beer and other alcoholic drinks in colonial Maine, as well as tasting some modern "heritage" brews.
2022-07-2356 minMainely HistoryNorthern Threads with Jamie RiceJamie Rice and Ian discuss fashion from centuries past in this special episode recorded at the Maine Historical Society
2022-07-0145 minMainely HistoryIndigenous Sovereignty with Darren RancoDarren Ranco talks about Indigenous nations' status in federal and Maine law, major cases shaping the current landscape, and how these issues impact ongoing legal and environmental questions in Maine and around the world.
2022-06-281h 28Mainely HistoryBuilding the Border with John MortonJohn Morton discusses how different religious networks among Wabanakis, American citizens, and British subjects created and gave meaning to the Maine-New Brunswick border after the American Revolution.
2022-05-241h 08Mainely HistoryBeing Catholic in Colonial Maine with Laura ChmielewskiLaura Chmielewski talks about colonial Maine's earliest Catholics, including Indigenous converts, secret faithful in English towns, and loud, proud Jesuit missionaries.
2022-04-251h 06Mainely HistoryFirst In our Hearts, Third in the Polls: Ross Perot’s 1992 Presidential Campaign with Amy FriedAmy Fried discusses Ross Perot's history making independent bid for the presidency in 1992, and why Mainers were so receptive to the Texas billionaire's message.
2022-03-0857 minMainely HistoryThe Maine Law and Rum Riot with Kyle VolkKyle Volk discusses Maine's pioneering foray into prohibition in the 19th century.
2022-02-211h 03Mainely HistoryChristmas Movies and Maine with Vaughn JoyVaughn Joy stops by to talk about the emergence of Christmas films as a genre, and to analyze several notable movies with a Maine connection.
2021-12-241h 30Mainely HistoryThe Plymouth Colonists in Maine with David SilvermanDavid Silverman talks with Ian about what the Plymouth Colonists of Thanksgiving fame were doing in Maine during the 17th Century.
2021-11-2959 minMainely HistoryGeorge Burroughs, the Condemned Minister of Salem with Emerson Baker: Part 2The conclusion of Emerson Baker's discussion of George Burroughs and the Salem Witch Trials
2021-10-2840 minMainely HistoryGeorge Burroughs, Condemned Minister of Salem with Emerson Baker: Part 1Emerson Baker discusses the curious case of George Burroughs, a Harvard educated minister on the Maine frontier who found himself among the accused--and executed--in the 1692 Salem Witch Trials. Part One
2021-10-2858 minMainely HistoryJohn Adams, Attorney at Law with Sara GeorginiSara Georgini discusses John Adams's formative years as a young attorney, including his experiences riding the circuit through Maine, and how the legal system operated in the years just before the American Revolution.
2021-10-2455 minMainely HistoryJohn Neal and Writing New England Identity with Keri HoltKeri Holt discusses John Neal, an 19th century writer, activist, and literary influencer, who helped shape an emerging New England "Yankee" character, even while trying to challenge it.
2021-09-2649 minMainely HistoryRight Whales with Gina LonatiGina Lonati spouts off about North Atlantic Right Whales, answering Ian's questions about whale sounds and personalities, while explaining scientists' role in efforts to save this critically endangered species.
2021-09-0154 minMainely HistoryVeterans and the Making of Vacationland with Ian StevensonIan Stevenson stops by to discuss Civil War veteran organizations and the rise of the modern summer vacation in Maine.
2021-08-1851 minMainely HistoryPageant of Corruption: A Live Show Spectacular!Kristalyn Shefveland, Alexandra Montgomery, and Ian present their chosen candidates before a live audience in a contest to determine the most petty, corrupt figure in colonial North America.
2021-07-311h 17Mainely HistoryThe Bombardment of Falmouth with Tiffany LinkTiffany Link joins Ian to discuss why the British singled out Falmouth (future Portland) for destruction in 1775, the course of the attack, and the legacy of that day.
2021-07-031h 04Mainely HistoryAdelbert Ames and Black Reconstruction with Shennette Garrett-ScottShennette Garrett-Scott discusses the significance of Maine-born Adelbert Ames' tumultuous time as governor of Mississippi after the Civil War.
2021-06-251h 14Mainely HistoryItinerant Painters with Diana GreenwoldDiana Greenwold and Ian discuss Maine's 19th century traveling painters, their customers, and what they hoped to capture on the canvas.
2021-06-1244 minMainely HistoryWomen's Rights and Citizenship in Revolutionary America with Rosemarie ZagarriRosemarie Zagarri discusses the meaning and extent of women's rights in Revolutionary America.
2021-05-281h 06Mainely HistorySmallpox Inoculation with Andrew WehrmanAndrew Wehrman discusses how the revolutionary generation thought about the role of government in public health during a continent-wide smallpox pandemic.
2021-04-291h 07Mainely HistoryPreserving and Revitalizing the Penobscot Language with Carol DanaCarol Dana shares her experiences learning, teaching, preserving, and revitalizing the Penobscot language in Maine.
2021-04-0146 minMainely HistoryQuilting in Maine: Uncovering Women's History with Laurie LaBarLaurie LaBar speaks with Ian about the often overlooked history of Maine communities as told by generations of women quilters.
2021-03-1250 minMainely HistoryRemembering Maine's Paper Mills with Michael HillardMichael Hillard discusses the life of mill workers during the paper industry's height, and how they experienced--and now remember--its fall.
2021-03-0158 minMainely HistoryPirates! with Jamie GoodallJamie Goodall discusses the "Golden Age of Piracy" in Maine and the wider Atlantic, including the reality, the legend, and where the historical evidence is buried.
2021-02-1234 minMainely HistoryThe Hartford Convention with Matthew MasonMatthew Mason and Ian discuss the hopes and fears driving the controversial Hartford Convention of 1814 and its lasting consequences down to the present day.
2021-01-271h 07Mainely HistoryChristmas is Cancelled! with Stephen NissenbaumStephen Nissenbaum discusses the Puritan anti-Christmas campaigns in both New and Old England
2020-12-2051 minMainely HistoryDirty (Land) Deeds Done Dirt Cheap with Alexanda MontgomeryAlexandra Montgomery and Ian compare how British colonists and distant officials tried to make their vision of empire a reality in Nova Scotia and Maine
2020-12-0553 minMainely HistoryFight for the Secret Ballot with Gideon Cohn-PostarGideon Cohn-Postar discusses how a disputed election in late 19th-century Maine encouraged reformers to argue that voting in secret was a vital part of fair elections
2020-11-0143 minMainely HistoryBuilding the Funeral Business with Kelly Brennan ArehartKelly Brennan Arehart discusses the intrepid pioneers who built the funeral industry in this special Halloween episode
2020-10-2653 minMainely HistoryElectoral Reforms in Maine with James MelcherIan and James Melcher discuss why Maine and Nebraska insist on distributing their electoral votes differently than the other 48 states, along with the rest of Maine's other electoral quirks.
2020-10-1541 minMainely HistoryWinning Women's Suffrage with Allison LangeAllison Lange speaks with Ian about the visual imagery of the campaign for women's suffrage, common misconceptions about the struggle, and New England's surprising role as a bastion for anti-suffragists.
2020-10-011h 03Mainely HistoryYou've Got No Mail (on Sunday) with Rebecca Brenner GrahamRebecca Brenner Graham talks with Ian about the surprisingly fierce 19th century battle over whether the US Postal Service should deliver on Sunday.
2020-09-2638 minMainely HistoryThe World of Vintage Base Ball with Jacob NewcombIan talks with the captain of Dirigo Vintage Base Ball Club about your neighbors who play ball like it's 1860
2020-09-2138 minMainely HistoryIntroducing Mainely History!Introducing Mainely History, a podcast of unscripted conversations about mainly history and mostly Maine, previewing upcoming episodes
2020-09-2103 min