Program List
P. T. Barnum: The Greatest Showman on Earth
P. T. Barnum was one of the most flamboyant personalities of his age, first with his museums, then with the famous Barnum and Bailey Circus. As a showman he was without equal, bringing to America such figures as General Tom Thumb, Chang and Eng Bunker, the original Siamese Twins, and Jenny Lind, the “Swedish Nightingale.” The crowds also came to see the Fiji Mermaid, the Cardiff Giant, and the Aztec Children, and followed the sign that said, “This Way to the Egress”, realizing they’d been had and coming back for more. This program follows the up and down career of the man who invented the phrase, “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
9-11: America Under Attack
Ten years ago, early on the morning of September 11, 2001, nineteen men boarded flights in the eastern United States, commandeered the airplanes, and turned them into guided missiles that hit the Pentagon and brought down the Twin Towers in New York and brought a new reality to our country. Out of the tragedy came numerous accounts of heroism that showed America’s fighting spirit. A sensitive treatment of a timely topic.
Roy Rogers: King of the Cowboys
100 years ago this November 5, young Leonard Slye was born, destined to become the greatest cowboy star of them all. Roy Rogers thrilled generations of young and old, first as the lead singer of the Sons of the Pioneers, and later, with his movie and life sweetheart, Dale Evans, the Queen of the West, in those good old rock ‘em, sock ‘em westerns. Hero to the kids, and, behind the scenes, to his own family, Roy never let us down.
Jamaica: Island in the Sun
Where does one begin with Jamaica? With the sunshine, waving palm trees, and north shore resorts? With the ladies balancing baskets on their heads through the open air markets? With the pirates who swaggered up and down the streets of old Port Royal in the 1600′s? I spent a couple of years in Jamaica as a young college student, collecting music, folklore, and personal experiences. I was never able to convince my Jamaican friends that, just because I had a $30 Chevy, it didn’t mean that I was rich. I don’t suppose I could have convinced them, either, that, even though they may not have had a penny, their island made them rich as kings.
The Sioux Uprising of 1862
In a last ditch effort to reclaim lands lost to the relentless tide of white settlers, the Dakota Sioux, on August 18, 1862, struck savagely at settlers and settlements along the Minnesota River Valley, beginning a war that did not end before Sand Creek, Little Big Horn, and Wounded Knee passed into the pages of history. Hundreds died in surprise raids. Others were captives for months in Indian camps, saved by Indians friendly to the whites. In the end, the Sioux, friendly or not, were exiled to barren lands in South Dakota. We’ll look at the conflict through the eyes of white captives and Dakota warriors, and the cameras of the day.
Mother’s Day
Ancient Rome, Julia Ward Howe, and Anna Jarvis all had the same idea, to honor mothers with a special day, for which, in modern times, we set aside the second Sunday in May. Here’s a program to honor the mothers among us. We will see how mothers have influenced the course of history, join in singing some of those good old songs about Mother, and take a look at how mothers have been celebrated in music and other fine arts.
Brazil: Our American Neighbor
Brazil is the fifth largest nation in the world, a country of vast proportions, sharing its borders with 10 of the 12 South American countries. It possesses multiple climates, beautiful scenery, and a diverse population of birds and amphibians. In its forests are primitive tribes that have as yet had no contact with the outside world. It is the land of Rio de Janeiro, the mighty Amazon River, and the yearly Carnival. We’ll go see what it’s all about.
Old Ireland: Lilting Songs and Blarney Stones
Here’s a great St. Patrick’s Day program: Take a tour of famed Blarney Castle, with it’s Cromwellian history, dungeon, “Witches Kitchen”, “Wishing Steps”, and “Murder Hole.” Imagine yourself dangling upside down to kiss the famous Blarney Stone! Then join me in singing a selection of those delightful Irish songs, like, “My Wild Irish Rose”, “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”, “Danny Boy”, “It’s a Long Way To Tipperary”, and “Rose of Tralee.”
Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg
November 19 marks the 147th anniversary of the Gettysburg address, one of the greatest in American History. In this program, with the help of documents, stories, and photographs from the 1860’s, we explore the Battle of Gettysburg, from the circumstances that led to it, to its conclusion with Pickett’s famous charge. We’ll follow Abraham Lincoln to Gettysburg, where he had been invited to follow the two hour speech of noted orator Edward Everett with a few remarks in dedication of the new cemetery. I’ll be in period costume for this one, to give the address in person!
The U. S. Capitol: Hallowed Halls of Democracy
Few public buildings have a history as rich and fraught with significance as the U.S. Capitol Building. The ghosts of famous names from the past look down from the walls and stalk the halls: statesmen, power brokers, inquisitors, and pioneers, fresh from the wilderness. The building itself, since the laying of its cornerstone in 1793, has undergone as many changes as the country it represents, its inhabitants serving as the voice of a people engaged in the work of building a nation. Come, and we’ll walk the halls with the ghosts.
The Statue of Liberty: Beacon of Hope
In 1886, America celebrated the unveiling of “Liberty Enlightening the World,” or, as we know it, the Statue of Liberty. Since then, from its pedestal in New York Harbor, the statue has welcomed millions of immigrants to a new world and freedom. We follow the statute’s fascinating story, from its conception by sculptor Frederic Bartholdi to its construction in France and its final home on Bedloe’s Island in New York.
Norman Rockwell and Patriotism
Great for Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, or Veterans’ Day! Another in our series of programs about the American illustrator, Norman Rockwell, this program combines selections from Rockwell paintings about soldiers and the American spirit with the patriotic music that has stirred our hearts through the course of our 200 year history. Music for the Army, Navy, Marines, and Air Force, mothers, and the girls left behind.
The Discovery of King Tutankhamen’s Tomb
“Everywhere the glint of gold!” was the description of archaeologist Howard Carter, as he peered into the darkness of the tomb of King Tutankhamen, the first person to do so in over 3,000 years. Politics and principle, professional rivalry and personalities clashed in the glare of gold and the dust of history. We explore the tomb and its mysteries through the eyes of Carter and his photographer, and supplement the nearly century-old story of the unearthing of the tomb with the latest discoveries about King Tutankhamen, his tomb, and his death.
Buffalo Bill and Annie Oakley
Buffalo Bill was the flamboyant scout who put together his “Wild West and Congress of Rough Riders” toward the end of the nineteenth century. But it was his discovery of Phoebe Moses, the little girl from Darke County, Ohio, who became Annie Oakley, the star of his show, that helped him take his show across America and before the kings and queens of Europe. This program features the music of Irving Berlin’s “Annie, Get Your Gun” and actual photographs of the grounds, performers, and action from Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.
The White House: America’s First Home
Since 1800, when John and Abigail Adams moved in, the White House has been the home of our presidents. Through the years it has been rebuilt, rearranged, remodeled, and redecorated, while history has unfolded in and around it. We’ll look at historical views of the White House, its grounds, and its various additions, and share stories of its inhabitants through its two centuries of existence.
The Raid on the Northfield Bank: The James-Younger Gang Meets Its Match
The most notorious gang of bank robbers in the entire 1800’s rode into the small town of Northfield, Minnesota, on September 7, 1876, intending to empty the contents of the bank’s safe into their own pockets, only to meet with a stunning and decisive defeat. Hear the thrilling story of the origins of the gang, their plans for the robbery, and how the citizens of Northfield rose to the occasion. Pictures of the town, bank, robbers, and citizens.
The Raid on the Northfield Bank, Part Two: Capture at Madelia
Follow the remnants of the wounded and decimated James-Younger gang as they flee the scene of their defeat at Northfield and straggle through rain and the Big Woods of southern Minnesota in an attempt to evade the largest manhunt in the nation’s history. Two weeks after the robbery, an alert farm boy spots the remaining gang members, who are surrounded in the woods northwest of Madelia. Seven brave volunteers answer the call to flush the robbers from their hiding place, and the James-Younger gang is no more. Pictures of the posse, the capture site, and Stillwater Prison, and many others.
The Tin Lizzie: Mr. Ford’s Model T
2008 marked the 100th anniversary of the Model T Ford. Hear how Henry Ford revolutionized automobile production, putting auto ownership within the reach of ordinary folks and transforming American society in the process. See how the Ford operation grew, and how the nation embraced the “Tin Lizzie.” Pictures of early autos, creative uses of the Model T, and modern restorations.
Under the Big Top in 1898
Who doesn’t love a circus? When my great great uncle Jimmy McIndoo joined it for the 1898 season as the giant “Boy Wonder,” the Forepaugh Sells Circus rivaled the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey for the title “Greatest Show On Earth,” traveling by rail with hundreds of performers and roustabouts to cities all across the country. Watch the raising of the big top, the parade of elephants and circus wagons, the trapeze artists, the trained sea lions, the strong lady, and the poster wars of the circus advance teams. See the side show with its giants, midgets, and other amazing sights, hear stories of the high diver’s tragedy and the tent blowdown at Sioux City, and go behind the scenes for a glimpse of everyday life with the circus family.
Fort Snelling: Outpost on the Mississippi
Travel back in time for a visit to Minnesota’s first military installation, built at the juncture of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers in order to establish the nation’s presence in the northern reaches of the Louisiana Purchase. View the barracks, shops, guardhouse, store, and fortifications of the outpost, and hear the Fort’s history through the years. Learn what it was like in 1828 in the Commandant’s kitchen, the blacksmith’s shop, the commissary department, the sutler’s store, and the guardhouse. Watch the soldiers raise the flag, practice drills, and fire the post cannon.
Lincoln Takes The Stage
Abraham Lincoln was a president for the ages. What led him to seek the office, and how was he uniquely prepared to lead the country during its most turbulent times? In this program we explore Lincoln’s roots in Kentucky, Indiana, and Illinois, first as a pioneer child growing up on the American frontier, and later as he struck out on his own, trying his hand at surveying, shopkeeping, and riverboating, then learning his trade as a prairie lawyer at New Salem, Illinois, before entering the rough and tumble world of (what was then) western politics.
Yellowstone Then and Now
Our nation’s first national park was still young when lecturer John L. Stoddard visited Yellowstone in the 1890’s. We review the history and development of the Park, comparing Mr. Stoddard’s stories and photographs with stories and photographs from visits a century later. See pictures of geysers, waterfalls, mud pots, and canyons, and buffalo, grizzlies, beavers, and wolves. Hear how Jim Bridger, the old mountain man, was laughed to scorn when he told of seeing glass mountains, petrified forests, and boiling lakes, even though, for once, he was telling the truth!
The Wit and Wisdom of Norman Rockwell: Children and Growing Up
Everyone remembers those wonderful Saturday Evening Post covers illustrated by the great artist Norman Rockwell. Rockwell was not only a skilled illustrator, but a keen observer of human nature and a marvelous teller of stories. In this program, we look at Rockwell’s history, his development as an artist, his illustrative techniques, and the visual stories he tells about children growing up, exploring their world, challenging limits, and perplexing adults. A delightful montage of illustrations spanning five decades of Rockwell’s work for the Saturday Evening Post, Boys’ Life Magazine, and other publications.
A Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving
Music and Rockwell! Here’s another program from my favorite illustrator, Norman Rockwell, who, in his fifty or more years of painting, did numerous illustrations celebrating what we in America have to be thankful for. This program combines another series of great Rockwell illustrations with old favorite songs that express our appreciation for blessings like family, friends, and country. Sing along with “That Silver-Haired Daddy of Mine”, “This Old House”, “Come, Ye Thankful People, Come”, “Keep On The Sunny Side”, “Have I Told You Lately That I Love You”, and more!
Thanksgiving in America
From our starting point at President Roosevelt’s 1941 State of the Union speech and Norman Rockwell’s subsequent series of wonderful illustrations, the “Four Freedoms”, we trace the history of Thanksgiving, from Pilgrim beginnings through the annual Presidential pardoning of the Thanksgiving turkey. After a look at some familiar holiday sights and traditions, we’ll finish with a trip to New York City for the annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, from its modest start in 1924 through the huge extravaganza that it is today.
A Charles Dickens Christmas
One of the best-beloved stories of Christmas was published in 1843 by English author Charles Dickens. Weaving a masterful tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge with the ghost of his old partner, Marley, and his shivering clerk, Bob Cratchit, Dickens spirits us on a memorable visit to the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future. We follow through scenes taken from old prints and theatrical performances, stopping to look in a few Victorian windows along the way, and finishing with my favorite chapter, the heart-warming story of “The Cratchits’ Christmas” and Tiny Tim’s wish, “God bless us, every one!”
The Music of Christmas
Did you ever wonder where some of those wonderful Christmas songs came from? They came from the hearts and minds of a wide range of travelers, Tin Pan Alley writers, ministers, and just plain ordinary folks, who, by putting their thoughts, feelings, and experiences into words and music, have blessed us through the centuries. In this program we’ll explore some of the best Christmas songs, and, of course, sing them, too.
Toys and Games
Some of our fondest childhood hours were spent with dolls, puzzles, wagons, and roller skates. There was magic under the Christmas tree, in the shape of Jacob’s Ladders, Authors card games, Tinkertoys, and a host of other toys and games popular in years gone by. This program takes us back to explore the histories of those childhood artifacts. Remember Monopoly, Erector Sets, Viewmasters, Lionel trains, Raggedy Ann dolls, Slinkies, Mr. Potato Head, Dionne Quintuplet paper dolls, and Red Ryder BB guns? How about a stroll through the halls of the Queen’s own Doll House? Be prepared to talk about your favorite toy!
Pearl Harbor: The Day That Will Live In Infamy
“Tora, Tora, Tora!” Japanese Air Commander Fuchida’s coded message sent hundreds of fighters and torpedo bombers in a sneak attack against an American Pacific Fleet lying, unsuspecting, at anchor at the U.S. Naval Base on Oahu, Hawaii. By the time the attack was finished, 2,400 were dead, dozens of ships destroyed, and America was at war. Your residents will likely remember exactly where they were when they heard the news.
