Our Americana

A man ahead of his time, built an entire town around the timber industry. A century later, the town is building itself around and in support of a local nuisance. Finding comedy in stress, it turns out, has been a decades-long tradition in Longview, Washington. Plus, the best way to survive a volcano eruption; and how fun, industry, and ecology can thrive in symbiosis. To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com    Written, edited, and produced by Josh Hallmark  Research by Vanessa YorkGuest: Patrick KubinMusic by Borrtex, Podington Bear, Broke for Free, Cheribum / Courtesy of Free Music Archive  Sponsors: Podbean

A four-person support group, for parents of children with autism, inspires an entire community to become Canada's first Autism-Friendly Town.To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com    Written, edited, and produced by Josh Hallmark  Guests: Joan Chaisson, Cathy Lomond, Cindy Goudie-LaPolla, Wanda Merrigan, Candace Matthews Featuring "Welcome Home, Son" by Radical FaceOther music by Lee Rosevere, Borrtex, Scott Holmes, Chris Zabriskie / Courtesy of Free Music Archive  Sponsors: Podbean

In this collaboration with The Story Behind podcast, we explore the story behind Roadside Attractions. We take a look at how three Roadside Attractions have impacted and been impacted by community: including the world's largest beagle, the world's (former) largest cherry pie pan, and the Unclaimed Baggage Center (a museum of lost luggage). To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com      Written, edited, and produced by Josh Hallmark & Emily ProkopMusic by Utidur, Mike Durek, and Ryan Andersen / Courtesy of Free Music ArchiveSponsors: Podbean

When a rural town's only high school is in jeopardy, the community comes together to change it in some very radical ways. And then the school, in turn, changes the community.To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com      Written, edited, and produced by Josh HallmarkOther music by Jon Luc Hefferman, Kai Engel, Mike Durek, Squire Tuck, Broke for Free, David Hilowitz, and Lee Rosevere / Courtesy of Free Music ArchiveSponsors: Podbean, Blue Sky Vacations

A tornado forever changes the rural town of Greensburg in the most unexpected way. And we separate ideas and movements from the constraints of politics.     To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com      Written, edited, and produced by Josh Hallmark    Research Assistance by Torey Griffith     Music by Saito, Chris Zabriskie, Kai Engel, David Mumford, Lee Rosevere, Idmonster / Courtesy of Free Music Archive    Podcast Promo: Pretend Radio     Sponsors: Podbean

A rural town, known as The Troll Capital of the World, unites over the attemped banning of a book reading and its very close-to-home consequences.   To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com    Written, edited, and produced by Josh Hallmark  Research by Vanessa York, Nicola Jezequel, Shannon DeFilippas, Jennifer Menges  Guests: JoEllen Graber, Amy Lyle, and Sarah  Library recordings from: Carly Fisher, Jane Burns, and Julie Plotkin  Featuring "Legend of the Wild Horse" by Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton  Other music by Lee Rosevere, Borrtex, Ketsa, Derek Clegg, Chris Zabriskie / Courtesy of Free Music Archive  Sponsors: Podbean

Our Americana returns tomorrow, with 12 new stories about community in Small Town America. #FindYourPlace in America.

REBROADCAST: Josh recounts his personal survival story from a sexual assault that resulted in contracting HIV. It highlights America's complicated relationship with both sexual assault and health care.It seemed an appropriate time to rebroadcast. Listener warning advised.

We close off season 3 with updates. Updates on past guests, updates on Josh, and previews for his other podcasts.Updates on:Benny - Salem , OregonBrit Webb - Marfa, TexasRosie & Kate - Chincoteague, VirginiaRabia & Jenn - City Island, New YorkEugene Amos - Gold River, British ColumbiaPreviews for Josh's other shows:PLAYLIST, Season 1The Karen & Ellen Letters, Season 2

We head to South Florida to take a very candid look at the struggles of drug addiction and recovery through the lens of a listener.Music by: El Perro del Mar, Chris Zabriskie, Lee Rosevere, and Freya Ridings

In our final celebration of other podcasts, we talk Detroit with Nina Innsted, Bakersfield with Chris Braaten, and Philly with Deana Marie.Music by: Custodian of Records, Zachary Wilson, Ryan Little, Audiobinger, and Cloudjumper

Our Americana continues celebrating its first birthday by honoring podcasting. In the second of a three part series with various podcasters, Josh sits down with Jeremy Collins (Podcasts We Listen To) and Holly Hall (The Most Wonderful Wonder) to talk about the strange transition from New Orleans to Casper, Wyoming; and how a country band with a love of dark history created one of the most unique podcasts out there.Music by: Welcome Little Stranger David Szesztay Kosta T Hyson Charles Atlas Vi-Fi

Our Americana celebrates its first birthday by honoring podcasting the best way we know how: through origin and community. In the first of a three part series with various podcasters, Josh sits down with Steven Pappas of the Is This Adulting? podcast to talk very candidly about his North Carolina upbringing, mental health, religion, evolving ideology, and what it means to be a progressive southern boy. Music by: Dave Depper, Will Bangs, Milky-Chu, Jon Watts, Johnny_Ripper, and Evgeny Grinko

Hot off the heels of #VanLife, we stick to the open road and explore American Roadside Attractions. Manatees, vacuums, Big Fish, and some listener stories.Music by: Drake Stafford, Broke For Free, Three Chain Links, Maxim Kornyshev, Will Bangs, and Cloudjumper

Josh catches up with the four #VanLifers who he chatted with last July. Jennifer and Josh talk about the privilege of experience. Alex finds solace and liberation in a disconnected life. And we find out whether Giddi and Jace made it back out onto the road after having their baby.Sponsor the show: www.patreon.com/ouramericanawww.paypal.me/ouramericana

A rebroadcast of S02|E05 and a primer for this week's forthcoming episode.

Seth tries to uncover how exactly the epidemics began and continue to occur. Jesse comes through recovery and starts the long road to creating a new life for himself. Holli, once a beacon for hope in Austin, struggles with the intersections of religion, media, and welfare; and then ultimately loses hope, herself.Sponsor the show at www.Patreon.com/OurAmericana -or- www.PayPal.com/me/OurAmericana

We pause the story in Austin, to talk more personally about HIV.Music by Chris Zabriskie & Luke Pigott.Sponsor the show at www.Patreon.com/OurAmericana -or- www.PayPal.com/me/OurAmericana

In a small, rural Indiana town, what started as a drug epidemic became an HIV crisis. Government, religion, public health, the community, and the media coalesce in their various attempts to help a town in peril.

In a town with no radio or cellular waves, with no wifi or cable, life is wonderfully quiet. We examine our strange relationships with technology and meet a woman who suffers from electromagnetic sensitivity so bad, she spent a year living in a Faraday cage.To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com

In a rural Iowa town rooted in Transcendental Meditation and home to the microcommunity movement, community-building and intention have been redefined.

A northern Minnesota town, struggling to find its economic identity, gets a little help from an unlikely resident and his uncanny routine. Plus, turtle racing.To learn more or sponsor the show: www.ouramericanapodcast.com

(Original Broadcast: 11/25/16) In 2013, hundred dollar bills started mysteriously appearing throughout Salem, Oregon; in diaper boxes, tip cups, people's cars. This is the story of the mysterious person hiding them, and how their generosity became contagious.

Take a minute (or seven) to check out the newest podcast to join the Our Americana Podcast Network: The Karen & Ellen Letters are found correspondence between two teenage girls and their landlord, over a three year period, from the '80s. This podcast is the reading of those letters and a re-telling of my journey to validate their authenticity. Plus, a weekly roundtable of guest commentators.www.karenandellen.com

"America is what happens when a community comes together to overcome what feels insurmountable." Our Americana returns on February 28 with 13 episodes over 14 weeks: 9 new towns, roadside attractions, a follow-up on #VanLife, and an update episode.

(Original broadcast: 9/22/16) This episode concludes the story of Luna the Whale and his time in Gold River. The town comes together to save Luna, and the town struggles in the wake of his absence and the lessons learned.

(Original broadcast: 9/15/16) In 2001, the small town of Gold River was adopted by a baby orca. Over the next five years, Luna the Whale would both unite and spark debate amongst the previously segregated town. And he would put this isolated Vancouver Island community on the map and at the forefront of an even bigger conversation about what happens when conservation and humanity collide. Featured Music: Dave Depper, Lee Rosevere, Cloudjumper, Sergey Cheremisinov, Aaron Mist

In this hastily edited, year-in-review episode, I break from tradition to muse on Our Americana’s journey as a podcast and answer some FAQs, look into season three and Our Americana’s new projects, highlight some of 2016’s best podcasts, and share my countdown playlist of 2016's best songs.See you all in February.

This week is Petoskey's Holiday Open House. In our Season Two Finale, I checked in with some old and new friends as they prepare for the big event; including the event coordinator and the local journalist covering it.Special thanks to Sufjan Stevens, who was raised in Petoskey, for providing the holiday soundtrack.This week's guests: Kalin Sheick, Matt Mikus, Katie Potts, Andi Symonds, and Zoe Marshall-Rashid.Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.comSponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericanaFeatured Music: Sufjan Stevens - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas; Sufjan Stevens - Silent Night; Sufjan Stevens - Put The Lights On The Tree; Sufjan Stevens - I'll Be Home For Christmas; Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band - Deck The Halls; Petoskey High School Steel Drum Band - Sleigh Ride; Seth Partridge - Snow Falling On A Quiet Valley; Rue Royale - Deck The Halls; The Nancies - Song For A Winter's NightMusic available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

Our Americana listener Adrienne walks us through her hometown. We talk about how tragedy shaped her, politics and conversation in North Carolina, and life in a town full of memories. Plus, a song about bears.Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.comSponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.comFeatured Music: Rho - Long Drive Home; Scott Holmes - Childhood Memories; Luke Pigott - Mourning Breathing; Ballpen - The Hometown Dream; Podington Bear - Clouds Pass Softly Deux; Podington Bear - Little Do; Podington Bear - Sunset Stroll; Adrianna Krikl - Know Where Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

In 2013, hundred dollar bills started mysteriously appearing throughout Salem, Oregon; in diaper boxes, tip cups, people's cars. This is the story of the mysterious person hiding them, and how their generosity became contagious.This week's guests:Heather Martin, JoAnn Culbertson, and Rob WhelanOur Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.comSponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.comSpecial thanks to Night Cadet for the use of their song "Seaside."Other Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Will Bangs - The Soft Glow of Christmas Lights; David Szesztay - Take Care; Dave Depper - Acoustic 2; Will Bangs - You Make My Heart Sing So Loud; Dave Depper - Wholesome 1; Josh Woodward - Thanks for Coming (Instrumental); Steve Combs - Thank You (Remix) Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

(Original broadcast: 7/7/16) Morgantown is a place that defies expectations. Nestled in the lush, green foothills of the Appalachians, is the town that is home to West Virginia University, a large coal-mining population, and West Virginia's oldest gay bar. Against all odds, this gay bar, Vice Versa, has become the center of Morgantown's thriving and connected community. This week we talk to three "sisters" who refuse to be silenced.This week's guests:Asra Nomani - A former reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and the author of “Standing Alone: An American Woman’s Struggle for the Soul of Islam.” Asra was recently the subject of the PBS documentary, "The Mosque in Morgantown" and lead the Pearl Project, a faculty-student investigation into the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Christina B. Morgan - A Morgantown native and the drag host at Vice Versa, West Virginia's oldest gay bar. Ari May Lilli - A twenty year old trans girl who has documented her entire transition through a video blog on YouTube. Our Americana is hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericanaMusic by: Dave Depper, Will Bangs, Alex Fitch, Dr. Turtle, Podington Bear, and David Szesztay

In this exclusive minisode, we return to Gold River and chat with Donna, Mike, Suzanne, and Eugene about the relationships between humans and wild animals. Eugene dives deep into some of his own stories highlighting these relationships and the importance of story-telling.Plus, a three-minute preview of an episode I'm working on now. It's become one of the most notorious disappearances in America. This is a story not of the girl, but of the town.Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.comSponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.comFeatured Music: Lee Rosevere - Shimmering; El Perro del Mar - From The Valley To The Stars; spinningmerkaba - The Stars Look Different Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

It's how this whole thing started. When we set off on the open road that May evening, we knew our lives were about to change; we had no idea exactly how. We had no idea exactly how much, how wonderfully; how it would take us to right here, right now. #VanLife is, of course, bigger than just us and our travels. And so, I reached out to some of our fellow roadtrippers to see how life on the road has changed them and their perspective on America. And, just like with any great roadtrip, some music for the ride. This week's Insta-guests:Alex @agirlandhervanJace & Giddi @wheninvanJennifer @treeoftravel Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.comSponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.comFeatured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Terry Jackson - A Portion of Foxes; The Impossebulls - Road Warriors; Westy Reflector - The Long Road Ahead; The Bowmans - On The Road; Rho - Shady Ridge Row; Josh Woodward - Follow The Road; Jack Kotz - I'm The Only Road You Know; Ze Trigueiros - Big Road Of Burravoe; Will Bangs - I'm So Glad You Exist; spinningmerkaba - The Stars Look Different Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

In this mini Madrid follow-up, Connie talks about how homeschooling her son became a community undertaking. We also get a brief look at Madrid's rich history and what happened when Hollywood tried to take over the town. Plus, the owner of the local mercantile talks about some of the more unique community gatherings.Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.comFeatured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Charles Atlas - Demus; Nowhere Home - Happy The Playground Chimes Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

A high desert ghost town is revitalized as an unincorporated, off-the-grid artists' community. In this ungoverned, un-policed town of 219, law enforcement consists of a self-appointed, five-person Intervention and Safety Team. This town and its governing by volunteerism will change the way you think about law enforcement, guns, ethics, and their impact on community.This week's guests:Connie Mayhew: Connie owns and operates Madrid's one and only roadside attraction, a donation-based photo park. Mike T: Mike is the self-appointed head of a volunteer security team, in a town with no police.Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.comSponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.comFeatured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Charles Atlas - Demus; Nowhere Home - Happy The Playground Chimes; Alex Fitch - Secret Place Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

This episode concludes the story of Luna the Whale and his time in Gold River. The town comes together to save Luna, and the town struggles in the wake of his absence and the lessons learned. This week's guests: Jamie James: Jamie is a member of the Mowachaht / Muchalaht First Nation tribe. He became Luna's caretaker and closest friend in Gold River. Donna Schneider: Donna was a chef on the Uchuck, a regional cruise ship based in Gold River. Donna was one of the first people to encounter Luna and, against all odds, developed a friendship with the orphaned whale. Eugene Amos: Eugene is also a member of the Mowachaht / Muchalaht First Nation tribe. He moved to Gold River after the passing of his grandmother and almost immediately encountered another tragedy. But through a strange prophecy and the arrival of Luna, his views of the world and his relationships changed. Michael Parfit & Suzanne Chisholm: Michael and Suzanne were sent to Gold River, by Smithsonian, to cover the story of Luna. They stayed on through multiple attempts at rescuing and relocating him, and later turned Luna's story into a documentary, The Whale. www.thewhale.comOur Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.com Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Cloudjumper - Orca; Lee Rosevere - Shimmering; Dexter Britain - The Stars Are Out; Phillipp Weigl - The Scent of Cedars; El Perro del Mar - From The Valley To The Stars Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

In 2001, the small town of Gold River was adopted by a baby orca. Over the next five years, Luna the Whale would both unite and spark debate amongst the previously segregated town. And he would put this isolated Vancouver Island community on the map and at the forefront of an even bigger conversation about what happens when conservation and humanity collide. This week's guests: Donna Schneider: Donna was a chef on the Uchuck, a regional cruise ship based in Gold River. Donna was one of the first people to encounter Luna and, against all odds, developed a friendship with the orphaned whale. // Eugene Amos: Eugene is a member of the Mowachaht / Muchalaht First Nation tribe. He moved to Gold River after the passing of his grandmother and almost immediately encountered another tragedy. But through a strange prophecy and the arrival of Luna, his views of the world and his relationships changed.  // Michael Parfit & Suzanne Chisholm: Michael and Suzanne were sent to Gold River, by Smithsonian, to cover the story of Luna. They stayed on through multiple attempts at rescuing and relocating him, and later turned Luna's story into a documentary, The Whale.  // Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com // Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.com // Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Lee Rosevere - Watching Whales on the Moon; Cloudjumper - Orca; Sergey Cheremisinov - Forgotten Stars; Aaron Mist - Wait for Me; Aaron Mist - Whales Inside // Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

In the season two premiere, we... encounter some growing pains and quality control issues while using fancy new equipment ...we also head to a rural county in the Berkshires, where the coalescence of agriculture, city weekenders, and a regional currency helped create the farm-to-table movement. /This week's guests: Alice Maggio: Alice is the Local Currency Program Director at the Schumacher Center for New Economics, where she is further developing Berkshire County’s own local currency, BerkShares. www.berkshare.org /Andy Pruhenski & Abby Webster: Abby and Andy are Berkshires natives and own and operate a housewares store in downtown Great Barrington, One Mercantile. www.one-mercantile.myshopify.com /Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com //Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.com //Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Keshco - Waterback; Podington Bear - Golden Hour;Zachary Wilson - Depths of HeavenMusic available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

This week, we're taking a travel break and talking about the origins of Our Americana, getting a preview of the next few episodes, and heading back to some of our favorite conversations and getting a behind the scenes look at them. Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com //Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.com //Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Charles Atlas - Photosphere;Alex Fitch - Secret Place; Talvihorros - Twin Peaks Theme; Future Islands - Inch of Dust;Cloud Jumper - Orca Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

What happens when the town you live in, your home, your culture, your community, becomes a trend? And then, what happens when people declare that trend dead? This week we go to the tiny West Texas art mecca, in the middle of nowhere, to find out.It was 2010 when Huffington Post declared that Marfa was the next big tourist destination. And by 2015, they’d said it was over; that Marfa had killed itself, become a victim of itself. When I read that 2015 headline and other scathing OpEds. in various media outlets, I couldn’t help but think of our time there. That it was more than just a trendy destination: It was a town, a community, people’s home, a history that reached far beyond the scope of being labeled cool and then uncool. This week's guests: John Patrick | John is a co-founder of Communitie Marfa. He and his partner create sustainable art and apparel. John is passionate about art, and the integrity of art. // LeAna & Glen Clifton | LeAna & Glen have lived in Marfa since 2007. They moved there from South Africa, by way of Austin, to start their family and a porcelain jewelry business. // Brit Webb | Brit is an 88 year old Marfa staple; he's lived there for over 72 years. He pre-dates Donald Judd. We talked about the history of the town, adaptation to the constant of change, and the best pieces of his life well-lived. Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com //Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.com //Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; The Fucked Up Beat - Where Is Everybody/Marfa Ghost Lights;Hank Hobson - Trip Across The Country;MUTE - Thru The Dusty Clouds;Josh Woodward - Gravity;Will Bangs - Putting Up With The Bullshit Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

This week we head to a small and sleepy island town, that somehow exists in quiet isolation in the shadow of New York City. In this episode, you'll meet a New York mother who wanted her kids to have the free and easy childhood she had in 1970s Oregon; the man who saved his family home by turning his father's hoarding into a business of selling nostalgia; and a young man who has used his political career to help revitalize the island he grew up on.But just as I was about to finish the episode, something happened. A community came together to help save one of their own, in the most touching way.//This week's guests: Jessica Wolk-Stanley | Jessica is an illustrator and the creative dynamo behind The Friendly Robot Studio, headquartered on City Island in the Bronx. She and hard-working robots specialize in fun and silly illustrations for the children's and teenage market. If you ask very nicely though, she also does character design, caricatures, hand-lettering, comics, logos and even maps. // Dan Treiber | Dan is a City Island native; a clam-digger. He turned his father's hoarding habit into an industry of selling nostalgia, first at the Brooklyn Flea, and then eventually to a storefront on City Island Avenue. He used this business venture, Dan's Parents' House, to buy the house he grew up in. And then to buy the building his store is in: a historic building on the island, which he is now restoring. Dan is at the forefront of the movement to turn City Island into a tourist destination. // John Doyle | John has lived on City Island for twenty five years, since he was five. It was there that John first became involved in civic justice, organizing protests against the surge in Iraq and forums to support living wage jobs for college workers. John has been involved in politics ever since, and is now considered the unofficial mayor of City Island. He's currently running for City Council.  // Rabia Graney | Rabia is a retired nurse and has lived on City Island for close to twenty years. She is an active member of the City Islanders & Friends Facebook group, which led to her taking the lead in the search and coordination of services for Jen. // Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com // Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.com // Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Modern Language - The Reprise; Lee Rosevere - Let's Start At The Beginning; Lee Rosevere - Looking Back; Michael Howard - Child Come Home; Alex Fitch - We Call This Home; Aaron Mist - Whales Inside; Alexandre Navarro - Dust v1 Music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

Deep in the Santa Cruz mountains is a cluster of towns...I think we all have that place; that place you run away to, to escape from the real world. This was mine.I grew up about an hour and a half from the San Lorenzo Valley. And when I needed to escape and just be with my thoughts, I drove through the woods and up into the mountains to this eight mile stretch of one-lane highway. That, over time and through various visits, I'd come to realize had a rich, rich history and folklore.This is an area where people believe in bigfoot, where they believe that ghosts haunt the woods, where during the 70s and 80s close to a dozen serial killers buried bodies and found victims. It's a place where people believe a spaceship is buried under the mountain that creates electromagnetic abnormalities. And despite all these weird things, it's a loving place with a strong community, where people look out for each other. //This week's guests: Kenn SugiyamaKenn and I have been friends since I was eighteen. He was one of my first gay friends, and we've shared a rather sordid history, including being scammed by the same con artist. When I was twenty, Kenn and I spent a weekend at the Brookdale Lodge, a notorious haunted hotel with a scandalous and mysterious history. In this episode we try to remember through the years and some mind-altering substances what exactly happened that strange, strange night.//Maryanne PorterMaryanne is the founder and lead paranormal investigator of the Santa Cruz Ghost Hunters. She is also the author of Haunted Santa Cruz, which is being released by Arcadia Publishing in mid-September. We chatted about her explorations of the San Lorenzo Valley and why its community is so eccentric and accepting.//Lisa RobinsonLisa and her family have lived in Boulder Creek since 1990. She is the board president for the San Lorenzo Valley Historical Museum. She is also the Volunteer Collections Manager at the San Lorenzo Valley Museum and volunteers at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, and at the Genealogy Room of the Santa Cruz County Library. She is a member of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History (MAH) Landmark Committee, and is the chair of the Santa Cruz MAH Publications Committee. Her other interests include miniature model building, genealogy, local archaeology and all forms of digital media development. She is a member of the National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts (NAME). //Michael RuggMichael is the founder and operator of the Bigfoot Discovery Project & Museum. He is a former digital artist, who worked with Apple and Atari throughout the 80s and 90s. His first bigfoot sighting was as a teen, and he has been collecting information and artifacts ever since. //Meghan CostellaMeghan is a health care coordinator who recently relocated from the San Lorenzo Valley to Washington state. She was also my best friend in high school. I spent much of my high school and early college careers torturing and terrifying her by dragging her around Brookdale and the Brookdale Lodge. This podcast interview was the first time we'd talked in over fifteen years. //Our Americana is produced & hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.ouramericanapodcast.com // Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.ouramericanapodcast.com //Featured Music: Dave Depper - Perspective; Future Islands - Inch of Dust; Podington Bear - Morning Mist; Maps and Diagrams - Last Train Home; Duke Ellington - Washington Wobble; David Szesztay - Romance; Aaron Mist - Whales Inside; All music available at: www.freemusicarchive.com

Sister, take the back door.Morgantown is a place that defies expectations. Nestled in the lush, green foothills of the Appalachians, is the town that is home to West Virginia University, a large coal-mining population, and West Virginia's oldest gay bar. Against all odds, this gay bar, Vice Versa, has become the center of Morgantown's thriving and connected community. This week we talk to three "sisters" who refuse to be silenced.This week's guests:Asra Nomani - A former reporter for the Wall Street Journal, and the author of “Standing Alone: An American Woman’s Struggle for the Soul of Islam.” Asra was recently the subject of the PBS documentary, "The Mosque in Morgantown" and lead the Pearl Project, a faculty-student investigation into the murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl.www.asranomani.comChristina B. Morgan - A Morgantown native and the drag host at Vice Versa, West Virginia's oldest gay bar. www.youtube.com/user/SpoeyspoAri May Lilli - A twenty year old trans girl who has documented her entire transition through a video blog on YouTube. www.youtube.com/channel/UCWTTwqjBpnVNVORLOdeIBjg/feedOur Americana is hosted by Josh Hallmark. Learn more at www.our-americana.com Sponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.our-americana.com/podcastMusic by: Dave Depper, Will Bangs, Alex Fitch, Dr. Turtle, Podington Bear, and David Szesztay

On the peninsula of a peninsula, in the northwest of the Northwest, there is a town whose citizens pride themselves on being masters of trade; and that trade is less commodity and more currency. Some call it Busytown, others refer to it as Lynchian; we called it home for a month, while Andrew renovated Vantasia.Today we head to Port Townsend, and tell stories of tazing deer, a boat race to Alaska, a family who dresses as superheroes, feasting on roadkill, and me slowly losing my mind in a cabin in the woods.Our Americana is hosted by Josh HallmarkSponsor Our Americana at www.patreon.com/ouramericana -or- www.our-americana.com/podcastThis week's guests: Erica Dirksen, Matthew Nienow, and Xep CampbellMusic by: Dave Depper, Will Bangs, Alex Fitch, Podington Bear, and DR

The island of ponies... and food trucks.Chincoteague is a small island off the coast of Virginia that is inhabited by wild ponies. You may remember the book "Misty of Chincoteague" - Yeah, that Chincoteague. In this episode I chat with 3 pairs of Millennials (all of whom are foodies): A couple who runs a gourmet doughnut truck, sisters-in-law who recently arrived on the island and are still trying to find their footing there, and best friends who have spent most of their lives on Chincoteague. We talk about the food trucks craze, the importance of your local mailman, and, of course, those ponies.This week's guests:Brea Reeves & Ben Wangwww.sandyponydonut.comRosie & Kate Moothttp://www.picotaqueria.com/Laura Davis & Morgan Rosshttp://tideandthyme.com/More info available at: www.our-americana.com | Support this podcast at: www.patreon.com/ouramericana | Hosted by: Josh Hallmark //Music: Perspective by Dave Depper; I'll Miss You by Will Bangs; Serenity by Podington Bear; Starling by Podington Bear; Pink Blossoms by Podington Bear; Sepia by Podington Bear; Wavy Glass by Podington Bear; Daydreamer by Podington Bear; Stars Are Out by Podington Bear

It seemed only right that the first episode of Our Americana's podcast be about Petoskey. It was our favorite stop on the trip, and a place we've come to speak of us our own personal eden: that place you hope to end up. In this episode, I chat with five Millennials who have recently moved (or returned) to Petoskey about what it was like leaving the big city for a small and rural town. We discuss the perks and challenges of small town living, dissect the paradigm shift of young people returning to small towns, and try to figure out what makes Petoskey such a magical place. Plus, lots of Gilmore Girls references. // This week's guests:Zoe Marshall-Rashid, 32Zoe grew up in Petoskey and recently moved back after living in San Francisco, New York, and Mexico. Upon her return, she opened a dance studio in town: www.ZoeDance.net | Kalin Sheick, 28Kalin grew up outside of Detroit, traveling to Petoskey every summer as a child. Last year she and her husband decided to make Petoskey home. Kalin runs a boutique floral design studio from her lavender farm: www.stemsandsprigs.com | Katie Potts, 23Katie just decided to return home after finishing college in Chicago. She opened a cheese shop in downtown last October, where she's been making a name for herself as Petoskey's resident cheese monger: www.PetoskeyCheese.com | Danielle Charles, 32After graduating from Petoskey High School, Danielle lived in Seattle, Boulder, Vermont, and even England, before deciding Petoskey was truly where she belonged. She and her husband now own a very hip coffee shop in downtown Petoskey, where Andrew and I spent many mornings: www.DripworksCoffee.com | Tracy Thomson, 31Tracy had already performed ballet and modern dance all over the world when he decided that small town life was what made him happiest. He returned to his hometown, despite being anxious that he couldn't make a relationship or his career work there. Since his arrival, he's married the man of his dreams and started a successful career in event planning. // More info available at: www.our-americana.com | Support this podcast at: www.patreon.com/ouramericana | Hosted by: Josh Hallmark // Music: Perspective by Dave Depper; I'll Miss You by Will Bangs; Secret Place by Alex Fitch; I'm So Glad You Exist by Will Bangs; Pretty Build by Podington Bear; Sincerely Yours by Podington Bear