Virginia History Podcast

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The Virginia History Podcast covers the rich history that has made the Commonwealth what it is today. Events covered during this podcast will include - Colonial Era American War for Independence Pre-Civil War Civil War Reconstruction Early Modern Virginia During the World's Wars Cold War Vi…

Robert Van Ness


    • Dec 30, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 32m AVG DURATION
    • 108 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Virginia History Podcast

    Berkeley's 1662 Return and Slavery's Legal Introduction

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 30, 2023 16:40


    In which Governor Berkeley returns to Virginia and sets the Commonwealth on disastrous course.

    Longstsreet - Elizabeth Varon Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2023 43:17


    Did Edgar Allen Poe Visit Alexandria?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 27, 2023 39:05


    In which the Alexandria Historical Society's Scott Vierick discusses the enduring legend of Poe's Alexandria visit.

    Robert E. Lee on Leadership - H.W. Crocker III Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 30, 2023 90:06


    In which historican H.W. Crocker discusses Robert E. Lee's leadership legacy.

    First Families of Virginia - The Carters, Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 30, 2023 41:48


    In which we look at the Carters after Robert "King"Carter, including other Carter lines that bring us Country Music and the 39th President of the United States.

    The Jeffersonians - Dr. Kevin Gutzman Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 87:30


    In which Dr. Gutzman and I discuss his newest book, The Jeffersonians.

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    First Families of Virginia - The Carters, Part 2: Robert "King" Carter

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2023 36:36


    In which Robert "King" Carter's importance is illustrated, showing just how powerful the Carter family had become.

    First Families of Virginia - The Carters, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2023 23:04


    In which the Carter family is introduced up to Robert "King" Carter's beginnings.

    Virginia's Important Ghost Stories - Dr. Alena Pirok Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2022 53:24


    In which Dr. Alena Pirok discusses Ghost Stories' importance to Colonial Williamsburg and Virginia's history.

    Abingdon's Barter Theatre - Katy Brown Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2022 38:39


    In which Katy Brown talks about the Barter Theatre's past, community involvment, and enduring legacy.

    Colonial Virginia's War Against Piracy - Jeremy Moss Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2022 44:21


    In which Jeremy Moss discusses his new book - Colonial Virginia's War Against Piracy: The Governor and the Buccaneer.

    The Encyclopedia of Confederate Generals - Dr. Samuel Mitcham, Jr. Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 30, 2022 54:24


    In which I interview Dr. Samuel Mitcham about his new book The Encyclopedia of Confederate Generals.

    First Families of Virginia - The Wormeleys

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2022 57:25


    In which the Wormeley family is outlined from their earliest days as Norman Conquerors to their important time in Virginia.

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    First Families of Virginia - The Armisteads

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2022 29:06


    In which I discuss the Armisteads and their important connections to Virginia's history.

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    First Families of Virginia - The Nelsons

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2022 63:23


    In which the Nelson family of Virginia's founding and influence upon Virginia and the United States is discussed.

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    First Families of Virginia - The Parkes

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2021 43:51


    In which the rapid rise and fall of the Parke Family of Virginia is recounted.

    First Families of Virginia - The Custises Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 75:04


    In which the Custis influence from the time of John Custis IV to George Washington Parke Custis is discussed.

    First Families of Virginia - The Custises Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2021 49:02


    In which the Custis family foundations up to John Custis IV of Williamsburg are discussed.

    Special Halloween Episode - Evelyn Byrd's Ghost

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 24, 2021 12:14


    In which Evelyn Byrd's life is summarily illustrated, and stories about her ghost are told.

    Debunking the 1619 Project - Dr. Mary Grabar Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2021 73:38


    In which Dr. Mary Grabar discusses her new book Debunking the 1619 Project.

    The 1619 Project - Phillip Magness Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 28, 2021 84:37


    In which Dr. Phillip Magness explains much of the criticism levied at The New York Times' 1619 Project.

    First Families of Virginia - The Grymes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2021 36:17


    In which the Grymes Family of Virginia's history and genealogy is outlined.

    The Lafayette Trail - Julien Icher Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2021 50:42


    In which the Lafayette Trail's Julien Icher discusses Lafayette's 1824 tour of the United States, and his work to highlight that famous visit.

    First Families of Virginia - The Ludwells

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2021 33:40


    In which the Ludwell family and their impact upon Virginia is discussed.

    First Families of Virginia - The Fitzhughs

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 28, 2021 61:30


    In which the Fitzhugh story, dating back to 13th Century England, is illustrated from those humble beginnings to William "The Immigrant", his Virginia progeny, and beyond.

    The James Madison Museum of Orange County Heritage

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 27, 2021 44:07


    In which Museum Director Bethany Sullivan highlights the James Madison Museum of Orange County, Virginia.

    First Families of Virginia - The Taliaferros

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 28, 2021 29:49


    In which the Taliaferro family's immigration to Virginia, as well as their spread throughout Virginia and the United States touching many lives along the way is outlined.

    The Deadly Politics of Giving - Dr. Seth Mallios Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2020 47:19


    In which Dr. Mallios discusses how gift giving played a pivotal part in Ajcan's downfall, as well as gift giving's influence at the later Roanoke and Jamestown colonies.

    First Families of Virginia - The Randolphs

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 24, 2020 71:29


    In which the Randolph's Virginia beginnings are detailed, and some of their fascinating later generations are highlighted.

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    Special Halloween Episode - Haunted Tuckahoe with Jessica Stith

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 28, 2020 31:58


    In which Tuckahoe's Jessica Stith tells some of Tuckahoe Plantation's haunted history such as the famous Gray Lady Ghost and other spooky happenings.

    Scott Dawson and the "Lost Colony Mystery"

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2020 69:48


    In which historian Scott Dawson tells the "Lost Colony" story based upon primary sources and archaeological evidence found on Hatteras Island, NC.

    First Families of Virginia - The Corbins

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2020 43:39


    In which a young Henry Corbin emigrates to Virginia and builds a strong family that profoundly touches Virginia's story is recounted.

    Virginians and their Histories - Brent Tarter Interview, Part 3

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 23, 2020 57:59


    In which Brent Tarter and I discuss the shaping of Modern Virginia as she emerged from the Civil War and into the 20th and 21st Centuries.

    Virginians and their Histories - Brent Tarter Interview, Part 2

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2020 69:04


    In which historian Brent Tarter and I discuss the 18th Century and events leading up to the Civil War.

    Virginians and their Histories - Brent Tarter Interview, Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2020 41:11


    In which I interview historian Brent Tarter for the first of three episodes in advance of his upcoming book Virginians and Their Histories.

    Lessons from the 1721 Boston Smallpox Epidemic - Tony Williams Interview

    Play Episode Listen Later May 7, 2020 46:59


    In which historian Tony Williams and I discuss his book The Pox and the Covenant to learn about how Bostonians handled the serious 1721 Smallpox epidemic in comparison to today's current virus pandemic.

    First Families of Virginia - The Pages

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 44:16


    In which the Page family's 17th Century rise, 18thc Century zenith, and 19th Century demise are recounted.

    First Families of Virginia - The Burwells

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 26, 2020 37:52


    In which the Burwell Family foundation and rise to prominence is recounted.

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    First Families of Virginia - The Harrisons

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 22, 2020 41:34


    In which the Harrison Family's founding as well as their influence on Virginia and the United States is illustrated.

    First Families of Virginia - The Lees

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 27, 2020 28:44


    In which Lee family patriarch Richard I and wife Anne Constable's lives as well as the lives of many of their descendants are briefly illustrated.

    First Families of Virginia - The Bollings

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 12, 2019 15:03


    In which a series outlining Virginia's "First Families" is begun by introducing the Bolling Family Line.

    Interview with Berkeley Castle's Charles Berkeley

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2019 18:00


    In which I had the pleasure of interviewing Cherles Berkeley, 27th generation owner of Berkeley Castle, and we discuss the Gloucestershire influence upon Berkeley Plantation and Virginia's history.

    Special Halloween Episode - Haunted Thoroughgood

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2019 9:47


    In which a few haunted tales from Virginia Beach's Thoroughgood House are retold from L.B. Taylor's The Ghosts of Tidewater.

    Berkeley Challenges the Navigation Acts

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2019 30:15


    In which Governor Berkeley challenges the Navigation Acts before The Council for Foreign Plantations and King Charles II's Privy Council, while the Virginia settler landscape evolves.

    Jamestown Burned! Interview with eyewitness Thomas Mathews

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 27, 2019 55:21


    In which Thomas Mathews - portrayed by Historic Jamestowne's Willie Balderson - recalls the terrible events and aftermath of Bacon's Rebellion.

    Berkeley Returns to Power

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 22, 2019 32:09


    In which Sir William Berkeley and King Charles II return to power and begin organizing their lands under the renewed Stuart cause once again.

    Sir William Berkeley - Interview with Dr. Warren Billings

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 8, 2019 35:20


    In which Dr. Warren Billings and I talk about Sir William Berkeley's importance on 17th Century Virginia's development.

    Virginia During the Interregnum

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2019 30:18


    In which fallout from the English Civil War is felt in Virginia and Maryland as both colonies endure changes under the English Protectorate.

    Virginia's Native History - Interview with Dr. Ashley Spivey

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 17, 2019 66:01


    In which I interview Dr. Ashley Spivey concerning Native Virginian history, culture, influence, as well as past, present, and future Native concerns.

    Governor Berkeley Is Undone

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2019 21:18


    In which events surrounding the English Civil War, Virginia religious freedom, and free trade are used by the Matthews-Claiborne faction to remove Governor Berkeley from office are detailed.

    K.I. Knight Interview - First Africans and Slavery's 17th Century Virginia Evolution (Pillars of 17th Century Virginia Society, Part 4)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2019 47:59


    In which author, genealogist, and historian K.I. Knight discusses how the First Africans arrived in Virginia, what happened to them after 1619, and how slavery evolved during 17th Century Virginia.

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