Welcome to the Halloween Episode! In episode 91, we first take a dive into one of history's greatest adventure mysteries--The Dyatlov Pass Incident which has been unsolved for over 65 years! In the middle of winter in 1959, 9 experienced hikers disappeared in the Ural Mountains and died under mysterious circumstances. Theories range from avalanche …

Well howdy and welcome to episode 90 of High Tales of History! For the month of October we are taking a trip into spooky and horrible histories and in episode 90, we are taking a trip to Europe to hear all about their werewolf trials which came out of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries' anxieties about religious and political clashes as well as a gr…

Welcome to Season 4, Episode 2 (ep.89)In this episode, Kt hits us with some important medical history--the discovery, I mean, CO-discovery of insulin--and the hot drama that *CO* discovery created! After the break, Laurel brings the story of young Audrey Hepburn and her teens years as a helper in the Dutch Resistance in her heavily Nazi-occupied to…

Welcome to season four! To kick it off, we go to the not so distant past to a remarkable archeological find in Bosnia in 2019--a (probably) 14th century sword in the stone! From there, we travel back further into history to meet the inventor of the one of the most disruptive pieces of technology in at the turn of the 20th century--the diesel engine…

It’s episode 87, our last one for season 3! To end it on a bang, we are doing some adventure and true crime history! We are joined by Laurel’s husband, Kristian, back from Season One Episode 4 to hear about another wild race from history—the 1908 Great Car Race in which six cars went on a race from New York to Paris. We follow it up with George Rem…

Welcome to episode 86! We are celebrating our three year anniversary of the show with a topic that kicked it all off for us: a kickass female pirate. In this episode we meet al-Sayyida al-Hurra, a queen of her city-state of Tétouan in present-day Morocco. Due to a lack of formal navy against the might of the Portuguese and Spanish fleets, she creat…

It's episode 85! We are rounding out our celebration of Pride month by going back to the 19th century, four years after the end of the American Civil War, to attend the earliest drag balls in Harlem, New York. Over time, these balls turned into the house ballroom culture and the dance competitions that birthed voguing. After the break, KT takes us …

It's episode 84 and we have history! And horses! And non-binary 18th century preachers! We. Have. Everything.Kt, our resident Horse Girl and Horsetorian, takes us on a tour through history to meet some of its most famous equine figures--from Alexander the Great's Bucephalus to Roy Rogers' Trigger.Next, Laurel travels through history to Revolutionar…

In episode 83, KT wraps up her two part series on fantasy authors and friends with J.R.R. Tolkien, author of The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings series. (In our previous episode, she covered C.S. Lewis) From his service in World War One to his time teaching at Oxford and Cambridge to his amazing world building of Middle Earth, KT takes us through …

Welcome into the wardrobe for episode 82! At the back you'll find the Smoke Circle where we have snacks, history and...gin. Laurel first takes you to 18th century London when the greater access to spirits made gin a hot commodity and everyone a hot mess...or worse. After the break, KT shares the life and creative mind of Clive Staples Lewis, better…

Welcome to episode 81! In this episode, Laurel covers the story of the RMS Titanic's sinking and how it remained undiscovered on the ocean floor for the next 73 years until a top secret Cold War mission led to its (almost accidental) discovery in 1985. After we get back on dry land, KT brings us a long awaited topic near and dear to her heart: meta…

Welcome to season three! We are thrilled to be back with you and thrilled to be back with one of our favorite guests, Dr. Darren R. Reid, history professor at Coventry University in Coventry, England. We previously had Dr. Reid on in episodes 52 and 53 (linked below if you want to hear!) to talk to us about Indigenous representation in popular movi…

It's our season 2 finale so hop in your wicker basket and get ready for some wild intergalactic travel we have guest Justin McHenry in the Smoke Circle to talk about a fake place that has some very real history--Lemuria! Justin has written the book "Lemuria: A True Story of a Fake Place" which takes the reader from its real origins in 19th century …

Welcome to season 2, episode 7! We're celebrating Black history in the Smoke Circle! First up, Laurel takes us back to roaring 20s Paris to meet Josephine Baker, the Jazz Age star, who was not only a singing and dancing star in the early 20th century, but also was a spy for the French Resistance during WWII and spent her later years as an activist …

We're celebrating all different kinds of love in the Smoke Circle for Valentine's Day! First up, Laurel travels through time recounting iconic stories of love and friendship suggested by listeners--from John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Next, Kt travels through the life and family tree of Norman king William I--…

Welcome to part two of the history of American comics with comic book historian and writer, Kevin Garcia. Kevin joins the Smoke Circle to discuss American comic's great (roughly) 150 year history and how intertwined they are with the history of America itself. Through comic books, readers can see reflections of American policies, commonly held beli…

Welcome to a great two part series with comic book historian and writer, Kevin Garcia. Kevin joins the Smoke Circle to discuss American comic's great (roughly) 150 year history and how intertwined they are with the history of America itself. Through comic books, readers can see reflections of American policies, commonly held beliefs, attitudes abou…

Welcome to season 2, episode 3 and the last episode of 2023! To finish it out, Kt takes us through the lives of Viking Age women and what their days might have been like. She also connects this history and time period to the song "Savage Daughter" by Karen Kahan/Wyndreth Berginsdottir, which has been popular on social media platforms. After that, L…

Welcome to episode two of season two! In this episode we get to realize our dream of being Bill and Ted: plucking a historical figure out of time and sitting down with them to talk history and hear one of their most juicy (and most excellent!) stories! We are joined in the Smoke Circle by Bryan Austin, first person historical interpreter of Benjami…

We are back with episode one of season two! We're excited to be back in the Smoke Circle with you! Kt hits it hard right off the bat with the history of one of her most favorite things in the world--CHEESE. After that, Laurel takes us to Sweden to meet King Christina of Sweden!*~*~*~*Mentioned In the Stories:Pictures of Christina of Sweden⁠⁠Images …

Let's get spooky! In our final episode of a very long season one, we cover a long-running mystery called the Tunguska Event. Over 100 years ago, the Earth experienced the largest impact of a cosmic body in modern human history...but no impact was found... Next, Kt takes us on a field trip through England to visit castles with eerie history--complet…

**Content Warning: Hightailing Through History is for mature audiences and this particular episode includes content that is...a little more mature and "dirty" than our usual "mature content." Viewer and listener discretion is advised** Welcome to the conclusion of our history of sex series! For part two, Laurel snags her best friend, Kelly, to join…

Welcome to Episode 69! In this two part series, we are diving into the deep topic of sex and its history! In part one, we take it from 385 million years ago up through the Middle Ages discussing the attitudes and practices around sex found in different cultures and eras. In addition, our community on social media voted for further getting into bed …

Welcome to Episode 68! We are joined by returning guest Aaron Odom, host of Euripides Eumenides: a Theater History Pod! We have such a great time in the Smoke Circle together (as we always do!) talking about the tangled web of royal family members during the course of WWI--and tangled it is! Next, the sisters tag team a brief history of the jester …

Welcome to episode 67! We cover the ancient and the recent in this one! First up, Laurel takes the Smoke Circle back to the Roman Empire's Crisis of the Third Century. Rome was a revolving door of emperors and constant uprisings and civil wars. During this period of time, one regent queen rose up and broke away from Rome, creating her own empire in…

Welcome to episode 66 and boy howdy do we have some interesting history for you! Kt kicks things off with a trip to Mesoamerica to learn about the elite eagle and jaguar warriors of the Mexica (also known as the Aztecs). Armed with fierce weaponry, like the Macuahuitl--a club studded with razor sharp obsidian stone--the warriors were rewarded not o…

Welcome to episode 65! During our time in the Smoke Circle today we'll be visiting West Africa to learn more about the Agojie who were the all women army of the Kingdom of Dahomey. This fierce group of fighters were featured in the film The Woman King. T'Challa's royal guard in Black Panther, the Dora Milaje, were also loosely based on these women.…

Welcome to episode 64, our first ever video episode! Kt kicks things off with investigating the dark and often gruesome history behind children's nursery rhymes. Next, Laurel goes through the wild inside job of the NASA moon rock heist in 2002. *~*~*~*~*~* Mentioned in the Stories: Episode 2: The Great Feather Heist *~*~*~*~*~* The Socials! Instagr…

Welcome to episode 63! In this episode Laurel dives into the life of American musician Sister Rosetta Tharpe, often called the Godmother of Rock n' Roll. She was a direct musical inspiration for many iconic male performers of 1950s rock. Names like Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis all were in awe of Rosetta's powerhouse voice and…

Hey cool kids. Welcome to Episode 62. It this episode, the sisters take a moment to explore what it means to be Midwestern Americans: why do we love ranch dressing so much? Why does it take so long to say good bye and the use of the exclamation "ope!" Kt shocks us all by initiating the bottle, leaf, grinder battle for the first time in our 62 episo…

Did you know that London had an all-women gang for at least 80 years through the 19th and 20th centuries (perhaps even for 175 years!) Neither did we! Their story seems to be a footnote in history but these gals were fierce and one of London's most feared gangs. Laurel introduces us to the gang, their potentially long history as well as their glamo…

Welcome to episode 60! Get ready for some adventurous history. Laurel kicks things off with one of history's biggest, ugliest scientific feuds. At the center of it are two paleontologists--Edward Drinker Cope and Othniel Charles (O.C.) Marsh. Once friends turned bitter rivals, their race to be at the forefront of their field led to decades of mud-s…

In Episode 59, Kt takes the reins and recounts the history of the Pony Express, which bridged the gap in mail and communication delivery while the railroad and telegraph were making their way to the American west coast. Through rain, shine, snow and hostilities, the young men of the Pony Express got the job done! Next, Laurel tells of the fun--but …

Join sisters Laurel and Kt with fellow history and cannabis enthusiasts, Nick and Kelsey from Half Baked History! Together for a special 4/20 celebration, they discuss cannabis’s long-term relationship with human beings stretching back 12,000 years! From its early cultivation and use to its spread around the world as medicine (and a good time); fro…

Welcome to Episode 57, in which KT and Laurel finish Women's History Month STRONG with two stories about amazing warrior women! First up, KT takes us to the Soviet Union during World War II and introduces us to Colonel Marina Raskova and the 588th Night Bomber Regiment also known as the Night Witches. Next, Laurel takes us back to British India dur…

How do you feel about dams? What about chimpanzees? Is concrete your thing? How about scientific women? Well, for episode 56, we have all those things. First, KT recounts the construction of the Hoover Dam, which celebrated an 88th anniversary on March 1, 2023. The dam, which is the largest in the United States, contains enough concrete to build a …

Welcome in to episode 55! The sisters continue their journey through Black history with the stories of Bessie Coleman, the first Black *and* Native American woman to receive her pilot’s license. She dazzled her audiences with her shows doing tail spins, loop de loops, wing walking and sky diving! Next, KT covers the creation of The Negro Motorist G…

Welcome to episode 54! We have two stories celebrating Black history for the month of February! First off, we have the rough and gruff, gun-toting, cigar smoking, take no shit Mary Fields, often known to history as "Stagecoach Mary!" She was the United States' first Black woman (and 2nd woman) to run a star route for the postal system. A star route…

Welcome to Episode 53! This is part two of our two part conversation with Dr. Darren R. Reid, Course Director of History at Coventry University in England. Professor Reid gave us an assignment we were only too happy to do: watch a handful of popular movies that showed Indigenous representation and chat with him about it. In part two, we talk about …

Welcome to 2023 and Episode 52! We have a two part treat for your ears and brains! We had a most excellent time sitting in the smoke circle with Dr. Darren Reid, Course Director of History at Coventry University in England. Professor Reid gave us an assignment we were only too happy to do: watch a handful of popular movies that showed Indigenous re…

Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays! It’s our final episode of 2022 and we have a holiday themed show for you—perfect for listening while wrapping last minute gifts! In episode 51, KT starts with origins of Yuletide and Christmas as well as some random Christmas trivia thrown in there! Next, Laurel talks about the 1914 Christmas Truce during World War …

We are at episode 50! To celebrate, we have fellow history podcaster Arjun Hundal of Deep Into History joining the smoke circle for some "episode 50 worthy" stories In this episode, Laurel goes through a centuries-long weaving thread of The Blue diamond, later confirmed to be the Hope Diamond. We get revolution, mystery, intrigue, a jewel heist and…

Welcome to episode 49! To round out Native American Heritage Month, we have two more stories on Indigenous history! KT kicks things off with a historical figure that tied into episode 48–Crazy Horse, the Oglala Sioux warrior and leader. Did you know he was born with beautiful curls?! Next up, Laurel fast forwards to 1969 and the 19 month Native occ…

Welcome to episode 48! November is Native American Heritage Month and we wanted to highlight some Indigenous stories! First, Laurel starts with the story of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and how their society inspired suffragists in Women’s Rights Movements of the 19th and early 20th centuries! Next, KT takes us through the life of Lakota Sioux war…

Happy Halloween! We couldn’t let our favorite month go by without some friends and we invited Brendan Dowd from History Nerds United to hang out! Our stories include musicians who are rumored to have made a deal with the devil; witches, pirates and spooky shipwrecks; and a bizarre cryptid who hangs out in some equally bizarre woods! *~*~*~*~* Menti…

A saint for a Halloween episode?! I know it might seem backwards, but, let me tell you: this is NOT a saint you want to mess with. Her story is violent with scenes that would be appropriate for a horror movie. St. Olga is the patron saint for the city of Kyiv but I personally like to think of her as the patron saint of "f*ck around and find out." I…

It's my sister and cohost KT's birthday on the day this comes out (October 14th)! Unfortunately, she's been down HARD with illness this past week and we were unable to get her half of today's episode recorded. Instead we have an hour long episode on the Satanic Panic of the 1980s and 90s. It was a wild time in contemporary history (did it ever real…

Welcome to the first Halloween episode of the month! The sisters grab their weed, a glass of Hellfire Punch and settle in for some spooky tales...such as the infamous Hellfire Clubs of 18th century England and Ireland. Like mystery history? KT takes us through the disturbing unsolved mystery of the Inuit villagers who suddenly disappeared from the …

Today's episode is a celebration of culture for Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month which runs from September 15th through October 15th. KT starts with the history of this designated month: why not just one calendar month instead of split months? Why is Latin or Latinx often included in the title? Is this celebrated in other countries besides the U.…

Welcome to episode 42! Laurel kicks things off with a story about a Black woman named Henrietta Lacks, who passed away from an unbelievably aggressive form of cervical cancer. Her legacy runs deep and wide as the same cells that took her life help science and medicine in life-saving and astonishing ways to this day. Unfortunately, as much as we hav…