Olympia Oddities Olympia Oddities

today we’re taking a dive into a well known sticky, and slightly smelly, local oddity in Seattle. Loved by some, and absolutely hated by others, Seattle’s Gum Wall contains more than just wads of pre chewed, aging gum. Among strangers saliva, you can find history, myth, and even the occasional controversy. Let’s peel back some of those layers of gum together, and try to get to the bottom of what’s fact, and what is fiction.



https://www.pikeplacemarket.org/vendor/the-gum-wall/

https://www.seattlemet.com/news-and-city-life/2022/03/origin-story-history-gum-wall-seattle-famous-landmarks

Atlas Obscura - Gum Wall

Unexpected Productions - The Gum Wall

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/nov/11/seattle-gum-wall-steam-cleaners-pike-place-market

https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/gum-wall-gets-naked-in-early-morning-steam-cleaning/

Secret Seattle - The Sticky Story Behind Seattle’s Famous Gum Wall

https://www.nb

cnews.com/news/us-news/bubble-rubble-crews-clean-famed-seattle-gum-wall-n461086

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.kiro7.com/news/local/artist-pays-tribute-pete-carroll-with-chewy-mural-seattles-iconic-gum-wall/XS2XPB4FIVBTXF3LKVX52A362Q/%3foutputType=amp

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/streamers-gum-wall-licking-stunt-leaves-viewers-feeling-queasy/amp_articleshow/104915291.cms


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/olympiaoddities/message

On this episode of Side Show I talk some recent bizarre news stories out of the PNW, share some strange Washington laws, and leave you with a brief life update.


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/olympiaoddities/message

Bernice Selby was 27 years old in 1962, living in a house on the shores of Lake Cassidy near Marysville, WA and finalizing the details of the divorce of her soon to be ex husband, Donald Selby. She was last seen in October of that year, but wouldn't be reported missing until 2 months later. Investigators had a pretty solid idea of who their main suspect was. Unfortunately, (natural) disaster caught them off course and they ended up with a solid theory, but no one to bring to justice.



Sources:

The Charley Project - Bernice Selby

Facebook - Missing - Please Find Us

Seattle Times - Thirty-three years ago, Bernice Selby vanished. She was never seen again., 1995


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/olympiaoddities/message

20 year old Amber Hoopes was funny, goofy, and absolutely devoted to the two kids she was a nanny for. She was also painfully shy and didn't like going places by herself. Because of this, her family immediately knew foul play was involved when she went missing from her grandparent's shop, where she would use their computer to stay in touch with friends. After another teen girl in the area was abducted and shared her experience, investigators felt they had a solid idea on who their main suspect was. But, when the suspect arrived at home to find the place buzzing with cops, he took off and led the police on a chase that ended with tragic consequences.

Sources:

Charley Project - Amber Shawnell Hoopes
Idaho News - 20th anniversary of the disappearance of Amber Hoops, last seen in Idaho Falls, 9/12/2021
Idaho State Journal - East Idaho Cold Cases: Case with little evidence, no body still active, 5/31/2014




---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/olympiaoddities/message

I kick off this Side Show episode with an update to the Christopher Hart Bridgeman Jr. Case, then dive into all the random & fun stuff I've been up to the past few months, including face melting metal shows with robots, fangirling over a baby musk ox, and how murder mystery boxes have taken over my remaining brain space.



---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/olympiaoddities/message

On April 1st, 1986 Archer Ray Johnson's truck was discovered with the door propped open on the side of the road near Oakville, Washington. When his brother & his brother's wife discovered the scene, they called out to him, but got no reply. In the years that have passed since his disappearance, Archer's case has gone nearly cold. In this episode I cover the circumstances around Archer's disappearance, how local police have dropped the ball repeatedly, and cover Archer's families hard work & clues they've unearthed while doing their own investigation into his case.


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/olympiaoddities/message