175 episodes

The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery is a podcast for cemetery lovers, preservationists, and even those who've never walked among the graves. Join hosts Jennie and Dianne as they explore old cemeteries and learn the stories of those buried within their walls. After all, every death had a life, and every life had a story.

The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery Jennie Johnson & Dianne Hartshorn

    • History
    • 4.5 • 49 Ratings

The Ordinary, Extraordinary Cemetery is a podcast for cemetery lovers, preservationists, and even those who've never walked among the graves. Join hosts Jennie and Dianne as they explore old cemeteries and learn the stories of those buried within their walls. After all, every death had a life, and every life had a story.

    Episode 175 - Part 1: Cemeteries of the Honorable, Forgotten and Unknown with Avrohom Krauss

    Episode 175 - Part 1: Cemeteries of the Honorable, Forgotten and Unknown with Avrohom Krauss

    In this episode of the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery, Jennie and Dianne, along with special guest Avrohom Krauss, an educator, genealogist, and speaker specializing in Jewish resources and cemetery research, delve into the  Ordinary Extraordinary Jewish immigrant cemeteries of New York. These cemeteries hold the final resting places of victims from tragic events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in 1911 and the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. Avrohom, who frequently presents and writes on the topic of landsmanshaftn (immigrant social benefit societies), brings a wealth of knowledge from his experiences touring Jewish cemeteries across the U.S. and around the world, including in Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Israel.

    Available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kh-xuXeuZKY?si=PS24t-sZ2pmUyIOd

    The Hebrew Free Burial Association  https://www.hebrewfreeburial.org/who-we-are/

    The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
    https://trianglefire.ilr.cornell.edu/

    The Titanic
    https://titanichistoricalsociety.org/titanic-museum/
    And
    https://www.mypigeonforge.com/business/titanic

    Episode 70 - Till Death Do Us Part: True Love all the Way to the Grave (Isadore and Ida Strauss)
    https://www.theordinaryextraordinarycemetery.com/episode-70-til-death-do-us-part-true-love-all-the-way-to-the-grave/

    • 47 min
    Episode 174 - Echoes of History: Gettysburg Unveiled with Tim Smith

    Episode 174 - Echoes of History: Gettysburg Unveiled with Tim Smith

    Jennie and Dianne dive into history with special guest Tim Smith, the Director of Education for the Adams County Historical Society and town historian at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This week, Tim unfolds captivating tales of the battlefield, revealing how the citizens of Gettysburg coped with the historic battle including the tragic account of Jenny Wade, the only civilian casualty of the battle. He also details how the battlefield and the town of Gettysburg itself evolved into a bustling tourist destination almost immediately after the end of the Civil War. Tune in as they explore the significance of many of the Ordinary Extraordinary monuments scattered across the battlefield that honor not only those who died during the Civil War, but in all the wars fought by America since becoming one of the nation's national cemeteries.

    Now available on YouTube! https://youtu.be/HnUtmVGIb88?si=ClyiitT1_FV-2Z-k

    Adams County Historical Society at Gettysburg on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@AdamsCountyHistoricalSociety?si=NWoKoc7Q-kAWCWxD

    Adams County Historical Society: https://www.achs-pa.org/

    New Gettysburg Beyond the Battle Museum: https://www.achs-pa.org/visit/

    • 56 min
    Episode 173 - Crowning Glory Part 2: Maurice Breen in Dayton Ohio's Calvary Cemetery

    Episode 173 - Crowning Glory Part 2: Maurice Breen in Dayton Ohio's Calvary Cemetery

    Jennie and Dianne return to Dayton Ohio's Calvary Cemetery, this time to visit the grave of Maurice Breen, an Irish immigrant who spent some of his early years in America helping those who were enslaved to escape to freedom on the Underground Railroad. Maurice Breen was a man who worked hard but always made the best of life. He lived through plenty of hardships, but he didn’t let them prevent him from wearing a smile, cracking a joke, and helping those in need. This is Maurice Breen's story but it is also the story of so many others who have come to America seeking to improve their lot in life, to secure employment, food, and better futures for themselves and their children.

    Now available on YouTube! https://youtu.be/bqEL3Shpo9U?si=k-y5JWlzASPxWpVs

    Resources used to research this episode include:

    Various historical news articles found on www.newspapers.com

    , Calvary Cemetery . "About Calvary Cemetery ." https://calvarycemeterydayton.org. calvarycemeterydayton.org/about/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

    , Calvary Cemetery . "Historical People." https://calvarycemeterydayton.org. calvarycemeterydayton.org/historical-people/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

    Breen, Ed. "Maurice Breen." https://www.findagrave.com/memorial. 14 July 2014. www.findagrave.com/memorial/132821238/maurice-breen?_gl=1*5cpak*_gcl_au*MTAwNTU3MTMxNi4xNzA0MjUzMjIz*_ga*MTE3ODc2MTA3MS4xNjYzNjkxMTEx*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*NjI3MTYyMmUtOWMxNi00ZTc3LWI5M2MtNDllZmE0NTQ1NDY5LjE5LjEuMTcwOTA5NDE2Ny42MC4wLjA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*NjI3MTYyMmUtOWMxNi00ZTc3LWI5M2MtNDllZmE0NTQ1NDY5LjE2LjEuMTcwOTA5NDE2Ny4wLjAuMA. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.

    Breen, Ed. "Mary O'Neal Breen." https://www.findagrave.com. 7 Sep. 2008. www.findagrave.com/memorial/29638880/mary_breen. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.

    Ulster University , and CAIN . "A Chronology of Key Events in Irish History 1800 to 1967 ." https://cain.ulster.ac.uk. 6 Apr. 2023. cain.ulster.ac.uk/othelem/chron/ch1800-1967.htm. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.

    Library Of Congress . "Irish-Catholic Immigration to America ." https://www.loc.gov. www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/immigration/irish/irish-catholic-immigration-to-america/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.

    Rocky Mountain PBS, and History Detectives. "Causes Of The Civil War ." https://www.pbs.org. www.pbs.org/opb/historydetectives/feature/causes-of-the-civil-war/#:~:text=What%20led%20to%20the%20outbreak,was%20central%20to%20the%20conflict. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.

    Cemetery , Calvary . "Ed Breen Shares Family Stories and Insights into Early Dayton Businesses ." https://calvarycemeterydayton.org. 20 Sep. 2011. calvarycemeterydayton.org/news/ed-breen-shares-family-stories-and-insights-into-early-dayton-businesses/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.

    Ohio, Touring . "Underground Railroad in Ohio ." http://touringohio.com. touringohio.com/history/ohio-underground-railroad.html. Accessed 25 Feb. 2024.

    • 33 min
    Episode 172 - Crowning Glory Part 1: Dayton Ohio's Calvary Cemetery

    Episode 172 - Crowning Glory Part 1: Dayton Ohio's Calvary Cemetery

    This episode is part one of at least two episodes covering one of Dayton, Ohio's largest green spaces, Calvary Cemetery. Founded in 1872 to accommodate three Catholic parishes that grew out of the German, Irish, Polish, Hungarian, Italian and Lithuanian immigrants who flocked to the area in the mid 1800s, it replaced the overflowing St. Henry's cemetery, and has become a crown jewel among Midwestern cemeteries. In this first episode Jennie and Dianne delve into the cemetery's beginnings and discover many of the beautiful buildings, natural spaces and Ordinary Extraordinary monuments that make up the cemetery. In part two they will cover some of the stories of those who made Cavalry cemetery their final resting place; a cemetery that is not just a place of final rest, but a living testament to the beauty of the human experience.

    All photos used in this episode belong to Calvary Cemetery and are borrowed from their website: https://calvarycemeterydayton.org/

    To view this episode on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/5xz77afh580?si=6dm7vaOmFpBUFw-n

    Resources used to research this episode include:
    Various news articles found on www.newspapers.com

    , Calvary Cemetery . "About Calvary Cemetery ." https://calvarycemeterydayton.org. calvarycemeterydayton.org/about/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

    , Calvary Cemetery . "Historical People." https://calvarycemeterydayton.org. calvarycemeterydayton.org/historical-people/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

    Powell, Lisa. "Memorial to ‘unclaimed dead’ undergoing renovation at Calvary Cemetery ." https://www.dayton.com. 23 June 2021. www.dayton.com/lifestyles/crown-centerpiece-memorial-to-unclaimed-dead-undergoing-renovation-at-calvary-cemetery/WQMQVSA3VBFBNM6YOFFP7ZKPJ4/. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

    Encyclopedia Britannica , The Editors Of. "St. Kateri Tekakwitha ." https://www.britannica.com. 1 Jan. 2024. www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Kateri-Tekakwitha. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

    , Cyaneyed. "Frank Mills Andrews ." https://en.m.wikipedia.org. edited by Pedantical, 23 Oct. 2012. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Mills_Andrews. Accessed 18 Feb. 2024.

    , Mike Does History . "Ancient America Vol 1 - Calvary Cemetery, Dayton, Ohio." https://youtu.be/, 26 Apr. 2018, youtu.be/Mv7WMiN1zGA?si=SFUJb-Lp9ZZF3U6E.

    Goldstein , Stan. "ACE Awards Runner-Up." American Cemetery & Cremation , 1 Nov. 2023, pp. 20 - 21.

    • 40 min
    Episode 171 - Madam with a Heart: Durango, Colorado's Bessie Rivers

    Episode 171 - Madam with a Heart: Durango, Colorado's Bessie Rivers

    Love is in the air this week as Jennie and Dianne share the story of a woman who led, shall we say, an alternative life as madam Bessie Rivers, and despite her unconventional  path, found love and respect among many in her community and her final resting place has not been forgotten in lovely Greenmount Cemetery in Durango, Colorado. Situated in the southwestern part of Colorado, Durango is surrounded by the rugged San Juan Mountains and boasts a well-preserved historic district with Victorian architecture, reflecting its mining and railroad past; a past whose Ordinary Extraordinary story would not be complete without the generosity, compassion, tenacity, and ingenuity of madam Bessie Rivers.

    To view this episode on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/L8A3_OR-_SI?si=ljcXa52NKKceihUd

    Resources used to research this episode include:
    , City Of Durango. "Cemetery Records." https://www.durangoco.gov. www.durangoco.gov/518/Cemetery-Records. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.

    , Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. "The Route." https://www.durangotrain.com. www.durangotrain.com/ride-us/route/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.

    Alexander , Kathy. "Painted Ladies of the Old West." https://www.legendsofamerica.com. 1 Dec. 2022. www.legendsofamerica.com/we-paintedlady/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.

    MacKell Collins , Jan. "Brothels, Bordellos & Bad Girls: Prostitution in Colorado 1860-1930, Chapter Two: Life as a Harlot ." https://janmackellcollins.wordpress.com. 14 Nov. 2018. janmackellcollins.wordpress.com/2018/11/14/brothels-bordellos-bad-girls-prostitution-in-colorado-1860-1930-chapter-two-life-as-a-harlot/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.

    Carter, Gary. "Heavy Freight Wagons of the American West ." https://westernmininghistory.com. westernmininghistory.com/4127/heavy-freight-wagons-of-the-american-west/. Accessed 11 Feb. 2024.

    MacKell Collins, Jan. Good Time Girls of Colorado . 2019. Lanham, The Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group, 2019, pp. 122 - 130.

    • 34 min
    Episode 170 - Love Amidst the Wreckage: The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Tragedy

    Episode 170 - Love Amidst the Wreckage: The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus Tragedy

    Jennie and Dianne relate a gripping yet heart-wrenching chapter of circus history that led to the first burials at Showmen's Rest in Chicago's beautiful Woodlawn Memorial Park. Listen in as they spotlight the Hagenbeck-Wallace circus train wreck of 1918 – a tragic event that claimed over 80 lives and left many injured. In the spirit of February and love-themed episodes, they explore the profound love that emerged amidst the wreckage. Despite the devastating accident, the survivors found solace and support within their tight-knit circus community.  Tune in to the Ordinary Extraordinary Cemetery podcast for an emotional journey through history, where even in the face of tragedy, love prevails. 
     
    To view this episode on YouTube, click here: https://youtu.be/3D9WZe3hoB8?si=xYfdnqFQ3gE9wK5C


    Resources used to research this episode include:

    Various articles located on www.newspapers.com

    Grossman, Ron. "Circus graveyard: Showmen’s Rest and the Hagenbeck-Wallace tragedy of 1918." https://www.chicagotribune.com/. 12 Aug. 2016. www.chicagotribune.com/2016/08/12/circus-graveyard-showmens-rest-and-the-hagenbeck-wallace-tragedy-of-1918/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    , Dignity Memorial . "About/Showmen's Rest." https://www.dignitymemorial.com/. www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/illinois/forest-park/woodlawn-funeral-home/7862. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    , Showmen's League . "Showmen's Rest." https://www.showmensleague.org/. 15 Sep. 2023. www.showmensleague.org/Showmens-Rest/13255248. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    , American Experience . "The Circus ." https://azpbs.org, 8 Oct. 2018, azpbs.org/2018/10/learn-the-history-and-cultural-impact-of-american-circus/#:~:text=The%20first%20U.S.%20circus%20was,a%20spectacle%20of%20their%20own.

    "Ben Wallace." https://www.m.circusesandsideshows.com. www.m.circusesandsideshows.com/owners/ben-wallace.html. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    "Hagenbeck Wallace Circus." https://www.m.circusesandsideshows.com/. www.m.circusesandsideshows.com/circuses/hagenbeck-wallace-circus.html. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    "Benjamin E. Wallace." https://www.mthopeperu.com. www.mthopeperu.com/Documents/Ben%20Wallace%20Funeral%20Info.pdf . Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    Higgins, Will. "The truths of the circus train crash of 1918 are more horrifying than myths ." https://www.indystar.com. 20 June 2018. www.indystar.com/story/entertainment/2018/06/20/hagenbeck-wallace-circus-train-crash-more-horrifying-than-myths/644289002/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    "The Hagenbeck-Wallace Circus: 7 Fast Facts ." https://frenchlickresort.blogspot.com/. 22 July 2021. frenchlickresort.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-hagenbeck-wallace-circus-7-fast.html?m=1. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    Elwell, Mina. "WHAT 19TH-CENTURY CIRCUS LIFE WAS REALLY LIKE." https://www.grunge.com/. 26 Aug. 2023. www.grunge.com/1375360/what-19th-century-circus-life-was-like/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    Berry, Chris. "Hagenbeck Wallace CARL HAGENBECK PERFORMING ELEPHANTS." https://www.collectorsweekly.com. www.collectorsweekly.com/stories/161680-hagenbeck-wallace-carl-hagenbeck-perfor. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    Boiseoneault, Lorraine . "The Hammond Train Wreck of 1918 Killed Scores of Circus Performers ." https://www.smithsonianmag.com. 22 June 2018. www.smithsonianmag.com/history/hammond-train-wreck-disaster-1918-killed-dozens-circus-performers-180969428/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    Norton, Richard Arthur . "American Circus Corporation ." https://en.m.wikipedia.org. edited by ForsythJo, 22 July 2008. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Circus_Corporation. Accessed 4 Feb. 2024.

    Lytle, Richard M. The Great Circus Train Wreck of 1918. The History Press, 2010, pp. 1 - 112.

    • 38 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
49 Ratings

49 Ratings

riddikuluspatronus1 ,

Very informative!

Really interesting episodes. If you like cemeteries this is the podcast for you. Very interesting stories and perspectives. The new episode in honor of Veterans Day was great. Really made me think about the lives that Vietnam took. Really hit home for me. Very powerful pod. Great content and personal stories. Looking forward to more.

Streetwise Old Lady ,

Taphophiles Unite!

Thank you for bringing the local history of so many to us. I have always loved visiting cemeteries and researching the history of the people buried there. It’s wonderful to know of others like me and to hear the stories of cemeteries that I now want to visit. Thank you!

GraveYardLover ,

Love it!

Thank you for giving names back to those who may have been lost to history. I love the pod cast! Keep up the good work!

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