153 episodes

The Offbeat Oregon History Podcast is a daily service from the Offbeat Oregon History newspaper column. Each weekday morning, a strange-but-true story from Oregon's history from the archives of the column is uploaded. An exploding whale, a few shockingly scary cults, a 19th-century serial killer, several very naughty ladies, a handful of solid-brass con artists and some of the dumbest bad guys in the history of the universe. Source citations are included with the text version on the Web site at https://offbeatoregon.com.

Offbeat Oregon History podcast www.offbeatoregon.com (finn @ offbeatoregon.com)

    • History
    • 4.8 • 152 Ratings

The Offbeat Oregon History Podcast is a daily service from the Offbeat Oregon History newspaper column. Each weekday morning, a strange-but-true story from Oregon's history from the archives of the column is uploaded. An exploding whale, a few shockingly scary cults, a 19th-century serial killer, several very naughty ladies, a handful of solid-brass con artists and some of the dumbest bad guys in the history of the universe. Source citations are included with the text version on the Web site at https://offbeatoregon.com.

    West’s first female lawyer: A legal Mother Teresa?

    West’s first female lawyer: A legal Mother Teresa?

    The real Mary Leonard was probably someone who had given up “the good life” after realizing, during her time in jail, that the powerless women of her time were getting a raw deal — and determined to do something about it. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1900s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1205d-mary-leonard-legal-mother-teresa.html)

    • 10 min
    Pioneering “lady lawyer” deserved a better legacy

    Pioneering “lady lawyer” deserved a better legacy

    Had Mary Leonard died in 1890, she'd be remembered as she really was — a brilliant orator and an inspiration to future Oregon women and attorneys. But fate let her live another 20 years, during which she devolved into a total nut case. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1205b-mary-leonard-murder-trial-part2.html)

    • 10 min
    Acquitted murder suspect became first ‘lady lawyer’

    Acquitted murder suspect became first ‘lady lawyer’

    Many historians, eager to see in her the caricature of the nagging, garrulous fishwife and gold-digging black widow, have missed the real story of Mary Leonard — and done both her, and the historical record, a disservice. (The Dalles, Wasco County; 1880s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1205b-mary-leonard-murder-trial-part1.html)

    • 7 min
    Busting out of the joint was job for a safecracker

    Busting out of the joint was job for a safecracker

    Of all the prisoners who tried to escape from Oregon's state prison, the “yeggs” were most successful — if “successful” is the right word. Their schemes for leaving the jailhouse behind included a tunneling scheme right out of “The Shawshank Redemption.” (Salem, Marion County; 1890s, 1910s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1207d-safecrackers-were-good-at-jailbreaks.html)

    • 7 min
    Opium culture a forgotten part of urban underworld

    Opium culture a forgotten part of urban underworld

    A century ago, the drug had a dark, smoky allure for the 'fast' young men and women of Oregon cities, and smuggling routes through Portland were supplying the entire West Coast with the exotic, deadly stuff. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1890s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1402a.opium-culture-portland-urban-underworld.html)

    • 9 min
    The notorious Tusko led a colorful and tragic life

    The notorious Tusko led a colorful and tragic life

    Largest elephant in captivity went from “Tusko the Magnificent,” star of Lotus Isle, to “Tusko the Unwanted,” abandoned at the Oregon State Fair, with several destructive rampages along the way. But who could blame him? (Portland, Multnomah County; 1930s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1209c-tusko-the-terrible-led-a-colorful-tragic-life.html)

    • 11 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
152 Ratings

152 Ratings

DPH111 ,

Excellent mostly unknown stories of Oregon

Excellent, mostly unknown stories of Oregon

Duckers33 ,

Awesome!

One of my favorite podcasts! I hope one day to meet J.T. Good job on this podcast. If your ever close to C.G Oregon I’d like to meet yo my brother.

Me-ness ,

Love this podcast

Glad to see it’s a daily podcast now This podcast always has interesting and fun topics. Best Oregon podcast

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