91 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 • 153 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.

    Legendary Civil War ship met a sad end in Coos Bay

    Legendary Civil War ship met a sad end in Coos Bay

    During its glory days, the Gertrude was the fastest blockade runner in the Confederate fleet. But just 17 years later, it was just another dumpy old steamer on a lowly coastwise run, wrecked in what was probably an insurance-fraud scheme. (Coos Bay, Coos County; 1880s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1310a-gussie-telfair-shipwrecked-warrior.html)

    • 7 min
    Portland’s Pioneer Square pitched as ‘crystal palace’

    Portland’s Pioneer Square pitched as ‘crystal palace’

    Mayor Frank Ivancie, Pioneer Courthouse Square’s most intransigent opponent, gleefully declared the project “dead” in a 1982 speech. In doing so, he accidentally galvanized the citizen group that would prove him wrong. (Portland, Multnomah County; 1960s, 1970s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1405c.pioneer-courthouse-square.html)

    • 9 min
    Legendary ‘Chief Bigfoot’ was as elusive as, well, Bigfoot

    Legendary ‘Chief Bigfoot’ was as elusive as, well, Bigfoot

    1860s Bannock leader disappeared as mysteriously as he appeared, leaving behind nothing but frontier folklore and a trail of 17-inch-long moccasin prints; a probably-untrue rumor claims Nampa, Idaho, was named after him. (Malheur County; 1850s, 1860s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1409b.304.chief-bigfoot-legend.html)

    • 9 min
    Steamer wrecked by future admiral in the Costa Rican navy

    Steamer wrecked by future admiral in the Costa Rican navy

    Ashamed to show his face in Astoria after causing the loss of the biggest passenger liner on the West Coast, Thomas Doig slunk away to South America and remade himself as a military man. (Columbia River Bar, Clatsop County; 1870s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1408c.300.great-republic-wreck.html)

    • 9 min
    Mass murderer honored in courthouse monument

    Mass murderer honored in courthouse monument

    75 years ago, without realizing who he was, Wallowa County included Bruce “Blue” Evans — leader of the gang that massacred dozens of innocent Chinese miners back in 1887 — on a plaque commemorating its earliest white settlers. (Enterprise, Wallowa County; 1880s, 1930s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1204b-monument-mass-murderer-chinese-miners.html)

    • 8 min
    Oregon Indian prince was Japan’s intro to the West

    Oregon Indian prince was Japan’s intro to the West

    In his short 11-month stay on the island nation, he taught 14 Imperial diplomats to speak English, and impressed them with his gentility and respectfulness. And after a long, adventurous life in Canada, his last word was, “Sayonara.” (Nagasaki, Japan; 1840s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1409d306.ranald-macdonald-part2.html)

    • 8 min

Customer Reviews

4.8 out of 5
153 Ratings

153 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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