Sunken Press

Sunken Press

In 1837, an angry mob raised in the City of Alton, Illinois finally killed abolitionist journalist Elijah Lovejoy after throwing three of his presses into the Mississippi. Upon his death, his fourth press joined them in the depths. The tallest monument in Illinois now stands in Alton in honor of his contributions to the abolitionist movement and the American ideal of a free press. We are here to honor his memory and avenge him. Alton may be the town that killed him, but he demanded his grave be made here. Since he decided Alton and its morals and people were worth his martyrdom, it deserves continued stewardship and vigilance. Enter Sunken Press, a podcast created by local media enthusiasts and journalism junkies. Hosted by Cory Davenport, a local journalist with more than a decade of experience covering the region who was trained by a Pulitzer winner, Sunken Press wants to solve the world’s problems in our own backyard. He is joined by Nicole Gory, a person with textured life experience involving homelessness, criminality, addiction, poverty, single motherhood, and other real issues facing many Americans whose perspectives fall through the cracks of mainstream journalism. Join us as we ask tough questions, share our worldviews, and challenge any preconceived notions and biases we have regarding our community, our nation, our world, and how all of them fit together. sunkenpress.substack.com

  1. FEB 28

    Jonathan Harms | Skateboarding Before It Was Cool (Again)

    Jonathan Harms gives us a full history lesson on skateboarding — from its earliest days in the 1960s, riding clay wheels while barefoot, to the revolution sparked by surf culture, drained swimming pools, and backyard halfpipes. We talk about how skateboarding exploded in the ’70s, nearly disappeared in the early ’80s, and found new life through DIY culture, magazines like Thrasher, and later mainstream moments that helped push it back into public view. Jonathan walks us through the early skateparks in the St. Louis area and shares what cities get right (and wrong) when building skateparks today. Decades after first stepping on a board, Jonathan reinvented himself as an elite slalom racer, competing nationally and internationally against some of the best in the discipline. Along the way, he’s documented the culture he loves, with his skate photography appearing in print magazines. He’s still in it, racing through cones, traveling to competitions, and preserving the scene through his lens. This episode is local history, skate history, and cultural history all rolled into one. Click here for the full version on YouTube. --- For more information: https://www.instagram.com/jbh_stl https://www.instagram.com/khvt.official --- Mentioned in this episode: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059725 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6794450 https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0362487 https://www.instagram.com/alteredskatesofamerica https://www.facebook.com/dsmskatepark https://www.konaskatepark.com https://skateboardinghalloffame.org https://www.facebook.com/TonyHawk/videos/1015605357631469 https://www.pbs.org/video/living-st-louis-skate-park This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sunkenpress.substack.com

    1h 32m
  2. FEB 14

    Kaylin Gauthier | Turning Nature’s Strangest Things into Something Beautiful

    Barber, artist, and bug lady Kaylin Gauthier (River City Oddities) joins us to talk about how she builds her intricate dioramas using ethical insect sourcing, antique glass, and locally foraged materials. She’s also a barber at Anderson’s Classic Barbershop in Alton, which somehow leads to stories about a monkey’s haircut and why exotic animals should absolutely not be in salons. We also get into the founding of Bluff City Bazaar, remembrance jewelry, mushroom foraging, driftwood baking, and the strange and supportive world of oddities artists. Also, Cory eats dog ashes. This one goes everywhere, but at its core, it’s about creativity, community, and carving out space for weird art in Southern Illinois. Find Kaylin’s work at Bluff City Bazaar (Alton), Grafton Art Gallery, Grumpy Grizzly (Grafton), Mother Murphy’s (Normal, IL), It’s Raining Zen (Alton), and lots of pop-ups at vendor markets. Click here for the full version on YouTube. --- For more information: https://www.facebook.com/river.city.oddities https://www.instagram.com/river.city.oddities https://www.andersonsclassicbarbershop.com https://www.instagram.com/andersonsclassic https://www.facebook.com/andersonsclassicalton https://www.facebook.com/andersonsonstate --- Mentioned in this episode: https://www.facebook.com/bluffcitybazaar https://www.facebook.com/hypeoftype https://www.facebook.com/growcreateinspire https://www.facebook.com/radcliffsradthrifts https://www.facebook.com/ShakeRagStudio https://www.youtube.com/@HamiltonMorris https://www.youtube.com/@grant_harting https://www.facebook.com/audubonriverlands https://www.facebook.com/miltonschoolhouse photo credit to https://www.facebook.com/helloimtoriii --- https://ko-fi.com/sunkenpress https://sunkenpress.threadless.com https://sunkenpresspodcast.com https://www.facebook.com/sunkenpresspodcast https://www.youtube.com/@sunkenpresspodcast https://www.patreon.com/sunkenpress This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sunkenpress.substack.com

    1h 15m
  3. JAN 31

    Chelsa Pruden & Kelley Hatlee | Rural Resistance, an Indivisible Community

    Part of the growing Indivisible movement, veteran organizer Kelley Hatlee has joined with Macoupin native and blossoming activist Chelsa Pruden to create a Macoupin County chapter. Despite the county's deep red government and voting record, the pair has inspired a growing community dedicated to changing the way rural America does politics. It was progressive politics that helped rural farmers at the height of famines, depressions, and droughts, and coal mining unions that gave their ancestors a better quality of life for dangerous work. This one is important for anyone who feels like they're an island of blue in a sea of red. Click here for the full version on YouTube. --- For more information: https://www.facebook.com/MacoupinIndivisible https://www.instagram.com/macoupincountyindivisible https://bsky.app/profile/macindivisible.bsky.social https://www.tiktok.com/@macoupinindivisible https://www.youtube.com/@MacoupinCounty50501Indivisible https://indivisible.org --- Mentioned in this episode: https://www.macart.org https://www.blackbirdbakeryandcafe.com https://www.mississippiculturebeer.com https://sunkenpress.substack.com/p/emma-deserved-better-than-to-be-eulogized https://www.aclu.org https://www.facebook.com/events/1410563607086520 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586046996616 simplysellarsphotography.mypixieset.com --- photos courtesy of: Steph Wilderman Photography - https://www.facebook.com/stephwildermanphoto We The People Pixels - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61576160813865&sk Steady shot 246 - Steadyshot246@gmail.com --- https://ko-fi.com/sunkenpress https://sunkenpress.threadless.com https://sunkenpresspodcast.com https://www.facebook.com/sunkenpresspodcast https://www.youtube.com/@sunkenpresspodcast https://www.patreon.com/sunkenpress This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sunkenpress.substack.com

    1h 17m
  4. JAN 24

    Jason Harrison | Schools, Community Leadership, and Using Our Skills for Service

    We go deep into the intricate work of serving one’s community while also maintaining a family at home with Jason Harrison. Jason has served in multiple roles in the community, most recently becoming a member of the Alton Board of Education. We hold nothing back when discussing the hardships faced through community service, race, and having a family. And, because Jason’s business, LaMay’s Catering, catered Cory’s wedding with some of the best catfish anyone has ever tasted, we of course talked about food. Click here for the full version on YouTube. For more information: https://www.facebook.com/jason.harrison.129357 https://www.instagram.com/jharrisonrestaurateur/ https://www.tiktok.com/@jasonharrisonmotivator https://lamayscatering.com/ https://www.facebook.com/LamaysCatering/ Mentioned in this episode: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DcCmZnzEU/ https://www.lc.edu/academic-programs/high-school-diploma/youthbuild.html https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-18-258 https://madison-historical.siue.edu/encyclopedia/alton-school-district-integration/ https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/altons-black-history-a-push-for-integration-pt-2-26484.cfm https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/fights-prompt-alton-high-school-limit-friday-18340656.php https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michael-brown-protests_n_5672163 https://www.lc.edu/news/2024/08/blazer-bites-cafe-brings-oncampus-dining-back-to-lewis-and-clark.html https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/emmett-tills-funeral/ https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-01-16/ice-agent-los-angeles-shooting-court-records https://www.thetelegraph.com/news/article/Bost-visits-Alton-on-healthcare-checkup-12565172.php https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/js-market-grill-welcomed-with-open-arms-to-alton-13952.cfm https://madison-historical.siue.edu/encyclopedia/standard-oils-company-housing-in-wood-river-illinois/ https://www.riverbender.com/news/details/free-food-everyone-is-invited-community-feast-at-post-commons-oct-5-30596.cfm https://a.co/d/3WRe1ed Threadless merch store Ko-Fi Website Facebook Youtube This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sunkenpress.substack.com

    1h 23m
  5. JAN 10

    Al Swacker | Rock, radio, and curation with the KDHX legend

    We miss KDHX. We know a lot of you do, too. So, we got one of our old favorite DJs, Al Swacker, former host of The Greaser’s Lunchbox, a rockabilly/punk show that ran for nearly 25 years and introduced many folks to obscure bands from their own backyard and across the globe. While Al has moved on to Running with the Boss Sound on The Roots FM (internet radio), we talked a lot about the good old days of the St. Louis music scene and the decline and end of KDHX (88.1), and what came after. Special thanks to Adam Lesh for filling in for Nicole! His first-hand knowledge of the music scene (fun fact, he played bass in producer Ryan’s old band The Red Handed Bandits, among other bands) made for a great conversation. Click here for the full version on YouTube. --- For more information: https://www.therootsfm.org/running-with-the-boss-sound-by-al-swacker/ https://www.reverbnation.com/alswacker https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063999946996 --- Mentioned in this episode: https://spinitron.com/KDHX/show/126966/The-Greaser-s-Lunchbox?page=1 https://sonicsfilm.com/ https://www.xtheband.com/welcome https://sinkholerecords.com/ https://a.co/d/1PDzU7L https://a.co/d/e4tBES1 https://a.co/d/gjggrhi https://www.netflix.com/title/82052197 https://markmothersbaugh.com/pages/orchestrions https://pleasekillme.com/ https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085653741095 https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100040295782914 https://www.pbs.org/video/jam-sessions-rockabilly-style-the-crazy-beats-leslie-baker-iabaaa/ https://clownvistotherescue.com/ http://marioviele.com/ --- https://sunkenpress.threadless.com https://www.patreon.com/sunkenpress https://sunkenpresspodcast.com https://www.facebook.com/sunkenpresspodcast https://www.youtube.com/@sunkenpresspodcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sunkenpress.substack.com

    1h 28m

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

In 1837, an angry mob raised in the City of Alton, Illinois finally killed abolitionist journalist Elijah Lovejoy after throwing three of his presses into the Mississippi. Upon his death, his fourth press joined them in the depths. The tallest monument in Illinois now stands in Alton in honor of his contributions to the abolitionist movement and the American ideal of a free press. We are here to honor his memory and avenge him. Alton may be the town that killed him, but he demanded his grave be made here. Since he decided Alton and its morals and people were worth his martyrdom, it deserves continued stewardship and vigilance. Enter Sunken Press, a podcast created by local media enthusiasts and journalism junkies. Hosted by Cory Davenport, a local journalist with more than a decade of experience covering the region who was trained by a Pulitzer winner, Sunken Press wants to solve the world’s problems in our own backyard. He is joined by Nicole Gory, a person with textured life experience involving homelessness, criminality, addiction, poverty, single motherhood, and other real issues facing many Americans whose perspectives fall through the cracks of mainstream journalism. Join us as we ask tough questions, share our worldviews, and challenge any preconceived notions and biases we have regarding our community, our nation, our world, and how all of them fit together. sunkenpress.substack.com