THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER

In 1856, two small boys wandered away from their cabin in the wilds of Pennsylvania. For almost two weeks, thousands of volunteers combed the mountainside in search of the little lost children. It seemed that they had disappeared without a trace, until one man’s eerie dream revealed their fate. Song: “Babes In The Woods”, traditional Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Babes In The Woods: The Lost Children of the Alleghenies appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Yesterday’s local headlines, the daily tragedies and triumphs in American communities large and small, are often trampled in the unrelenting march of time, overshadowed by more monumental moments in our collective history. But the fragile, yellowed pages of century-old newspapers contain untold treasures for those of us who are fascinated by the past. Today we present an aural snapshot of Ardmore, Indian Territory in July of 1899. Song: “Keep On The Sunny Side” by Ada Blenkhorn and J. Howard Entwisle Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Keep On The Sunny Side: July 1899 appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Follow us back in time as we walk the red brick streets of our little Wild West town to a haunted shack by the railroad tracks, the scene of the untimely death of Ella Myers. But was she really dead when her corpse was buried in a pauper’s grave?  Tales of ghostly visions and reports of plaintive wails caused some residents of Guthrie, Oklahoma Territory to believe otherwise. Song: “The Blood-Red Hand” by Welcome Little Stranger Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. Visit our friends at Guthrie Ghost Walk for more tales about the ghosts that haunt historic Guthrie, OK. The post The Blood-Red Hand: A Guthrie Ghost Story appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

In this episode, we take you to the Texas Hill Country of the 1860s, a perilous place for those who remained loyal to the Union, however secret they tried to keep their allegiance. For many of these unfortunate Union sympathizers, the War Between the States ended at the bottom of Dead Man’s Hole. Song: “Weeping Sad and Lonely” by Charles Carroll Sawyer and Henry Tucker Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Weeping Sad and Lonely: The Fire Eaters appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

As you may know, we’re taking a short production break, but we wanted to mark a very special milestone. The Most Wonderful Wonder is one year old today. To celebrate, we’re giving you an unreleased Welcome Little Stranger original song, and our unending gratitude. Thank you for listening to our weird and wonderful little show. We’ll return in October with all new episodes for Season 3.   The post More Weight: TMWW First Anniversary appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Follow us down a dark and deadly stretch of track in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Moonville, Ohio was the scene of countless railroading tragedies. Song: “The True and Trembling Brakeman” by Aulton Ray Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post The True and Trembling Brakeman: Moonville, Ohio appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

In 1905, the town of Snyder, Oklahoma Territory was leveled by a devastating tornado. Some said the townspeople had brought the destruction upon themselves. Song: “The Cyclone” by Welcome Little Stranger Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. Resources for this episode can be found in our newsletter.  The post The Cyclone: Snyder, Oklahoma Territory appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Until the early 20th century, the fear of meeting a horrific and painful end accompanied every bite from an animal believed to be rabid. With no treatment available, people turned to folk medicine to save themselves and their loved ones from rabies. The post White Deer: Madstones and Hydrophobia appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

  In 1925, a bitter underground war that raged in central Kentucky claimed a single casualty, captivating the nation and becoming one of the biggest media sensations between the two world wars. Song: “The Death of Floyd Collins” by Andrew Jenkins Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger.   The post The Death of Floyd Collins: The Kentucky Cave Wars appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Come along as we explore how a Victorian era breakthrough in infant care, combined with a domestic guru’s bad advice, led to the deaths of thousands of innocent babies. Song: “All Through The Night”, traditional Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post All Through The Night: Murder Bottles appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Hear one Ozark mountain woman’s life story, told in her own words. Song: “Charles Guiteau”, traditional Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Charles Guiteau: Iva Bradshaw’s Bittersweet History appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Take a trip down memory lane with us as we share ten of our favorite musical moments from The Most Wonderful Wonder. 1. “Ain’t No More Cane on the Brazos” 2. “Hadacol Bounce” 3. “Put Me Off at Buffalo” 4. “Down in the Willow Garden” (Recorded in collaboration with Just A Story) 5. “Beautiful Ohio” 6. “Feathered River” 7. “Lost in the Mines” 8. “The Preacher and the Slave” 9. “Good Money” 10. “Laugh in the Dark” The post T.M.W.W. Music Highlights appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Follow us to the battlefields to uncover the hidden history of the women who fought in the American Civil War. Song: “Johnny, O Johnny”, traditional Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Johnny, O Johnny: The Cruel War appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Follow us 200 years into the past, to a North Carolina river bank, where we’ll dig up the roots of America’s first murder ballad. Song: “Omie Wise”, traditional Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Omie Wise: America’s Oldest Murder Ballad appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

While recent rumors of a massacre in Bowling Green have been greatly exaggerated, 200 years ago, the brutal honor killing of a politician, which culminated in a double suicide turned execution, captivated Americans with its drama. More Shakespearean tragedy than a massacre, this sordid tale of operatic proportions came to be known as the Kentucky Tragedy. Song: “Bowling Green”, traditional Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Bowling Green: The Kentucky Tragedy appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Season two of The Most Wonderful Wonder begins with one of our favorite outlaw stories, the twisted tale of Elmer McCurdy, train robber turned sideshow mummy. From the Osage Hills, across the U.S. to California, and back again to our own little Oklahoma home, we take you along as we joyride down history’s back roads in search of a Laugh In The Dark. Song: “Laugh In The Dark” by Welcome Little Stranger Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Laugh In The Dark: Elmer McCurdy appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Leaving Murderous Mary hanging in a Tennessee rail yard, we head to New England to look upon the human curiosity whose exhibition was the first of many hoaxes promoted by the legendary “Prince of Humbugs”, P.T. Barnum. Songs in this episode: “Good Money” by Welcome Little Stranger Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post The Trolley Car Swing Part II: Joice Heth appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

We leave at 5:00, pulling out of Boston on streetcar 393, bound for east Tennessee where we’ll witness a circus star’s execution. Songs in this episode: “The Trolley Car Swing” by Joe Young and Bert Grant, 1912 “Murderous Mary” by Welcome Little Stranger Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. Audio Player The post The Trolley Car Swing Part I: Murderous Mary appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Don’t waste any time in mourning. Organize! We set out for Utah by way of the Pacific Northwest in search of Joe Hill’s legacy of resistance through song. Songs in this episode: “The Preacher and The Slave” by Joe Hill Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. For more about Joe Hill, please listen to Matthew Billy’s excellent episode of his Between The Liner Notes podcast titled “The Execution of Joe Hill”, and read William M. Adler’s biography of Hill, The Man Who Never Died. And please consider signing the petition to Help Exonerate Joe Hill. The post The Preacher and the Slave appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.

Our most recent death-filled trip down the dark alleys of time comes to an end, as all things must, in the highlands of central Mexico where the dead return again and again, sometimes in surprising ways. Songs in this episode: “Lost In The Mines” by Welcome Little Stranger Researched, written, scored, and produced by Mr. and Mrs. Hall of Welcome Little Stranger. The post Poor Ellen Smith Part III: Accidental Mummies appeared first on THE MOST WONDERFUL WONDER.