Recently, the nation turned its attention to Massachusetts and the trial of Lindsay Clancy, leading to serious discussion about mental health and the consequences of a mother's heinous…
The strange but true story of Faustin Wirkus, a coal region breaker boy who found fame thousands of miles away from the anthracite fields as ruler of a Caribbean island.
Summer Break! Pennsylvania Oddities will return on September 1!Born on Christmas Day of 1856 to George and Mary Brown, Mary E. Brown spent her youth in the Chester County Quaker community of…
During the Great Depression, millions of Pennsylvanians found themselves facing an uncertain financial future, and many sought enterprising ways to keep the dark shadows of poverty at bay. Some risked…
A house on North Eleventh Street in Philadelphia was once the home of Jimmy Logue, who rose to notoriety as one of America's most infamous criminals, earning the nickname, "The King of Sneak-Thieves".…
This special episode features two new Pennsylvania Oddities stories, plus Episode 1 of my new short-form true crime podcast, 15 Minutes of Infamy. Part I: The Psychiatrist's Fatal FollyDuring the…
During the early 20th century the portion of Avoca to the east of Interstate 81, near the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, was a mining community known as Brown's Patch. Like most mining…
Of the hundreds of murderers who have hanged for their crimes in Pennsylvania, only a handful have been female. Lena Miller, who was one of these women, also holds the distinction of being the first…
During the 19th century, one riverfront tavern served as the secret hideout for some of Pittsburgh's most dangerous criminals. There was Brocky McDonald, the bank robber who would eventually meet his…
Welcome to Natalie (pop. 371): A small town with a big murder problem.
