Most people have never heard of Mabel Waln Smith—but her story deserves to be told. An adventurer, writer, and small-town girl, Mabel’s life took a dramatic turn when she was interned in a Japanese prison camp in Shanghai during World War II. In this episode, we explore her remarkable resilience, her deeply thoughtful writing, and the strength she showed in the face of unthinkable hardship.

From small-town roots to a global stage, Mabel's story is one of courage, character, and the kind of heroism that rarely makes headlines—but should.

From the quiet hometown of Grampian, PA to the front lines of international journalism, Nora Waln’s life reads like an adventure novel. Writing for The Atlantic Monthly and The Saturday Evening Post, and living for years in China, she earned global respect as a published author—and then Adolf Hitler came knocking.

After seeing how well she wrote of China, he wanted a fawning portrait of Germany and his growing role in that country; yet she delivered only the truth, not the propaganda that Hitler expected. That act of courage forced her into a harrowing escape as the Nazis hunted down her friends and sources.

In this episode, we bring you the suspenseful, real‑life story of how Nora Waln stood up to and outwitted the most brutal regime in history—and why her voice still matters today.

In this episode, we tip our hats (and maybe blush a little) to Thomas Lincoln Wall—the local schoolteacher and historian whose book on Clearfield County history was mostly lecture with a sprinkling of legend. Turns out, while we were questioning some of his "facts," he was doing exactly what we’re doing with this podcast: weaving folklore into fact to keep his students hooked.

Join us as we dig into Thomas Lincoln Wall’s life and family. Think of it as our “apology tour,” with a few laughs, a little self-reflection, and then a preview of coming episodes about several of his children - their lives and accomplishments are the stuff of TRUE legend!

*Correction: Nora graduated from Clearfield High in 1914, not 1924.