Long before starched whites and stethoscopes, nursing grew out of medieval convents, overcrowded workhouses, and disease-ridden wards where desperate women labored with little training and even less respect. In this debut episode, we trace caregiving’s shift from a humble act of charity to a grim last-resort job for society’s most marginalized—setting the stage for an unlikely revolution in health care. You’ll meet the anonymous nuns who braved plague, the urban nurses who faced four-times-higher mortality rates than their peers, and the social forces that branded them unskilled “angels of mercy.” These gripping early chapters reveal why hospitals were once feared death traps—and why the profession so badly needed a visionary with a lamp to lead it into the light.

In this episode of Hometown History, we explore the chilling and unsolved mystery of the Sodder children, who vanished on Christmas Eve, 1945, after a fire destroyed their home in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Despite the devastation, no remains were ever found, and a series of strange events both before and after the fire have led to decades of speculation. Were the children victims of a tragic accident, or was there something more sinister at play? Join me as we unravel the clues behind this haunting case that has puzzled investigators for over 75 years.

In this episode of Hometown History, we dive into one of the most intense scientific rivalries of the 19th century—the infamous "Bone Wars." Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope, two leading paleontologists, began as colleagues but quickly turned into bitter enemies. What started as a competitive pursuit for fossil discoveries spiraled into sabotage, betrayal, and public scandals. Their relentless feud led to the discovery of over 130 new species of dinosaurs, but at the cost of their careers and reputations. Join us as we explore how personal ambition fueled remarkable advancements in paleontology while leaving a legacy of rivalry that still fascinates history lovers today.

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Contact me at Shane@itshometownhistory.com

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