Great Lakes Lore

E17 Le Nain Rouge

Episode Notes

Does a small red demon roam the streets of Detroit, Michigan? Probably not! In this episode, Samantha and Aaron dive into the story of the Nain Rouge. The creature first appeared in an 1880s tale on the history of Detroit as the foil to Antoine Laumet de la Mothe Cadillac, and today the creature is taunted and chased out of the city in an annual parade called La Marche du Nain Rouge. Was the story of the Nain Rouge fact? Should we chase the “red devil” out of Detroit? Listen to this episode and find out!

Intro- 00:14 Settling Michigan and the Scoundrel Cadillac- 02:43 The Hamlin Narrative- 07:20 Hamlin’s History- 15:07 Charles Montgomery Skinner- 17:30 Other Appearances- 19:24 Midway Break- 24:04 Lutin- 28:55 Puckwudgies!- 32:00 La Marche du Nain Rouge- 36:00 Stop the Nain Shame!- 38:08 What Do We Do With It All?- 41:25

Further Reading: Legends of Le Detroit (Overview with link to book) Detroit Metro Times Article Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac Wayne State University Project Charles Montgomery Skinner’s Myths and Legends of Our Own Land

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E16 The Windigo: From Legend to Pop Culture

Episode Notes

The legendary monster of Algonquian lore, the Windigo (or Wendigo), regularly appears in popular culture, but how well is it represented? What is the Windigo? Samantha and Aaron dive into the legend of the Windigo, explore actual Windigo cases, and then put television and comic books to task. Who passes and who fails? What do we lose when the monster is removed from its cultural context? Find out in this week’s episode of Great Lakes Lore!

The Windigo’s MO- 1:39 Cannibalism!- 5:52 Jack Fiddler the Windigo Hunter- 8:47 The Swift Runner Case- 12:37 The Windigo and Canadian Law- 14:52 L’Espagnol- 17:57 Midway Break- 20:26 Algernon Blackwood- 27:32 Native American Legends in Pop Culture- 29:55 X-Files and the Manitou- 32:56 Hulk Smash Windigo!- 39:02 Charmed- 41:46 Supernatural- 43:22 Windigo Psychosis- 49:25 Wrap-Up- 53:20

Jack Fiddler

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teaching of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer "Cannibals and Colonizers: An Analysis of the Wendigo in Louise Erdrich's Love Medicine" by Elaine Tousignant from The University of San Francisco

"The Windigo Psychosis: Psychodynamic, Cultural, and Social Factors in Aberrant Behavior" by Thomas H. Hay

"The Windigo in the Material World" by Robert R. Brightman in Ethnohistory 35, no. 4 (1988): 337–79.

Gitchi Bitobig, Grand Marais: Early Accounts of the Anishinaabeg and the North Shore Fur Trade by Timothy Cochrane Nazare, Joe. “The Horror! The Horror? The Appropriation, and Reclamation, of Native American Mythology.” Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts 11, no. 1 (41) (2000): 24–51. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43308417.

DeSanti, Brady. Journal of Religion & Popular Culture, Fall 2015, Vol. 27 Issue 3, p186-201

Evans, Catherine L. “Heart of Ice: Indigenous Defendants and Colonial Law in the Canadian North-West.” Law and History Review 36, no. 2 (2018): 199–234. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26564583.

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E15 Were there Witches in Whitewater?

Episode Notes

America’s “Second Salem,” you say? We’re on it! Aaron and Samantha dive in to explore the legends surrounding the town of Whitewater, Wisconsin. When they got down to the sources did they find evidence of witchcraft, cursed books, murder, and spiritualists? You’ll have to tune in to find out. The pair put their history skillz (yes, with a ‘z’) to the test  in “Were There Witches in Whitewater?”. 

Intro- 00:20 Whitewater Background- 02:15 The Legends- 04:29 Morris Pratt- 09:40 Pratt’s Spiritualist Temple- 12:27 Midway Break- 17:58 The Morris Pratt Institute- 23:26 Spiritualism 101- 26:21 Mary Worth- 38:38 Real Murder in Whitewater- 46:13 Wrapping It All Up- 52:45

National Spiritualist Association of Churches: https://nsac.org/ Swedenborg Foundation: https://swedenborg.com/ Whitewater Historical Society: https://www.whitewaterhistoricalsociety.org/ Morris Pratt Institute: http://www.morrispratt.org/

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E14 The Circleville Letter Writer

Episode Notes

The mystery of the Circleville, Ohio letters is a tangled web of accusations and threats that Samantha and Aaron attempt to unknot in this week’s episode. They begin by outlining the basic chronology of the strange happenings that began in Circleville in 1972 and then move on to look into the way the story has been shared by news outlets, television shows, and podcasts. Why are we fascinated with true crime? What is it about this mystery, in particular, that has pulled Aaron down a weird dark rabbit hole? Are we all worried someone will find our secrets? 

Time Stamps Introduction- 0:00:40 The First Letters- 0:04:31 Letters Continue (And Signs!)- 0:10:37 Ron’s Death- 0:13:28 More Letters and a Gun (!)- 0:15:16 Midway Break- 0:18:01 Paul Freshour’s Arrest- 0:22:20 Freshour’s Appeal to the FBI- 0:29:43 The Weird Website- 0:34:00 Martin Yant Article (With More Letters!)- 0:36:25 Unsolved Mysteries- 0:40:50 48 Hours- 0:42:22 Whatever Remains Podcast- 0:47:17 Internet Forums and Why We Like True Crime- 0:56:32 United State Postal Inspection Service- 1:03:03 Final Thoughts (Finally!)- 1:05:51

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The Haunting History of Mackinac Island- The Missing Book Segment!

Episode Notes

Last week's episode was a long one, so here's the "book club" segment we didn't have time for. Join Sam and Aaron as they discussed, over lunch, the books they're currently reading and veer into a more general conversation about reading habits.

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E13 The Haunting History of Mackinac Island

Episode Notes

Some places accumulate stories more readily than others and Mackinac Island is just that place. With thousands of years of history and deep spiritual connections, this 4.3 square mile island is oozing with stories demanding our attention. In this episode, Samantha and Aaron are joined by Claire Herhold, a public historian who spent six seasons working on the island, to dive into this rich and diverse history. We’re positive you’ll find the true history far more interesting than some of the ghost stories folks have made up over the years. 

You can find Claire on Instagram and TikTok @clairherhold!

As you may have seen around our social media, our Patreon is now live! Cheeso Media, which produces Great Lakes Lore and The Saucer Life has launched a Patreon, which will give subscribers additional material for each show, every month! Two shows for the price of one! You can find it at patreon.com/cheesomedia.

Introductions- 0:01:14 A Brief History- 0:04:34 Forts and War- 0:06:50 Natural Landmarks and Legends- 0:26:23 Break- 0:37:37 Mission House Boarding School- 0:39:21 Tourism- 0:46:52 The Drowning Pool- 1:00:35 Magdalaine LaFramboise- 1:07:17 The Problem with (some) Ghost Stories- 1:11:05 Postscript- 1:26:42

Further Reading Mackinacstatehistoricparks.com Mackinacisland.org Grand Hotel History On Boarding Schools

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E12 Mystery Airships

Episode Notes

Aaron and Samantha travel back to the nineteenth century to explore the mystery airships that were spotted throughout the country in 1896/97. What started as a trio of lights above Sacramento, California, grew to reported sightings of actual ships that moved from the west coast to the Great Plains and into the Great Lakes States. Samantha and Aaron look at various sightings, possible explanations, and touch on the history of aviation. Fasten your seatbelts, it’s a wild ride.

Time Stamps The Gilded Age- 1:10 California-8:25 Wisconsin- 12:34 Midway Break- 22:08 Michigan- 29:35 Lanark, Illinois- 39:10 Aurora, Texas- 49:42 The History of Aviation- 53:30 Wrap-Up and Outro- 56:30

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Coming in 2022!

Episode Notes

Samantha and Aaron did a livestream last week to preview the next run of Great Lakes Lore episodes. If you missed it, we've got you covered with this audio version.

Great Lakes Lore returns on January 17 with Mystery Airships!

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E11 Monsters on the Christmas Tree

Episode Notes

Samantha and Aaron got wrapped up in the bustle of December and showed up to record without any material. Luckily, Aaron recorded the first Great Lakes Lore Holiday Party where the pair shared stories about interesting monster sightings and legends from around the Great Lakes. Tune in and have a happy holiday season!

Intro- 0:00 The Monroe Monster- 6:08 The Ogre of Seney- 14:02 Oscar the Beast of Busco- 20:48 Legend or Lie- 29:13 Michigan Merman- 31:14 Floating Humanoid- 39:35 The Loveland Frogman- 42:44

Further Reading Michigan Merman https://pinebarrensinstitute.com/cryptids/2020/11/2/folklore-profile-the-lake-superior-god-of-the-waters-aka-the-great-lakes-merman Loveland Frogman http://www.weirdus.com/states/ohio/bizarre_beasts/loveland_frogman/index.php https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/loveland-community/officer-who-shot-loveland-frogman-in-1972-says-story-is-a-hoax http://moellercrusader.org/arts-and-entertainment/2020/11/5/the-loveland-frogman-is-back-beware

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E10 Monday Mail Call- The Witches' Castle of Utica

Episode Notes

Maritime disasters, adolescent fascination with the paranormal, the importance of citations, regional variations in precipitation terms, and more! Join Samantha and Aaron as they respond to listener comments on The Witches' Castle of Utica.

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What happens when two historians interested in the paranormal meet up? They start a podcast, of course! Join Samantha and Aaron as they discuss legends and lore of the Great Lakes Region. Expect lots of conversation, thorough research, and plenty of sarcasm (when justified). From ghosts to ghost towns and from mythical creatures to UFOs, Great Lakes Lore looks at it all with a scholarly, yet affectionate eye.