Fireside History presented by Luzerne County Historical Society
Luzerne County Historical Society Director of Operations and Programs and Museum Curator, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Wilkes-Barre Area School District Social Studies teacher and former Luzerne County Historical Society board member, Michael Ward, discuss some well known and never heard of topics about the rich and full history of Luzerne County. Become a Patron! https://patron.podbean.com/firesidehistory Shop on Amazon https://amzn.to/3wruyRn
Episodes
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
Fireside History Season 2 Episode 1 ”The Nutty World of Amedeo Obici and Planters”
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
Thursday Mar 24, 2022
Everyone knows Mr. Peanut. But, did you know Mr. Peanut was born in Wilkes-Barre? From a small cart on Public Square to the global brand it is now, Planters Peanuts owes its success to an Italian immigrant who came to Luzerne County. Join Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward by the fireside and listen to the season 2 premiere, "The Nutty World of Amedeo Obici and Planters Peanuts."
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 12 “Influential African Americans”
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
Thursday Feb 24, 2022
One year since the first episode, Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society is going strong. In episode 12, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward talk about influential African Americans and their contributions to the Wyoming Valley. Hear the stories of American Revolutionary soldier Gershom Prince, businessman Samuel Wright, former diplomat John Henry Smythe, community activist Blanche Wright Morris, artist and sculptor C. Edgar Patience, and the “fastest human alive” in 1938 Ben Johnson.
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
Thursday Jan 27, 2022
For miners, sometimes going down the mineshaft meant, they were not coming back. In episode 11 of Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward talk about disasters in the Twin Shafts, Avondale, Sheppton, and Baltimore mines.
Thursday Dec 30, 2021
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 10 ”Men About Town”
Thursday Dec 30, 2021
Thursday Dec 30, 2021
Did you ever play at Hollenback Golf Course? Have you ever driven down Dorrance Street in Kingston? Do you know the story of the NEPA version of Ben Franklin? We have all heard the stories about the Fell House. In this episode of Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward discuss Matthias Hollenback, Charles Dorrance, Jacob Cist, and Jesse Fell.
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 9 ”WWI On the Home Front”
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
Thursday Nov 11, 2021
In Episode 9 of Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward discuss how Luzerne County prepared for WWI. From the fears of the residents in Luzerne County to the outpouring of patriotism, issues from a war across an ocean, were right here in our own backyard.
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 8 “Oktoberfest”
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
Thursday Oct 28, 2021
In Episode 8 of Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward discuss some of the most famous breweries in Luzerne County. From Stegmaier to Lion to Bartel’s to E. Robinson’s Sons and current local craft breweries, you will be taken on a historical beer tour of Luzerne County. As Ben Franklin said, “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.”
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 7 ”Rollercoaster of Memories”
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Thursday Aug 26, 2021
Do you have memories of going to Hanson's Amusement Park in the summer? Did you ride the Laurel Line up to Rocky Glen Park? Can you remember the name of the garbage eating pig from Angela Park? Was attending shows at San Souci Park part of your teen years? If so, Episode 7 of Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society is for you! Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward talk about some of the summer activities of days gone by this month on the podcast.
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 6 ”Bringing the Giant to Its Knees Part 1”
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
Thursday Jul 29, 2021
The Giants Despair Hillclimb has been a tradition in Luzerne County for over 100 years. Do you know when it was started? Have you heard about some of the best drivers from all over the world that competed in the race? Ever been curious as to how the hill got the the name "Giants Despair"? In this episode of Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward take a look back at the origins, popularity, decline, and rebirth of the Giants Despair Hillclimb.
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 5 ”A Tale of Two Butlers”
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
Thursday Jun 24, 2021
A battle of the American Revolution was fought in Luzerne County. In a place that many of us have gone by hundreds of times in our lives. On this episode of Fireside History presented by the Luzerne County Historical Society, Mark Riccetti, Jr., and Michael Ward, discuss the days leading up to and the massacre that was the Battle of Wyoming.
Thursday May 27, 2021
Fireside History Season 1 Episode 4 ”Plagues and Pandemic, Oh My!”
Thursday May 27, 2021
Thursday May 27, 2021
Global pandemics are nothing new. Typhoid, Scarlet Fever, Smallpox, and the Spanish Flu all hit Luzerne County. In this episode of Fireside History, Mark Riccetti, Jr. and Michael Ward discuss how people of the Wyoming Valley dealt with these epidemics and how it all sounds quite similar to the COVID-19 pandemic.