Best Preacher Parker Podcasts (2024)

1
The Hate Preacher 32:55

10d ago32:55

32:55

By Andrew MacLean

1
Nova Scotia's Queen of the Bootleggers 13:50

2M ago13:50

13:50

When alcohol was banned in Nova Scotia during Prohibition, reluctant liquor control inspector Clifford Rose encountered a charismatic woman leading a gang selling illegal booze. Her name was Amy Mason but everyone knew her as "The Queen of the Bootleggers."By Andrew MacLean

1
Painless Parker: Renegade Dentist 28:44

3M ago28:44

28:44

A small-town boy from the Maritimes becomes obscenely wealthy and ridiculously famous in America for dentist circuses... This story appears in the brand new SECOND Backyard History book! Order a signed copy at backyardhistory.ca/bookBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Rise and Fall of George Black and the Golden Seven 27:06

4M ago27:06

27:06

A trip to the Yukon Gold Rush leads to a series of completely unexpected twists, with a young Maritimer becoming the Speaker of Parliament ... and ending up sent to a lunatic asylum!By Andrew MacLean

1
The Detective and the Trapper 13:32

4M ago13:32

13:32

Detective William Carr (who appeared in the Joe Walnut episodes) goes for a relaxing trip into the forest to learn to hunt and fish, but ends up being hunted by rogue trappers... Order the Backyard History book at backyardhistory.ca/bookBy Andrew MacLean

1
Denied a Seat: Wolastoqiyik Man Races Stagecoach 100 kilometers 10:26

5M ago10:26

10:26

When a Wolastoqiyik man wasn’t allowed on a stagecoach, he vowed to race it to its destination, and won! Buy the book: backyardhistory.ca/bookBy Andrew MacLean

1
Liberty on the Rocks (Part 3): Captured in Charlottetown 18:22

6M ago18:22

18:22

The dramatic grand finale of the rum running boat The Liberty in part three of the Liberty On The Rocks trilogy. Order a signed copy of the Backyard History book at backyardhistory.ca/bookBy Andrew MacLean

1
Liberty on the Rocks (Part 2): Initiation of a Lunenburg Rum Runner 24:52

6M ago24:52

24:52

At age 15, Hugh Corkum becomes a rum runner to provide for his family after his father, a Lunenburg Nova Scotia sea captain, loses his job after crashing into an American sumbarine. Part Two of the 'Liberty On The Rocks' trilogy about the Liberty, the fastest rum running ship of Atlantic Canada! Buy the Backyard History book at backyardhistory.ca/b…

1
Liberty on the Rocks (Part 1): Shootout at Bouctouche 21:36

6M ago21:36

21:36

The Mounties lay a trap for The Liberty, the most famous rum running ship in the Maritimes during Prohibition! Part one of a three part series called "Liberty On The Rocks." Book: backyardhistory.ca/bookBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Candy Killer: The Serial Killer Who Stalked Saint John 58:23

7M ago58:23

58:23

A killer sent boxes of poisoned candies to religious leaders of Saint John, in this, the Backyard History's magnum opus episode!By Andrew MacLean

1
Message in a Molasses Barrel 21:01

8M ago21:01

21:01

Isolated islanders find a unique way to let Canadians know a storm cut them off from the mainland.By Andrew MacLean

1
Did Babe Ruth Detox in the Woods in New Brunswick? 13:07

8M ago13:07

13:07

As Babe Ruth's life fell apart, he headed into the woods of the Maritimes in a secret and mysterious effort to get better...By Andrew MacLean

1
Hooves and Heroes: Princess Louise, A Warhorse’s Tale 25:32

9M ago25:32

25:32

The Canadian Forces in Italy during WW2 rescue a horse who they name Princess Louise who accompanies them throughout Europe and back home.By Andrew MacLean

1
The Aristocrat & The Canoemaker 20:50

9M ago20:50

20:50

Juliana Horatia Ewing, a Victorian British author in Fredericton, formed an unlikely friendship with Welastekokewiyik master canoe builder Peter Polches, challenging societal norms; her transformative experiences led to a notable confrontation defending Indigenous people at a prestigious New Year's Party in 1869.…

1
A Festive Flashback: Unwrapping Christmas 1868 24:58

9M ago24:58

24:58

Backyard History's Christmas Special for 2023!By Andrew MacLean

1
Dr. Leslie E. Keeley Gold Cure for Drunkenness: and the Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Fredericton’s Addiction Treatment Legacy 33:37

10M ago33:37

33:37

The dramatic rise and fall of Fredericton's curious detox centre, which involved patients taking a gold-based medicine to cure alcoholism! https://backyardhistory.ca/the-long-reads/f/the-dr-leslie-e-keeley-gold-cure-institute-for-drunkardsBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Second Halifax Explosion 19:25

11M ago19:25

19:25

As explosions rang out in Halifax in 1945, ordinary Haligonians raced toward the central ammunition storage depot to stop the flames before the city blew up … again! backyardhistory.ca/f/the-second-halifax-explosionBy Andrew MacLean

1
Siberian Expedition: Winslow and Ollie’s Odyssey 33:19

11M ago33:19

33:19

Two young men volunteer to for a mysterious secret mission in Russia. One of them will not make it home alive. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/canadas-forgotten-siberian-expedition-ollie-winslows-odysseyBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Mystery of the Ghostly Fire Ship of the Baie Des Chaleurs 20:08

11M ago20:08

20:08

One of the Maritimes’ most popular ghost stories is the tale of a cursed, eternally burning sailing ship haunting the waters off of the Northern coast of New Brunswick. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/the-ghostly-fire-ship-of-the-baie-des-chaleursBy Andrew MacLean

1
Revolutionary Roadblock: Trotsky’s Imprisonment in Nova Scotia 19:51

12M ago19:51

19:51

Leon Trotsky missed the beginning of the Russian Revolution because he was in -of all places- Amherst, Nova Scotia. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/trotskys-maritimes-revolutionary-roadblockBy Andrew MacLean

1
American Invaders Stole P.E.I.’s Great Seal (And Still Haven’t Given It Back!) 19:53

1y ago19:53

19:53

PEI didn't even know it was at war when the American fleet appeared. The invaders went house to house stealing clothes, carpets, and curtains ... and their Great Seal. However, one Islander who was taken captive went on to become an important spy...By Andrew MacLean

1
The World’s Worst Nazi Spy 18:51

1y ago18:51

18:51

A spy arrives by U-Boat to sabotage Canada. He isn't very good. https://backyardhistory.ca/the-long-reads/f/the-worlds-worst-nazi-spyBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Maritimes Tour That Made Houdini (Part Two: Halifax Residency) 23:26

1y ago23:26

23:26

Houdini goes to Halifax. When his circus is arrested, he has to reevaluate his whole career. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/how-his-maritimes-tour-saved-harry-houdini-pt-2-halifaxBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Maritimes Tour That Made Houdini (Part One: Saint John Residency) 26:04

1y ago26:04

26:04

A young Harry Houdini was on the verge of giving up on magic until a Maritimes tour changed his life. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/how-his-maritimes-tour-saved-harry-houdini-pt-1-saint-johnBy Andrew MacLean

1
Forest Fire Destroys Musquash In Only Two Hours 12:35

1+ y ago12:35

12:35

A forest fire approaches the thriving town of Musquash, sending its residents fleeing to a nearby marsh for safety. Musquash was a thriving community on the Bay of Fundy, boasting several factories, mills, a railway station, and a port. All of that came to an abrupt end when the town was completely destroyed in only a couple of hours one afternoon …

1
The Saxby Gale: Storm of the Century Predicted A Year Before It Hit 20:09

1+ y ago20:09

20:09

Everyone ignored the warnings. But the predictions were right: the storm of the century hit at exactly the hour that one man had predicted a year before... www.backyardhistory.ca #weather #storm #astronomy #astronology #Canada #history #strange #podcast #podcastsofcanada #backyardhistory #story #true #newengland #boston #halifax #novascotia #newbru…

1
Ben Franklin’s ”Worthless” Nova Scotian Land 23:59

1+ y ago23:59

23:59

Nova Scotia (and New Brunswick) came much closer to joining the United States than a lot of Canadians today would be comfortable with! https://backyardhistory.ca/f/benjamin-franklins-worthless-nova-scotian-landBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Real Klondike Kate 41:08

1+ y ago41:08

41:08

Two Kates go to the Yukon Gold Rush. One becomes famous, the other is forgotten. But who was the REAL Klondike Kate? https://backyardhistory.ca/f/the-real-klondike-kateBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Principality of Outer Baldonia: Nova Scotia’s Whimsical Micronation 23:57

1+ y ago23:57

23:57

In 1949, a little Canadian island off of the coast of Nova Scotia declared itself to be its own country. Calling itself The Principality of Outer Baldonia, it quickly developed all of the trappings of an independent nation: it had its own currency, postage stamps, its own flag, and a coat of arms boasting on it pictures of a tuna fish, a sheep, and…

1
The Mystery of the Russian Buried Treasure 28:34

1+ y ago28:34

28:34

How did 111 Russian coins get buried in Bathurst? Who did it? Where did they come from and what happened to them? Lets dig into this Backyard Mystery!By Andrew MacLean

1
Giant Squid Attacks in Newfoundland 28:15

1+ y ago28:15

28:15

Giant squid attacked Newfoundland fishing boats in 1873. This was all the more shocking because at the time people didn't believe giant squid were even real. Soon, the entire world's attention would turn towards Newfoundland. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/giant-squid-attacks-in-newfoundlandBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Red Devil 20:32

1+ y ago20:32

20:32

Flying Through History as The Red Devil Takes to the Skies! On a clear Autumn day in 1912 thousands of people gathered to see the world famous Red Devil. Amid a backdrop of the Saint John Exhibition -then the second largest in the country- competing with Toronto’s CNE for position of biggest Exhibition in Canada, another rivalry was playing out. Th…

1
The Cat Who Stopped a Nazi Prison Break 18:11

1+ y ago18:11

18:11

Camp B-70, near Fredericton, held captured German Nazis and Fascist Italians during the Second World War. The prisoners and guards played an elaborate game of cat and mouse, with constant attempts at escape. Remarkably, one escape was actually stopped by an actual real live cat, who had been performing in the camp as part of a traveling circus..…

1
The Bungling Bank Burglar Who Got Stuck in a Chimney 20:21

1+ y ago20:21

20:21

When a bank robber gets stuck in a chimney on April Fools Day, nobody believes a 12 year old boy trying to save him.. On the cold and moonless night in the winter of 1848, the only ever attempted robbery of the Bank of New Brunswick in Saint John took place. It was not the least bit successful, and turned into quite the bizarre -but true- night lon…

1
The Interrogation of Emile Goguen 34:41

1+ y ago34:41

34:41

“While I am writing to you the shells are screaming and the bullets are hitting but why should I care? I have just had a good meal!” wrote Emile Goguen, an Acadian lumberjack from New Brunswick who had volunteered to go fight fascism in the Spanish Civil War, and who would be interrogated about his activities while there. More than 1500 Canadians v…

1
When PEI Banned Cars 24:18

1+ y ago24:18

24:18

Prince Edward Island was the first place in Canada to have a car ... and the only province to ban them! https://backyardhistory.ca/f/when-pei-banned-carsBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Radical Gardener 23:14

1+ y ago23:14

23:14

A beloved Canadian radio host and author had a radical past. In the 1960s a Maritimer achieved Canada wide fame for his talent in gardening. Known as Mr Green Thumbs, this kindly old man put out no fewer than four massive bestselling books on gardening, and ran a popular regular radio show on how to grow plants. Mr Green Thumbs’ many dedicated fans…

1
Valiant Amazon: Elizabeth Beard Fights The Americans 16:44

1+ y ago16:44

16:44

Elizabeth Beard fought in the American Revolution ... against the Americans. One New Brunswick woman became something of a worldwide sensation for her remarkable feats fighting in the American Revolution. She was fighting not for the Americans though, but against them. Her heroics were completely overlooked and forgotten during that chaotic time, b…

1
Rockwood Park: Coney Island of the Maritimes 16:08

1+ y ago16:08

16:08

Saint John's genteel Rockwood Park was once turned into a modern electric circus. For several years Saint John’s iconic Rockwood Park –the largest urban park in Canada at the time– was turned into a summer fair grounds based on Coney Island. In the early 1900s it featured rides that had never been seen before like a ferris wheel and merry go around…

1
The Battle of Fort Nashwaak 24:22

1+ y ago24:22

24:22

Like the Alamo, but in Fredericton. Fredericton’s first European settlement was a French fort, which was attacked and besieged by a fleet from New England. The story of the battle is kind of like the American myth of the Alamo. A small and beleaguered band of defenders is facing down a vastly larger and better equipped army of invaders. Except in t…

1
The Year of the Mice 12:05

1+ y ago12:05

12:05

In 1815 Nova Scotia was overrun by mice. Dr. George Patterson later interviewed people who lived through what was called Year of the Mice. The horrors of that year left a mark on those who had experienced it so deep that he found that elderly people that had personally experienced the mouse invasion still used it as a measurement of time. ‘Sixty-tw…

1
The Italian Air Armada Comes To Town 33:17

1+ y ago33:17

33:17

A fleet of Fascist Italian airplanes stop in a little seaside resort town in the Maritimes … with a dark political agenda. On July 13th 1933 a reporter for the Moncton Daily Times was rushing towards the newly built wharfs of the tiny seaside village of Shediac. He is trying to make it in time to catch a glimpse of an incredible sight: 24 massive a…

1
The Dark Harbour Hermits 16:19

1+ y ago16:19

16:19

*Top Episode of 2023! In the 1920s two hermit brothers on Grand Manan became internationally famous as the mysterious “Dark Harbour Hermits.” Hundreds of tourists from the United States and even faraway Europe came to visit them in their homemade shacks on the beaches of the strange and isolated place known as Dark Harbour, where the hermits would …

1
Nova Hollandia: When Canada Was A Dutch Colony 25:26

1+ y ago25:26

25:26

The Maritimes were briefly the Dutch colony of Nova Hollandia.. We’re always taught in school that ever since European colonists arrived in what is now Canada, that it was always a colony of either England or France. However, it’s a little-known fact that for a brief time the Maritimes were conquered by the Dutch, and were a short lived colony with…

1
Wreck and Rescue of the Velma 18:27

2y ago18:27

18:27

An unlikely trio is celebrated by a US President for their heroic rescue of sailors stranded for days on a rock in a storm. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/wreck-and-rescue-of-the-velmaBy Andrew MacLean

1
Secret Diary From The Asylum 27:14

2y ago27:14

27:14

“They will not allow me to go home,” begins the haunting diary that Mary Huestis Pengilly wrote while locked up in the Saint John Lunatic Asylum, Canada’s first ever mental health institution. She wrote vividly in a secret diary about her experiences as a patient in the Asylum in the 1880s, which she later published into a book. After her release, …

1
Sabotage In The Maritimes: The Vanceboro International Bridge Bombing 16:52

2y ago16:52

16:52

The Maritimes were home to the only German bombing in North America in World War One. Fortunately the Agent wasn't very good, and was more than willing to tell everything to an intrepid reporter... https://backyardhistory.ca/articles/f/german-agents-bombed-a-new-brunswick-bridgeBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Mysterious Disappearance of the Creamer Children 23:28

2y ago23:28

23:28

Nothing was quite what it seemed... In the Summer of 1906 The Maritimes were captivated by a strange mystery when two young children disappeared in broad daylight from right in front of their house. One reporter, who signed her articles simply as The Special Correspondent, went to the tiny village of Cape Tormentine to investigate the disappearance…

1
Fighting For Humanity’s Rights 15:00

2y ago15:00

15:00

A baseball star becomes one of the few Black Canadians to fight in the First World War. https://backyardhistory.ca/f/fighting-for-the-right-to-fightBy Andrew MacLean

1
The Lost Colony 28:30

2y ago28:30

28:30

A simple question leads to a lost colony in Cape Breton.. What does “Fundy” mean? Where does the unusual name for the large bay between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia boasting the highest tides in the world come from? The short answer is that it’s Portuguese, but figuring out what “Fundy” means involves a lost colony, confused explorers, and a perpl…

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