How Haunted Houses Became A Thing

FromRidiculous History

Start listening View podcast show

How Haunted Houses Became A Thing

FromRidiculous History

ratings:

Length:

46 minutes

Released:

Oct 27, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Haunted houses are a big deal in the United States -- like Spirit stores, they seem to spring up every October -- but whence did they originate? When did people start paying to be scared?
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Released:

Oct 27, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by iHeartRadio.

Skip carousel

Ridiculous History: Trailer: History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by HowStuffWorks. by Ridiculous History
1 min listen
The Wild Hippos of Pablo Escobar: When notorious drug kingpin Pable Escobar died, he left behind a legacy of brutal crime, opulent living and, oddly enough, four hippos. Fast forward to the modern day, and experts estimate as many as 50 hippopotamuses may roam free in the lands around Esc by Ridiculous History
30 min listen
How White America Tried to Destroy Chinese Restaurants: Today Chinese restaurants serve some of the most popular cuisine in the United States, with more than 41,000 restaurants scattered around the country. Yet in the 1900s these restaurants were so controversial that labor unions, hate groups and even politic by Ridiculous History
34 min listen
Wharram Percy Versus The Undead: Humanity has always had a fascination with -- and fear of -- the dead. And when the small medieval village of Wharram Percy felt they might become victims of the undead, they took drastic, grisly action, committing an atrocity that would not be uncovered by Ridiculous History
27 min listen
When Scientists Hid Under Beds To Spy On Kids: Let's say you're a scientist -- how far would you go to carry out a study? Back in the 1930s, two intrepid researchers went into full spy mode, stalking college students in an effort to determine how they behaved when they didn't know they were being obse by Ridiculous History
36 min listen
Butter: Protestantism's Secret Ingredient?: The Protestant Reformation remains one of the most significant cultural events in the Western world. Martin Luther's 95 Theses addressed numerous concerns with the Catholic church, including corruption and the practice of granting dispensations -- allowin by Ridiculous History
34 min listen
Does the US Confederacy still exist in Americana, Brazil?: At the close the US Civil War, tens of thousands of former Confederate families fled the US for a small city in Brazil, where they sought to continue living as they had in the days before the war. Tune in to learn more about the strange history of America by Ridiculous History
32 min listen
Ridiculous History: Episode Zero: History is beautiful, brutal and, often, ridiculous. Join Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown as they dive into some of the weirdest stories from across the span of human civilization in Ridiculous History, a podcast by HowStuffWorks. Here's a preview of our upcomi by Ridiculous History
9 min listen
The Atomic Whoops: When the US Air Force Bombed South Carolina: During the height of the Cold War, both the US and the USSR constantly ran drills in anticipation of a possible nuclear conflict. While the Gregg family of Mars Bluff, South Carolina knew the Cold War was in full swing, they had no idea that they would be by Ridiculous History
30 min listen
Conquest via Bird Poop: One Island at a Time: If you land on a deserted island, you might be tempted to search for the basic stuff first -- food, water, shelter, and so on -- but don't forget to keep an eye out for guano! Why, you ask? Well, due to a relatively obscure law, the presence of guano on a by Ridiculous History
31 min listen
Nazis, Churchill and Chocolate: When Lord Victor Rothschild first heard the news, he was incredulous -- surely Nazi Germany wasn't seriously planning to assassinate Winston Churchill with an exploding chocolate bar. However, Rothschild learned the intelligence reports were solid and was by Ridiculous History
26 min listen
When (and why) did the US start calling its citizens consumers?: Today, the terms "citizen" and "consumer" are often used interchangeably by authors, journalists and politicians. To some experts, this shift has disturbing implications. But how important is a word? How did this switch occur, and why? by Ridiculous History
39 min listen
The Weird World of Meat Jell-O (Gelatin Origin Story): Today Jell-O and other gelatin foodstuffs are generally relegated to world of desserts, but this wasn't always the case. In fact, gelatin took a long, strange path from ancient history to modern-day grocery shelves -- and got pretty gross along the way. T by Ridiculous History
35 min listen
London Made a Train for the Dead: When London was in the grips of a cholera epidemic, the already-overfilled cemetaries couldn't handle the extra bodies. So when there's literally no room in the soil for another dead body, what's a city to do? To the creators of the London Necropolis Rail by Ridiculous History
31 min listen
When People Thought They Were Made of Glass: In 1422, King Charles VI died after ruling France for more than 40 years. He was also remembered as Charles the Mad, in part because he was convinced that his body was made of glass and would shatter upon contact with other people. This condition, known a by Ridiculous History
27 min listen
X-Rays, Songs and Soviets: The Stilyagi Story: Caught between the conflicting ideologies of the Cold War, Soviet teens were banned from collecting Western music -- smuggled records could be both rare and expensive. The solution? Discarded X-rays, also known as 'bone recordings'. Join the guys as they by Ridiculous History
30 min listen
Did a real-life rainmaker almost drown San Diego?: Charles Mallory Hatfield considered himself a real-life rainmaker (or, as he preferred to describe himself, a 'moisture accelerator') and, when San Diego faced one of its most damaging droughts, Hatfield cracked a deal: He'd bring the water back to San Di by Ridiculous History
27 min listen
Why do British lawyers wear wigs?: For centuries some lawyers and judges in the U.K. have worn distinctive wigs during court proceedings. But why? Join Ben and Noel as they explore the strange history of the peruke. by Ridiculous History
30 min listen
Waging War With Hallucinogenic Honey: Honey is popular around the world, and for good reason. This addictively sweet substance is a common ingredient in hundreds of recipes, and people historically believe it has medicinal properties in addition to, well, being delicious! But in certain areas by Ridiculous History
23 min listen
The Strange History of Antarctic Fruitcake: Nowadays fruitcake is considered a stereotypical, often comical holiday punchline, but even in the modern day people across the planet can agree on at least one fruitcake fact: Those things are pretty darn durable! So how long could a fruitcake really las by Ridiculous History
27 min listen
The Wild West Was Actually Pretty Chill: If you're like most people, the phrase ''Wild West'' conjures images of brutal gunfights in dusty, tumbleweed-ridden streets, visions of criminals slinking into the shadows of dimly-lit saloons and the vast stretch of lawless, unforgiving frontier. But ho by Ridiculous History
32 min listen
That Time the US Built a Flying Aircraft Carrier by Ridiculous History
31 min listen
Why does the Guinness Beer Company Track World Records?: Odds are you've heard about the Guinness Book of World Records, the famous, often inaccurate compilation of various impressive, important, and ridiculous feats from people across the planet. But how did it come about? How on earth did a brewer become the by Ridiculous History
29 min listen
Ben Franklin Tried To Reinvent the Alphabet: For such a popular, well-known language, English is full of strange, seemingly arbitrary rules. Most people just accept these various idiosyncracies... but Benjamin Franklin was not most people. Tune in as Ben and Noel explore Franklin's strange quest to by Ridiculous History
28 min listen
Presidents Love Their Ridiculous Pets: It's no secret that, until very recently, US Presidents were known as huge fans of pets -- and they didn't limit themselves to cats and dogs! Join Ben and Noel as they explore some of the strangest pets in presidential history, from warhorses and cows to by Ridiculous History
32 min listen
Who solves murders in Antarctica?: Antarctica is home to one of the most brutal climates on the planet, and the few humans living on this continent face profound isolation and cramped quarters. Often, tension rises as the months between supply runs pile up -- so what happens when something by Ridiculous History
26 min listen
Vermont Was an Independent Republic by Ridiculous History
43 min listen
When the Puritans Canceled Christmas: Nowadays Christmas is a globally-recognized holiday celebrated by millions of people, but in the past this wasn't the case. In fact, some groups of Christians detested the holiday, going so far as to ban it completely. So what led Puritans to ban one of t by Ridiculous History
27 min listen
Digging Up James K Polk (For the Third Time): The average American may not hear much about James K Polk in school today, but during his time in office the 11th U.S. President was responsible for a number of tremendously significant policy movements. Today he and his wife are interred in the Tennessee by Ridiculous History
33 min listen
What's the deal with smashing cake at weddings?: Weddings are an ancient tradition, and over the millenia the various rituals associated with (theoretically) life-long partnership have evolved and changed. One ritual in particular became both prominent and controversial in the West: the act of newly-mar by Ridiculous History
27 min listen

More Episodes from Ridiculous History

Skip carousel

CLASSIC: How A Grudge Match Launched the Ford GT40 by Ridiculous History
51 min listen
The QWERTY Keyboard is Purposely Bad by Ridiculous History
42 min listen
Auction Houses: It's Not *All* Money Laundering by Ridiculous History
53 min listen
CLASSIC: "Vitamin Donuts" Were A Real Thing by Ridiculous History
33 min listen
Thomas Nast, Part Two: A Cartoonist Conquers Corruption (and Moves to Ecuador) by Ridiculous History
36 min listen
Thomas Nast, Part One: The Cartoonist Who Shaped America by Ridiculous History
32 min listen
CLASSIC: The Rotten, Sausagey Secret Origin of Botox by Ridiculous History
35 min listen
Books You Can't Read -- By Design! by Ridiculous History
44 min listen
La Maupin: The Swordfighting Opera Singer of France by Ridiculous History
59 min listen
CLASSIC: The Weird World of Meat Jell-O (A Gelatin Origin Story) by Ridiculous History
38 min listen
A History of Roller Coasters, Part Two: Higher, Faster, More Expensive by Ridiculous History
49 min listen
A History of Roller Coasters, Part One: Early Ups and Downs by Ridiculous History
46 min listen
CLASSIC: London Made a Train for the Dead by Ridiculous History
33 min listen
The Page-turning Evolution of the Encyclopædia Britannica by Ridiculous History
47 min listen
A Ridiculous History of Worcestershire Sauce by Ridiculous History
42 min listen
CLASSIC: Roald Dahl: Children's Author and Secret Agent by Ridiculous History
40 min listen
Micronations: How Liechtenstein Became A Country by Ridiculous History
37 min listen
Why Are There So Many Captain Marvels? by Ridiculous History
53 min listen
CLASSIC: When did ALL-CAPS type become YELLING? by Ridiculous History
37 min listen
Look at Us, Late to the Ridiculous History of Easter by Ridiculous History
47 min listen
Royal Deaths, Part Four: The Unfortunate Lives of Scottish Kings by Ridiculous History
34 min listen
The Delaware Wedge, Part Two: The Wedge and The Horn by Ridiculous History
31 min listen
The Delaware Wedge, Part One: A Tiny State with Massive History by Ridiculous History
28 min listen
Back to the Choo-ture: the Enduring Nostalgia of Model Trains by Ridiculous History
54 min listen
PEZ: Candy or Anti-smoking Aid? by Ridiculous History
42 min listen
Mobituaries with Mo Rocca, Part Two: What's Past is Prologue by Ridiculous History
43 min listen
Mobituaries with Mo Rocca, Part One: Mo Eulogizes The Pager by Ridiculous History
44 min listen
Awful Candy, Part Two: Peeps, Licorice, Wax Lips and More by Ridiculous History
29 min listen
Awful Candy, Part One: Tootsie Rolls Saved the War -- and Divided the World by Ridiculous History
31 min listen
It Is Literally Time For The Leap Year Episode by Ridiculous History
49 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Stranger Danger!: If you grew up in the 1980s, you thought you had a 50% chance of getting kidnapped every time you left your house. But like with the Satanic Panic and other 80s hysteria, it was much ado about (almost) nothing. by Stuff You Should Know
48 min listen
Haunted Dolls by American Hysteria
60 min listen
Hear No Evil, See No Evil, Speak Some Evil: Dallas Psychic Fair: We recount our mind blowing experiences from the Dallas Psychic Fair by Sinisterhood
27 min listen
How to Buy (and Keep!) Crypto by Money Rehab with Nicole Lapin
9 min listen
I Drink Your Blood Type by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
61 min listen
America's Most Haunted House by Haunted Road
54 min listen
Where do Lemonade Stands Come From? by Ridiculous History
41 min listen
Episode 157: The Legal Quandaries Facing Secondhand Platforms, featuring Julie Tamerler by Clotheshorse with Amanda Lee McCarty
131 min listen
Strangers in the Night: The Extraordinary Kidnapping of Frank Sinatra…Jr. by Ridiculous Crime
52 min listen
From the Vault: I Drink Your Blood Type by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
62 min listen
Can an Object be Haunted? by Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
63 min listen
The Dog with the Burning Brand by Stuff To Blow Your Mind
53 min listen
Divided: Sometimes, the most inhumane acts are the ones we do to each other. The story of Red Summer and how fear became a dangerous, blinding hatred that caused unspeakable violence across the nation. by American Shadows
35 min listen
Episode 276: Tentacles / Return to Rh Negative Blood Pt. II: This week you might want to take a seat...then sell it and use the money to buy us one, we talk more bizarre theories behind negative blood, & talk hot people moving too fast, as we review Clara Aranovich-Valdés's, Tentacles. Frightday LLC PO Box... by Frightday
98 min listen
Listener Mail: Wolves of Idaho, Cartels and Meth, Why You Should Be Aware of Private Intelligence Agencies by Stuff They Don't Want You To Know
64 min listen
Money Isn’t Rare | Learn, Practice, Train by The Daily Stoic
9 min listen
Help Them Be Better | Role Models by The Daily Stoic
7 min listen
307 | Crunch Time by Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities
12 min listen
The most prolific art thief in modern history nabs masterpieces totaling an estimated $2 billion by True Crime Daily: The Podcast
69 min listen
You Must Practice This | The One Path To Serenity by The Daily Stoic
7 min listen
Yes, This Is How It Is | The Obstacle Is The Way by The Daily Stoic
10 min listen
The Truth Behind HOW Dementors Are Created (REAL Origins) - Harry Potter Theory by Harry Potter Theory
15 min listen
Hauntings in America by Theories of the Third Kind
77 min listen
#165-Attacting First Generation Wealth Creators with Esther Choy by Nonprofit Lowdown
42 min listen
864: Stacks House Co-Founders, Kindra Meyer and Patience Ramsey by So Money with Farnoosh Torabi
39 min listen
The Whole Point Is To Not Fit In | No Time For Theories, Just Results by The Daily Stoic
7 min listen
When You Don't Believe In Your Calling Anymore | Episode 15 by Prompt Us
37 min listen
Free Game: Chismosas gon Chisme by Hood Politics with Prop
41 min listen
883 The Phantom Detective by Richard Syrett's Strange Planet
51 min listen
KISMET by Hey, It's Delilah
9 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

How Haunted Houses Became A Thing

How Haunted Houses Became A Thing

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Ridiculous History

Related podcast episodes