History That Doesn't Suck Podcast By Prof. Greg Jackson cover art

History That Doesn't Suck

History That Doesn't Suck

By: Prof. Greg Jackson
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 HTDS is a bi-weekly podcast, delivering a legit, seriously researched, hard-hitting survey of American history through entertaining stories. To keep up with History That Doesn’t Suck news, check us out htdspodcast.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram: @Historythatdoesntsuck; on Twitter/X: @HTDSpod. Become a premium member to support our work, receive ad-free episodes and bonus episodes.© All rights reserved. Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • 180: “A Race to the Sky”: The Rise of New York City’s Chrysler, Manhattan Company, and Empire State Buildings

    180: “A Race to the Sky”: The Rise of New York City’s Chrysler, Manhattan Company, and Empire State Buildings
    Jun 2 2025
    “If this is to be a skyscraper… why not make it scrape the sky.” This is the story of the race for the tallest building in New York City—in the world. Erstwhile partners-turned-bitter rivals, architects William Van Alen and Craig Severance are both looking to build the tallest skyscraper in New York City. William is working with automobile titan Walter Chrysler to build his Chrysler Building; Craig is working with George Ohrstrom, a.k.a., the “Boy Wonder” of Wall Street”, to build the Manhattan Company Building at 40 Wall Street. It’s a battle of engineering, wits, zoning, and egos, as each alters their plans with money being no object in the fight to construct the taller (and tallest) skyscraper in the world. But as these two rival teams duke it out, the city’s beloved Waldorf-Astoria Hotel on 5th Avenue is going under. Something new is rising there—something that just might prove a late entry and dark horse winner in this race with… a mooring mast for airships at the top? Yes—the proposed Empire State Building is threatening to blow this race out of the water and change New York City’s skyline forever. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • 179: Bridging the Bay: San Francisco’s Golden Gate and Bay Bridges (Infrastructure pt. 2)

    179: Bridging the Bay: San Francisco’s Golden Gate and Bay Bridges (Infrastructure pt. 2)
    May 19 2025
    “Everybody says it can’t be done.” This is the story of San Francisco’s two great bridges. The bustling cities of Oakland and San Francisco are separated by less than ten miles of water, but for early twentieth-century Bay Area residents, it may as well be thirty—that’s the distance traveling around the Bay. Meanwhile, the mile of water across the Golden Gate Strait makes communities directly north of San Francisco likewise inaccessible. Bridges across both stretches of water would change the game entirely, but between harsh winds, thick fog, strong currents, and over 300 feet deep water—to say nothing of earthquakes—crowded ferries seem to be the only even-if-imperfect answer. Or so they did. From deep-sea divers to catwalking “bridge monkeys,” from deeply-driven caissons to high rising towers, miles of cables, and deadly accidents–this is the tale of the unyielding dreamers and doers who pushed the bounds of engineering in the midst of the Great Depression to bridge the San Francisco’s Golden Gate Strait and Bay. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 8 mins
  • 178: “A Damn Big Dam”: Taming the Colorado River with the Hoover (or Boulder) Dam (Infrastructure pt. 1)

    178: “A Damn Big Dam”: Taming the Colorado River with the Hoover (or Boulder) Dam (Infrastructure pt. 1)
    May 5 2025
    “I felt no distress whatever…I was perspiring freely and was as limber and helpless as a wet rag. It was an exhilarating experience.... It was then and there that I first conceived the idea of the reclamation of the desert.” This is the story of the Hoover Dam. A wild, precarious, and dangerous river, the Colorado tears across the American southwest’s otherwise arid and largely uninhabitable desert. Yet, if tamed, the Colorado could reclaim countless acres; it could provide sustenance and hydroelectricity for untold millions! But that’s the catch: “if.” From a dehydrated mirage in 1849, to the outgrowth of an overwhelmed canal in the early twentieth-century Imperial Valley, this is the unlikely tale of the dreamers; government officials; a consortium of six construction companies, blandly called “Six Companies; Frank “Hurry Up Crow; and the 21,000 workers—over 100 of whom will wind up dead—who defied the odds and pushed engineering to new heights to “make the desert bloom.” ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations join discussions in our Facebook community get news and discounts from The HTDS Gazette come see a live show get HTDS merch or become an HTDS premium member for bonus episodes and other perks. HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    1 hr and 11 mins
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All stars
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All the meaty standards stuff plus additional spicy and well documented details that will keep you both entertained and better informed. Narration is great.

Title says it all.

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I don’t think I found a history podcast quite like this one. Absolutely engaging and interesting and everything he wants it to be and that I am constantly wanting more and I’m so grateful for it. Great job, professor and team, you guys and gals are incredible.

Love this

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A fantastic Podcast that gives the listeners a factually review of the history of the US. it's a great way to learn about history for beginners and a fun way to learn new facts for history lovers

Great Podcast

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Good story and performance. I will listen to it again. Recommended for anyone who likes history or not

Good story and performance. I will listen to it again. Recommended for anyone who likes history or not

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I love the references Greg makes. Information is well reviewed and relevant. My favorite podcast at the moment.

Great stories, well researched

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I'm a homeschool mom and have been listening to this with my kids as part of our American history. We enjoy it, and we learn. Jackson gives the details that make the characters memorable and interesting. While we thoroughly enjoy the podcast and have been impressed with the historical value, I have to recommend it to friends with a warning about the language. Unsurprisingly given the title, there are adult words peppered throughout the episodes.

tells the story of history

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I love this podcast. I knew a lot about American history but the variety of perspectives is amazing. I could listen them talk about any topic for hours. I'm learning so much and seeing so many different perspectives.

fabulous and entertaining

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I love this crew! High quality fact based history with excellent narration. My favorite podcast of all time!

History at its finest!

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Fun, engaging,educational and very calming voice. Love listening to this every night before bed. Love history? Listen to this!

The more you know!

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The lesson of mother nature is learned of a paraglider that it goes to the edge of her limits beyond most people's limits and still survives mother nature's power.

A great survival story.

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