Episodes

  • Jailbreak in Crawford County, Episode 22 (June 2025)
    Jun 16 2025

    In this episode, we hear 1871 local gossip about a jailbreak in Crawford County and of the Western District Court moving to Fort Smith. Written by Sue Robison, featuring Maggie Jones as Mattie Ross, John Hagen as Bob, the stockman, and Bill Word as the storeowner, Mr. Maledon.


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    10 mins
  • Episode 22: Death of the Hangman's Daughter
    May 1 2025

    Written by Sue Robison, this tale of Annie Maledon, daughter of the famed Western District jailer and hangman,George Maledon has been the subject of many fiction writings.

    Featuring Maggie Jones as Mattie Ross, Marcus Woodward as the Reporter, and Kevin Jones as Mr. Green, the Mailman.

    Here is the latest episode from Tales of the True Grit Trail. Produced by Spinnin' 'Round Productions.

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    9 mins
  • Episode 21: The Death of the Hangman's Daughter
    Apr 26 2025

    Written by Sue Robison, this tale of Annie Maledon, daughter of the famed Western District jailer and hangman, George Maledon, has been the subject of many fiction writings. Featuring Maggie Jones as Mattie Ross, Marcus Woodward as the Reporter, and Kevin Jones as Mr. Green, the Mailman, here is the latest episode from Tales of the True Grit Trail.

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    9 mins
  • Ep. 20: Thomas Boles of Johnson and Yell Counties
    Mar 29 2025

    Thomas Boles of Johnson and Yell Counties made his mark as a lawyer, soldier, federal marshal, county clerk, judge, US Representative, and more. This episode was written by Maggie Jones and features Maggie as Mattie Ross and Dr. Brandon Chase Goldsmith as Thomas Boles. Produced by Spinnin' 'Round Productions.

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    8 mins
  • Mob Justice in Roseville
    Feb 3 2025

    When Mattie Ross traveled the True Grit Trail from Dardanelle (Yell County) to Fort Smith (Sebastian County) she traveled through Loan and Franklin counties.

    Colonel Wittich, the Harris gang, and reconstruction politics were all part of the daily life of the 1870s in Logan and Franklin counties. In this episode, Mattie Ross (portrayed by Maggie Jones) talks politics and mob justice with Col. L. L. Wittich (portrayed by Dr. Eddie Glenn, musician, journalist, and University of Arkansas Fort Smith Assistant Professor of Media Communication).


    Mob Justice in Roseville was written, directed, and produced by Dr. Kevin Jones, a professor of English Rhetoric and Writing and Media Communication at the University of Arkansas—Fort Smith.

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    10 mins
  • The story of the German immigrants of the Arkansas River valley
    Feb 1 2025

    The story of German and Swiss Stories on the Trail: SubiacoAbbey, the Fort Smith and Arkansas Railroad, and James G. Blaine. Hard-working farmers, pioneering monks, craftyrailroad men, and scheming politicians" make up this latest tale.

    This episode was written by Jonathon Lance, who also portrayed Jesse Turner.


    The cast included Maggie Jones as Mattie Ross. Dr. Erik Carlson as Johan, Dr Eddie Glenn as James G. Blaine, and Marcus Woodward as Father Wolfgang Schlumpf.


    Dr. Kevin Jones directed and produced the program.

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    19 mins
  • Origins of the Trail
    Jan 4 2025

    While the book, True Grit by Charles Portis, is fictional history, the trail and the exciting stories of people and events are real. Listen as Mattie Ross tells the story of western Arkansas and southeastern Arkansas in the 1800s. The story Mattie tells is a history lesson that inspired Charles Portis' story and many Western movies, books, and television shows.

    Visit the True Grit Trail, some 261 miles in length from Dardanelle, Arkansas to Talihina, Oklahoma to experience history as it happened. . Our cast for Origins of the Trail includes Maggie Jones as Mattie Ross; Judge Jim Spears as host; and, Tony Jones as Judge William Foote Pope. Dr. Kevin Jones wrote our play, and the music was by Tony Jones.

    Tony Jones, a native of Missouri, serves as the Team Leader for Volunteers with the Salvation Army in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

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    10 mins
  • Happy New Year from the Parker Home
    Nov 24 2024

    Join Mary and Judge Isaac Parker as they talk about preparations for a reception to be held in their home on New Year's Day. Guests for the event include Mattie Ross and attorney William Henry Harrison Clayton. Enjoy hearing the Parkers talk about the journey that brought them to Fort Smith.

    Mattie Ross tells the back story of how the Parkers met. For those familiar with the Fort Smith landscape, the Parkers lived at 318 North 13th Street while the Claytons lived at 514 North 6th Street.

    "Happy New Year from the Parker Home" was written by Sue Robison. Our cast includes retired Sebastian County Judge Jim Spears; Maggie Jones as Mattie Ross; Sue Robison as Mary Parker; Floyd Robison as Judge Isaac C. Parker, and Susie Brooks as Lena. Produced by Spinnin' 'Round Productions.

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    8 mins
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