History Fix

Ep. 167 El Dorado: How the Mythical City of Gold Was Actually Always a Person

Of course we’re going to El Dorado! Or, at least, we’re going to meet him? Because, when you take a look at the primary sources, where this myth of El Dorado, the city of gold, really came from, it becomes immediately apparent that El Dorado was never a city at all… he was a person. El Dorado, the gilded one, was first described as a wealthy leader who covered his body in gold dust and then washed it off in a sacred lake. The Spanish simply took that and ran with it. If this king had enough gold that he could wash it away, discard it, every single night, he must be extraordinarily wealthy. In fact, he must live in an entire city made of gold. But that, of course, was a stretch based entirely on cultural misunderstandings and downright greed. Nevertheless, it didn’t stop man after man - Spanish, German, English - from trying, and failing, to find this imaginary city of gold. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: BBC “El Dorado: The truth behind the myth” National Geographic “The real history behind El Dorado, the legendary city of gold” Wikipedia “El Dorado” Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 166 Sir Walter Raleigh: How the Elizabethan Golden Boy Flew Too Close to the Sun

I have wanted to talk about Sir Walter Raleigh for so very long. He had a lot of power and influence during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I and impacted the world we know today more than people realize. He's even the one who came up with the name Virginia! And yet, most don't know the first thing about Raleigh. Who was he really? And how did he go from the queen’s favorite golden boy to beheaded at Westminster in the span of just a few decades? Let's fix that. Episodes about the Roanoke expeditions: Roanoke Parts 1 and 2 The Found Colony of Roanoke? Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: Historic Royal Palaces “Sir Walter Raleigh” History.com “Walter Raleigh” North Carolina Museum of History “The Demise of Sir Walter Raleigh” BBC “Walter Raleigh” Sir Walter Raleigh’s letter to his wife (Matthew Lyons) Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 165 Dolly Parton: How a Poor Girl from East Tennessee Became One of the Most Universally Loved Superstars of All Time

So many important lessons to be learned from the late and great Dolly Parton! I'm back with a bang this week Fixies to uncover the unexpected legacy left by super famous, super loved, greatly missed Dolly Parton. How does a girl from a poverty stricken tobacco farm in the mountains of Tennessee, one of twelve children, with an illiterate father, come to be one of the most famous performers, business women, philanthropists, and all around enigmas of all time? More importantly, how is it possible to pull all that off while remaining almost universally loved by the masses? What does it actually mean to be a Dolly? Let's fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: Dollyparton.com “Dolly’s Story” Wikipedia “Dolly Parton” Country Music Hall of Fame “Dolly Parton” Wikipedia “Porter Wagoner” Fox News “Dolly Parton’s most iconic ‘Dolly-isms’ on beauty, wigs, Botox and living on her own terms” Shoot me a message! Support the show

History Fix News #2: The Theft of the Ancient Vix Torque Necklace Robs Us of Much More Than Its Weight In Gold

Join the Patreon for more exclusive content like this! I'm back with my second ever episode of History Fix News and this time I'm sharing it with the masses! This news story comes out of Burgundy, France and deals with the recent theft of an ancient Celtic necklace known as the Vix Torque. We'll discuss serious flaws in French museum security following both the October 2025 jewel heist (episode 137) and this new Vix Torque heist. We'll also explore what the Vix Torque told us about the ancient Celtic world, including trade with the Mediterranean, and what it suggests about it's wearer, the Princess of Vix, a surprisingly high status woman in a world so often ruled by men. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: Artnews “Thieves Snatch 2,500-Year-Old Celtic Gold Torque from French Museum in Broad Daylight” History and Archaeology Online “The Princess of Vix: Trade, Culture and Women in Celtic Society” Shoot me a message! Support the show

A Quick Announcment

Subscribe to the Patreon here! You'll have access to 37 mini fix episodes, 3 History Fix Trivia episodes, plus a fun new segment I have up my sleeve! Otherwise, I'll catch you all in September! Shoot me a message! Support the show

Mini Fix #37 Preview: Benedict Arnold

Listen to this full mini fix episode on Patreon! Benedict Arnold is remembered as a notorious turncoat, a traitor who secretly switched sides during the Revolutionary War. His legacy is one of betrayal, selfishness, and greed. But how did it happen? How did a man who once exclaimed “Good God, are the Americans all asleep and tamely giving up their glorious liberties?” upon hearing news of the Boston Massacre end up fighting alongside the enemy? Like with most villains from history, there has to be more to the story. Nathaniel Philbrick writes in a Smithsonian magazine article “Although it later became convenient to portray Arnold as a conniving Satan from the start, the truth is more complex and, ultimately, more disturbing. Without the discovery of his treason in the fall of 1780, the American people might never have been forced to realize that the real threat to their liberties came not from without, but from within.” Let’s fix that. Sources: Smithsonian Magazine “Why Benedict Arnold Turned Traitor Against the American Revolution” Mountvernon.org “Benedict Arnold” Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 164 James Armistead Lafayette: How an Enslaved Black Man Helped Win Freedom for White Americans

Everyone knows about General George Washington and the British surrender at Yorktown, Virginia in 1781. But, very few people know the circumstances surrounding that surrender. Very few people know about the involvement of an enslaved Black man named James who worked as a double agent during the war, secretly passing information to the Americans while feeding the British false leads. Few people know the risks James took, risks that eventually led to an American victory, risks that stood to gain him nothing in return. Let's fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: American Battlefield Trust "James Armistead Lafayette" Library of Virginia "James Lafayette Petition for Freedom, 1786" United States Army National Museum "James Armistead Lafayette" Wikipedia "James Armistead Lafayette" Wikipedia "Benedict Arnold" Wikipedia "Marquis de Lafayette" Shoot me a message! Support the show

Mini Fix #36: The Edenton Tea Party

I've decided to release this mini fix episodes to the masses and I hope my Patreon subscribers won't mind sharing. This story has gone almost completely untold for far too long and the lessons it teaches are too important to ignore any longer. If you enjoy listening this week, I hope you'll consider subscribing to the Patreon where you'll find tons of other exclusive mini fix episodes plus other bonus content and regular episodes 2 days early and ad free. Now, let's dive into the world of Edenton, North Carolina, 1774, a world that appears to be run by an elite group of wealthy white men. When we take a closer look though, they aren't as in charge as they think they are. So who really runs the show? In this story, they'll finally step out of the shadows in a big way and sign their names to prove it. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: North Carolina History Project "Edenton Tea Party" National Women's History Museum "Penelope Barker" Wikipedia "Edenton Tea Party" Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 163 Tea: How an Ancient Medicinal Drink Helped Brew a Revolution

Tea has a long and rich history dating back to ancient China. But, when you think about where in the world they drink the most tea now, one country in particular probably comes to mind. It does for me anyway: England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom, whatever you want to call it. Those guys. They really do love a cuppa tea. Tea is notably absent, for the most part, however, in the United States where coffee reigns supreme. I mean, we have some ice tea drinkers here in the south and you may have a cup of hot tea every now and then, especially in the winter time. But there is no arguing that tea is anywhere near as popular as coffee in the United States. Why? Well, to answer that question we have to go back over 250 years to a time when revolution was brewing and tea was not. Let’s fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: UK Tea and Infusions Association "History of Tea" UK Tea and Infusions Association "The Boston Tea Party" BBC "Spilling the tea on Brits' love of tea" American Battlefield Trust "Tea: Brewing a Revolution" Shoot me a message! Support the show

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Mini Fix #35 Preview: Historically Gay?

Listen to this full mini fix episode on Patreon! In this whirlwind mini we’re going to talk about 7 historical figures who were at least probably gay. A few of these were definitely gay or at least bisexual. For some we’ll never know for sure, we can only speculate. But, you know, why does it matter? Some might be wondering. Why does the sexual orientation of long dead people even matter? Because in many of these examples, these are highly respected and revered historical figures and to be represented in history as impressive, capable, accomplished movers and shakers like this, to be recognized throughout history where they’ve always been hidden, is a big deal for LGBTQ+ advocacy and awareness and the ongoing fight for equality. And that’s what Pride Month is all about. Sources Wikipedia “Sappho” Wikipedia “Alexander the Great” Wikipedia “Leonardo da Vinci” Wikipedia “James VI and I” Wikipedia "Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben” Wikipedia “Oscar Wilde” Wikipedia “Alan Turing” Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 162 Juneteenth: How a Day in Galveston, Texas Came to Symbolize the End of Slavery in the United States

Since 2021 Juneteenth National Independence Day has been a federal holiday in the United States. But what exactly is the significance of that date, June 19th? Is that when the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, freeing enslaved people in Confederate States? Is it when the 13th Amendment was ratified, abolishing slavery in all of the states? Nope. Let's get to the bottom of what happened on June 19, 1865 and why it led to a new national holiday some 150 years later. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: University of South Florida at Saint Petersburg "Juneteenth: the complicated history, significance and celebration around the struggle for freedom" National Museum of African American History and Culture "The Historical Legacy of Juneteenth" History.com "What is Juneteenth?" Shoot me a message! Support the show

Mini Fix #34 Preview: Metal Detector Finds

Listen to this full mini fix episode on Patreon! After researching the Galloway Hoard last week, which was discovered by a metal detectorist in 2014, I found myself wondering what other treasures have been found this way. So this week I present to you 6 priceless historical treasures that were unearthed by amateur metal detector enthusiasts almost exclusively in the UK. We'll also discuss why that is... the UK thing! Sources: British Museum “Buried treasure: top 10 finds” United States Gold Bureau “10 Most Valuable Treasures Ever Found” Wikipedia “Grouville Hoard” The Guardian “Mystery of Jersey’s huge iron age hoard may have been solved” Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 161 The Galloway Hoard: How the Discovery of Viking Era Buried Treasure Raises More Questions Than Answers

Come explore the Galloway Hoard with me, a Viking era treasure hoard found buried beneath a field in Galloway, Scotland back in 2014. Silver Viking arm bands, a rock crystal jar dating back to ancient Rome, a silver vessel from 4,000 miles away in present day Iran - these treasures hidden around the year 900 are incredible. But, upon closer inspection, they raise more questions than answers. Is this actually Viking treasure? Arm bands are very Viking. But then why do they have inscriptions on them written in Anglo-Saxon runes, a form of Old English? Why is there a Christian cross? Reference to a Bishop? And what does the mysterious inscription "DIS IS IIGNA F" mean? We'll uncover all of this and more to reveal a tumultuous time in an ever changing world. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: National Museums Scotland "Discover the Galloway Hoard" Smithsonian Magazine "A Proposed Translation Hints at the Origins of the Mysterious Galloway Hoard" NorthLink Ferries "The Galloway Hoard - an interview with Martin Goldberg" Wikipedia "Galloway Hoard" Shoot me a message! Support the show

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Mini Fix #33 Preview: The Mayerling Incident

Listen to this full mini fix episode on Patreon! In the early morning hours of January 30, 1889 Crown Prince Rudolf, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, murdered his 17 year old mistress and then took his own life at his hunting lodge in Mayerling, Austria. The details of this apparent murder suicide were pretty straightforward. But, in the confusion that followed, much was done to cover up the details of what actually happened. Evidence was covered up, misinformation was spread, and medical records were falsified. In the end, a seemingly cut and dry murder suicide was twisted into a complete mystery. That is, until 2015 when a hand written letter was discovered inside of a brown leather folder in a safety deposit box in Vienna. Let’s fix that. Sources: The History Blog “Mary Vetsera’s Suicide Notes Found in Vienna Bank” Wikipedia “Mayerling Incident” Czech Center Houston Museum “The Mayerling Incident” Encyclopedia Britannica “Archduke Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria” Wikimedia Commons “Mayerling Final Letter” Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 160 Franz Ferdinand: How One Man's Death Sparked a Fire That Ignited Into World War I

This week we're delving into the assassination of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, on June 28, 1914. This death was especially significant because it's often cited as the catalyst that started World War I. But that's never really made sense to me. Why would the death of this one man compel over 100 countries to involve themselves in the most horrific war the world had ever known, the Great War? Let's fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: History.com "The Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand" Norwich University "Six Causes of World War I" The National WWI Museum and Memorial "June 28, 1914" Shoot me a message! Support the show

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Mini Fix #32 Preview: Sweating Sickness

Listen to this full mini fix episode on Patreon! I have to talk about sweating sickness. For some reason it has always completely fascinated me. What was this mysterious and highly deadly illness that plagued mostly just the upper class in England during the Tudor dynasty? Why such a specific and unlikely target victim? Why did it go away just as suddenly as it appeared? Join me to examine the evidence and the theories and let me know in the comments... what do you think sweating sickness was? Sources: https://pharmaceutical-journal.com/article/opinion/just-what-was-english-sweating-sickness https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3917436/ https://www.healthdisgroup.us/articles/GJIDCR-11-163.php https://www.britannica.com/science/sweating-sickness Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep. 159 Absinthe: How Bad Science and a Greedy Wine Industry Transformed the "Green Fairy" Into the "Green Demon"

Absinthe, a pale green drink consisting of mostly alcohol and small amounts of wormwood oil, has only recently been legalized in much of the western world after a nearly century long ban. Everyone knows the myths about absinthe - that it causes hallucinations, that it'll make you go crazy. They banned it for a reason after all right? It's powerful, dangerous stuff which, in many ways, makes it all the more alluring to the masses. But what if I told you that thujone, the psychoactive chemical found in wormwood, doesn't cause hallucinations at all? That the degeneration and "poisoning of the population" blamed entirely on absinthe at the turn of the 20th century was much likely to have been caused by the near 70% alcohol it contained? So why was absinthe really banned? Who turned the "green fairy" into the "green demon?" Let's fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: Distillations Magazine "The Devil in a Little Green Bottle: A History of Absinthe" Healthline "Does Absinthe Really Make You Hallucinate?" Alandia "Absinthe History: From invention to ban and re-legalization" Food52 "The Folklore-Filled History of Absinthe" Shoot me a message! Support the show

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Mini Fix #31 Preview: The Mysterious Death of Amy Dudley

For this mini fix, I asked you guys on Instagram to choose between 3 Queen Elizabeth I related topics and the majority of you picked the mysterious death of Amy Dudley! The results were: What the heck was sweating sickness - 24% The mysterious death of Amy Dudley - 44% The execution of Sir Walter Raleigh 32% Make sure you follow me on Instagram (@historyfixpodcast) to cast your vote next time I do something like this! This not so mini fix was so dang interesting it stretched past the 30 minute mark, making it my longest mini fix ever. To listen to the full thing, you can subscribe to the Patreon for $5 a month or just pay $3 to listen to this one episode. Totally worth it! Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: UK National Archives “Coroner’s Report” History Hit “Amy Dudley: Accident, Suicide, or Murder?” Wikipedia “Amy Robsart” Shoot me a message! Support the show

Ep 158 Elizabeth I: How a Disappointing Girl Became the Quintessential Queen

This week is all about a lady I've danced around for far too long: Queen Elizabeth I. Born an utter disappointment to literally everyone and declared illegitimate after her mother’s execution, disinherited as a toddler, the future throne snatched out from under her, Elizabeth would go on to shatter all possible expectations and would end her 44 year reign as one of the most beloved and successful queens, nay monarchs, the world has ever known. How? Let’s fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: Historic Royal Palaces "Elizabeth I, the last Tudor" BBC "Elizabeth I: Troubled child to beloved queen" Royal Museums Greenwich "Queen Eliabeth I facts and myths" royal.uk "Elizabeth I" UK National Archives "The Golden Speech" History Extra "Did Thomas Seymour sexually abuse the teenage Princess Elizabeth?" Shoot me a message! Support the show

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Mini Fix #30 Preview: The Challenger Disaster

In my off week, I'm popping into the Patreon feed to talk about the 1986 Challenger disaster, when the Challenger space shuttle burst into flames and blew apart, killing all 7 passengers onboard, while millions of people, including many children, watched live. What actually happened that cold January morning 40 years ago? And more importantly... why were the rocket engineer's dire warnings ignored? Let's fix that. Support the show! Join the Patreon (patreon.com/historyfixpodcast) Buy some merch Buy Me a Coffee Venmo @Shea-LaFountaine Sources: NPR “40 years after Challenger: Lingering guilt and lessons learned” History.com “5 Facts You May Not Know About the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster” NASA “The Crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger STS-51L Mission” Shoot me a message! Support the show