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#21 Ann Arbor Stories: Our Own Santa's Helper
Most of Santa’s helpers are great people - guys and gals - and, as it turns out, Ann Arbor used to have one of the best.
Our Santa’s helper was so good that four U.S. presidents praised his work. As did governors, senators, congressmen - essentially any elected official looking to shake hands and smile into the camera around Christmastime. Our Santa’s Helper had the keys to the city of Ann Arbor, Detroit and Washington, D.C. Our Santa's helper was in Life magazine in 1956. Our Santa's helper was one of the best.
Music by Ben Benjamin, made possible by GhoLicense.
Read more about this story in the Old News Archives.
Media
#20 Ann Arbor Stories: JFK Slept Here: The Presidential Special
George Washington never slept here. Neither did Abraham Lincoln or Andrew Jackson or George W. Bush. Of the 43 men who have served as President of the United States since 2016, we’re confident 17 Commanders in Chief have set foot in the Ann Arbor area … 18 if you count young Army officer Ulysses S. Grant. Here are their stories, as well as the stories of some presidents who never set foot in Ann Arbor but are still tied to the city in some way.
Music by John Philip Sousa
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#19 Ann Arbor Stories: A Very Dixboro Ghost Story
Listener discretion advised. When Martha Crawford stepped out of her carriage and set foot in the Village of Dixboro in 1835, no one could have predicted her eventual fate, or that she'd be the origin of Dixboro's first creepy ghost story.
Music by Michna and Ben Benjamin, made possible by GhoLicense.
Media
#18 Ann Arbor Stories: Riot at the Star Theater
On St. Patrick’s Day, 1908, The Star was the site of the largest riot in Ann Arbor’s history. Why did an isolated beatdown incite 3,000 students and townies to destroy one of Ann Arbor's few theaters at the time?
Music by Frontier Ruckus
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#17 Ann Arbor Stories: Ann Arbor Mallet Murders
Listener discretion advised. This episode contains content that might not be suitable for all listeners. It does have the word murder in the title.
Why did three teenagers from good homes bash nurse Pauline Campbell's brains out of her head one cool fall evening in 1951?
Music by Alexander Mathias and Geoff White, made possible by GhoLicense.
Media
#16 Ann Arbor Stories: The Girls in the Band
Being a member of the University of Michigan Marching Band is hard work. Not only do you need to be a great musician, but you need to be able to march in tight formation, high-step and run around a football field in front of 100,000 people without missing a note. Attributes only men were fortunate enough to possess until 1972—when women were finally allowed to try out for the band without fear that they'd expect to be dismissed from rehearsals due to "female problems."
Here's the story of how the girls got into the band and how women continue to make inroads in the traditionally male-dominated Ann Arbor institution.
Music by the 1972, 1997 and 2016 University of Michigan Marching Band, and David Rose & His Orchestra.
AADL LINKS
General Articles:
Band protests
UM Women Form Band in Protest
Coeds Formed All Women 'Band' To Protest Discriminatory Policies
Media
#15 Ann Arbor Stories: The Pig Bowl
1969 was a rough year in Ann Arbor. So the city cops and the county cops decided to play a full-contact game of football to raise money for Christmas presents for needy kids. They called it The Pig Bowl.
Music by All Star Collegians and Park St Trio.
AADL Links
1st Annual Pig Bowl Newspaper Coverage
Trophy Up For Grabs In "Pig Bowl" Fundraiser To Aid Needy Children, December 1969
Sheriff's Department Officers Count Contributions From First Annual Pig Bowl, December 1969
3 Yards, Gasp For Breath; Police Ready For 'Pig Bowl'
Pigs And Goats Poised For Superclassic
After Bowl Is Over ~ Aw Come On, 'Fuzz'
Looks Like Happy Christmas - Goats 19, Pigs 0
Trophy Awarded to Ann Arbor Police Department In First Annual Pig Bowl, December 1969
Pig Bowl "Go Blue" Banner on Washtenaw County Jail, December 1969
2nd Annual Pig Bowl Newspaper Coverage
'Goats' Ready for Bowl Game
Ann Arbor Police and Washtenaw County Sheriffs' Officer Prepare for 2nd Annual "Pig Bowl," October 1970
Santa Makes A Visit
Sheriff's 'Pigs' Snort To 7-6 Victory
Ann Arbor Police Department Goat Mascot Greets Spectators at the Second Annual Pig Bowl, November 1970
Teams Gather on the Field at the Second Annual Pig Bowl, November 1970
Washtenaw County Sheriff Douglas J. Harvey Accepts Trophy at the Second Annual Pig Bowl, November 1970
Media
#14 Ann Arbor Stories: The Naked Mile
What began as a fun way to celebrate the last day of classes transformed into an internationally live-streamed event. Crowds of 10,000 or more shouting, cheering, pushing and watching 1,000 coed runners in the buff take part in the University of Michigan's famous Naked Mile. Where did it start? How did it end? Learn all about the last time streaking was cool in Ann Arbor.
Music by Zach Shipps & FAWNN
Learn more in Old News
Media
#13 Ann Arbor Stories: A Brief History of Poop
Ann Arborites haven't always pooped in their pristine flush toilets and private privvys, no sir m'am. Things were gross and disgusting for a long time. Learn about the arrival of the earth closet, the sealing of the privvy vaults, and the story of the very first flush toilet in Ann Arbor. And hear the word poop, like 411 times.
Music by Tunde Olaniran.
Links (a bunch of them):
Strike The Iron While It's Hot!
The number of earth closets in Ann Arbor homes.
The second page has info about sewers and sewage in Ann Arbor.
The first column towards bottom, entitled Closets
How To Induce Feeble Health And Early Death
Fined For Working On A Shed In Fire Limits
Renewal Project Wins Favor
The President’s House
U-M President's Home, Built 113 Years Ago, Stands As Oldest Campus Structure
Kempf House dig: Privy to the past
More Earth Closets
Media
#12 Ann Arbor Stories: The Ballad of Shakey Jake
Legendary streetsman, bluesman and raconteur, Shakey Jake told so many tales to so many people that sometimes it’s hard to tell the difference between fact and fiction. We do our best in this episode of Ann Arbor Stories.
Music by Ben Benjamin, made possible by Gholicense.
AADL Links
See articles and photos on Old News.
Shakey Jake's first blues performance in Ann Arbor on YouTube.