The Days Grimm Podcast
The Days Grimm, "arguably Indiana's most comical, thrilling, and controversial podcast", This three-pronged mandate acts as a primary filter for their guest selection. The "comical" aspect is reflected in its official genre of "COMEDY INTERVIEWS" and its history of hosting local stand-up comedians. The "thrilling" component is evident in interviews with individuals who have extraordinary life stories, such as people who survived shootings, rare medical conditions, and combat. Finally, the "controversial" element is demonstrated by Brian & Thomas’ willingness to engage in difficult or unfiltered conversations, touching on topics like homelessness, artificial intelligence, and religious hypotheticals.
A crucial element of the show's tone is its tagline, "Brought to you by Sadness & ADHD (non-medicated)". This self-aware and raw positioning signals a modern comedic sensibility that embraces vulnerability and finds humor in personal struggle. The podcast's brand is not built on polished narratives but on the authentic, often messy, intersection of hardship and humor. The most compelling guests are those who have navigated a "Grimm" reality and emerged with a story to tell, and ideally, a sense of humor about it. This dynamic is the core of the show's appeal and the primary filter for identifying a story worth telling.
The Days Grimm Podcast
TDG Ep260 From 1000 AD to the Acorn Intersection: The Full Evansville Story
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Welcome to another "thrilling" episode of The Days, where we are heading to the banks of the Ohio River to explore the story of Evansville, Indiana. This city has been shaped by ancient cultures, frontier ambitions, river trade, industrial growth, and a level of resilience that is frankly "fucked." Whether you know it as a hard-working Midwestern hub or just a place with "really bad pollution," the history of Evansville begins long before it even had a name.
We start with the Angel Mounds, a major center of trade and culture occupied from 1000 AD to 1450 AD—centuries before Europeans arrived. Then, we move into the 1800s, tracing the arrival of Hugh McGarry Jr. and the eventual naming of the city after Colonel Robert M. Evans, a man who, as it turns out, wasn't even from here.
The episode dives deep into the industrial boom that turned Evansville into a commercial powerhouse. We discuss the founding of Old National Bank in 1834, the rise of the "Lumber Barons" like John Augustus Reitz, and the city's unlikely title as the "Cigar Capital of the World" in the early 1900s. Did you know Barry Plastics now sits in a former factory that hand-cranked 100 million cigars a year?
Finally, we cover Evansville’s massive contribution to World War II. During the war, 75% of local factories held military contracts, and the Evansville shipyard became the world’s largest inland producer of ocean-going ships, turning out 167 LSTs. We wrap up with the legends of the West Side Nut Club Fall Festival—the second largest street festival in the U.S.—and a heated debate over the new "Acorn" intersection at the Lloyd and St. Joe.
TIMELINE :
00:00 - Introduction to the history of Evansville
03:00 - Angel Mounds and ancient Native American trade
06:15 - 1812: Hugh McGarry Jr. and the first homestead
11:20 - Who was Colonel Robert M. Evans?
14:40 - The "Lumber Barons" and the Reitz Home
29:20 - Cigars and Brewing: The 1900s industrial boom
34:00 - Evansville's massive role in World War II
40:00 - The West Side Nut Club and the Fall Festival history
55:00 - The controversial "Acorn" intersection plans
[The Days Grimm Podcast Links]
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheDaysGrimm
- Our link tree: linktr.ee/Thedaysgrimm
- GoFundMe account for The Days Grimm: https://gofund.me/02527e7c
[The Days Grimm is brought to you by]
Sadness & ADHD (non-medicated)