logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2021
39m 38s

America’s Monuments | The Colossus of Ne...

Wondery
About this episode
It’s perhaps the most iconic of American monuments -- the Statue of Liberty. A towering 305-foot sculpture of copper and steel that is synonymous with American values of liberty, freedom and self-determination. But it began as a gift from France. And when it first arrived on American soil, its future was far from certain.For over a decade, artists, craftsmen ... Show More
Up next
Mar 2021
America’s Monuments | A Passage Through Panama | 2
For centuries, sailors and merchants dreamed of finding a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the narrow isthmus of Central America. But no natural passage existed. To get ships across the fifty-mile stretch of land, someone would have to dig a canal.The French ... Show More
38m 35s
Mar 2021
America's Monuments | Four Faces | 3
In 1927, workers began blasting granite rock off a towering cliff in South Dakota’s Black Hills. It was the start of an arduous 14-year struggle to carve the portraits of four American presidents into Mount Rushmore.The feat required grueling labor in extreme conditions. And it w ... Show More
40m 44s
Mar 2021
America's Monuments | The Longest Bridge | 4
In the early 1920s, San Francisco was a picturesque city on a narrow, isolated peninsula. Known for its scenic, natural beauty, it had the potential to become one of America’s leading metropolises. But to fuel its economic growth, it needed a bridge -- across one of the most trea ... Show More
36m 42s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2020
Gangster Capitalism S2: The NRA | EP1: Let Loose the Dogs of War
A show of strength and unity kicks off the 2019 Annual Convention, but behind the scenes, the NRA is nearing a civil war. 
36m 58s
May 2022
EP291: The Tale of the Stolen Texas Confederate Locomotive and The Opportunistic Patriot
On this episode of Our American Stories, Jackson McQuigg of the Atlanta History Center tells the story of the principle pursuit locomotive of the Great Railroad Chase...but the story goes much deeper than just that. Bill Bryk tells the story of America's first practical politicia ... Show More
38m 17s
Dec 2023
Dare to Dissent
Sometimes, the most dangerous and powerful thing a person can do is to stand up not against their enemies, but against their friends. As the United States heads into what will likely be another bitter and divided election year, there will be more and more pressure to stand with o ... Show More
50m 16s