In the summer of 1863, an unscrupulous businessman named Thomas Durant gained control of the Union Pacific Railroad, the company chartered by Congress to build the transcontinental railroad westward from the Missouri River. Durant quickly used his new position to siphon money into his own pockets.

2,000 miles to the west in California, on the other end of the rail line, the Central Pacific would turn to armies of immigrant workers to grade and lay track through unforgiving and dangerous terrain.

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

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Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

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November 18, 1928. Mickey Mouse makes his big screen debut in Walt Disney’s Steamboat Willie.

You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to IntoHistory.com.

History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.

Go to HistoryDaily.com for more history, daily.

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In October 1860, railroad engineer Theodore Judah looked out across California’s Sierra Nevada range, dreaming of a railroad that would connect the United States from coast to coast. It was the start of a decade-long endeavor to build the world’s first transcontinental railroad.

Two competing railroad companies would eventually begin construction, but laying nearly 2,000 miles of iron track across America’s expanse would require vast sums of money – and unimaginable feats of engineering.

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

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The true crime history podcast American Criminal takes you inside the minds of our most notorious felons and outlaws, exploring the dark side to the American dream.

In this series, a Manhattan socialite disappeared from her mansion on the Upper East Side. After a brief investigation, detectives zeroed in on one woman: Sante Kimes. As the police and media looked into the story, they couldn’t believe the rap sheet of the person they’d just picked up: slavery, people trafficking, fraud, murder? What would drive someone to all of that? 

 If you like what you hear, search for and follow American Criminal wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Many people are familiar with Powhatan, the Paramount Chief who ruled over a vast network of more than 30 tribes in the Chesapeake region when the English arrived in 1607. But it was Powhatan’s brother, Opechancanough, who came closest to wiping out the English colony at Jamestown. Today, Lindsay is joined by Dr. James Horn, President of the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation. He’s the author of A Brave and Cunning Prince: The Great Chief Opechancanough and the War for America.

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

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In April 1613, years of bloody warfare culminated in the kidnapping of the paramount chief Powhatan’s daughter Pocahontas. The English colonists in Jamestown offered to return her in exchange for stolen weapons, English prisoners, and corn, but their proposal was met with silence.

In the meantime, Pocahontas befriended English colonist John Rolfe. Rolfe poured his energy into cultivating a tobacco crop suitable for export, starting a tobacco revolution that would change Virginia forever.

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

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From the host of American History Tellers (Lindsay Graham) comes a new series that explores the history behind the story of Dracula, written by Bram Stoker at the end of the 19th century.

The roots of this legendary horror novel stretch far into the distant past…and deep into the human psyche. This podcast will reveal how Stoker melded ancient folklore and contemporary fiction. It will show how he exploited Victorian fears around sex, science and religion. And it will explain why even now we remain fascinated by his creatures of the night.

Binge all episodes of The Real History of Dracula exclusively with Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start Your free trial by visiting www.wondery.com/links/the-real-history-of-dracula

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In the summer of 1609, a hurricane struck a large English fleet bound for Virginia on a rescue mission. Some of the battered survivors safely landed in Jamestown, but the flagship Sea Venture and the provisions it carried were lost. The already hungry colonists were forced to face the winter without those much-needed supplies.

That fall, Powhatan Indians laid siege to Jamestown. Roughly 300 colonists were trapped inside the fort, with no ability to hunt or forage. As food supplies dwindled, the settlers would resort to desperate measures to survive.

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

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In January 1608, fire blazed through the English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia. Nearly every building was reduced to ash. The destruction meant that the colonists would have to brave the winter with nothing but the clothes on their backs. More than ever before, their survival depended on the goodwill of the paramount chief Powhatan.

As the colony’s leaders desperately searched for gold, mistrust grew between Powhatan and the European newcomers. Hunger and division in Jamestown worsened, and the colony teetered on the brink of mutiny.

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

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October 14, 1947. US Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound, a feat many aviators previously believed impossible.

You can listen ad-free in the Wondery or Amazon Music app. Or for all that and more, go to IntoHistory.com

History Daily is a co-production of Airship and Noiser.

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In December 1606, three ships carrying 104 settlers left England and set sail for Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Six months later, they arrived on a narrow peninsula in the James River and founded Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in mainland North America.

From the start, faction and infighting threatened to tear the colony apart. And soon, the colonists’ pursuit of gold and glory would put them on a collision course with Virginia’s native inhabitants and their ruler, the powerful “chief of chiefs” Powhatan.

Order your copy of the new American History Tellers book, The Hidden History of the White House, for behind-the-scenes stories of some of the most dramatic events in American history—set right inside the house where it happened.

Listen to American History Tellers on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/american-history-tellers/ now.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.