Our American Stories
Our American Stories
Our American Stories tells stories that aren’t being told. Positive stories about generosity and courage, resilience and redemption, faith and love. Stories about the past and present. And stories about ordinary Americans who do extraordinary things each and every day. Stories from our listeners about their lives. And their history. In that pursuit, we hope we’ll be a place where listeners can ref…Follow the podcast:
Hess Trucks: The Christmas Tradition That Started at a Gas Station
On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1964, Leon Hess set out to give children something fun and affordable at his gas stations—and ended up creating a toy truck that lit up, rolled out, and quickly sold out. Sixty years later, Hess Trucks have become a holiday tradition, with collectors, fam…
20:18
The Night Apollo 8 Read the Bible From Lunar Orbit
On this episode of Our American Stories, on Christmas Eve 1968, the crew of Apollo 8 became the first humans to orbit the Moon. Joined by astronomer and broadcaster Steve Kates, known as Dr. Sky, they recall the moment the astronauts read from the Book of Genesis, uniting millions of listeners on E…
09:59
When Santa Visited a Nursing Home
On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories listener and regular contributor Stephen Rusiniak shares the story of the time he worked in a nursing home as a teenager and what happened when Santa made an unexpected visit. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
07:59
Silent Night: The Story of the World’s Most Famous Christmas Carol
On this episode of Our American Stories, on Christmas Eve in 1818, in a snow-covered Austrian village, a broken organ forced a last-minute change. What came next was history. Two men—one a priest, the other a schoolteacher—scribbled out a carol for guitar and voice and performed it that night by ca…
10:49
How One Man Became Santa in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina
On this episode of Our American Stories, in the chaotic weeks following Hurricane Katrina, John Rogers never planned to become Santa; he simply found himself in a position to help and chose to act. What followed was an unexpected Christmas for children who had lost their homes, their routines, and …
09:29
“White Christmas” and the Jewish Immigrant Who Wrote It
On this episode of Our American Stories, for generations, “White Christmas” has served as the soundtrack to the holiday season. Its lyrics and melody helped define what Christmas sounds like in America, shaping holiday music for decades. Yet the man who wrote it, Irving Berlin, did not celebrate Ch…
09:59
How Washington Irving Reinvented the Meaning of Christmas
On this episode of Our American Stories, Christmas today feels timeless. December 25 arrives with trees, carols, family dinners, and familiar rituals passed down for generations. But in early America, Christmas caused trouble. Celebrations spilled into the streets. Drinking, violence, and disorder …
07:59
How a Chicago Janitor Wrote a Hallmark Christmas Movie
On this episode of Our American Stories, before Christmas Under the Stars became a Hallmark Channel staple, it was a quiet story written by a Chicago-area janitor. By day, Rikk Dunlap fixed leaky faucets and gym bleachers. By night, he wrote fiction, never expecting one of his midnight works to bec…
20:18
The Man Who Spent All of His Christmas Savings Building Beds for Needy Children
On this episode of Our American Stories, Luke Mickelson, founder of Sleep in Heavenly Peace, tells how a meeting in his church turned into a Boy Scouts project, a Christmas tradition, and 50,000 free beds for needy families every year. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)
17:58
How a Single Facebook Post Transformed Christmas for a Family in Need
On this episode of Our American Stories, Ashley Freeman came home from overseas determined to help people in her own town. When she asked her neighbors for Christmas donations for a family in crisis, the response was overwhelming. Gifts, decorations, and support came from across the state and beyon…
10:49