An Old Timey Podcast

In this *very special* two-part series, Kyla Pitts-Zevin (Kristin’s sister & mayor of all of Kristin’s podcasts) tells us about an extraordinarily complicated woman. Wallis Simpson is best known for her relationship with King Edward VIII. When he announced his intention to marry the American divorcee, a constitutional crisis erupted that led to his abdication of the throne.
The abdication altered the course of history. People had plenty to say about Wallis Simpson, the new Duchess of Windsor. But what was her deal, really? In part one, we explore her early life and her first two marriages.
Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Kyla pulled from:
“That Woman: The life of Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor,” by Anne Sebba
“Countdown to Abdication: A Very Royal Crisis,” BBC documentary
“Duchess of Windsor: The Woman Who Stole a King’s Heart,” documentary
Wikipedia
“Traitor King: The Scandalous Exile of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor,” by Andrew Lownie
“Disbelief from Family of Simpson’s Lover,” BBC
Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!
Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.

By Friday, February 13th, 1925, rescue workers were getting close to Floyd Collins, who lay trapped deep down in Sand Cave. Above ground, crowds gathered and prayed for Floyd. Reporters questioned state officials for any updates. Photographers readied their cameras around the rescue shaft, hoping to capture the big moment. 
By that point, Floyd Collins had been stuck for two weeks. Rescuers were confident they would find him. They just didn’t know if they’d find him alive.
Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from: 
“Charles Lindbergh – No Fan Of The American Press – Sound Familiar?” Mr. Magazine, September 5, 2019. https://mrmagazine.me/2019/09/05/charles-lindbergh-no-fan-of-the-american-press-sound-familiar-a-mr-magazine-blast-from-the-past-circa-may-1954/.
Collins, Homer, and John Lehrberger. The Life and Death of Floyd Collins. Cave Books, 2001.
“Fingerprints and Bloodstains.” Kentucky Cop Stories, January 29, 2022. https://kentuckycopstories.wordpress.com/2022/01/29/fingerprints-and-bloodstains-louisville-ky/.
Kem, David Randolph. The Kentucky Cave Wars: The Century That Shaped Mammoth Cave National Park. David Randolph Kem, 2014.
Murray, Robert K., and Roger W. Brucker. Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins. University Press of Kentucky, 1982. https://archive.org/details/trappedstoryofst0000murr.
Reilly, Lucas. “The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation.” Mental Floss, July 13, 2018. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/544782/1925-cave-rescue-that-captivated-the-united-states-floyd-collins.
Theiss, Nancy. “1936 Murder Case Still Resonates in La Grange.” Courier-Journal, June 2, 2026. https://archive.is/vPbAz.
Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!
Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.

Reporters swarmed. Crowds gathered. State officials arrived on scene. People were hungry for information about the trapped cave explorer, Floyd Collins. They wanted to rescue the man trapped 55 feet below the earth’s surface. But a collapse halted any further attempts through Sand Cave.
Locals and state experts disagreed on the best path forward. And as they argued, hope dwindled.
Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:
Collins, Homer, and John Lehrberger. The Life and Death of Floyd Collins. Cave Books, 2001.
Kem, David Randolph. The Kentucky Cave Wars: The Century That Shaped Mammoth Cave National Park. David Randolph Kem, 2014.
Murray, Robert K., and Roger W. Brucker. Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins. University Press of Kentucky, 1982. https://archive.org/details/trappedstoryofst0000murr.
Reilly, Lucas. “The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation.” Mental Floss, July 13, 2018. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/544782/1925-cave-rescue-that-captivated-the-united-states-floyd-collins.
Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!
Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.

In the dead of Winter, 1925, cave explorer Floyd Collins crawled, wiggled, and wormed 55 feet below the surface of a sandhole. He was on the hunt for a magnificent cave. But when his lantern began to flicker, he turned back. He re-entered the narrow passageway. In the confusion of darkness, he kicked a protruding rock. When he did, a boulder dropped on his leg. Dirt and debris buried him.
Floyd Collins was trapped, 55 feet underground, in the complete dark. All he could do was scream and hope that someone would come to his rescue.
Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from:
Collins, Homer, and John Lehrberger. The Life and Death of Floyd Collins. Cave Books, 2001.
Kem, David Randolph. The Kentucky Cave Wars: The Century That Shaped Mammoth Cave National Park. David Randolph Kem, 2014.
Murray, Robert K., and Roger W. Brucker. Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins. University Press of Kentucky, 1982. https://archive.org/details/trappedstoryofst0000murr.
Reilly, Lucas. “The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation.” Mental Floss, July 13, 2018. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/544782/1925-cave-rescue-that-captivated-the-united-states-floyd-collins.
Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!
Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.

Floyd Collins had a dream. He dreamt that one day, he’d emerge victorious in the Kentucky Cave Wars. In that era, people made easy money turning beautiful, awe-inspiring caves into tourist destinations. The tough part was *finding* the cave. Finding a cave took months of dangerous, exhausting work, but Floyd Collins was up to the task.
In January of 1925, he felt certain that he was digging his way toward a magnificent one. Then he got stuck.
Remember, kids, history hoes always cite their sources! For this episode, Norm pulled from: 
Collins, Homer, and John Lehrberger. The Life and Death of Floyd Collins. Cave Books, 2001.
David R. Kem. “The Kentucky Cave Wars.” The Kentucky Cave Wars, July 5, 2025. https://kentuckycavewars.wordpress.com/.
“George Morrison (U.S. National Park Service).” https://www.nps.gov/people/george-morrison.htm.
Kem, David Randolph. The Kentucky Cave Wars: The Century That Shaped Mammoth Cave National Park. David Randolph Kem, 2014.
Murray, Robert K., and Roger W. Brucker. Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins. University Press of Kentucky, 1982. https://archive.org/details/trappedstoryofst0000murr.
Reilly, Lucas. “The 1925 Cave Rescue That Captivated the Nation.” Mental Floss, July 13, 2018. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/544782/1925-cave-rescue-that-captivated-the-united-states-floyd-collins.
“Stephen Bishop (U.S. National Park Service).” https://www.nps.gov/people/stephen-bishop.htm.
Are you enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Then please leave us a 5-star rating and review wherever you listen to podcasts!
Are you *really* enjoying An Old Timey Podcast? Well, calm down, history ho! You can get more of us on Patreon at patreon.com/oldtimeypodcast. At the $5 level, you’ll get a monthly bonus episode (with video!), access to our 90’s style chat room, plus the entire back catalog of bonus episodes from Kristin’s previous podcast, Let’s Go To Court.