7 Questions With Jon Hagadorn of 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

 You can find 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries at all podcast sites like iTunes and Stitcher, at Facebook at Facebook.com/1001Heroes, and at   www.1001storiespodcast.com.

1.         How and/or when did you get you hooked on history?
My dad was an excellent storyteller, and throughout his long life I was probably his biggest fan. He was raised on a ranch in four corners New Mexico (which became Philmont Boy Scout Reservation), got a job with GE large lamps division in LA, met and worked with Walt Disney, Ronald Reagan, and others, so between his growing up days and his work he had a bunch of great stories. Because of his work, we moved a lot, from LA to Illinois, then to PA, and when we reached PA my reading skills were found to be sub par so I was assigned a tremendous reading teacher. It always comes back to that great teacher, doesn't it?  I loved books, and still do, especially history, heroes, legends, and mysteries. So my reading passions morphed into my Podcast.

 2.        What role does history play or has it played in your personal life?
I see everything from a historical perspective. We can't move forward until we have learned the lessons of the past. My Hagadorn family tree starts in the US in 1656, and the best thing about researching family trees is that you soak up all the history, especially when your relatives are involved in Indian Wars, the American Revolution, and the Civil War.  My son also loves books and history, which lead him to an International Relations Degree and a job that enables him to protect our nation's security. My wife and daughter both teach, and they love to teach American history to their students. We have the greatest country on earth to be proud of.

3.        How is history a part of your professional life/career?
I'm hoping my podcast can grow to the point where it becomes my career. I have never enjoyed any work so much in my life. We are growing rapidly in popularity now and advertisers are talking to us. I am just cautious about finding the right match, so I can really recommend a product or service that helps others to share the same enthusiasm for history.

4.        Why is studying/knowing history important?
As mentioned above, we can't move forward for long unless we learn from the past. Our government, our lives, our persons- are all dependent upon our histories, our ancestors, and our DNA. To get the most out of each we need to understand our history. We also need to respect those who sacrificed so much to give us the lives we have today. History also teaches us that man is aggressive by nature. There will never be a year without war somewhere in the world, or a day that one country won't want to plunder another for its resources. Civilizations will always clash. So will religions. So will people. The more we understand history, the better we are able to cope and offer solutions for a safer, if not more peaceful future. The civilized world is slowly coming around.

5.        What is your favorite period or aspect of history to learn about and why?
I like American History, 1607 to yesterday. There are SO many stories of heroism, sacrifice, genius, and love. Then there's the world of entertainment and fiction.  It just keeps coming.

6.        How did you get into making podcasts?
I heard my first podcast last year. I don't recall how I found it. it was an episode from "The Stuff  You Never Learned in History Class". I said to myself- I can do this! I was an English major. I like to write and research. I REALLY like storytelling (Thanks Dad). I enjoy narrating and acting, too- I was in some of the Discovery Channel 'FBI Files" episodes and one of their two hour movies. I authored a book in 2014 called "America's Best of Times".  I had all these stories bottled up me, and decided to try podcasting. So I researched how to do it and started Jan 15th this year with "Gremlins: the WWII Myth That Became a Movie" and 51 podcasts later, here we are. We hope to reach the 50,000 listens per month level by the end of this year. I enjoy reading the stats every month on all the countries we are reaching.

7.        What would listeners hear in your podcasts?  What sets them apart from other podcasts?
My listeners tell me they enjoy the passion I put behind my stories, and they like the stories. We share some laughs together as well as some tragic moments, like the last minutes on the troop transport Dorchester when it sank in the icy waters of the North Atlantic and the few survivors watched from their lifeboats as the four chaplains, standing arm in arm on the disappearing deck, repeated the Lord's prayer  together loudly before they disappeared below the waves..  I think our podcasts offer a wonderful history lesson. for example, when you listen to 'Jack Jouett's Midnight Ride" you learn not only about his ride to save Thomas Jefferson, but how the American colonies were losing on many fronts, and how the British perceived that one big hit would squash the colonist's hopes and secure victory. And it was close. When your listen to "Blackbeard: The Man and the Myth" you learn not only of his dramatic story but how piracy was affecting trade and shipping all along the East Coast. When you listen to "The Kecksburg UFO", it will open up your eyes to the fact that our government does have its secrets, especially when it comes to all things that fly in the night.