History through Pop Culture
Join social studies teacher, historian and pop culturist Eric Salmonsen as he and his drop-in guests break down pop culture artifacts to see what history can be forged from them.
Learn how you can contribute to the conversation at everything-history.com (https://www.everything-history.com/)
America at 250 Episode 15: "Picking through the Past: The Briar Rose consignment shop as a crossroads for history"The Briar Rose in Litchfield, IL is the kind of store everyone should want in their town. Filled with a little bit of everything, old and new, and with a steady arrival of furniture, clothes, antiques, toys, and trinkets, it acts as a representation of many points in history and aspects of popular culture. A perfect topic for this show.Danell Fogle owns Briar Rose and I was happy that she took some time to talk with me this summer. Just like the contents of her store (and this podcast), we go from one topic to the next, but with the throughline of preserving the past. And, although we recorded this at the end of June, Danell's preview of Litchfield's Halloween activities comes at a perfect time!This is the fifteenth episode of a special season of the Everything is a Primary Source where, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, American pop culture is examined for historical value and for connection to the founding of the country in July of 1776. While this episode doesn't directly mention the Declaration of Independence, the nearby Illinois town of Bunker Hill does come up. Curious to see if my theory that the town was named after the Bunker Hill in Charlestown, MA which was the site of a Revolutionary War battle, I checked the town's website for clues. It turns out that some of the town's founders were from New England--which adds credibility to my idea--with one of them coming from Salisbury, NH. That small town is is just a stone's throw away from Warner, where I recorded the first set of oral histories for this project.Teaching resources and supplements available soon at everything-history.com/america250#podcast #popculture #rt66 #illinois
3 Oct 2026
Episode 229: Litchfield, Illinois
America at 250 Episode 14: "Welcome to Litchfield: Analyzing the Illinois town as a Primary Source."Carol Sneed is the President of the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center in southwestern Illinois, and was the first to record with me after I rolled into town along the Mother Road. She was happy to set the scene for a day of podcasting by explaining the history of the town of Litchfield.Although Litchfield became a proud Route 66 town a hundred years ago, its origin was with the railroads in the mid 19th century. Our conversation about this town, which has so many stories, past and present, reminds us that everywhere has a storied past, regardless if an iconic highway passes through it or not.This is the fourteenth episode of a special season of the Everything is a Primary Source where, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, American pop culture is examined for historical value and for connection to the founding of the country in July of 1776.Teaching resources and supplements available soon at everything-history.com/america250#podcast #popculture #rt66 #illinois
25 Sept 2026
Episode 228: American TV & Movies as Ambassadors
America at 250 Episode 13: "Making F*R*I*E*N*D*S All Around the World: American TV and movies as cultural ambassadors."Maya met with me as the last guest of my day podcasting in Chicago this summer. She works at the Museum of Broadcast Communication, a position helped along by her extensive experience teaching English all over the world. She learned very quickly through her students just how much of a cultural impact American TV shows and feature films have made all around the globe.Maya and I discuss the How and Why of certain media resonating with audiences around the globe, be it Seventh Heaven, Breaking Bad, Forrest Gump, Shawshank Redemption, or Family Guy. We also look into how these shows can create a certain image of our country in the minds of people who have never been to the USA, contributing to what one of her friends from Italy once said, "America is like a movie." This is the thirteenth episode of a special season of the Everything is a Primary Source where, in celebration of the 250th anniversary of the United States, American pop culture is examined for historical value and for connection to the founding of the country in July of 1776.Teaching resources and supplements available soon at everything-history.com/america250#podcast #popculture #TV #movies #globalization
Who has been a guest on Everything is a Primary Source
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lenore
Sylvia
Elaine Makas
Chris
Drew of NH Turtle Rescue
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
6,783
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
9 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 66 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
82
Social presence
0
YouTube
74
Engagement
51
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Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Everything is a Primary Source
Who hosts Everything is a Primary Source?
host and me host the show. Published by Eric Salmonsen.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes daily, based on its RSS feed.
Does Everything is a Primary Source take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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