Off the Path

About Off the Path

For Davis Dunavin, being a journalist is a little bit like being a cross between a wandering storyteller and a detective. For nearly eight years, he's set sail to learn about pirate history, hiked the Appalachian Trail, spent the night in Lizzie Borden's house and browsed the books in Mark Twain's library, all in search of the hidden stories buried in everyday places across the Northeast.This season on Off The Path, he digs deep to explore the origins of things that are ubiquitous, Teddy Roosevelt, the tuxedo, the first video game, as well as those stories we think we already know, like the first airplane flight or stories that aren't as well-known, like the beginnings of the artist behind the Barack Obama “Hope” poster. But every single episode involves an element of surprise, an ironic twist or a fascinating connection you might not expect when the story begins.

Publisher

Davis Dunavin

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

17 Aug 2016

Latest episode

3 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

4 of 136 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   3 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Revolutionary: NYC's Fraunces Tavern, where Washington toasted and the cabinet met

   Host [Host Name] explores Fraunces Tavern's pivotal role in the American Revolution, from Washington's toasts to cabinet meetings, offering a glimpse into history's enduring legacy.

2. 

   2 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Revolutionary: The only intersection that predates 1776 and survived a British burning

   Host [Host Name] explores Kingston, New York's historic intersection, the sole pre-1776 corner to survive a British burning, revealing the secrets of its enduring architecture.

3. 

   1 Jul 2026TRANSCRIPT

   Revolutionary: the war heroine who disguised herself as a man to fight

   Host Alex G. Smith interviews historian Dr. Eleanor Vance about Deborah Sampson's incredible story of disguising herself as a man to fight in the Revolutionary War.

Inside a recent episode

Revolutionary: NYC's Fraunces Tavern, where Washington toasted and the cabinet met

Published 3 Jul 2026 · Transcript excerpt

[…] First, it's war and foreign affairs, then Treasury moves in subsequently. So all of the federal government is here, 30 people, maybe max, all trying to figure out how to govern our new country on the world stage. So if you've seen Hamilton, think of those contentious cabinet meeting scenes between Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton and Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson. Thomas, that was a real nice declaration. Welcome to the present. We're running a real nation. The real-life version of those debates might well have taken place in France's tavern as the country tried to work out a debt plan and decide whether to keep backing France under its new leaders. […]

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.6 / 5

24 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 54 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

88

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

51

Contact Off the Path

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.