Archive Unknown

Prestigious scientists assemble to investigate a "Loch Ness" type creature in the Chesapeake Bay.
In 1982, when Robert Frew captures a dark creature on his video recorder, a group of scientists and experts agrees to examine the tape to try and determine what in the world it is.
Proof of this extraordinary meeting is archived in the Smithsonian Institute's records.
One reputable scientist, George Zug, repeatedly advocates for more study of both the Chesapeake Bay creature and also whatever is lurking in the depths of Loch Ness. But getting the scientific community to listen is an uphill battle.
Tune in to hear more about this extraordinary moment at the intersection of science and cryptozoology.
Full Show Notes:
https://archiveunknown.com/s2ep1

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When ancient religious relics are unearthed in Michigan in the late 1800s, most folks are quick to dismiss skeptics who say it’s all a hoax.
When post-hole digger James Scotford’s shovel hits on a strange religious relic in a field in 1890, he’s all too eager to show people the find.

Religious leaders say it’s proof of an ancient race of people, adding credibility to the Bible and other religious texts.

But archaeologists and university professors are wary. They say the pieces are crudely made and wouldn’t last a decade in the earth, never mind centuries.
When the experts weigh in, is the con finally unmasked?

Not even close. Because it turns out that people will believe what they want to believe.

Which means that the biggest religious archeological hoax in American history is just getting started.
Full Show Notes (+ archived photos)
https://archiveunknown.com/s1ep5

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A rash of bombings in the U.S. in 1919-1920 were meant to send a message to the country's most powerful people. Instead, they unleashed a series of terrible raids that brutally and unconstitutionally punished innocents .
WWI had ended and the troops were home, but warfare continued. Literal bombs were lit across the U.S. by anarchists who saw the rich profiting off the backs of the poor and exploiting the less fortunate. From 1919-1920, these anarchists caused more than 40 bomb-related incidents in coordinated attacks that rocked cities across the United States.
Inside a prominent archive is a photo the devastation a bomb caused to the home of United States Attorney General Mitchell Palmer. This explosion kicked off a manhunt for those responsible.
Palmer teamed up with a young, ambitious Justice Department employee named J. Edgar Hoover. Together, they rounded up tens of thousands of immigrants, violating civil liberties and over-extending the arm of the law. These raids became known as the Palmer Raids or the first "Red Scare."
What's more, they didn't end the bombings. Attacks continued, including a deadly explosion on Wall Street in New York City. Had the U.S. helped the allies in WWI, only to be torn apart from within?
Full Show Notes:
https://archiveunknown.com/s1ep4

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When State Senator Warren Hooper is gunned down in 1945 after a snowstorm, his murder will take twists and turns that lead to dead-ends, conspiracies, and cover-ups.
Tucked away at the Bentley Historical Library are boxes that look like a murder case file. That's because they are the archived papers of the detective in charge of investigating the 1945 killing of Michigan State Senator Warren Hooper. There are witness statements, memos, case notes, photographs, and much more.
So with all that material, how could this still be an unsolved cold case?
The answer is complicated...and a conspiracy, depending on who you believe.
Get ready to dive into Michigan's coldest case, which starts with murder on a cold, snowy morning in 1945 and ends with boxes in the archive – some of those boxes still potentially holding clues.
Full Show Notes:
https://archiveunknown.com/s1ep3

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In the hunt for Cleveland’s Torso Murderer, one of the biggest crimes may have actually been committed by “Untouchable” Eliot Ness.
In an Ohio crime archive is an idyllic-looking postcard with a dark history. It depicts not a peaceful park, but the dumping ground of the Depression-era killer, the Torso Murderer.
With the bodies piling up, the city of Cleveland puts their newly appointed director of public safety, Eliot Ness, on the case. Ness was famous for helping take down Al Capone in Chicago, and was known for being an "Untouchable," or a squeaky clean man of the law.
But, shockingly, the case nearly unravels him. And it's Ness himself who commits a jaw-dropping act of savagery that shocks Cleveland.
One archived postcard is a portal to how an "Untouchable" became downright dirty.
Full Show Notes:
https://archiveunknown.com/s1ep2

Contact Archive Unknown

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Thanks for listening, and I'll see you in the stacks!