Yore Town

Why This Adirondack Boomtown Had Zero Defense Against Fire

On July 30th, 1899, a small fire and a steady wind erased nearly two-thirds of Tupper Lake, NY in a single night. In this episode of the Yore Town Podcast, we travel back to the late 19th century in the Adirondacks. Tupper Lake was a boomtown built for loggers, mill workers, and railroad laborers. It was fast, practical, and constructed almost entirely of wood. But it had one fatal flaw: No fire department. We break down the timeline of the disaster, from the first spark behind King & Page’s store to the "continuous roar" of collapsing buildings that followed. We explore how 169 buildings—including homes, churches, and hotels—were lost, and the incredible decision the town made the very next morning: To stay and rebuild from the ashes. In this episode: Why Tupper Lake was a "tinderbox" waiting to explode. The chaos of a town fighting a massive blaze with only buckets. The morning after: How a town survives losing everything. The transition from a temporary logging camp to a permanent community. About Yore Town Podcast: Exploring the local legends, forgotten history, and true stories of the towns you think you know. Subscribe for more local history and folklore! #TupperLake #AdirondackHistory #YoreTownPodcast #GreatFire1899 #NYHistory #SmallTownHistory #DisasterHistory #TupperLakeNY About the Beard Laws Network The Beard Laws Network is home to weekly shows covering true crime, conspiracies, family-life comedy, sports legends, and strange local history. New episodes drop every week from: Yore Town Podcast (True Crime) – Mondays Watch the Series Here TTT Podcast (Conspiracies) – Tuesdays Watch the Series Here Stay Outta My Fridge (Family Comedy) – Thursdays Watch the Series Here Street Sign Storytime (Local Lore) – Sundays Watch the Series Here Subscribe to never miss an episode! Listen to Full Episodes & Clips ➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLawsNetwork/shorts ➜ Main Beard Laws Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLaws Follow on Socials TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws Support the Show Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON! If you're invested in true crime and believe in justice, hit the like button and subscribe to Yore Town Podcast! Listen to Full Episodes & Clips ➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLawsNetwork/shorts ➜ Main Beard Laws Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLaws Follow on Socials TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws Support the Show Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Man Who Never Existed: The Al Kite Murder Mystery | Yoretown Podcast

A stranger answered a room-for-rent ad, passed every background check, and moved in. Then, he tortured his landlord and vanished into thin air. In this episode of Yore Town Podcast, we cover the terrifying unsolved murder of Oakey "Al" Kite. In 2004, Al did everything right when renting out his spare room in Aurora, Colorado. He checked references, verified employment, and trusted the man calling himself "Robert Cooper." But Robert Cooper didn't exist. We break down how this "Ghost Renter" fabricated an entire identity just to commit a calculated, torture-based murder. We discuss the DNA evidence left behind, the chilling ATM footage, and why investigators believe this man might still be out there, living under a new name. In this episode, we cover: Intro: The crime that knocks first The Victim: Who was Al Kite? The Renter: Meeting "Robert Cooper" The Deception: How he faked a background check The Crime: A torture session in the basement The Aftermath: The ATM video and the vanishing The DNA: Building a face from biology The Theory: Is he a serial killer? #TrueCrime #AlKite #UnsolvedMysteries #ColdCase #YoreTownPodcast #BeardLaws #RobertCooper #DNAphenotyping #MurderMystery About the Beard Laws Network The Beard Laws Network is home to weekly shows covering true crime, conspiracies, family-life comedy, sports legends, and strange local history. New episodes drop every week from: Yore Town Podcast (True Crime) – Mondays Watch the Series Here TTT Podcast (Conspiracies) – Tuesdays Watch the Series Here Stay Outta My Fridge (Family Comedy) – Thursdays Watch the Series Here Street Sign Storytime (Local Lore) – Sundays Watch the Series Here Subscribe to never miss an episode! Listen to Full Episodes & Clips ➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLawsNetwork/shorts ➜ Main Beard Laws Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLaws Follow on Socials TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws Support the Show Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON! If you're invested in true crime and believe in justice, hit the like button and subscribe to Yore Town Podcast! Listen to Full Episodes & Clips ➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLawsNetwork/shorts ➜ Main Beard Laws Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLaws Follow on Socials TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws Support the Show Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Lawson Family Christmas Tragedy: A True Crime Deep Dive | Yore Town Podcast

We investigate the dark truth behind the Lawson Family murders of Christmas Day 1929—the eerie family portrait, the "brain injury" theory, and why one son was left alive. In this episode of Yore Town, we uncover the chilling story of Charlie Lawson, the tobacco farmer who took his family into town for new clothes and a portrait just days before systematically ending their lives on Christmas morning. It remains one of the most haunting unsolved mysteries in North Carolina history. We analyze the strange behavior leading up to the crime, the eerie silence of the house that morning, and the "sequence" of events that suggests this wasn't a snap decision—it was a plan. Was it a traumatic brain injury? A dark family secret? Or something more sinister? In this episode, we cover: Intro: The Silent House on Christmas Day The Warning Signs: The "New Clothes" & The Portrait The Sequence: How the tragedy unfolded in Germanton, NC The Survivor: Arthur Lawson's story The Theories: Brain injury vs. Premeditated evil The Aftermath: A tourist attraction built on tragedy #LawsonFamilyMurders #TrueCrime #ChristmasTragedy #YoreTown #CharlieLawson #UnsolvedMysteries #TrueCrimePodcast #BeardLaws #1929Crime About the Beard Laws Network The Beard Laws Network is home to weekly shows covering true crime, conspiracies, family-life comedy, sports legends, and strange local history. New episodes drop every week from: Yore Town Podcast (True Crime) – Mondays Watch the Series Here TTT Podcast (Conspiracies) – Tuesdays Watch the Series Here Stay Outta My Fridge (Family Comedy) – Thursdays Watch the Series Here Street Sign Storytime (Local Lore) – Sundays Watch the Series Here Subscribe to never miss an episode! Listen to Full Episodes & Clips ➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLawsNetwork/shorts ➜ Main Beard Laws Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLaws Follow on Socials TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws Support the Show Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON! If you're invested in true crime and believe in justice, hit the like button and subscribe to Yore Town Podcast! Listen to Full Episodes & Clips ➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLawsNetwork/shorts ➜ Main Beard Laws Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLaws Follow on Socials TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws Support the Show Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Bardstown Murders: The Unsolved True Crime Case That Ended a Town’s Innocence | Yore Town Podcast

We investigate the tragic Bardstown Murders, the unsolved true crime case that shattered the innocence of a small Kentucky town and captivated the nation. In this powerful episode of the Yore Town Podcast, we take a deep dive into the string of shocking, interconnected, and still unsolved murders that rocked Bardstown, Kentucky. This is a small town with big secrets. We explore the details of the initial crime, the suspects, the subsequent investigations, and the devastating impact this wave of violence had on the community. From the quiet streets to the national headlines, this case raises chilling questions about how well you can ever truly know your neighbors. If you are interested in unsolved true crime, small-town mysteries, and cases where justice is still waiting, this episode is essential listening. #YoreTownPodcast #BardstownMurders #KentuckyTrueCrime #UnsolvedMurders #SmallTownSecrets #TrueCrimePodcast #BeardLaws About the Beard Laws Network The Beard Laws Network is home to weekly shows covering true crime, conspiracies, family-life comedy, sports legends, and strange local history. New episodes drop every week from: Yore Town Podcast (True Crime) – Mondays TTT Podcast (Conspiracies) – Tuesdays Stay Outta My Fridge (Family Comedy) – Thursdays Street Sign Storytime (Local Lore) – Sundays Subscribe to never miss an episode! If you are fascinated by cold cases and unsolved mysteries, hit the like button and subscribe to Yore Town Podcast! If you're invested in true crime and believe in justice, hit the like button and subscribe to Yore Town Podcast! Listen to Full Episodes & Clips ➜ Beard Laws Network Shorts: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLawsNetwork/shorts ➜ Main Beard Laws Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeardLaws Follow on Socials TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and more → https://linktr.ee/beardlaws Support the Show Like, comment, and share this episode — it helps the Network grow a TON! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Bizarre Sodder Children Disappearance: Fire, Conspiracy, and a Family's Desperate Search

A Christmas Eve fire, five missing children, and a chilling mystery that has lasted nearly 80 years. INVESTIGATE the Sodder case with us. Welcome to Yore Town, where we delve into the darkest corners of American true crime. This episode unpacks the most unsettling unsolved mystery of the 20th century: the disappearance of the Sodder children on Christmas Eve in 1945. In Fayetteville, West Virginia, a chaotic house fire consumed the Sodder home, but five children—Maurice, Martha, Louis, Jennie, and Betty—were never accounted for. The fire should have left physical evidence, but the frantic search yielded no human remains. This single, disturbing fact fueled a decades-long pursuit for the truth by the Sodder parents, who were convinced their children were still alive. We explore the bizarre circumstances that make this case unique: the mysterious late-night phone call, the ladder that vanished from the side of the house, the trucks that inexplicably wouldn't start, and eyewitness accounts of the children being seen after the fire. The investigation was poorly handled and riddled with inconsistencies, deepening the family's suspicion of foul play. The true heart of the mystery lies in the powerful conspiracy theories that emerged, including potential political retaliation linked to George Sodder’s outspoken views against Fascist Italy, or even involvement by organized crime. Join us as we analyze the official record against the family’s belief, the chilling clues, and the incredible hope maintained until their deaths. The Sodder children case remains a haunting symbol of unresolved tragedy in America. Key Takeaways & SEO Triggers: Sodder Children: The fate of the five missing children who vanished on Christmas Eve, 1945. Unsolved Mystery: Why no remains of the children were ever found, despite the devastating fire. Conspiracy Theories: Analyzing the potential for political motives or organized crime in the kidnapping. West Virginia Cold Case: The strange eyewitness accounts and the poor quality of the initial investigation. The Family Search: The Sodder parents' decades-long search and their belief that their children survived. If you are fascinated by cold cases and unsolved mysteries, hit the like button and subscribe to Yore Town Podcast! The What Happened to the Sodder Children? video covers the disappearance of the five Sodder children after the Christmas Eve fire in 1945. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.