Rephonic
Artwork for Offbeat Oregon History podcast
Oregon
Square Dancing
Jim Turk
Lewis O'neil
Chemawa Indian School
Oregon History
Shanghaiing
Amanda Mcdaniel
Lewis Mcdaniel
Folklore
Milwaukie
Portland
Oregon Trail
Ashland
Murder
Community Events
Bank Robbery
Butch Cassidy
Works Progress Administration
Lemuel H. Wells

A daily (5-day-a-week) podcast feed of true Oregon stories -- of heroes and rascals, of shipwrecks and lost gold. Stories of shanghaied sailors and Skid Road bordellos and pirates and robbers and unsolved mysteries. An exploding whale, a couple shockingly scary cults, a 19th-century serial killer, several very naughty ladies, a handful of solid-brass con artists and some of the dumbest bad guys in... more

PublishesDailyEpisodes197Founded14 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryPlaces & TravelSociety & Culture

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Artwork for Offbeat Oregon History podcast

Latest Episodes

Fishermen working in heavy 24-foot boats at the mouth of the Columbia kept getting sucked out onto the bar and drowning in its massive breakers. Their odds of not surviving a season were as high as 1 in 15. (Astoria, Clatsop County; 1880s, 1890s) (Fo... more

Ashamed to show his face in Astoria after causing the loss of the biggest passenger liner on the West Coast, Thomas Doig slunk away to South America and remade himself as a military man. (Columbia River Bar, Clatsop County; 1870s) (For text and pictu... more

Sometime in 1915, a 40-year-old Black woman named Frankie Baker stepped off the train at Portland’s Union Station. She had come to stay; Oregon would be her home for the rest of her life. At that time, Portland had a a reputation as a good place to h... more

THE STORY TOLD in “Frankie and Johnny” is very well known — the song has been covered by at least 250 recording artists over the last 120 years. Mae West made it her theme song. Elvis Presley’s recording earned him a gold record. Originally a ragtime... more

Key Facts

Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

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Recent Guests

Mrs. Clyde B. Huntley
A descendant of early Oregon pioneers who shares her family's history
Episode: The Barlow Family and their walnut trees; also, some twin-sister hijinks (WPA oral-history interview with Mrs. Clyde B. Huntley)
Gertrude Balch Ingalls
Informant recounting her childhood experiences in Oregon
Not explicitly stated
Episode: A hardshell-Methodist childhood in frontier Oregon (WPA oral-history interview with Gertrude Balch Ingalls, 1 of 2)
W.C. Driver
Reverend and Baptist preacher who provided an oral history of his experiences in early Oregon
Baptist Church
Episode: Old Baptist circuit rider remembers preaching in a railroad chapel car (WPA oral-history interview with Rev. W.C. Driver)
Mrs. J.M. Lawrence
A pioneer and the daughter of an editress, sharing her family's story and experiences in early Oregon.
Episode: Memories of a Yamhill County pioneer and newspaper editress's daughter (WPA oral-history interview with Mrs. J.M. Lawrence)
J.J. Kadderly
An 84-year-old tinsmith with a lifelong interest in horses and horse racing
Episode: Horses and horse racing in VERY early Portland (WPA oral-history interview with J.J. Kadderly)
Annie Cason Lee
Pioneer who crossed the Oregon Trail in 1853 and shares her family’s experiences during the journey.
None
Episode: The Cason family's experience on the Oregon Trail (WPA oral-history interview with Sara B. Wrenn)
Mrs. Neil Niven
Former school teacher in the mining town of Granite, Oregon
Episode: Life in a Wild West frontier mining town (WPA oral-history interview with Mrs. Neil Niven, chronicler of life in Granite, pt. 1 of 3)
George Duffy
Informant in the oral history interview, shared personal experiences with dance culture
N/A
Episode: Old-time square dance culture (WPA oral-history interview with George Gibby)
Harvey Gordon Starkweather
Manager of the Broadway building in Portland and a long-time resident of Milwaukie
None
Episode: Early settlement in Milwaukie (WPA oral-history interview with Harvey Starkweather, Part 1 of 2)

Host

Finn J.D. John
Host of Offbeat Oregon History; provides narrative history episodes with archival sourcing and a distinctive storytelling voice.

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 259 ratings
  • A quirky delight

    The stories from this podcast bring life and color to the State of Oregon.

    As a transplant I feel like I now have an ‘in’ into our adopted state. The way Fin weaves the story into a delightful tapestry to show the whole picture is with a true story tellers gift!

    The short format also allows me to listen on the go and I now always have a pocket full of weird and wonderful stories to pass along.

    Thank You for such a great podcast!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    a_swell_mom
    United States8 months ago
  • Native Oregonian learning a bit more about “Gods Country.”

    I came upon this podcast accidentally and love what I’ve heard so far… easy listen chock-full of informative Oregon history. Thank you from an appreciative Portlander now in Texas.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    MBuss
    United States2 years ago
  • Informative, funny and adorable!

    I just love this podcast. I binged every episode and look forward to the new ones. Finn is an amazing orator and storyteller who makes history fascinating. I came to this podcast during a very dark time in my life and it brought me a sense of joy and connection with my local history. It also inspires me artistically, for some reason. I get great inspiration from the tales of the past, and it connects me with the humanity that we all have no matter what century we reside in the great state of Ore... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Murrishmo
    United States2 years ago
  • Excellent mostly unknown stories of Oregon

    Excellent, mostly unknown stories of Oregon

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    DPH111
    United States3 years ago
  • Awesome!

    One of my favorite podcasts! I hope one day to meet J.T. Good job on this podcast. If your ever close to C.G Oregon I’d like to meet yo my brother.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Duckers33
    United States3 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

High-quality sourcing and a knack for tying local legends to real historical context are commonly mentioned strengths.
The host has a calm, memorable voice and makes obscure Oregon stories feel relatable and entertaining.
A few reviews reference the show as a daily, reliable source of quirky regional history and culture.
Lively, engaging storytelling about Oregon history that's easy to listen to on the go.
Content is consistently informative, family-friendly, and quick to consume—great for road trips and daily listening.
Listeners praise the breadth of topics from maritime tales to political history and preservation stories.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per EpisodeGender SkewLocation
InterestsProfessionsAge Range
Household IncomeSocial Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Offbeat Oregon History podcast

What is Offbeat Oregon History podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This history-focused daily show specializes in Oregon lore, weaving concise, narrative episodes about colorful locals, notable disasters, quirky legends, and unsolved mysteries from the state's past. Episodes are typically short, under 15 minutes, and emphasize vivid storytelling, archival sourcing, and a balanced mix of maritime tales, frontier life, political oddities, and cultural curiosities. The host's approachable voice and crisp pacing make obscure local history feel approachable and highly shareable, with frequent callbacks to sources and related artifacts. A recurring strength is turning lesser-known or forgotten episodes into engaging, road-trip–friendly history snapshots that are easy to consume on the go. The format and subject ... more

Where can I find podcast stats for Offbeat Oregon History podcast?

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How many listeners does Offbeat Oregon History podcast get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers Offbeat Oregon History podcast has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Offbeat Oregon History podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Offbeat Oregon History podcast:

1. Welcome To Oregon: A Oregon History & Lore Podcast
2. History That Doesn't Suck
3. Myths and Legends
4. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
5. Science Friday

How many episodes of Offbeat Oregon History podcast are there?

Offbeat Oregon History podcast launched 14 years ago and published 197 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Offbeat Oregon History podcast?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Offbeat Oregon History podcast?

Recent guests on Offbeat Oregon History podcast include:

1. Mrs. Clyde B. Huntley
2. Gertrude Balch Ingalls
3. W.C. Driver
4. Mrs. J.M. Lawrence
5. J.J. Kadderly
6. Annie Cason Lee
7. Mrs. Neil Niven
8. George Duffy

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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