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Smokey The Bear
Learn all about the origin of America's fire-prevention mascot, Smokey The Bear! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership The Biltmore Estate - Asheville, NC Gifford Pinchot, the first pr...
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May 11, 2026
Smokey The Bear
Learn all about the origin of America's fire-prevention mascot, Smokey The Bear! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership The Biltmore Estate - Asheville, NC Gifford Pinchot, the first pr...
April 28, 2026
Barbershops
Learn all about the origin of barbering, one of the world's oldest professions! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/OnTheOriginOfEverything/membership?vanity=OnTheOriginOfEverything Ancient Egyptian Tomb Relief of Bar...
April 13, 2026
Blue Jeans
Learn all about the surprisingly old origin of the durable, blue fabric we call the blue jean! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership Woad Dye Indigo Dye John Kay's Flying Shuttle (1733...
March 31, 2026
Commonly Used Phrases (Part 2)
Back by popular demand, more idiom origins! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership WWI No Man's Land Photo Joseph Heller’s satirical war novel from 1961 George Orwell's 1949 Dystopian N...
March 16, 2026
Birthdays
Learn all about the origins of birthday celebration traditions! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership Libum (Ancient Cake) Savillum (Ancient Cake) Placenta (Ancient Cake) Patty Smith H...
March 3, 2026
Disneyland
Learn all about the origins of the happiest place on earth: Disneyland! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership Marceline, MO Electric Park Electric Park The site-selection study conduct...
Feb. 16, 2026
Playgrounds
Learn all about how we got playgrounds, and why they are the way they are! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership Children's Playground in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. The Hull Hous...
Feb. 3, 2026
Commonly Used Phrases
Learn all about the origins of common expressions we use all the time! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership The origin of "loose cannon." A "clean Bill of Health" report from 1810. Th...
Jan. 19, 2026
Tupperware
Learn all about the origins of the food storage containers we all call Tupperware! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership Leo Baekeland, inventor of the first fully-synthetic plastic: B...
Jan. 6, 2026
Advertising & Jingles
Learn all about the development of advertising, and who pioneered the practice of jingles! Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/c/ontheoriginofeverything/membership The first political cartoon advertised in print. Benjam...