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There’s the Mormon history you do know … and the Mormon history you don’t. Join Lindsay Hansen Park (Year of Polygamy) and historian Bryan Buchanan as they gossip about their ancestors and dig into all aspects of Mormonism’s astonishing 200-year past—uncovering the little-known stories that chronicle how a six-person church grew into a multi-billion-dollar religion. Episodes for this podcast are released every other week.

This podcast is heavily researched. For information on sources, and for additional reading for each episode's topic, click here.

Listen to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or stream episodes right here on Sunstone.org.

E48: The Mack/Daddy Smiths

September 24, 2021

How did Joseph Smith Jr.’s parents and their upbringings influence Mormonism? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss the early cultures and ideas in New England that made an impact …

E47: Before They Were Famous: Hosea Stout

September 10, 2021

He was the murderous, rough-and-tumble police chief in Nauvoo, but Hosea Stout was also a lot more than that. Join Lindsay and Bryan as they talk about the history of …

E46: Israel, Israel, Joseph’s Calling

August 27, 2021

A great majority of Latter-day Saints can trace their roots to immigrants who were part of the “Great gathering of Israel.” Immigration to Nauvoo was just the beginning, bringing thousands …

E45: Boston and the Case of the Kissing Wives

August 13, 2021

While Mormonism was steamboats and celestial sealings over in Nauvoo, something else was afoot in old B-town. Bryan and Lindsay describe some of the lesser known Mormon settlements, including the …

E44: Masons and Martyrs

July 30, 2021

Mormonism has a long and interesting history with Masonry. The beginnings of those connections are as fascinating as the history itself. In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the complicated …

E43: Before They Were Famous: Jacob Hamblin and Jane Manning James

July 16, 2021

Two famed Mormon pioneers, Jacob and Jane helped shape Mormonism in a big way. But how much do you know about them? Join Lindsay and Bryan as they discuss what …

E42: Text Appeal and Nauvoo Justice

July 2, 2021

Understanding the legal system of early Nauvoo helps give context for the tumultuous events facing Mormons in the 1840s. Lindsay and Bryan bring on legal expert John Dinger to sort …

E41: Brigham Young and the Chamber of Secrets

June 18, 2021

For years a handful of polygamy deniers have published books and periodicals claiming that Joseph Smith never practiced polygamy and that it was a later invention of Brigham Young. In …

E40: Heads or Tails

June 4, 2021

The assassination attempt on former Missouri governor Lilburn Boggs still remains a mystery to this day. Bryan and Lindsay go over the events, with the help of historian Christopher C. …

E39: Boys With Sticks

May 21, 2021

In this fascinating episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the origins and history of the Nauvoo Legion, with special guest and renowned Nauvoo historian, Benjamin Park. Grace

About Our Hosts

Lindsay Hansen Park is host of the Year of Polygamy podcast and executive director of the Sunstone Education Foundation. A single-mom of three kids by day, and nerd researcher by night, Lindsay lives in Salt Lake City, Utah where she interacts with hundreds of different restoration branches, Latter-day Saints and Mormon fundamentalists. Her adventures have led her to some of the most isolated fundamentalist compounds in the America West where she interacts with modern day outlaws, inlaws and everything in between. Her goal is to widen the conversation about common and shared heritages within the larger Mormon diaspora.

Lindsay
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Bryan Buchanan works at Benchmark Books, surrounded by Mormon history. At night, he herds small children and works on umpteen book projects, some of which might even be published.