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.
E89: Year in Review
The Season of Nauvoo is (finally) in the books. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss the year and the new season ahead.
Episode 88: Vilate Kimball and the Nauvoo Temple Mysteries
As we wrap up the Nauvoo era of Mormon history, we focus in on a lesser known figure that had a big impact on Mormonism: Vilate Kimball
E87: Sam Goes Brannanas
In the beginning, Sam Brannan might have been a loyal Mormon leader, but the glitter of gold and the allurements of the world are about to test his mettle. Join …
E86: The Upper California
In this episode, Lindsay and Bryan discuss the Mormons’ first venture heading west: Samuel Brannan’s expedition to the so-called, “Upper California.” Special thanks to Matt Riley for the cameo on …
E85: The Quincy Convention
After the death of Joseph Smith, things got even wilder in Nauvoo. Bryan and Lindsay talk about the crazy chaos and sit down with historian Dr. Benjamin Park to unpack …
E84: BONUS EPISODE: Shadow Succession Crisis
Remember when Brigham Young disbanded the Relief Society shortly after Joseph Smith’s death? We do. Or do we…? In this long-awaited and teased BONUS episode, Bryan and Lindsay sit down …
E83: BONUS EPISODE: Death of a Founder
In this special bonus episode, historian Christopher C. Smith interviews Joseph West about a paper he coauthored with Eric W. Schoon, titled, “From Prophecy to Practice: Mutual Selection Cycles in the …
E82: Succession Crisis Showdown
It’s finally here; the story of how Brigham Young took over the church after Joseph Smith’s death. We’ve shown you the candidates, and now it’s time for the Succession Crisis …
E81: The True Mission of Captain Cutler
Alpheus Cutler broke with Brigham Young but his timing couldn’t have been worse. Join Bryan and Lindsay as they discuss Cutler’s role in the succession crisis in Mormonism and the Cutlerite …
E80: Tinseltown and the Curse of Beaver Island
In the final part of the James Strang saga, Bryan and Lindsay discuss the rise and downfall of the growing Mormon congregation on Beaver island known as the Strangite movement.
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.
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.