The Indispensables: How the Marblehead Regiment Saved Washington’s Army

The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates Interview Series

🎧 They didn’t just serve Washington—they saved the Revolution. Listen now:
👉 https://apple.co/3FAbebT

🪖 They weren't just soldiers. They were fishermen, craftsmen, abolitionists, and immigrants.
🫱🏽‍🫲🏼 Black, white, Native American, and Hispanic—united not by uniform, but by purpose.

🎙️ On the latest episode of The Not Old Better Show, Smithsonian Associates series, I sat down with acclaimed military historian and author Patrick K. O’Donnell to uncover the nearly lost story of The Indispensables—a Marblehead, Massachusetts regiment that quite literally carried the Revolution on their backs... and in their boats.

Patrick O’Donnell will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates coming up and the title of his presentation is The Indispensables: How the Marblehead Regiment Saved Washington’s Army. Check out our show notes today for more details, but we have Smithsonian Associate Patrick O’Donnell today!

🌊 From rowing Washington across the ice-filled Delaware on Christmas night...
⚓ To creating the foundations of the U.S. Navy...
🧪 To leading one of America’s first public health responses to a deadly virus outbreak...
…these soldier-mariners defined what it means to serve a country still being imagined.

📚 Patrick’s storytelling is immersive, human, and deeply researched—bringing back voices that history left behind. Including the “canceled” Revolutionary War-era doctor who was shunned, then went on to save the entire Continental Army.

🇺🇸 This isn’t just a story of battle—it’s a story of character, community, and what happens when ordinary people do extraordinary things.

If you believe in the power of history to teach us something about the present… this one’s worth your time.

🔗 Listen now: https://apple.co/3FAbebT
💬 And if you’re moved by the conversation—drop a comment or share with someone who’d love this.

For more details, please check out Smithsonian Associates:

https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/indispensables

🔍 When most of us think “Viking,” we picture raiders, longboats, and epic battles. But what if the true story was quieter—yet even more powerful?

Historian and BBC broadcaster Dr. Eleanor Barraclough joins us for an unforgettable Smithsonian Associates episode of The Not Old Better Show to talk about her new book, Embers of the Hands: Hidden Histories of the Viking Age. Dr. Barraclough will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates coming up and the title of her presentation is Hidden Histories of the Viking Age. Check out our website for more details at

https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/viking-age

In our conversation, we go far beyond helmets and heroics. Dr. Barraclough shares how artifacts like carved antler combs, rune-covered graffiti, and tiny gaming pieces reveal the daily lives of Viking women, children, farmers, artisans, and travelers. It’s not just about who fought and conquered—but who cooked, cursed, loved, and played.

She also talks about why we need to rethink our historical framework—not as fixed timelines and famous names, but as rivers of human experience, emotion, and connection.

If you're over 50—or simply curious about the past—this conversation offers a reminder that history is less about textbooks and more about touchstones.
🎧 Listen here: https://apple.co/3FAbebT

#NotOldBetter #SmithsonianAssociates #VikingAge #HistoricalResearch #PublicHistory #EmbersOfTheHands #HumanHistory #LifelongLearning

📚 What if Canada had become part of the United States?

In 1774, the Continental Congress sent heartfelt letters to Quebec—inviting Canadians to join the American Revolution. When the letters didn’t work, they tried something else: invasion.

Smithsonian Associate, author, historian, Ralph Nurnberger joins The Not Old Better Show in partnership with Smithsonian Associates to explain this little-known history. Smithsonian Associate Ralph Nurnberger will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates on August 21, 2025, and the title of his presentation is "One Border, Two Nations: U.S.–Canadian Relations, 1774–1816." From diplomatic missions with Benjamin Franklin to failed military campaigns in the Canadian snow, Ralph reveals how America’s northern dreams unraveled.

But this isn’t just a story about war—it’s about identity. While Americans were building a nation based on liberty and representation, Canadians were choosing something different: cultural preservation, religious freedom, and a path loyal to Britain.

The rejection wasn’t personal—it was defining. And it helped shape the two countries we know today.

🎧 Listen to the full episode: https://notold-better.com
🎙️ With Paul Vogelzang and guest Smithsonian Associate Ralph Nurnberger
#Leadership #History #CanadaUSRelations #SmithsonianAssociates #NotOldBetter #LifelongLearning

Smithsonian Associate Ralph Nurnberger will be appearing at Smithsonian Associates on August 21, 2025, and the title of his presentation is "One Border, Two Nations: U.S.–Canadian Relations, 1774–1816."

https://smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/programs/u-s-canadian-relations-1774-1816