Episodes

  • Echoes from Engine House No. 18

    Echoes from Engine House No. 18
    Mar 17 2026
    March 17, 2026 ~ In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois steps into the long shadow of Engine House No. 18, a red‑brick sentinel on Mount Elliott Avenue whose arched doors and hose‑drying tower have watched Detroit evolve for more than 130 years. Listeners are carried back to the 1890s, when a rapidly expanding city of factories, streetcars, and wood‑framed homes faced a constant threat from fire—and when a single spark could erase an entire neighborhood. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins
  • The Cadillac Chronicles: Uncovering the History of Detroit’s Limestone Giant

    The Cadillac Chronicles: Uncovering the History of Detroit’s Limestone Giant
    Mar 3 2026
    March 3, 2026 — In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois steps into the shadow of Detroit’s monumental Cadillac Place, a limestone giant on West Grand Boulevard whose walls have witnessed more than a century of ambition, innovation, and reinvention. Listeners will journey back to the 1910s, when General Motors—expanding at breakneck speed—chose this very block in the emerging New Center area to build a headquarters worthy of its growing empire. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    6 mins
  • The First Drive: Charles Brady King and Detroit’s Quiet Beginning

    The First Drive: Charles Brady King and Detroit’s Quiet Beginning
    Feb 18 2026
    Feb. 18, 2026 — In this episode of Hidden in Plain Sight, Dr. Robert Livernois journeys back to a frosty morning on Belle Isle in 1896, where Charles Brady King quietly made history. Listeners will discover how King—an engineer, artist, and inventor—became the first person to drive an automobile in Detroit, guiding his handmade machine across the island’s empty roads while a curious onlooker named Henry Ford watched from the sidelines. It’s a story of imagination, grit, and the spark that ignited the Motor City long before assembly lines and mass production reshaped the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins
  • The Legacy Behind Detroit’s United Sound Systems

    The Legacy Behind Detroit’s United Sound Systems
    Feb 10 2026
    Feb. 10, 2026 — This episode of Hidden in Plain Sight with Dr. Robert Livernois traces the rich history of Detroit’s United Sound Systems, exploring how the unassuming brick house on Second Avenue became a recording hub for artists from John Lee Hooker to Aretha Franklin. Listeners will hear how this landmark studio shaped generations of music and preserved Detroit’s creative spirit through decades of change. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    7 mins
  • Edgewater Park: Detroit’s Lost Playground

    Edgewater Park: Detroit’s Lost Playground
    Feb 3 2026
    Feb. 3, 2026 ~ Step back in time to a forgotten playground of Detroit’s West Side. In this episode, we uncover the magic of Edgewater Park, the 23‑acre amusement park that once brought joy, music, and escape to Seven Mile Road. From its roaring‑’20s debut and Depression‑era dime rides to the thunder of the Wild Beast roller coaster and Motown legends lighting up the stage, Edgewater was where Detroit came to play. Though the rides are gone and the gates long closed, the laughter, screams, and soul of the park still linger. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins
  • Tommy’s: Corktown’s Hidden Past

    Tommy’s: Corktown’s Hidden Past
    Jan 27 2026
    Jan. 27, 2026 ~ What do a scarred wooden bar, a maze of hidden tunnels, and Detroit’s most notorious mobsters have in common? A whole lot more than you’d ever guess. In this episode, we head into Corktown’s legendary Tommy’s Bar & Grill—an unassuming neighborhood joint that has quietly witnessed the city’s most turbulent eras. From whispers of Underground Railroad escape routes weaving beneath its floorboards to Prohibition‑era smuggling schemes run by the infamous Purple Gang (with Al Capone himself dropping by), Tommy’s history reads like a secret map of Detroit’s underbelly. Join us as we descend into the hidden passages, the outlaw lore, and the rebellious spirit that still lingers beneath 3rd Street. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins
  • The Guardian Building: Detroit's "Cathedral of Finance"

    The Guardian Building: Detroit's "Cathedral of Finance"
    Jan 20 2026
    Jan. 20, 2026 ~ What do Art Deco mosaics, secret currency plates, and experimental microwave relays have in common? A whole lot more than you'd ever guess. In this episode, we step inside Detroit’s Guardian Building — the towering “Cathedral of Finance” whose brilliant tiles, soaring arches, and quiet mysteries have watched over the city for nearly a century. It’s a witness, a keeper of secrets, and a living timeline of Detroit’s ambition, resilience, and reinvention. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    8 mins
  • The Mayor Who Fought Monopolies with Potatoes

    The Mayor Who Fought Monopolies with Potatoes
    Jan 13 2026
    June 17, 2025 ~ What do community gardens, streetcar fares, and a Civil War shoemaker have in common? A whole lot more than you'd think! In this episode, we uncover the legacy of Hazen Pingree – the man immortalized in bronze at Grand Circus Park – whose bold ideas and relentless drive helped shape the Detroit we know today. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
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    5 mins