56: Crocker Spite House and John Orr

This week we deep dive into how Billionaire James Crocker built a fence around a German immigrant's home in San Francisco and how legendary arson investigator John Orr's passion project doubled as a confession for some of California's worst fires. A listener email explains how the first ever women’s college basketball game was played at Smith College in 1893.

Episode Tabs:

The Man Who Built a 40-Foot Spite Fence Around His Neighbor’s Home

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/94298/crocker-spite-fence-san-francisco

He Was Both Fire Captain And Prolific Arsonist. His Novel Put Him In Prison.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-29/john-orr-glendale-fire-captain-prolific-arsonist

Listener Tabs:

Stone of Blarney, Meet Head of Lenin

https://lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2015/jul/10/stone-blarney-meet-head-lenin/

March 22, 1893: First Women’s Collegiate Basketball Game

https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/first-womens-collegiate-basketball-game/

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