That’s Terrible!

On May 18, 1980, Mount St. Helens experienced the most devastating volcanic eruption the United States had ever seen. Now, on the anniversary, Erika and Amelia are talking with a park ranger who spends every day at the Mount St. Helens Visitor Center in Washington telling people about everything the mountain has to offer. Alysa Adams talks about life before, during and after the eruption, and what it's like to grow up in the shadow of a volcano.

One quick correction though, because nobody's perfect: Harmony Falls was 100 feet tall, not 1,000. 

 

Books:

Gopher to the Rescue! A volcano recovery story.

I Survived the Eruption of Mount Saint Helens

VOLCANO: The Eruption and Healing of Mount Saint Helens

 

Check out these educational videos (with dancing!)

Motion of the Mountain - Part 1

Motion of the Mountain - Part 2

Motion of the Mountain - Part 3

 

Additional educational videos:

Earthquake Shake!

Have a blast at our Mt. St. Helens Visitor Center!

Ashcam Webcam: USGS Volcano Hazards Program

Mount St Helens Visitor Center | Washington State Parks

Mount St. Helens Institute | Mount St. Helens Institute

GeoGirls - Mount St. Helens Science Camp | Mount St. Helens Institute

 

Resources for adults:

Search | U.S. Geological Survey

Mount St. Helens

 

Questions? Idea for an upcoming episode? Email us at thepodcastgrotto@gmail.com.

The Great Chicago Fire occurred over three days in October 1871 and destroyed more than three square miles of the city. It began in a barn belonging to Catherine and Patrick O'Leary, but what sparked the fire and who was responsible remains a mystery to this day.

The most popular theory is that a cow kicked a lantern over (probably because there's actually a song about it) but the real culprit could be as human as you and me.

In this episode, Erika and Amelia talk to Ann Keating, a history professor in Naperville, Illinois about the fire and how it changed Chicago.

 

If you want to learn more about the fire, check out these books:

The Great Chicago Fire and the Myth of Mrs. O'Leary's Cow by Richard Bales

I Survived the Great Chicago Fire by Lauren Tarshis. There's also a graphic novel version. 

 

We learned after recording this episode that Aly's Monkey Movement has ended their operations, but there's a new group taking up its cause. The Brookie Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children with neurodivergence and medical needs. Their core work is to provide resources and items for these children, but through their initiative called Brookie's Bears, they're able to provide stuffed animals that bring comfort to those who need it most. 

 

Questions? Idea for an upcoming episode? Email us at thepodcastgrotto@gmail.com.

Welcome to Centralia, Pennsylvania, a town with just a few residents and a wild history. Long ago, it was a bustling coal mining town, but everything changed in 1962 when a fire broke out underground. That fire still burns today and will probably continue for 250 years. 

Erika and Amelia are joined this week by David DeKok, author of Fire Underground: The Ongoing Tragedy of the Centralia Mine Fire. He shares his theory about how the fire started and what it's like to visit Centralia today.

Find more kid-friendly Centralia history here. 

And don't forget to check out the Fish Doorbell and assist the lock keeper of Utrecht in The Netherlands in helping the fish move through the lock.

 

Questions? Idea for an upcoming episode? Email us at thepodcastgrotto@gmail.com.

Get ready for an adventure into one of history’s greatest mysteries! In this episode, hosts Amelia and Erika take to the skies to explore the incredible life—and puzzling disappearance—of pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart. Who was she? What made her such a fearless trailblazer? And what might have happened on her final flight?

Joining the show is special guest Sterling Falk from the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum in Atchison, Kansas, who shares fascinating facts, behind-the-scenes stories, and kid-friendly insights about Earhart’s legacy. 

Packed with curiosity, history, and a dash of mystery, this episode invites young listeners to think like explorers, ask big questions, and imagine what it takes to chase your dreams—even when the journey gets tough.

Special thanks this week to the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum. Also worth visiting in Atchison: the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, where Amelia herself once lived and the Atchison Area Visitor and Information Center, where we learned the town's rich history outside of aviation.

If you want to read more about Amelia Earhart, here are some books we think you'll enjoy:

The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray

Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History (young readers edition) by Heith O'Brien

Who Was Amelia Earhart? by Kate Boehm Jerome

20 Hours, 40 Minutes, Our Flight in the Friendship by Amelia Earhart

 

Questions? Idea for an upcoming episode? Email us at thepodcastgrotto@gmail.com.