Ep. 01: West of Everything

The American West fascinates people from around the world, but there are many different kinds of iconic western stories. Author Dan Flores has spent a career writing about what he calls the Natural West, stories about nature, animals, and people that span thousands of years of time in the western half of America. Although we reflexively think of history in America as new, this first episode emphasizes the West's true age by focusing on the great Chacoan Empire of a thousand years ago and what happened among its refugees in the Southwest in the wake of Chaco’s collapse from environmental causes. Thank you to our sponsor Velvet Buck. Subscribe now wherever you listen to podcasts. YouTube, Spotify, Apple, iHeart, Pandora, Amazon. MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Check out more MeatEater's American History audio originals "The Long Hunters" and "Mountain Men" Subscribe to The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop MeatEater MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Om Podcasten

In this new podcast, Flores chronicles the heroes, scoundrels, and pivotal events that defined the West, blending captivating stories of its charismatic animals, Jeffersonian explorations, and the adventurer-artists who immortalized Native peoples and western landscapes. From well-known tales to hidden gems, Flores uncovers the rich history of the West like never before. Joined by his former students Rinella and Williams, as well as other historians and special guests, Flores will share, debate, and reflect on these stories across 26 dynamic episodes.  Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of the American West—not just as a historical era, but as a lens for how we experience and appreciate the outdoors today.