Chowchilla, CA/ Skidmore, MO

Chowchilla, CA/ Skidmore, MO

Author: Fred Knoop October 11, 2019 Duration: 49:23

Chowcilla California lays in Madera County with a population of 18,270. It’s name is derived from Native American tribe known as the Chaushila, a Yokut tribe. It is said that the name translates to “murderers” which is a reference to the warlike nature of the tribe. Other then it’s intereting name there is not much to be said about the little town, but in 1976 something did happen that would put Chowcilla on the map.


WikiPedia article about Chowchilla, California


WikiPedia article about 1976 Chowchilla kidnapping


www.latimes.com/visuals/photography/la-me-fw-archives-the-1976-chowchilla-bus-kidnapping-20190709-htmlstory.html


www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2011-apr-03-la-me-chowchilla-kidnapping-20110404-story.html


Skidmore is indeed a small town, with only a population of 284. The local St. Oswald’s Protestant Epicopal Church is on is on the National Register of Historic Places. The town held a yearly “Punkin’ Show” up until 2004. It’s not the Punkin’ Show or the historical church people whisper about when they talk about Skidmore, it’s the shooting of former town bully Kennith Rex Mcelory. As you well see this story is the epitome of a small town secret. 


WikiPedia article about Skidmore, Missouri


WikiPedia article about Ken McElroy


www.bustle.com/p/13-things-about-ken-mcelroys-shooting-you-need-to-know-before-watching-no-one-saw-a-thing-18497585


YouTube video (tZktTdGHaJY). Buzzfeed Unsolved The Strange Killing of Ken Rex McElory”


morbidology.com/the-town-that-got-away-with-murder/


Local Headlines


www.coasttocoastam.com/article/watch-fleet-of-ufos-caught-on-film


www.cnet.com/news/mysterious-fireball-that-crashed-and-burned-wasnt-a-meteor/


www.mcdowellnews.com/news/bigfoot-posts-photos-of-strange-figure-at-lake-james/article_75933f40-e533-11e9-9342-c333d513abb0.html


Listener Stories


www.weirdca.com/location.php?location=482


https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/accidental-death-of-picked-on-teen-stirs-peers-remorse/article4149177/


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There's a particular kind of quiet that settles over a small town, a hush that often holds more than it reveals. Small Town Secrets, hosted by Fred Knoop, goes digging beneath that surface calm to find the stories that define a place. Each episode is a journey to a different community somewhere in the world, where the strange and the historical intertwine. You might hear about a decades-old mystery that still divides local opinion, or an architectural oddity with a bizarre origin story. The scope is broad, touching on unexplained phenomena, compelling historical footnotes, and those simply peculiar events that become local legend. This isn't just about cataloging oddities; it's about understanding how these narratives become woven into the fabric of a community's identity, shaping its culture and the people who live there. Knoop approaches each tale with a curious and respectful tone, letting the atmosphere and the details build a vivid sense of place. The podcast serves as an audio travelogue to the shadowy corners of the map, proving that sometimes the most remote locations harbor the most fascinating secrets. It’s for anyone who suspects that the real story of a town isn't found on the welcome sign, but whispered in its diners and remembered in its forgotten buildings.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 80

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