Fall River’s history is full of fascinating stories and legends, some of which have sometimes become legendary.
For bite-sized doses of history, nothing beats podcasts. Most are free, educational, entertaining, and as portable as your smartphone. Podcasts can ease your commute, accompany you on a walk or to the gym, or transport you to the depths of your imagination while you do chores.
Be sure to listen to our 11+ podcast episodes about Fall River.
The person who was deceived: Jasiel Correia
The show, hosted by an anonymous man known only as “Concerned Citizen,” focuses on scammers and white-collar crime, and the 111th episode tells the story of former Fall River mayor Jasiel Correia, who is currently serving a six-year sentence in federal prison for defrauding investors through a smartphone app and extorting money from business owners looking to open marijuana shops.
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You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on their website.
Ten Times Worse: A Tragedy in Fall River’s History
Host Kate Winkler Dawson, a journalist and true crime documentarian, recounts some of the most horrific episodes in Fall River history, including the Great Fire, Lizzie Borden and the Satanic Scare, in a six-episode season titled “Blessings and Curses.”
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on their website.
True crime stories: From Tiverton body parts to murderous mothers, local mysteries go unsolved
What You Did Wrong: Lizzie Borden
Author Sarah Marshall’s show delves beneath the surface of urban legends and stories often told in the media to reveal what lies beneath. In this episode, YouTuber Princess Weeks joins Marshall to explain the Lizzie Borden story beyond the nursery rhyme “40 blows.”
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on their website.
Lizzie Borden Podcast: A History of Fall River
Hosted by local author and historian Steph Cooley, this thoroughly researched show features authors and historians discussing all sorts of topics related to South Coast history, from our city’s devastating fires to an in-depth primer on fact and fiction about Lizzie Borden.
Find the Lizzie Borden Podcast on YouTube.
True Crime Stories: Poisoned Jelly, Murderous Mothers, and Serious Murderers
Crime Junkie: Lizzie Borden
Hosted by Ashley Flowers and Britt Prawat, this fascinating show investigates spooky cases including serial murders, kidnappings, online scams, and unsolved mysteries from history. In the episode “Infamous,” they take a brief look at the Borden murder, one of the most notorious unsolved cases of all time.
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on their website.
Lights Out: The Murders of Carl Drew and Robin Murphy
The brutal murders of Doreen Levesque, Barbara Raposa, and Karen Marsden in Fall River in 1979 and 1980 contributed to the moral panic about Satanism that was sweeping America at the time. Lights Out tells terrifying tales of cults, demonic possession, exorcism, and other unsavory themes.
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on their website.
Is Fall River haunted? Podcast “Tenfold More Wicked” investigates the city’s true crime stories
Red Hand: The Murders of Carl Drew and Robin Murphy
Created by hosts Hannah Maguire and Sruthi Bhalla, the much-loved, award-winning British podcast is said to “deliver murder, wit and ‘WTF’ every week,” and has covered a range of topics including Atlantis, Aleister Crowley and British cryptids, as well as an episode investigating a triple murder that rocked the South Coast.
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on their website.
Spooky South Coast: Paranormal Activity
The show explores the supernatural far beyond criminal history – from vampires and Bigfoot to the Bridgewater Triangle – all with a distinctly southeastern New England feel. Hosted by Tim Weisberg.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or YouTube .
What you missed in history class: King Philip’s War
Hosted by Tracy V. Wilson and Holly Frey on the iHeartRadio network, this long-running show is more historically rooted and focuses on the unusual. The show has had episodes on Lizzie Borden (of course) and King Philip’s War, an underappreciated piece of early American history that happened pretty close to home.
Listen on Apple Podcasts or iHeartRadio.
The Left’s Last Podcast: A Two-Parter on Lizzie Borden
One of the definitive true crime podcasts, LPOTL took more than one episode to delve into the Lizzie Borden story. The episode covers the background, crime and media buzz surrounding the trial, as well as the 1893 Bertha Manchester Axe Murder.
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or our website.
Have you heard? The It’s Called Culture podcast explores and celebrates Portuguese growth and the millennial generation
It’s called culture: Fall River and Portuguese culture
Lifelong friends and Fall River natives Kelly Ferreira and Melissa Cole have been podcasting since 2022, sharing stories of millennials growing up in the Fall River area, with a particular focus on the quirkiness of their Portuguese roots. In between, they discuss a variety of topics, all with a light touch and South Coast flair.
You can listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on our website.
Dan Medeiros can be reached at dmedeiros@heraldnews.com Support local journalism by subscribing to the digital or print edition of The Herald News today.
