Good News York | EP.174 feat. Christine Darrow – Christine the History Queen
In this episode of Good News York, host Matt Masur sits down with Christine Darrow, better known as Christine the History Queen. Christine is a historian, PBS television host, and soon-to-be published children’s book author with a passion for uncovering the untold stories of Upstate New York. From Benedict Arnold secretly building the Navy in the Adirondacks to the surprising Upstate New York roots of Disneyland, Christine brings history to life in ways you never expected.
Christine shares an update on season two of her PBS show, which dives deep into some of the most fascinating and overlooked stories in American history — all rooted right here in New York State. She talks about the infamous 1976 Bigfoot sighting in Whitehall, New York, which involved police officers, New York State Troopers, and the sheriff’s department, and how that small town has since made Sasquatch an official endangered species. Yes, really.
We also learn about Christine’s upcoming appearance at The MOST (Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology) in Syracuse on May 17th for the Children’s Storytelling Festival, where she will be performing a brand new, never-before-heard story in its first draft form — live in front of a real audience. Attendees will also get an exclusive sneak peek at her upcoming documentary about Charles Dickens’ visit to Syracuse, which has never aired on television.
On top of all that, Christine reveals the fascinating connection between a small theme park in Lake Placid, New York — Santa’s Workshop, the oldest operating theme park in the United States — and the creation of Disneyland. The very architect who designed Santa’s Workshop was recruited by Walt Disney to build Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Christine’s two new children’s books, focused on the history of Upstate New York, are set to be released in the fall of 2026, right in time for the holiday season. This is an episode packed with history, heart, and a whole lot of good news from right here in New York State.
Chapters:
0:00 – Introduction & Christine performs a preview of her new story
0:17 – Matt welcomes the audience to Click Stream Studios
0:36 – Introducing Christine the History Queen
1:07 – Christine explains her PBS show and how it traveled nationwide
1:40 – Upstate New York: Where does "upstate" actually begin?
2:30 – Christine’s children’s book series coming fall 2026
3:12 – What kind of stories does Christine tell? The untold ones.
3:48 – Benedict Arnold and the secret Navy in Whitehall, NY
4:54 – The 1976 Bigfoot sighting that put Whitehall on the map
5:55 – The Whitehall Bigfoot Festival and the Sasquatch calling contest
6:39 – Sasquatch: officially an endangered species in the Adirondacks
7:07 – Christine’s upcoming appearance at The MOST, May 17th
7:40 – Christine’s first book, self-published and picked up by Upstate Books
8:15 – Charles Dickens’ visit to Syracuse and the new Christmas documentary
10:28 – History repeating: Dickens’ Syracuse complaints sound very familiar today
11:09 – Disneyland’s surprising Upstate New York origin story
12:08 – Santa’s Workshop in Lake Placid: America’s first theme park
13:25 – The architect who built both Santa’s Workshop and Disneyland
14:56 – Closing thoughts and how to find Christine online
Find Christine the History Queen:
YouTube & Facebook: Christine the History Queen
Streaming now on PBS
Upcoming Event:
The MOST – Children’s Storytelling Festival | May 17th
www.most.org
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Filmed at Click Stream Studios: www.ClickStreamStudios.com
