About this episode

The episode explores the Polaris Expedition of 1871 and the ambitions of Charles Francis Hall to reach the North Pole.

This week On Tales we travel back to 1871, to take a journey to the top of the world. Our intrepid hero, Charles Francis Hall has dreams of becoming the first man to stand on the North Pole - but dreams can sometimes go horribly awry. Just what happened to the Polaris Expedition? This is part one of a two parter (part two will follow after we take a brief intermission for a Halloween special episode.) Content warnings: Death. Gun violence. Sources Include:Fatal North by Bruce Henderson.Arctic Experiences… by Euphemia Blake The Arctic Grail by Pierre BertonThis New York Times article on John Torrington (that, shockingly, was not behind a paywall) by Leanne Shapton Support Tales on Patreon for $2 US a month and get access to exclusive content, or Try our 7 Day Free Trial. Please leave Tales a like and a review wherever you listen. The best way you can support us is to share an episode with a friend - Creative works grow best by word of mouth. I post episodes fortnightly, Wednesdays. Tales of History and Imagination can be found on… | Facebook |TikTok | Threads | YouTube | Bluesky |

More episodes of Tales of History and Imagination

• The Sacred Band -Two · April 10, 2026 · 31 min
• The Sacred Band - One · March 21, 2026 · 28 min
• The Tichborne Claimant - Two · February 23, 2026 · 52 min
• Tales From The Patreon · January 17, 2026 · 29 min
• Update: The 2025 Season Cliffhanger · January 10, 2026 · 1 min
• The Miser of Marcham Park - Revisited · December 18, 2025 · 15 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Tales of History and Imagination podcast page.