On this episode of Common Mystics, Jennifer and Jill journey to California's coast to uncover the remarkable story of Juana Maria, the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island, whose eighteen years of isolation inspired the classic novel Island of the Blue Dolphins and became one of the most enduring legends in American history.

But the legend isn't the whole story. We trace the history of the Channel Islands and the Nicoleño people, explore the devastating impact of colonization, the fur trade, and the California mission system, and reveal how one woman came to embody the final chapter of an entire culture. Along the way, we separate myth from history, uncover surprising discoveries made by modern historians, and examine the facts that challenge the version of Juana Maria's story that many grew up believing.

Could the truth be even more extraordinary than the legend? Join us as we explore one of California's most haunting and unforgettable stories.

For photos and other historical images that bring this story to life, be sure to visit the Common Mystics YouTube channel and follow along as we discuss the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island, CA.

If you love uncovering hidden history and discovering the powerful stories woven into the places we explore, please consider supporting Common Mystics on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics. Your support helps us continue traveling, researching, and giving voice to the forgotten stories that still linger in the shadows.

On this episode of Common Mystics*, Jen and Jill investigate the unsolved 1944 murder of Hollywood heiress Georgette Bauerdorf, whose brutal death behind the glamour of wartime Los Angeles remains one of the city's most haunting and enduring mysteries. Found deceased in her own bathtub under suspicious circumstances, Georgette’s case shocked a city already steeped in secrecy and shadow during World War II. As we peel back the layers of her life, we uncover connections to elite social circles and a trail of unanswered questions that have lingered for decades. Join us as we explore the eerie details, possible suspects, and enduring theories surrounding a case that still refuses to be laid to rest.

For photos and other historical images that bring this story to life, be sure to visit the Common Mystics YouTube channel and follow along as we discuss the unsolved murder of Georgette Bauerdorf.

If you love uncovering hidden history and discovering the powerful stories woven into the places we explore, please consider supporting Common Mystics on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics. Your support helps us continue traveling, researching, and giving voice to the forgotten stories that still linger in the shadows.

* This episode includes discussion of violence, sexual assault and murder. Sensitive listeners, please use discretion.

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill follow the incredible rise and dramatic fall of Bugsy Siegel, the gangster who helped transform Las Vegas from a dusty desert town into a glittering entertainment destination. Born into poverty in the crowded streets of New York City, Bugsy clawed his way to the top of the criminal underworld and became one of the most powerful mobsters of his time. Along the way, he rubbed elbows with Hollywood stars, built the Flamingo Hotel, and helped create the blueprint for the modern Las Vegas Strip. But in 1947, his story came to a violent end when a gunman opened fire through the window of a posh Beverly Hills residence. As Jen and Jill set out to uncover Bugsy's story, they quickly realize he may be the one coming through—but he's not alone. Another unexpected voice emerges from the shadows, offering a side of the story the sisters never anticipated.

For photos, maps, and historical images that bring this story to life, be sure to visit the Common Mystics YouTube channel and follow along as we uncover the fascinating life and mysterious death of Bugsy Siegel.

If you love uncovering hidden history and discovering the powerful stories woven into the places we explore, please consider supporting Common Mystics on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics. Your support helps us continue traveling, researching, and giving voice to the forgotten stories that still linger in the shadows.

* This episode includes discussion of violence and murder. Sensitive listeners, please use discretion.

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill pull back the curtain and get a little more personal than usual. They dive into a chapter of their lives that was equal parts heartbreaking and life-shaping, sharing the story of their father: a man who brought laughter, chaos, love, and pain in ways that still echo today. It’s a story with sharp edges and soft spots, and while there’s a space in their hearts that never quite filled back in, it’s also the very thing that helped forge their strength, their resilience, and the women they are now.

Support Common Mystics on Patreon and get exclusive bonus content and monthly video calls with Jen & Jill!!! https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics

Check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@commonmystics5053

Please enjoy this repost of a fan favorite! On this classic episode of Common Mystics, Jennifer and Jill discuss their late mother Stella, who modeled for her daughters a discerning, yet eclectic approach to religion, spirituality, and the divination arts. Laugh with them as they relate stories that exemplify Stella's humor and strength, and learn how their mother continues to be present in their every day lives. Do YOU ever wonder if your late loved ones are communicating with YOU? Jennifer and Jill explain how they know that they are.

Support Common Mystics on Patreon and get exclusive bonus content and monthly video calls with Jen & Jill!!! https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill travel to a town that feels suspended in time on the Upper Mississippi: Galena, Illinois.* Beneath its brick streets and blufftop beauty lies a harder story. In the 1830s and 1840s, northern Illinois was still raw country. As settlers poured into Galena to mine lead and find fortune, the roads filled with opportunity… and the Mississippi River towns filled with danger.

Travelers whispered of the Banditti of the Prairie—bands of thieves, killers, and fugitives said to move through the shadows of the frontier. And some believed those same shadows reached all the way to the brutal murder of George Davenport, a frontier legend who survived war, wilderness, and the dangers of the early republic… only to meet violence in old age when three men entered his home searching for hidden wealth.

Because where fortunes gather, outlaws follow. And where history leaves wounds… sometimes the past still speaks.

If you love uncovering hidden history and discovering the powerful stories woven into the places we explore, please consider supporting Common Mystics on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics. Your support helps us continue traveling, researching, and giving voice to the forgotten stories that still linger in the shadows.

* This episode includes discussion of violence and murder. Sensitive listeners, please use discretion.

On this episode of Common Mystics*, Jen and Jill travel back to the summer of 1869, where the mighty Mississippi River carried more than lumber and passengers; it carried tension, resentment, and a tragedy that would leave six men dead.

What began as a routine journey aboard the steamboat Dubuque quickly unraveled into one of the most chilling and overlooked racial violence events in Midwestern history. A confrontation between a black deckhand and a white raftsman ignited something much larger—something rooted in the uneasy aftermath of the Civil War, economic fear, and deep racial division. Chaos took hold. Men were hunted. Lives were lost in acts described at the time as “unprovoked” and “wanton.”

But this story isn’t just about what happened. It’s about why it happened— and what it reveals about a country struggling to redefine itself.

If you love uncovering hidden history and discovering the powerful stories woven into the places we explore, please consider supporting Common Mystics on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics. Your support helps us keep traveling, researching, and giving voice to the forgotten stories that still linger in the shadows.

*This episode contains discussion of racial violence. Listener discretion is advised.

On this episode of Common Mystics, Jen and Jill journey into the breathtaking Driftless Region of the Midwest — a landscape untouched by glaciers and steeped in history. Their travels lead them to the quiet river town of Decorah, Iowa, where beauty and tragedy intertwine.

Here, a haunting mystery unfolds. In 1929, fourteen-year-old Romelda Casten died suddenly and mysteriously inside her family farmhouse while her parents were away. Was it a tragic accident… or something far more sinister? As the investigation deepens, shocking revelations emerge — and suspicion turns toward those closest to her. Tune in for a chilling and unforgettable story that still echoes through the ancient hills of northeast Iowa.

If you love uncovering hidden history and discovering the powerful stories woven into the places we explore, please consider supporting Common Mystics on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/commonmystics. Your support helps us keep traveling, researching, and giving voice to the forgotten stories that still linger in the shadows.