Show Me The State: The Fulton Flash

Helen Stephens starts high school in Fulton in 1931. She’s a gangly, gravelly-voiced farm girl dressed in homemade clothes. Her classmates tease her with the unfortunate moniker “Popeye.” Helen takes it in stride with humor, attempting to own her identity - a feat for any teenager.

Missouri has had a curious history, with many iterations and incarnations powered by changes in its political, cultural and religious climate. Show Me The State explores Missouri’s strange and misunderstood past as it relates to the present. Each episode focuses on one particular piece of folklore and investigates what really happened, why did it happen and how has that shaped the state today? The Show Me The State team looks at ghost stories, legendary political maneuvers and hometown heroes across the state. Host Kristofor Husted sits down with the people who know the story best to get as close to a first-hand account as we can.