Exciting news from Blue Ridge Collaborative: the new Old Ties podcast is coming soon! This series will be hosted by BRC Executive Director Annie Newton and Vice Chair Amanda Boyd, a duo whose wit, curiosity, and shared love of history makes for a show as entertaining as it is enlightening.
Each episode of Old Ties zeroes in on the overlooked, the peculiar, and the wonderfully unexpected stories that hide inside our shared history. Think of it as significant history told through obscure people and places–-stories that might not make the textbook, but absolutely should.
Annie and Amanda’s collaboration is years in the making. Their friendship first formed at the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough. Today, Amanda is a respected nonprofit leader and the President of Preservation Durham, one of the state’s most prominent historic preservation organizations. She’s also an entrepreneur, author, and natural storyteller. Her book about Hillsborough’s historic Colonial Inn showcased her gift for uncovering compelling narratives and presenting them with charm and humor. That same energy is at the heart of Old Ties.
“History doesn’t have to be heavy to be meaningful,” Amanda says. “Sometimes the quirkiest stories tell us the most about who we are, how we lived, and what we cared about.”
Annie, a historian with two master’s degrees and a career dedicated to restoring overlooked narratives, brings a deep well of research expertise to every episode. Whether she’s examining archival oddities, forgotten figures, or unexpected historical intersections, Annie ensures that each story is grounded in curiosity, care, and accuracy.
“There’s so much joy in discovering the strange little threads that connect our past to our present,” Annie shares. “Old Ties gives us the space to follow those threads, wherever they lead, and invite listeners along for the ride.”
Episodes of Old Ties will explore the kinds of stories you find only by diving deep and stumbling upon unexpected gems. Annie and Amanda reveal surprising connections, challenge assumptions, and highlight the humanity behind the headlines. The result is a podcast that feels like sitting around a kitchen table with two friends who know a lot, laugh a lot, and genuinely love the stories they’re telling.
Stay tuned for the first episode of the Old Ties podcast! Whether you’re a lifelong history lover or simply someone who enjoys a great story, we invite you to tune in, laugh, learn, and discover the hidden threads that bind us together.
Have an idea for a story worth exploring? Email us at info@blueridgecollaborative.org or reach out through our contact form at blueridgecollaborative.org.
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