Hometown View

Hometown View tells the stories of people and places from forgotten corners of America.

Hosted by Jeff Bennett—exploring local communities, uncovering legacy, and sharing stories that make you proud of where you’re from.

05/31/2026

For millions of Americans, Bob Ross wasn’t just a painter.

He was peace and quiet at the end of a long day.

Before *The Joy of Painting*, Bob Ross spent nearly 20 years in the Air Force. Then he made a decision that changed his life and eventually touched millions of others.

In this episode, we explore the legacy of the quiet man who became one of the most comforting voices in America.

If you grew up watching Bob Ross, this one’s for you.

05/30/2026

Most people remember Bob Ross for the paintings.

But the real story goes much deeper than that.

Before *The Joy of Painting*, Bob Ross spent nearly 20 years in the Air Force and later said he got tired of yelling at people every day.

So he made a promise:
He would never yell again.

That quiet decision helped turn him into one of the most comforting figures in American television history.

🎥 NEW HOMETOWN VIEW EPISODE
📺 Drops Tonight — Saturday, May 30
⏰ 7 p.m. Central

If you grew up watching Bob Ross, you’re going to love this one.

05/24/2026

Most people standing at Fort Defiance in Clarksville, TN see a peaceful overlook above the Cumberland River.

But in 1861, several hundred enslaved men were forced to build a Confederate fortress on that same hill.

They dug the trenches. Built the earthworks. Fortified the bluff.
Then history flipped the script.

The very ground built to defend slavery became a sanctuary for escaped slaves and a recruiting ground for the United States Colored Troops.

Some of the same men once forced to dig these trenches came back wearing Union blue.

Standing guard over the earth they built.

This Memorial Day weekend, I visited the Fort to tell this story because it deserves to be remembered.

Watch the full story here.

05/23/2026

Most people standing on this bluff in Clarksville, TN today would never guess what happened here.

In 1861, several hundred enslaved men were forced to build a massive Confederate fortress overlooking the Cumberland River.

But history had other plans.

Within just a few years the very ground built to defend slavery became a sanctuary for freedom and formerly enslaved men returned here wearing Union blue to fight for the United States.

This Memorial Day weekend, we’re telling one of the most powerful forgotten stories in Tennessee history.

🇺🇸 The Fort Built By Enslaved Men… Then Taken Back
📍 Fort Defiance | Clarksville, Tennessee
🕖 Premieres TONIGHT at 7 p.m. on Hometown View

Because sometimes the most important stories in America…are buried in the dirt beneath our feet.

05/17/2026

In 1945, a farmer in Fruita, Colorado swung an axe and missed. The chicken lived — for another 18 months. Without a head.

But that's not even the wildest part.

80 years later, this small town in Colorado still throws a festival for him. Parades. Games. Families. A whole weekend every May dedicated to a headless chicken named Mike.

If you've ever been to the Mike Festival, I want to hear about it in the comments. 👇

05/16/2026

The first time I heard this story… I honestly thought it sounded terrible.

A headless chicken surviving for 18 months?

Nope.

BUT then I found out an entire American town still celebrates this story nearly 80 years later.

And suddenly… I needed to know why.

Tonight, we’re telling the story of Mike the Headless Chicken and the small town that turned one strange moment into local legend - Fruita, Colorado.

New episode drops tonight at 7 p.m.

Stay tuned, y’all.

05/10/2026

Most people have never heard the name Frederick Law Olmsted.
But I'd bet you've felt his work. 🌿

That peaceful feeling when you walk into a park and the world
gets quiet for a minute? That wasn't an accident.
That was designed by one man most Americans have completely forgotten.

He gave us Central Park. He shaped the landscape philosophy
behind Biltmore Estate. And he believed, at a time when
nobody else did, that ordinary people deserved beautiful places to breathe.

This week on Hometown View, I'm telling his story.

🔽🔽🔽

05/09/2026

Most people have never heard his name.

BUT they’ve felt his work.

The winding roads.
The quiet forests.
The feeling your shoulders get when the world finally slows down for a minute.

Before America had public parks…
one man believed ordinary people deserved places where they could breathe.

This Saturday at 7 p.m. Central…

we’re telling the story of Frederick Law Olmsted, the hidden genius behind Central Park, Biltmore Estate, and the philosophy that changed America forever.

This one feels special. Join me!

05/04/2026

Enjoying the gardens and landscape at Biltmore. Have you ever visited?

05/03/2026

Most people have never heard of Matewan, West Virginia.

But in 1920, this small coal town became the center of one of the most dramatic confrontations in American history — miners vs. the system, on a single street, on a single day.

It's called the Battle of Matewan. And the odds are nobody ever taught you about it.

This is the story of Sid Hatfield, the coal miners who'd had enough, and a gunfight that helped reshape labor rights across America.
These are the kinds of stories I live for — the ones hiding in plain sight on backroads most people drive right past.

Watch the full story here 👇

Address

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37040-37044

Website

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