In the season two finale of the ”Can You Dig It?” podcast, hosts Dan Fuller and Joe Shields unearth the hidden history of the Mexican American War through the lens of St. Louis’s iconic Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum. The duo explores the lives of local veterans and influential figures—ranging from the namesake of Alton, Illinois, to the fifth military governor of California—while explaining specialized cemetery features like cenotaphs and era-appropriate military markers. By tracing the legacy of the 500,000 square miles acquired during the conflict, the episode reveals how these St. Louis connections bridged the era of Manifest Destiny to the looming shadows of the American Civil War.

Here is a three-line summary of the episode:

• Hosts explore the Mexican American War’s local impact via the veterans and historical figures interred at St. Louis’s Bellefontaine Cemetery.

• The episode highlights the acquisition of 500,000 square miles while explaining cemetery features like cenotaphs and era-appropriate military markers.

• These personal stories bridge the mid-19th-century era of Manifest Destiny to the subsequent tensions that fueled the American Civil War.