In this week's episode of The Model City Rewind Dustol & Lane Kick Off the Podcast + share the first Model Memory: Mary the Elephant

Dustol, a lifelong Kingsport resident, and Lane, a longtime friend who left 16 years ago and is now boomeranging back to the Tri-Cities from Charlotte, introduce their podcast, The Model City Rewind, focused on Kingsport’s and Southern Appalachia's past, present, and future.

They outline a conversational format with weekly discussion, community engagement, and guests ranging from historians and small business owners to expats and everyday locals, welcoming corrections when they miss details. Topics will include sports, schools, economic development, housing, music, arts, and culture, and so much more; with an emphasis on storytelling and learning from history, including fun, interesting, and sometimes uncomfortable parts.

The first “Model Memory” recounts the 1916 incident involving circus elephant Mary and they ask listeners for more information about the event.

00:00 Meet the Hosts

00:53 Why Lane Came Back

02:06 Starting the Podcast

04:05 What Model City Rewind Covers

04:41 Guests and Community Voices

05:29 How Episodes Are Structured

06:06 Join In and Fact Checks

07:54 Downtown Then and Now

09:17 Model Memory Segment

10:47 Supporters and Partners

11:49 Mary the Elephant Story

17:38 Why Start With Mary

20:12 Looking Ahead and Wrap Up