Q&A with the creator of Cereal Killer Chronicles

Like a simple bowl of cereal, I will gobble up a good podcast. Especially mini-series, which ask for just enough of my attention and time. This week, the final episode of the 8-part Cereal Killer Chronicles comes out about our dear Battle Creek, in Calhoun County, Michigan, and its crunchy, true crime history.

This is the Calhoun County History Tour after all, and I’m delighted in any new way to absorb the history of this fascinating Michigan county. Its history is rich, and that’s highlighted famously in Jenn Carpenter’s new podcast Cereal Killer Chronicles. Jenn is the host of a regular podcast called So Dead, which explores true crime, paranormal, urban legends, and other stories in Michigan. CKC is an off-shoot of that podcast—eight episodes dedicated to Calhoun County true crime and the fascinating story of the Kelloggs.

Cereal Killer Chronicles is smart, funny, and satisfying. Jenn is a great storyteller and a thorough researcher, so you learn about what Battle Creek was like in the early 1900s and beyond, particularly related to the Kelloggs’ impact on the City. The latter episodes get into specific true crime stories that took place in the area, and she coaxes me (and you, when you listen) into listening to her primary podcast because she’s a mean storyteller and I want more.

I was curious how this podcast and its research impacted Jenn’s awareness of Battle Creek (she lives in Lansing) and had questions about her process. She humored me by answering some of my questions, which are below. I feel grateful for this new perspective on the area and it’s wonderfully entertaining. The final episode of the podcast comes out Thursday, July 30: Go listen to it! (and start w/ Episode 1) Find CKC on Facebook. #ssdgm

Why did you decide to do an entire mini-series about Cereal City, rather than just episode(s) of your current podcast, So Dead? What was it that first caught your interest?

When I first started exploring the Kelloggs and the sanitarium as a podcast topic, it was for So Dead. But I quickly found that there was too much there to cover in one episode. I tend to keep episodes of So Dead under an hour. Even a two-parter, which I've never done and am not particularly a fan of, would have been pushing it.

The idea first came to me one night as I was eating my nightly bowl of cereal. I had just finished my last episode of So Dead before my summer break, and intended to take a break for a bit. But of course, as soon as that was off my plate, my brain went back to work coming up with ideas. I'm always on the lookout for strange Michigan history to cover on So Dead to break up the doom and gloom of true crime, and so I started thinking about the story I'd always heard (which turned out not to be entirely true)- that Dr. Kellogg invented cereal by mistake when he was trying to come up with recipes for his sanitarium patients. And then it was just like a lightbulb went off- WHY had I never looked further into the fact that the Kelloggs ran a sanitarium? I started reading and researching that night, and quickly became obsessed with the entire concept.

[Jenn shared on Facebook that she visited Battle Creek and the San] What did you think after learning all of this about the city? Had you visited Battle Creek before?

I had been to Battle Creek before. I've been to Binder Park Zoo and events at McCamly Plaza (is that what it's called?) But I was always really only going to one specific place, not a lot of exploring went on until I visited specifically to research for the podcast. It's such an interesting place! Very much gives of an "up north" cottage town feel, but then you've got these big businesses and urban areas as well. I visited The San and Oak Hill Cemetery, among other places. My research was all still very fresh at the time, so for me, Battle Creek WAS the Kelloggs. I think the thing that surprised me the most was Dr. Kellogg's home site, which doesn't have a historical marker or anything.

I love hearing about your sources, too. Do you like the research process for the podcasts? What do you look for in that process?

The research and writing part of podcasting is actually my favorite part- the recording and editing, not so much. I love finding forgotten history- sometimes I'll read a hundred old newspaper articles just to find that one fact that nobody ever talks about. I think it's important to use as many sources as possible, so that you're not missing anything, and you're able to view a story from all angles and form your own opinion, versus regurgitating someone else's opinion.

What role do you think understanding our local true crime past has in understanding our present?

History is so important, and I think whatever it takes to get you interested, focus on that. You know, there are people that are fascinated by architecture and like to learn about old buildings, people that love trains and study history that involves the railroad industry. And then there are people that are interested in true crime. It may be the crime that piques your interest, but you're still learning—you're learning about what the society was like at the time, the people that built your community, and, in a lot of cases, the truth about the past, versus the way it's portrayed in history class. You have to understand the past to be able to improve the future.

What sticks out about what you learned about Battle Creek?

I think far and away the most interesting part of my research for this project revolved around the sanitarium. What a fascinating, strange piece of American history. And to have the building still in use today, as a federal office building, no less- that's just wild to me.

Check out Cereal Killer Chronicles on Facebook. Check out Jenn Carpenter’s website, screamqueen517.com. Yay! Thank you for answering my questions, Jenn. I so appreciate it.