HURON — A quiet late-night drive through Huron in 1971. A small airport. A simple request to pick up a package. Moments later, an explosion that would change a man’s life forever.
This is the story at the center of a new season from Dakota Spotlight, created and hosted by Emmy Award–winning filmmaker James Wolner, who has deep roots in nearby Spink County.
Season 13, The Bagpiper and His Brother, returns to Huron in the summer of 1971, when Northwestern Bell lineman Harold Pieper receives a mysterious late-night phone call. What followed drew in local, state, and federal investigators and led to the Beadle County Courthouse, just blocks from the blast.
“This is one of those stories hiding in plain sight,” Wolner said. “It’s a Huron story, but it stretches far beyond.”
Through archival research, the series reconstructs the bombing, the investigation, and the people at the center of it, including a Huron-born woman whose connections helped set events in motion.
Listeners will recognize places like Dakota Avenue, the old airport, and St. John’s Hospital, along with glimpses of everyday life in Huron at the time. Wolner says the story is not just about the crime, but about the people and decisions surrounding it.
“My family has deep roots in neighboring Spink County,” he said. “There’s a responsibility to get a story like this right.”
“Huron isn’t just a backdrop,” he added. “It’s part of the story.”
Dakota Spotlight is a documentary-style audio series that focuses on real cases, combining historical research with narrative storytelling and sound design. Now in its 13th season, the program has covered stories from across the Midwest. Its latest season, The Bagpiper and His Brother, is available on all major podcast platforms.
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