HISTORY®’S “AMERICAN PICKERS” FEATURES EPIC REVEAL OF RESTORED ORIGINAL TOUR VAN TO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL LEGENDS AEROSMITH IN AN ALL NEW EPISODE PREMIERING MONDAY, JULY 8 AT 8PM ET/PT
It’s all rock ‘n’ roll for the “American Pickers!” In HISTORY’s hit series, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are on a mission to recycle America and restore forgotten relics while learning a thing or two about American history along the way. In an all-new episode airing Monday, July 8 at 8PM ET/PT, during HISTORY’s third annual Car Week,the pickers meet their rock ‘n’ roll idols and the legendary band, Aerosmith, for the big delivery and reveal of their authentically restored original tour van in Las Vegas, Nevada. Last season, viewers watched as the guys headed out on a cross-country trek in search of the holy grail of rock ‘n’ roll relics and tackled the painstaking preservation of Aerosmith’s iconic tour van. Now with a personal visit from the rock stars themselves, viewers will witness Aerosmith’s reaction and retelling of some of their most cherished memories while on tour.
American Pickers: “Aerosmith Van” Premieres Monday, July 8 at 8pm ET/PT on HISTORY Fans can binge watch the previous three episodes featuring Aerosmith and the van before the new episode premieres on July 8 from 5:00-8:00pm ET/PT.
For access to an advanced press screener visit the A+E Networks Press Center at http://press.aenetworks.com.
“American Pickers” is produced by Cineflix’s subsidiary American Pickers 10 Productions Inc. Charles Tremayne, Michael Swanhaus and Mike Wolfe serve as executive producers and Mary Swanhaus serves as co-executive producer for Cineflix. John Verhoff serves as executive producer for HISTORY.
The development of the locomotive in the early 19th century transformed the way people around the globe traveled to new destinations. Two Lane roads were no longer the only way to explore new territory. At one point they were considered the most luxurious and convenient method of travel. In today’s world of direct flights and luxury automobiles, trains are considered a slower, more nostalgic form of transportation. While these historic train cars may no longer be riding the rails, they are serving patrons in a new way, and can still be appreciated for the industrial innovation they represent.
These six cabooses were rescued from the rust and either restored back to their prime or updated with modern conveniences. If you appreciate trains, history, and are the adventurous type, we’ve got your weekend plans ready. All aboard!
The 1905 Pullman — President Harding and Wilson’s “Air Force One”
Location: Plano, Illinois
The Train: Travel back in time to the private Pullman train car, the Constitution. Built in 1905, it served as “Air Force One” for Presidents Harding and Wilson. The original car consists of four state rooms, an observation deck, a dining room, and a galley. The train car sits atop a bluff overlooking the beautiful slow-moving Big Rock Creek. Beyond the creek is a floodplain full of two-hundred-year-old oak trees and an occasional eagle or two! The beds are on the small side, but two large living rooms with fireplaces, a master bedroom and bathroom have been added on.
1926 Wooden Train Caboose — Part of The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Location: Waynesville, North Carolina
The Train: This bright red storybook train was part of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway before becoming the cozy caboose rental it is today. (The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class 1 railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia ) The car was still fully functional when the owners purchased it in 2015. It’s parked on authentic 1920’s railroad tracks and is connected to a rustic bathhouse. Amenities on the train include a queen sized bed, central heat and air, television, and refrigerator stocked with locally brewed beers and sodas. Wake up in the tiny train then step outside to have a big adventure in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, or Asheville which are all close by!
The 1894 Private Palace Pullman Car — Used By President Theodore Roosevelt
Location: Fredericksburg, Texas
The Train: This sleeper car was once occupied by President Theodore Roosevelt on his trip to“The Four Sixes” Ranch in Guthrie, Texas. Parked about an hour away from Austin in Fredericksburg you have the opportunity to explore the downtown area, wineries, and more. Features original decor — even a clawfoot tub! History surrounds you in every nook and cranny.
The Train: More than 70 years ago, Platform 1346 operated as the kitchen car on troop trains carrying soldiers coast to coast during World War II. Today it has a second life as a luxury overnight space resting at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. It has been renovated with some mid-century renovations to make it extra cozy. Walk freely around the 6-acre property which includes a fish pond and a fire pit area. No pets allowed here but the owners do have six friendly dogs that like to run around the property and welcome guests!
The Train: This caboose was part of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1941. Part of its historic appeal is that it’s parked beside the Castanea Railroad Station, which was built in 1883. (By 1895, more than 6,000 railroad cars passed this station each week!) Guests have access to the entire caboose which includes two bunks, shower, and a dinette for sitting. There is also heat and air conditioning depending on the weather outside. It’s a steal at $57 a night too!
The Train: While the year and type of train are unsure, what makes this car unique are two things. One: The mother and her two daughters who run this caboose live in the train depot next door which dates back to 1906. Two: It has the most incredible view of the Wallowa Mountains. It runs on an environmentally friendly greywater system (meaning the used sink/shower water goes back into the garden) and uses a compact RV toilet. There are also two other Airbnb rentals on the grounds: a tipi and a 1970s camper, so expect to share the grounds with others. If you need anything, just knock on the depot doors!
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After leaving a job in the Ohio oil fields, 26-year-old Andrew Wasnac blazed his own path as a bladesmith
Inside the detached garage off his house in Akron, Ohio, you can smell the burning coal. Open the door and you’ll see Andrew Wasnac forging a hot piece of iron on an anvil resting on an old tree trunk. There’s an American flag proudly displayed on the wall and a pile of homemade tongs in the corner. This is Colony Knives — where Andrew taught himself how to twist and stretch steel.
If you were going to start a new project, like restoring a car, you’d go to the store to pick up some tools and parts. Bladesmiths can’t do that — Their tools are obsolete. This means every vice, clamp, even the forge in a bladesmith’s shop is built by their hands before they can even start making an actual knife.
“I’ve been forging knives inside my garage for about three and a half years,” explains Andrew. “I used to sling a sledgehammer out in the oil fields. I always felt like I should be using this tool for myself not someone else. I left the fields and dove into blacksmithing and never looked back.”
It took him a few tries to get a handle on the entire process but once he did, he realized the potential of what he just tapped into. The stuff we buy in stores is junk.
“I became very frustrated with the downfall of quality tools available today. Forging American steel blades is my way of reminding people of our roots while honoring the traditional techniques of bladesmithing. At one point in time, it wasn’t possible to just go out and buy something. If you wanted it — you had to make it.”
That being said, not only is Andrew and bladesmith, but he also has to be a woodworker to make the handles, and a leatherworker for the sheathes — because you can’t send a knife out without a cover!
Born and raised in Akron, Andrew takes great pride in basing his American-made brand in his hometown, especially with Goodyear Headquarters right down the road.
Andrew has such respect for the American work ethic and perseverance, that he even included 13 stars for the 13 original colonies in his logo. It was actually his fascination with history that led him to his bladesmithing path.
“I grew up in a household of antique enthusiasts and was always traveling to fairs and festivals where there was a live blacksmith. It was guaranteed that if my family couldn’t find me, all they had to do was follow the smoke and smell of coal. Even so many years later, it is a love that has never dulled.”
Speaking of things that *aren’t* dull, you should watch how Andrew tests the integrated bolster blades of his knives. His tester videos on Instagram are satisfying enough for any craftsman to appreciate.
“When it’s time to test the knives, I do a series of bend, flex, hardness, and retention testing. Each piece I make is tested according to what task it’s designed for. For example. A kitchen knife will be tested for proper geometry and sharpness by slicing food, like tomatoes. If the knife can slice through a tomato sideways without having to hold it down, then it passes.”
A bladesmith has to be resilient because there will be days when you’ve been dodging sparks for weeks on a single pair of tongs or get stung by a hot iron.
“You gotta think 20 steps ahead when manipulating iron. I’ve had moments where steel has shattered like thin ice across my calloused hands. It infuriates you. 100 hours of work in pieces on the floor. You throw your tools in the yard and kick the grass, but you know you’re just gonna pick them up and try again. If you’re proud of what you do, then the fear of failure doesn’t distract you from creating something that will be a family heirloom for generations to come. That’s what keeps me motivated in moments like that.”
There a lot to be said about someone who is so young who, in a time of instant gratification, appreciates the low and slow approach. The art of working with your hands is making a comeback with this generation of makers, and Andrew is here to participate.
“Life on Two Lanes means to me that, in my craft, one lifetime would never be enough to learn and master all the different techniques of blacksmithing and bladesmithing. Having to start from scratch with my craft by building my own tools, has shown me the importance of self-reliance as well as quality in all that I do. American goods can be difficult to come by these days. I started Colony Knives to be part of something our founding fathers would have been proud of. I’m in for the long run and proud to do what I do.”
See more of Andrew’s creations, FOLLOW him on Instagram
That’s Mike Wolfe’s opening salvo at every farm, corn crib, attic and cellar he visits to sift through junk looking for gems on “American Pickers,” the mega-hit reality show he created and still stars on.
But recently, he’s been asking himself that same question: “Why am I here?”
Sometimes, he means it plainly — with his schedule of two weeks filming on the road for every two weeks at home, he jokes he can forget exactly what he’s doing sometimes — but often, it’s existential.
How did a kid from a single-parent household in Davenport, Iowa, who barely graduated high school become a millionaire and a celebrity in antique circles? Where did a listless 20-something carrying around a camera to film himself asking about other people’s trash get the gumption to believe this could be a TV show?
And what about him keeps viewers tuning in after a decade of “Pickers”?
In all that first-person thought, the answer resides decidedly in the third-person. The show has little to do with him or even with the “picks,” as fans call the objects he buys. All that, he says, waving a hand like he’s swatting a fly, is window dressing.
The essence of “Pickers” comes in the answer to his question: “Why am I here?”
“Every object has a story,” he says, holding eye contact. “And that story is reflective of a family, or of a place, or of a time, or of a moment. So it’s a show about all of us. It’s reflective of all of us.”
It’s also a show about transitions — whether people are dealing with major changes in health, family makeup, finances or even the death of a loved one, Wolfe’s job is to bring positivity and a moment of celebration within that tragedy.
He’s up to the task, but when you have hours and hours on two-lane highways to think about the weight of all of it, it gets, well, heavy.
And it gets him to thinking about his own transitions; his own answer to the question he will toss out to 45-episodes’ worth of farmers, collectors and hoarders when the new season of “American Pickers” premieres Monday: “Why am I here?”
In his case, the more specific question is: When you have achieved personal and professional success with a show that dominates ratings and has the shelf-life of a Twinkie, what else do you do? And when you love physical history and rural life in a world that prefers images and ideas carried on fiber optic cables and places where takeout is dinner more often than home cooking, how do you keep the past alive?
Walking the streets of his hometown, stopping in his packed store, Antique Archaeology, and munching tacos at his friend’s Mississippi riverfront Mexican joint, he attempted to work those questions out.
“I’m a storyteller, so is it my responsibility to tell that story?” he asks. “I think it is, like, it is big time. (And) the show is at the point now where it’s, like, I want to talk about these things that matter.”
Third from the bottom
If you think about life as a road trip — an apt way to describe Mike’s experience, given his time traveling on them — Wolfe knew the route from here to there wasn’t going to be smooth, brightly lit highways. From his earliest memories, he understood that his road to success would require him to machete through the overgrowth, lay his own gravel and bring enough provisions to make it through the trip.
As a thin, lanky, poor kid in Joliet, Illinois, and then LeClaire, Wolfe said he was mercilessly picked on, getting jumped to and from school and having milk poured on him in the cafeteria.
In a real-life version of Frogger, Wolfe, now 54, avoided bullies by cutting through yards and alleys to get to school.
“The alleys were safe places for me, and that’s where the garbage was, too,” Wolfe says. “And so the garbage became my toys and they became part of my imagination and they became part of who I was.”
Along the way, he made friends with the old men whose garages overflowed with rusty junk, spending hours chatting with them about bygone days. (On that front, not much has changed, he offers.)
“This old man gave me a cigar box and that was, like, everything to me, you know, because of the colors and the way it smelled and the fact he gave it to me,” Wolfe says.
In school, Wolfe couldn’t focus. He’d read textbook pages over and over as though he was interpreting an alien language. But anything he could get his hands on — autos, woodshop — that clicked.
After graduating third from the bottom of his class — a great memoir title, he says — he bummed around some community colleges in the Midwest, taking a few years to realize that his success wouldn’t be tied to a degree.
He worked in a warehouse building bikes in his early 20s before being promoted to the sales floor. His garbage collecting became “picking,” and he kept it up because, he says, “it’s hard to sell a bicycle in January in Iowa.”
Before the internet, he picked in the only way he knew how — by knocking on farm doors. He’d spend hours talking to the owner and, sometimes, come away with nothing.
His life was so weird to his friends, and the stories he told were so revelatory, nearly everyone around him would say, “Wow, you should be on a TV show.”
After hearing it enough times, Wolfe decided they might be on to something.
Mike Wolfe of American Pickers fame stands for a photo in LeClaire, where his store Antique Archaeology is located June 27, 2018.(Photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register)
In the fall of 2009, Mary Donahue was part of a new era at the History channel. “Ice Road Truckers” had already upended the World War II documentary-focused network of the late 90s, but Donahue was looking for a program that would meld old History with new History.
“When I joined History, our log-line was ‘History Made Every Day,’” Donahue said. “History channel has never been just about the past. It’s also about the present and, more importantly, the living, breathing, exciting reminders of our past in our present day.”
Into this search arrived a “charming” tape of Wolfe, who had for five years been taking selfie videos while driving around southeast Iowa, knocking on doors in the country.
During the recession, a tsunami of junk-selling shows hit the airwaves as people hoped their attics held an unknown Monet or a Warhol that would make them an overnight millionaire. But those shows had two things in common:
They took place in a set, standard location (think: pawn shop or convention center), and
They featured expert-level, academic-focused analysis of said trash.
On this tape were a guy and his best friend — Frank Fritz — who had street-wise knowledge paired with razor-sharp gut feelings, road-warrioring for finds through the Midwest. To top it off, they were warm and funny, Donahue said.
“What we really enjoyed was that it was outside of the shop and that Mike and Frank were traveling through parts of America that felt really fresh to us,” she said.
After five years of pitching, Wolfe was happy to hitch his star to any network, but History provided a perfect opportunity to focus on story and place — not just the final sale.
He dreamed of a show about objects that felt like Anthony Bordain’s culinary programs. He hoped to mimic how Bordain’s show was a story of region, culture, economy, trends and lifestyle, but wrapped in a patina of soy sauce and served as though it was all about food.
The stuff he found would simply be the vehicle to talk about everything else.
And so it has been for the past decade. Though Wolfe keeps hundreds of notes on his phone about what they can do better, the show today remains very similar to what it was when it premiered in January 2010.
They’ve cut back on what Wolfe calls “saved by the bell” moments, or artificial scene-setting like when he calls front desk girl Danielle Colby for a lead and she just happens to have one right on her computer screen.
And they’ve made the decision to follow some of Wolfe’s real-life pursuits, including his new store in Nashville and his search for a specific American-made, porcelain sign for his LeClaire store, which he says, standing abruptly, we should go look at.
We’ve been sitting for three hours by now and for Wolfe’s on-the-move lifestyle, that is quite enough.
A legacy
Outside of his store in LeClaire, Wolfe is a rock star. Walking the 20 feet from his car to the front door is a 20-minute trip filled with selfies, autographs and tales of favorite picks. Most people have driven up from Davenport, their main stop on wherever they are headed, but some have come here, particularly, from as far away as New York and Arizona.
Mike Wolfe of American Pickers fame greets fans outside his store Antique Archaeology in LeClaire June 27, 2018. (Photo: Zach Boyden-Holmes/The Register)
Wolfe is gracious and kind to each person, knowing how to make them feel like the center of his world, if only for 30 seconds.
Creating this — a hive of activity in a small town off a major highway — in every small town is what the mission of his show has evolved into.
In LeClaire, Wolfe was part of a revitalization, helping the town build a successful tourism industry based off being both the hometown of Buffalo Bill and a riverboat stop along the Mississippi River.
Other towns, he understands, are not as lucky.
“When we lose small towns, we lose everything that we stand for,” Wolfe says. “We lose small business. We lose entrepreneurs. We lose historic properties. We lose pride. We lose jobs.”
But he also deeply believes turnarounds can happen, especially if towns embrace and publicize whatever makes them special. He’s part of the Preserve Route 66 campaign, publishes a blog about stores and eateries in Small Town U.S.A. and is helping to renovate the rural community he lives in outside Nashville.
On the show, he is slowly trying to feature more of the towns where he does picks, highlighting not just the story of the people or the object, but the place where they live.
“I chose a pick in Kansas to tell this guy’s story for the sole purpose that we’re talking about right now,” Wolfe says. “Young guy, 35, had an antique car business in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. How did it survive? Online sales. Ninety percent of his stuff for sale is online.”
“He could be on the moon and he’s selling stuff!”
‘American Pickers’ star Mike Wolfe’s advice on saving American heritage.Zachary Boyden-Holmes, DesMoines
With that, Wolfe joins the siren call of those asking millennials to think of Brownsville, Texas, or Boise, Idaho, instead of Brooklyn: Cheap living! Simple lifestyle! Historic buildings!
“This is the thing that’s going to save America’s Main Street — are these younger people that understand how important online sales are,” Wolfe says. “If they understand that and they have a business that connects to that, they can be anywhere.”
Wolfe loves his job, but each new season offers a small reminder of mortality, he says, pointing out that his mop top has literally turned gray on TV.
So, on his long two-lane trips, he’s starting to think about legacy in a bigger way.
How he can tell the right story, he says, the one that will make people care about permanence in a culture focused on the fleeting. How he can reach at least one person who decides to move their online business back to their hometown; or another who donates their grandparents’ heirlooms to a local museum instead of knocking the family homestead down with everything in it; or someone else who lets an interested kid picking through the trash take that cigar box instead of telling him to get off his lawn.
He’s not a politician and he doesn’t have Bill Gates money, but he’s got a TV show with a platform.
Figuring out how to not squander that is why he keeps asking himself: “Why am I here?”
Since 2012, the crowds of gather at OLIO, — the best-kept secret in St. Louis
More than 20 million people traveled the Two Lane back roads of America to St. Louis for the World’s Fair in 1904. It’s where they saw new inventions, experienced different cultures, tasted new foods, and celebrated our accomplishments as a human race.
These days, those same state routes continue to lead adventure seekers to the city and its monuments like The Gateway Arch, the steps of the capital, and Busch Stadium for a Cardinals game. But right now, we want to talk about what’s cookin’ in the kitchen at one of the best-kept secrets in town.
In the Historical Botanical Heights neighborhood of South St. Louis sits a 1930’s Standard Oil Filling Station. Inside, Chef Ben Poremba is pulverizing garbanzo beans into a thick paste and flash frying octopus tentacles. You read that correctly — fried octopus in a filling station.
A dish like that should be served and enjoyed in a space just as unique and individual as it is. Step inside OLIO.
THE HISTORY
In 2012, as part of an urban renewal endeavor, Ben repurposed the gas station and its many charming features for his Israeli themed-restaurant, OLIO. You can see how Ben kept with Standard Oil’s traditional red, white, and blue color palette on the exterior. The garage, once used for performing oil changes and routine maintenance, now seats guests, a full-service bar, an herb garden, and an extended patio.
Inside the decor is simple with subtle nods to the buildings shop history. Notice the utility lamps hung by extension chords over the bar, the mix of the rusty workshop and marble tables, and the large garage door which is open when the weather allows. Don’t forget to catch the desk lamp chandelier in the garage too!
The fresh bouquets of herbs and candles throughout contrast yet complement the original brick and polished concrete floors. The fusion of mechanic and Mediterranean doesn’t sound like it would work, but these pictures don’t lie.
FUN FACT: Ben also purchased the 1890’s house next to OLIO for his sister restaurant, ELAIA. It’s the former home of Mr. Kinsworthy — the original owner/operator of the filling station!
By rescuing these two side by side, well-constructed buildings, two new businesses have found a home in the new St. Louis.
When you visit OLIO (or ELAIA) and feel like walking off your braised lamb shoulder dinner, you’re only a few blocks away from the Missouri Botanical Gardens and Tower Grove Park!
THE FOOD
It’s fitting that inside this space where cans of motor oil were kept on the shelves, now have been replaced with bottles of olive oil. The bread served at OLIO is shaped and baked by hand using freshly-milled Missouri-grown wheat and a custom-made hearth oven.
Bread isn’t the only way this restaurant pays homage to the past — they use a 500-year-old Sicilian recipe for a sweet and sour sauce called agrodolce which is served with their eggplant caponata. While this type of cuisine may seem overwhelming to those who prefer their basic burgers and fries, we promise there’s no reason to be intimidated by slow-roasted meats, pickled veggies, and unfamiliar sauces. Isn’t the point of traveling to vacate your life and try new things? Start with their charcuterie board then ease into the hummus, smoked trout, and bacon wrapped dates.
After the meal, kick back with an aperitif or a bottle of St. Louis’ best brew outside in the herb garden/patio. We highly recommended it!
Urban renewal is a trend we enjoy most on our travels. It’s a healthy sign to see a community with an appreciation of their past and intentionally making room for it in their future. It’s a type of storytelling that we can all benefit from — both with our minds and stomachs.
Share a restaurant you’ve enjoyed on Two Lanes that was located in a uniquely renovated space so we can all learn a little more about places like OLIO!
Dotted along the Two Lane back roads of America are small towns waiting to be explored. When we spend time in these secluded places we learn their history, participate in their traditions, and rub shoulders with their community members — experiences that send us to times gone by and places nearly lost. Cooperstown, New York is a town with that magic.
Founded in 1786 during the Revolutionary War, Cooperstown is a one-streetlight town nestled in the foothills of the Northern Catskills. It has culture, state parks, shoppable main streets, baseball, local beer… what more could we ask for?
Here are some recommendations for experiencing the best of America’s Hometown.
WHAT TO DO
Play ball! Cooperstown is home to The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Folks travel from all over to see artifacts and memorabilia from more than 300 of the greatest ballplayers who ever lived. Catching a game at Doubleday Field is not to be missed. Not only have home runs been hit here for almost 100 years but really — what is summer without peanuts and crackerjacks?
When you’re done watching those pop-flies stretch your legs atGlimmerglass State Parkor cool off in the clear waters of the 4,000 acre Otsego Lake. Fish, rent a pontoon, waterski, swim — however you prefer to enjoy a day at the lake.
Cooperstown celebrates its history and community pride in many ways. Spend the day at The Farmers’ Museum for an interactive experience with mid-19th century life. While you’re there, you can also tour the historic Lippitt Farmstead and ride the completely hand-carved The Empire State Carousel. Together, these places represent the agricultural and natural resources of New York.
If music is your thing, Cooperstown is your place! The Glimmerglass Festivaloffers a summer-long calendar of musical theater and concerts presented lakeside on the lawn at the Alice Busch Theater.
And for adventures in shopping, park the car and treasure hunt on foot through the manyantique and craft shops on Main Street. These family-owned businesses are ready to send you home with local goods too! Don’t miss shops like Ellsworth & Sill (operating in the same building since 1898!) Silver Fox Gift Shop, Tin Bin Alley (for hand-made fudge) and dozens more! And speaking of fudge, let’s talk food and drink.
Main Street Cooperstown, New York
WHAT TO DRINK & EAT
If you’re feeling thirsty, you gotta visit Brewery Ommegang. Not only is it located on an old 140-acre hop farm in the Susquehanna River Valley, but it’s also the first new farmhouse brewery to be established in America in over a hundred years!
If something fruity is more your thing, head to Fly Creek Cider Mill & Orchard. After a few sips of their cider, you’ll understand why it has been a Cooperstown tradition for more than 150 years.
Recognizing and honoring the area’s agricultural history, the community supports its local farmers by gathering regularly at the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market and Oneonta Farmers’ Market, shopping for the freshest produce to serve up the best of farm-to-table dining.
And if you’re not cooking for yourself, the local restaurants are legendary! Dine lakeside at one of the best-kept secrets in town — the Lake Front Restaurant & Bar. After it reopens on May 23, you can order the famous Triple Play Grilled Cheese at Blue Mingo Grillor for more farm-to-table, minus the do-it-yourself, try Origins Cafe.
After a long day of eating and exploring, you’re going to be looking for a place to rest — and your choice will depend on how rustic or luxurious you want to be. Cooperstown offers inns, manors, bed and breakfasts, hotels, cabins, and campgrounds. We like the Landmark Inn because of its proximity to Main Street and the Hall of Fame. Check out The Cooper Inn, Limestone Mansion, and Cooperstown Bed and Breakfast too!
The Otesaga Resort Hotel
The Otesaga Resort Hotel, built in 1909, is worth the visit even if you’re not a guest. Its waterfront location on the southern shore of Lake Otesaga makes it a great spot for rocking in a chair on the porch and watching the waves roll in.
Now that you’ve got all the information you need about Cooperstown, it’s time to pack a bag and have some fun. See ya on Two Lanes this summer!
Porch views from The Otesaga Resort Hotel
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This hidden Two Lane mountain town of less than 500 celebrates traditional Appalachian music inside their century-old country storeevery Friday night.
Park your car on S. Locust Street and start walking towards the glowing banjo perched above the green and white striped awning. Like a neon navigational light, you move closer to it until you begin to hear the sounds of banjos and fiddles. The sweet smells of something delicious spill into the streets and wrap around the crowds waiting to get inside the Floyd Country Store tonight.
Standing as a piece of historic significance in Floyd, Virginia for more than 100 years, generations of all ages make the pilgrimage to the store to hear and play the bluegrass and old-time music that’s rooted here. Pay your $8 cover at the door, order a pinto platter with all the fixins, and take a seat. The Friday Night Jamboree is about to start.
For 35 years, the folks of Floyd have been hosting these “pickin’ parties” inside the country store amongst the peanut brittle and penny candy as a way to remain connected to their community through fellowship and music. The past four years, store owners Heather and Dylan Locke have been running the shows are ready to celebrate!
The past four years, store owners Heather and Dylan Locke have been running the shows are ready to celebrate!
“The music and dance around Southwest Virginia is as important as anything else,” explains Dylan. “It brings people together and has been doing so for centuries. Our Friday Night Jamboree has become an important part of the legacy of traditional music and dance and will continue to provide a gathering space for years to come.”
And it has!
The Floyd Country Store hosts visitors and musicians from all the world for a weekend-long celebration in this one-stoplight town. Beyond the Jamboree, they host concerts/dances on Saturdays, old time/bluegrass jams on Sunday. They also offer a workshop to teach traditional music and dance styles.
So what makes this Jamboree so special that people travel from all over to experience it?
“I think the chaos and saturation of media and hashtags make us all crave the places, sounds, and dishes that remind us of our youth and hometown,” says Dylan. “It’s nice to unplug and find some of thesoul revival Floyd provides.”
We recommend showing up early and having a home-cooked meal (Heather’s own recipes!) prepared by the team. Her Brunswick stew and key lime pie are not to be missed! Be mindful where you sit because people have been attending the jamboree for so long that they have reserved seating near the stage! Just as you’re scooping up your last delicious bite, the music will begin.
“This is a unique celebration that takes place in our small community every week and provides an opportunity for us to join together in fellowship,” explain Dylan. “There are not many places left in the world where there’s such simplicity and authenticity around music, dance, and storytelling. The ties to the traditions of the mountains are so deep and natural here. The Jamboree offers a sincere representation of how life has been here in the mountains of Virginia for generations.”
The best part is, similarly to a Texas Dance Hall, The Friday Night Jamboree is a family-friendly event!
“You will see 2-year-olds, 90-year-olds and college students on the dance floor together,” explains Dylan. “The environment of the Floyd Country Store with the history of the old building and all of the throw-back items on the shelves all combines to provide an atmosphere like no other. When folks visit on a Friday night, they can feel and see the community’s love for its traditions and are welcomed with open arms.”
Dylan is preserving more than just town traditions — He is preserving a small business across the street too! He rescued County Sales, the local record store across the street from the country store. When the general store reaches its 250 person capacity, the music spills out into the street in front of it! (Fact: The detailed, handpainted sign out front was done by Greg Locke — a local who has painted all the windows and business signs on Floyd’s Main Street.)
There are many fun moments during the event, but a favorite Jamboree tradition for Dylan is the kids dance.
“The band clears the dance floor of everyone older than 12-years-old for a dance tune. At the end, the adults throw their pocket change out on the floor for the kids to scoop up so they can go buy some more penny candy and ice cream. I love how young people understand the importance of this culture and that the elders are so happy to encourage them to love it even more.”
Places like Floyd, Virginia and their Friday Night Jamboree are the authentic experiences we all hope to discover when we travel the back roads. They make us appreciate those simple things in this world.
“Life on Two Lanes for us is about pulling people away from the digital world and getting back to simplicity. We promote that lifestyle in Floyd and it provides experiences for people that are meaningful and potentially transformative. We are encouraged by all of the young people in our community who are and will be carrying on our traditions and continuing to keep the music playing for generations to come.”
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In our Two Lane travels, we have discovered a handful of small towns each with their own unique history and charm. (Some with fewer than 1,000 people!) We’ve gone through our travel log and compiled a list of our favorites to share with you for your next back road drive.
Don’t forget to tag #ontwolanes so we can follow and share your adventure!
Main Street Galena, Illinois. Photo courtesy of www.platomadison.org
GALENA, ILLNOIS
Ask any local why they live in Galena, Illinois and chances are they’ll respond much like store owner Joe (a.k.a. Buzz the Drifter) Sprengelmeyer did on a recent trip we took to this picturesque town. We’re not lying when we say picturesque….this place really does look like a POSTCARD. A postcard that hasn’t changed much since its lead ore boomtown days over 150 years ago.
Galena is one of the few places left in America that’s literally been untouched, with over 85 percent of its buildings landing on the National Historic Register. You’ll find a 118-year-old blacksmith shop, authentic Italian pizza, and the longest running antique store in town, La Belle Epoque (the “beautiful days” in French, or put simply “the good ol’ days”). Mike Wolfe has been picking in this store for almost 20 years!
LEFT: Downtown Oatman, Arizona via @patx1 RIGHT: Oatman Hotel Resturant via @maria_runesson
OATMAN, ARIZONA
Fun Fact: Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spent their honeymoon here in 1939. The 135 citizens of the town make their living selling handmade goods to travelers on Route 66. A must-see is the Oatman Hotel. Built in 1902, it’s the only two-story adobe structure in Mohave County and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Write your name on a dollar bill and tape it to the hotel’s restaurant wall while you wait for your homemade chili and fried bread to be served. Take in the magnificent sights of the Black Mountains and feel the freedom of the open range.
Watch out for the wild burros! They run free ’round this Old West town. These friendly little donkeys, once used for mining labor, were set free back in the 1920s after a fire shut down the mines for good. But they weren’t unemployed for long – they’re now the official Oatman Welcome Committee.
Downtown Lanesboro. Photo via Lanesboro Area Chamber of Commerce
LANESBORO, MINNESOTA
Located in the heart of Bluff Country, this quiet, artsy town of fewer than 800 people is one of the best-kept secrets in the Midwest. Lanesboro is ideal for couples looking to unplug and be in the moment without the fast and flashy distractions of modern day life. We say that upfront because upon arrival you’ll most likely find yourself sharing the road with a horse and buggy on your way to breakfast.
The charm of this place comes from the fact that the entire town seems to be frozen in time. No buzzing neon signs, traffic lights, or fast food chain here! Every inch of Lanesboro is photogenic from its position along the historic Root River to its quaint town square filled with local goods.
If small town solitude is what you and your shotgun rider crave, consider Lanesboro your lovers getaway!
LEFT TO RIGHT: Former “The Wheel” owner AC Howell, building owner Mike Wolfe, current “Trek Bicycle Shop” owner Timothy Wakefield
COLUMBIA, TENNESSEE
This town, just about an hour south of Nashville has become one of Mike’s favorites.
You can often find him here wrenching on an old car in Columbia Motor Alley, grabbing a drink at Muletown Coffee on the historic square or a new pair of tires at Trek Bicycle Shop. The Columbia community is proud to be known as the “Mule Capital of the World” since 1817. The locals have been hosting the Mule Day parade and events annually since the 1840s and is one of the largest livestock events in the world.
Other attractions include the former home of President Polk, the century-old courthouse and the Chickasaw Trace County Park. It is a great small town destination if you are headed toward Tennessee to visit Antique Archaeology.
In 1716, the French named this place after the American Indian tribe in the area called the “Natchez”. Being the oldest city along the Mississippi River, it was recognized as the hub of the steamboat era. (As you explore the city you’ll notice the steamboat anthem throughout.)
With more than 100 structures on the National Register of Historic Places, wine tastings, browsing Antique Row, and catching mighty Mississippi River sunset at Bluff Park it’s not difficult to find something interesting while in town. Don’t leave without a bottle of muscadine hot sauce and Charboneau Rum — the first legally distilled rum produced in Mississippi.
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