When Mike and the crew are in the van and on their way to the next pick, their favorite thing to do is get quiet and cue up a ghost story. They adjust the volume and tune in as Aaron Mahnke, creator of the popular podcast Lore, spins tales from small-town folklore. His way of telling the darker side of history reminds you of nights huddled up close to the fire with a flashlight on your face hoping to scare your buddies into a sleepless night.

Similar to the way the American Pickers rescue relics that tell the forgotten stories of our past, with his podcast Aaron preserves historic tales that have slipped through the cracks.

“Using the ancient tradition of storytelling to inspire and educate is one of the real joys of Lore,” explains Aaron. “I view the stories I tell the same way Mike views old motorcycles and gas station signs. These legends and his antiques originated decades, sometimes centuries ago and were significant enough to be handed down from generation to generation. I think it’s incredible how we both preserve history in our own unique ways for others to keep the stories alive.”

Both Mike and Aaron dust off the past, giving it new life by digging into local history.

“There are many incredible resources to tap into when researching a story (or pick) such as newspapers, archives, and photos. But the best resource is the testimony of the people,” explains Aaron. “Their details help make the stories I tell more relatable and in the end — more powerful. That’s how folklore works. It travels through the lens of time and is edited by the social climate of the day. The stories we inherit, tales that we pick up and share with each other over the years aren’t shiny and new. They’re antiques tarnished by time.”