Plot Synopsis

During their school break, two anthropology professors, Jason De Leon and Kirk French, travel across America in a pickup truck to examine unique artifacts that may have historical significance. Jason and Kirk, who met each other while in graduate school at Penn State University, often receive inquiries from everyday Americans who think they possess historically important items, such as: outlaw John Wesley Hardin's Colt revolver; a steam whistle from Pearl Harbor; Louis Armstrong's brass trumpet; and a safe with Al Capone's business papers. Along the way, Jason and Kirk consult with experts and historians to learn more about the item, including its historical and cultural context: what it is, where it came from, who made it, and why.