Ep 24. A Man's Home is His Castle

In American Pickers season 13 episode 24 titled "A Man's Home is His Castle," Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz visit Midway Village, a living history museum in Rockford, Illinois, to scout for potential picks. They are particularly interested in the content of a historic home located within the museum grounds. The house is said to contain a treasure trove of vintage items that might be valuable to collectors. However, the challenge for the pickers is finding the right owner who is willing to let go of these precious artifacts.

The episode begins with Mike and Frank taking a tour of the Midway Village, marveling at the well-preserved buildings, artifacts, and memorabilia that illustrate the history of American life from the 1800s to the present. They meet with the museum director, who informs them of the house they are interested in and its stories. The house was built in 1892 and owned by the family of John C. Kenyon, a prominent lawyer and politician in Rockford. After Kenyon's death, the house was turned into a museum, and many of the original furnishings and decorations were kept intact. The challenge for the museum, however, was to maintain the house and its contents in their original state while making sure they are still relevant and engaging for visitors.

Mike and Frank are shown around the house, admiring the antique furniture, paintings, books, and other knick-knacks that adorn every room. They note the attention to detail and craftsmanship of each item, and the historical significance of some of the pieces. They also take note of the extensive collection of law books and documents that belonged to Kenyon, and his wife's penchant for collecting china, glassware, and other domestic items.

As they explore the house further, Mike and Frank notice some areas in need of repair or restoration, such as the roof, the windows, and some of the furniture. They also observe that some of the items may not be original to the house, and might have been added later by the museum staff. Nevertheless, they are excited by the prospect of finding some rare and valuable items that could be added to their own collection or sold to interested buyers.

The rest of the episode follows Mike and Frank as they try to track down the right owner who can give them permission to pick the house. They talk to various staff members of the museum, including the historian and the curator, who provide them with helpful leads and contacts. They also meet with some local collectors and antique dealers, who give them insights about the value of some of the items they saw in the house and the potential market for them.

The pickers make several phone calls and visits to potential owners, but most of them either decline or are too attached to their items to part with them. At one point, they meet with a lawyer who is the executor of Kenyon's estate, but he has already sold some of the valuable items and is not interested in selling any more. Mike and Frank are disappointed but determined to keep looking.

In the end, the pickers meet with a woman who is the descendants of Kenyon's family and still owns some of the items from the house. They strike a deal to buy some of the items, including a rare four-poster bed, a set of chairs, and a vintage sign, among others, for a reasonable price. The woman is happy to see these items go to someone who appreciates them and promises to keep the rest of the items in her family.

The episode ends with Mike and Frank returning to their home base in Iowa, where they show off their latest picks to their assistant Danielle and talk about the adventures and lessons they learned from the Midway Village pick. They reflect on the importance of preserving history and the significance of finding and sharing rare items with others. They also tease about their next pick, hinting that it involves a famous rock star and a hidden treasure.