Iowa History Daily: On January 18, 2010, the popular television show “American Pickers'' debuted. The show followed antique and collectible pickers Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz in their travels based out of Antique Archaeology in Le Claire, Iowa.
The premiere episode of American Pickers drew in 3.1 million viewers, making the episode the highest rated History channel debuts of all-time. The show went on to gain the title as the number one new non-fiction series of 2010 among all viewers and adults 25–54.
Also featuring Danielle Colby, running operations from the office of Antique Archaeology, viewers grew to love riding along with Wolfe and Fritz on excursions throughout the country. While out on the road, Fritz and Wolfe followed-up leads sent on by Colby while also "freestyling,” or stopping at promising looking places.
Wolfe and Fritz explored people's homes, barns, sheds, outbuildings, and other places loaded down with antiques and collectibles. They called upon amateur and serious collectors, hoarders, and also people who hold often overwhelming collections of items. Although Fritz departed the show in 2021, Wolfe continued to host the popular History Channel program. #IowaOTD #IowaHistoryDaily #IowaHistoryCalendar
