Dorchester Times: Our Most Read Story Ever? 'American Pickers'

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Our Most Read Story Ever? 'American Pickers'

This last Sunday, we passed along news that some early forecasting models are predicting a major winter storm for the coming weekend.

In less than 24 hours, the story garnered 1,956 page views (or clicks), making it one of our 50 most-read stories since this website went online in April 2007.

That prompted one Times staffer to ask: What story has been most read in our nearly 12-year history?

The answer: A February 2015 story on the History Channel's "American Pickers" cast possibly coming to the Dorchester area. That article produced nearly 4,000 page views.

As it turns out, the Pickers never visited our area, but they have been spotted in Nebraska several times over the years -- including just last week in Gering, Neb.

For those still hoping Mike and Frank will drop by, you can tell them about all your great junk through this website. Maybe you and your stuff will be on TV yet.

For those who didn't read our February 2015 article, it appears below in full.

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From the Dorchester Times - Feb. 22, 2015

Who has seen the TV show "American Pickers" on the History Channel? We must admit we've only seen a few minutes of the program, but we've heard much about it.

Last weekend, a Dorchester Times reader e-mailed us to share that "American Pickers" will be touring the country soon, and he thinks "Dorchester and Saline County is prime 'picking' territory."

Locals who have many collectibles or a "junk collection" could be selected and get to be on "American Pickers" -- and perhaps make some money.

According the History Channel website, "American Pickers" features antique collectors Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz.

Here's what the website says:

"Hitting back roads from coast to coast, the two men earn a living by restoring forgotten relics to their former glory, transforming one person’s trash into another’s treasure. American Pickers follows them as they scour the country for hidden gems in junkyards, basements, garages and barns, meeting quirky characters and hearing their amazing stories. If you think the antique business is all about upscale boutiques and buttoned-up dealers, this show may change your mind – and teach you a thing or two about American history along the way."

If you have an old barn, house or storage shed full of collectibles -- even if you don't know what's in there -- Frank and Mike want to hear from you, according to the History Channel website.

If you would like to be considered for the TV show, send an e-mail now to americanpickers@cineflix.com. The more details (and pictures) you can send them, the better your chances.

9 comments:

AnonymousFebruary 22, 2015 at 7:31 PM
Cynical Richard, here's your chance.
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AnonymousFebruary 22, 2015 at 10:22 PM
I used to be a picker myself............always buying gold and selling junk!
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AnonymousFebruary 22, 2015 at 11:42 PM
Picking is dangerous. I once almost touched my brain doing that.
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AnonymousFebruary 23, 2015 at 8:11 AM
hey ron barak , look out i''m calling them for you!!!
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9th Street DwellerFebruary 23, 2015 at 9:25 AM
Please, please, please pick apart that dump of a property east of the school on school street. Take every board, every nail, every blade of overgrown grass and other vegetation.
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AnonymousFebruary 24, 2015 at 9:47 AM
Come to Fairbury too!
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AnonymousFebruary 26, 2015 at 3:47 PM
I told them I have a bicycle built for two
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AnonymousMarch 1, 2015 at 10:39 AM
I bet they would like to have my uncle indian motercycle in my basement its all complete and might run with a lot of work,
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AnonymousJanuary 15, 2019 at 10:18 PM
I miss Cynical Richard. One of the highlights of this blog.
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Dorchester: A Good Little Family Town

Dorchester, Nebraska (est. population 630) is located in northern Saline county. Close in proximity to Interstate 80, Dorchester is only 25 minutes from the state capital of Lincoln (est. population 250,000) and about 55 minutes from Omaha (metro population 725,000).

Dorchester's median resident age is 37 years. In 2005, Dorchester had a median family income of approximately $35,600. The median house value was about $63,000. About 95 percent of Dorchester residents commute to work via Interstate and highways.

The village has a quality public school, which received a $4.1 million expansion and modernization in 2008; it offers a small classrooms and individualized attention. Total enrollment of grades K-12 is around 230-250 students.

Ancestries of the Dorchester area are primarily German (42.4%), Czech (24.9%), Irish (12.5%), English (5.4%), and Dutch (4.9%).

Dorchester Historical Facts

* On July 4, 1871, the railroad reached Dorchester.
* Incorporated in 1881, Dorchester's population grew from 200 to 500 by 1882.
* In 1882, Dorchester had 90 buildings, 35 of which were businesses or public facilities. Brick buildings lined both sides of Washington Avenue for two blocks.
* Dorchester's longest-running newspaper was The Dorchester Star, which was published until the late 1940s.
* By 1889, Dorchester's population is said to have reached 800, while the town housed an opera house, a two-story brick schoolhouse with a bell tower, and four churches.
* By the 1910s, Dorchester had electricity, a water tower and a fire department.
* Dorchester's main arteries, Highways 6 and 33, were graveled in the 1940s.
* Dorchester's first irrigation well was drilled on Chris Weber's farm and rural electrification was finished following WWII.

A Village with History

Dorchester is one of the "alphabet towns" on the Burlington & Missouri River Railroad line built west from Lincoln. The town site was selected for its pleasant location in the northern part of Saline County, about eight miles west of Crete. This situation is an attractive one, being on the level prairie land, midway between the West Blue River and Turkey Creek. The first named stream is three miles north, and the latter about the same distance south from the town. Dorchester was platted in 1870 and incorporated in 1881. The name "Dorchester" came from either for a suburb of Boston by that name or a town in England. No one is sure. Two of the very first settlers were James Seely and Edward McIntyre, who both made Dorchester their permanent home.

Dorchester: In The Beginning

Here is a look at Dorchester around 1890, less than a decade after its official incorporation, as documented by Andreas' History of the State of Nebraska:
* POPULATION: "About 300, and is made up of a substantial and progressive class of citizens, who are moral and industrious. ... The town grew but very little until the year 1879, for the reason that Pleasant Hill, on Turkey Creek, a short distance south, was the county seat and naturally drew a trade for quite a large scope of country."
* BUSINESS: "The business and professional interests of the town are represented by three general merchandise stores, two drug, one grocery, one furniture, two hardware, and two millinery stores, one bank, two restaurants, two hotels, three livery stables, a post office, one newspaper office, two elevators, two lumber yards, two coal yards, two blacksmith shops, two lawyers and four physicians."
* SCHOOL: "The schoolhouse is a good one. The schoolhouse was built in 1872, since which time the public schools have been continually kept up. The present schoolhouse is 24' x 40' in size, two stories high. The school is graded and consists of three departments. The house is found too small, and arrangements will soon be made to increase its size."
* CHURCHES: "There are three substantial churches."
* HOMES: "The residence portion of the village is made up of neat houses of different styles of architecture, but none of them very large."
* NEWSPAPER: "The Dorchester Star, which was established August 21, 1881, by H. C. Bittenbender, who edited it until January 19, 1882, when he sold it to Ryerson & Bullock, the present proprietors. The Star is a bright weekly paper, five-column quarto, in size, and is Republican in politics."