MARION — During a recent summer tour of the Northeast, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz of the History Channel’s popular show American Pickers, paid a visit to Somerset County and the former Early Americana Museum to rummage through the collection of the late Lawrence Burgess. The results of their Aug. 19 visit will air 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10 on the History Channel with it appearing online after the run date at www.history.com/shows/american-pickers.

The museum opened in 1976, entertaining and educating countless visitors, and featured the treasures collected by Mr. Burgess over a lifetime of going to auctions and estate sales. Located in a three-story chicken house at Hudson’s Corner, the museum had thousands of exhibits highlighting agricultural and rural life on the Eastern Shore.

At the former Burgess Early Americana Museum are American Pickers show hosts Frank Fritz, left, and Mike Wolfe with members of the Burgess family — granddaughter Patti Butler and her husband Alan, and son-in-law Maurice White. The pair of “antique archaeologists” were in Somerset County on Aug. 19 and the results of their visit will be aired on The History Channel 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10.[/caption]

After his death, the Burgess family donated the collection to Somerset County. An inventory has been made, duplicate items put up for sale at auction in 2010 and 2011 with future plans to include placing the best material that represents this area in a new home, possibly connected to the county’s tourism center in Princess Anne. The current site is not suitable for public visits.

According to information from Somerset County Tourism, the show hosts “were amazed at the size of the collection and spent the day touring the site, interacting with the Burgess family members and taping footage.” While in the area the cast and crew dined on fresh local seafood and Smith Island cake.

This is the 8^th season for American Pickers, a show that follows Messrs. Wolfe and Fritz throughout the country in search of memorable antiques and collectibles.

Now in its 8^th season, American Pickers follows Wolfe and Fritz as they search for unique and memorable antiques and collectibles. They were amazed at the size of the collection and spent the day touring the site, interacting with Burgess Family members, and taping footage. While in the area, the American Pickers cast and crew enjoyed Eastern Shore fare, dining on fresh local seafood and Smith Island Cake.