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The Best Episodes of History Detectives

Every episode of History Detectives ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of History Detectives!

The Best Episodes of History Detectives

A group of researchers help people to find answers to various historical questions they have, usually centering around a family heirloom, an old house or...
  1. Background image for Orphan Film Reel; Chinese Opium Scale; Hermann Goering’s Shotgun
    7.6/10(7 votes)

    #1 - Orphan Film Reel; Chinese Opium Scale; Hermann Goering’s Shotgun

    S4:E6

    Puzzles involve a film reel of 1920s stuntman Eddie Polo; scales used by Chinese immigrants in the early 20th century; and a shotgun that belonged to Nazi henchman Hermann Goering.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  2. Background image for St.Valentine's Day Massacre; G. Washington Miniature; Stalag 17 Portrait
    7.4/10(5 votes)

    #2 - St.Valentine's Day Massacre; G. Washington Miniature; Stalag 17 Portrait

    S8:E7

    St.Valentine's Day Massacre: Family lore says their shotgun played a role in the Chicago St. Valentine's Day Massacre. G. Washington Miniature: Why is this miniature of Washington more than a piece of art? Stalag 17 Portrait: A portrait sketched in a WWII prison leads to a meeting 65 years later.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  3. Background image for Arthur Szyk's Earliest Cartoons
    7.0/10(5 votes)

    #3 - Arthur Szyk's Earliest Cartoons

    S3:E3

    Arthur Szyk's Earliest Cartoons Professor Lowe's Hot Air Balloon Chemical Warfare Map

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  4. Background image for Coca-Cola Trade Card; Vicksburg Map; Lawrence Strike
    7.0/10(6 votes)

    #4 - Coca-Cola Trade Card; Vicksburg Map; Lawrence Strike

    S4:E3

    Puzzles involve an 1886 Coca-Cola trade card, a map connected to a Civil War battle and a billy club from a 1912 textile-factory strike in Lawrence, Mass. Included: a trip to Coca-Cola headquarters in Atlanta to try to verify the trade card info; digging up details pertaining to the 1863 siege of Vicksburg, Miss.; a journey to Lawrence to investigate the Bread and Roses strike.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  5. Background image for U.S.S. Indianapolis; Highlander Badge; Spirit of St. Louis
    7.0/10(5 votes)

    #5 - U.S.S. Indianapolis; Highlander Badge; Spirit of St. Louis

    S4:E5

    Puzzles concerning items believed to have come from a WWII kamikaze attack; a badge that may have belonged to a British soldier in the Revolutionary War; and two New Jersey brothers who suspect that their uncle built the Spirit of St. Louis's Wright Whirlwind J-5C engine.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  6. Background image for NC-4: First Across the Atlantic; Howard Hughes Crash; Civil War Balloon
    7.0/10(6 votes)

    #6 - NC-4: First Across the Atlantic; Howard Hughes Crash; Civil War Balloon

    S5:E6

    A square of fabric that may have been part of an NC-4 aircraft, which was the first to fly across the Atlantic; and an altimeter that might have been part of the XF-11 aircraft flown by Howard Hughes in 1946. Also: a piece of material that may have been part of a Civil War-era hot-air balloon designed for the U.S. Army.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
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    The 20 WORST Episodes of History Detectives

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  8. Background image for Bill Pickett Saddle; Hitler Films; McKinley Casket Flag
    7.0/10(5 votes)

    #7 - Bill Pickett Saddle; Hitler Films; McKinley Casket Flag

    S5:E11

    A saddle that may have been owned by cowboy legend Bill Pickett; a flag that might have been draped over the casket of President William McKinley; and film cans that may contain archival footage of Nazi officials.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  9. Background image for Hindenburg Artifact; Bonus Army Stamp; Dempsey Fight Bell
    7.0/10(5 votes)

    #8 - Hindenburg Artifact; Bonus Army Stamp; Dempsey Fight Bell

    S6:E5

    Hindenburg Artifact Was this device snatched from the burning wreckage of the ill-fated zeppelin? Bonus Army Stamp: Is this stamp connected to a moment when the U.S. Army advanced with fixed bayonets against fellow soldiers in the nation’s capital? Dempsey Fight Bell: Is this the bell that sat ringside at the world's first boxing superstar's legendary match?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  10. Background image for GAR Photograph; Bill Pickett Saddle; Hitler Films
    7.0/10(6 votes)

    #9 - GAR Photograph; Bill Pickett Saddle; Hitler Films

    S6:E6

    GAR Photograph: How did two African Americans come to be part of this photograph of about 20 older white men in Reconstructionist-era America? Bill Pickett Saddle: Did this saddle ride into cowboy history with one of rodeo's most daring innovators? Hitler Films: Could these rusting film canisters contain unknown footage of one of the 20th century's most heinous murderers?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  11. Background image for Iwo Jima Map; Copperhead Cane; Theremin
    7.0/10(6 votes)

    #10 - Iwo Jima Map; Copperhead Cane; Theremin

    S8:E2

    Iwo Jima Map - What role did this map play in one of WWII’s fiercest battles? Copperhead Cane - How did this cane inspire a fiery political movement that threatened Lincoln’s presidency? Theremin - How did this strange instrument help spark a rock n’ roll revolution?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  12. Background image for Siberian Bullet; John Brown Pike; Ronald McDonald Costume
    7.0/10(6 votes)

    #11 - Siberian Bullet; John Brown Pike; Ronald McDonald Costume

    S9:E3

    Rummaging through a box of shells and bullets at a Colorado gun show, a History Detectives fan discovered a World War I vintage cartridge with a curious etching: Leo V. Thompson, CO E 31st Inf., A.E.F. Siberia. Our contributor bought a spear, or pike, from an antique shop in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. He knows abolitionist John Brown lived near Chagrin Falls and wonders if rebels used this blade in John Brown’s famous raid at Harpers Ferry, VA. Have we found the original costume that launched Ronald McDonald? The label credits a well-known costume designer, and the costume looks similar to the suit we see in an early Ronald McDonald commercial: the yellow balloon coverall, red and white striped shirt and long stockings, and red oversized shoes.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  13. Background image for 3D Cuban Missile Crisis; Amos 'n Andy Record; Women's Suffrage Painting
    6.8/10(6 votes)

    #12 - 3D Cuban Missile Crisis; Amos 'n Andy Record; Women's Suffrage Painting

    S5:E1

    The fifth season begins with a portable projection screen that may have been used by President Kennedy to view spy photos during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Also: an aluminum record that might contain an original recording of the “Amos 'n' Andy” program; and a painting that may have been an original portrait used in the women's suffrage movement.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  14. Background image for Lauste Film Clip; Baker's Gold; Transatlantic Cable
    6.8/10(6 votes)

    #13 - Lauste Film Clip; Baker's Gold; Transatlantic Cable

    S8:E3

    A collector who may possess part of the first talking movie; a Cape Cod beachcomber's discovery of what may be a section of the first transatlantic cable. Also: the story behind sketches of five- and eight-pound gold nuggets.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  15. Background image for Drug Smuggling Doll; Florida Map; Marion Carpenter Camera
    6.6/10(5 votes)

    #14 - Drug Smuggling Doll; Florida Map; Marion Carpenter Camera

    S9:E8

    A camera may have been used to photograph President Truman; Civil War doll may have been used to smuggle medicine; a 15th-century map shows how Europe colonized Florida.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  16. Background image for Japanese Balloon Bomb; Society Circus Program; Camp David Letter
    6.5/10(6 votes)

    #15 - Japanese Balloon Bomb; Society Circus Program; Camp David Letter

    S6:E3

    Japanese Balloon Bomb: Is this scrap of fabric evidence of a secret wartime attack on the United States' mainland? Society Circus Program: Why are some of New York's wealthiest planning a high society circus at the very depth of the Great Depression? Camp David Letter: Could a box found in a dumpster hold information about the founding of a top-secret Presidential retreat?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  17. Background image for Leopold Medal; Suffrage Pennant; WB Cartoons
    6.4/10(6 votes)

    #16 - Leopold Medal; Suffrage Pennant; WB Cartoons

    S9:E10

    No description available

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  18. Background image for Atocha Spanish Silver; Ernie Pyle's Typewriter; Lucy Parsons Book
    6.2/10(5 votes)

    #17 - Atocha Spanish Silver; Ernie Pyle's Typewriter; Lucy Parsons Book

    S5:E4

    Two bars of silver that may have been from a Spanish ship that went down off Florida; a book that might have belonged to social activist Lucy Parsons; a typewriter that may have belonged to WWII journalist Ernie Pyle.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  19. Background image for Shipwreck Cannons; Connecticut Farmhouse; Kahlil Gibran Painting
    6.2/10(5 votes)

    #18 - Shipwreck Cannons; Connecticut Farmhouse; Kahlil Gibran Painting

    S6:E9

    Shipwreck Cannons: Are these the last remains of a navy schooner that fought in a border dispute with the mighty British Empire? Connecticut Farmhouse: How is this Connecticut farmhouse connected to the assassination of a Russian tsar? Kahlil Gibran Painting: Is this painting an unknown work by an immigrant poet whose words inspired an American generation?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  20. Background image for Continental Currency; Short-Snorter; Liberty Bell Pin
    6.0/10(5 votes)

    #19 - Continental Currency; Short-Snorter; Liberty Bell Pin

    S5:E2

    A possible Colonial-era $6 bill found by a Nebraska family; and a British 10-shilling note said to have been signed by FDR, Winston Churchill and George Patton. Also: A North Carolina woman has a pin she claims was made from metal taken from the Liberty Bell.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  21. Background image for WWII Diary; Annie Oakley Coin; 1856 Mormon Tale
    6.0/10(6 votes)

    #20 - WWII Diary; Annie Oakley Coin; 1856 Mormon Tale

    S6:E1

    WWII Diary: Does this diary hold the key to understanding the fate of a missing bomber pilot from World War II? Annie Oakley Coin: Was this coin a target for one of the Wild West's most popular female sharpshooters? 1856 Mormon Tale: Is this tattered book a true account of female slavery in the old West?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  22. Background image for New Jersey
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #21 - New Jersey

    S1:E1

    Face Artifact The Place: Mantoloking, New Jersey Found on the beach, a pebble in the sand with sculpted human features. To unlock this riddle, the team must travel through time, across borders and between cultures. Fire Station The Place: Morristown, New Jersey The evidence suggests that President Ulysses S. Grant celebrated America's centennial at this old firehouse. The History Detectives try to prove it. "Pop" Lloyd's Baseball Field The Place: Atlantic City, New Jersey Black ball players, white politicians, prejudice and patrimony. All of these threads appear when the History Detectives begin to unravel the origins of a historic memorial to black ballplayer John Henry Lloyd.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  23. Background image for The Mid West
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #22 - The Mid West

    S1:E2

    Bonnie & Clyde The Place: Brodhead, Wisconsin Did these five .45 caliber bullets end one of the most infamous crime sprees in American history? The History Detectives try to link these bullets to Bonnie and Clyde using ballistics tests and some old-fashioned research. Al Ringling Theater The Place: Baraboo, Wisconsin Was this one of the country's first great movie palaces? The History Detectives set out to discover why such an ornate theater was erected and survived in such an obscure location. Sears Home The Place: Akron, Ohio The History Detectives investigate whether or not Sears & Roebuck could have built this home during the industrial boom. Does this couple live in a relic from years gone by?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  24. Background image for New England
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #23 - New England

    S1:E3

    Morgan Whaling Ship The Place: Mystic, Connecticut Did this Charles W. Morgan whaling ship smuggle slaves out of the south as part of the Underground Railroad? The History Detectives are called in to find out. Witch's House? The Place: Essex County, Massachusetts Did Martha Carrier, who was hanged as a witch, once own Benjamin Abbot's house? The History Detectives must rely on historical research, Martha's descendents and even experts from around the world to solve the case. 1909 Jigsaw Puzzle The Place: Worcester, Massachusetts A quirky jigsaw puzzle of women playing football in the 1800s puzzles the History Detectives. A jigsaw expert, sport historian, magazine collector and antiquities society help solve the riddle.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  25. Background image for The Capitol
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #24 - The Capitol

    S1:E4

    Portrait of George Washington The Place: Frederick, Maryland Is this an authentic portrait of the nation's first president, George Washington? The History Detectives call in a fake buster and art historian to discover if this is a national treasure. Patty Cannon The Place: Federalsburg, Maryland Was Jack and Rose's home once the headquarters of kidnapper and slave trader Patty Cannon? Trumpet The Place: Bucks County, Pennsylvania Was this trumpet, bought by a Philadelphia man at auction, actually played during the battles that won America's independence from England?

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown
  26. Background image for The South East
    NaN/10(0 votes)

    #25 - The South East

    S1:E5

    Lee's Last Orders The Place: Beech Island, South Carolina Is the Beech Island Agricultural Club's copy of Confederate General Robert E. Lee's farewell address the original? Natchez House The Place: Natchez, Mississippi How could Robert Smith, a former slave, afford to build this magnificent home for himself in 1851? Napoleonic Sword The Place: St. Martinville, Louisiana A family legend has it that when a doctor treated Napoleon at the Battle of Wagram in Austria, the great General was so grateful he rewarded him with a fine sword, which has been kept in the family ever since.

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    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

Best Episodes Summary

"Orphan Film Reel; Chinese Opium Scale; Hermann Goering’s Shotgun" is the best rated episode of "History Detectives". It scored 7.6/10 based on 7 votes. Directed by Unknown and written by Unknown, it aired on 7/24/2006. This episode scored 0.2 points higher than the second highest rated, "St.Valentine's Day Massacre; G. Washington Miniature; Stalag 17 Portrait".