Big Stories of Americana look at some major efforts at saving major historic icons of America. The last working ship from D-Day:  Restored and now sailed by volunteers. One of only two B-29’s that is flying: restored and operated by volunteers. Old covered wagons, trains, historic homes, old barns, the first cross country road — all saved using the sweat of everyday Americans. Here are some previews of our Big Stories of Americana.

Meet and celebrate the individuals Saving Americana. Teachers, contractors, cowboys, musicians, artists, engineers, and even young students yet to start a career. Meet them, read about their background, watch the extraordinary contributions to America. These are the History Heroes saving our history.

Excuse the clique, but music is really the soundtrack of American History. Meet the musicians who with just a few notes, can take us back a century. Music of the 18 hundreds, bluegrass, the roots of jazz, the accordion players of Cajun music who “Make the people dance.” When you study the past — when you watch reenact-ors — they always come with music. And we get a portal to how it was done — It sets the tone and you feel the past in a new way.

Some of the best of America can be found in the smallest towns. Covered bridges, old canals, steam trains, horses pulling plows, river boats, barnstorming airshows, century old restaurants, a Hollywood back lot where hundreds of westerns were filmed, and the real people, make us visit Small Town Americana again and again.