IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF…
All over America, there are places with countless stories to tell. The stories of those who walked the earth before us -- the Dinosaurs… the ancient Indians… restless adventurers… swashbuckling pirates … the patriots who built our country… and the artists and entertainers who defined it.
Experience the most thrilling moments of our history by tracing the journeys of those bigger-than-life figures. Using original footage, we’ll visit the places where they pursued their dreams, built their empires, reveled in their victories and struggled through their tragedies. Interviews, photos and archival footage will help bring their stories to life.
These are just a few examples of what we’ll experience as we follow in the footsteps of…
THE DINOSAURS
We’ll begin literally with the footsteps of the very first to tread on the earth, over 100 million years ago – the Stegosaurus, the Velociraptor, the Brontosaurus and the Tyrannosaurus Rex. We’ll start with Como Bluff Dinosaur Graveyard in Rock River, Wyoming, the site of the world’s first major discovery of dinosaur remains. At Dinosaur State Park in Connecticut, we’ll see actual tracks left by dinosaurs during the Jurassic period, 200 million years ago. We’ll watch the excavation of a T-Rex in Fort Peck Reservoir, Montana. Other sites may include NY’s Museum of Natural History, Chicago’s Field Museum, and Dinosaur National Monument, Utah.
ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS
Aztecs… Mayans… Anasazi...the names evoke awe and mystery, fascination with cultures who have left us clues to the splendor of their golden age many centuries ago. We’ll go to Mesa Verde, Colorado, the site of a complex society of cliffdwellers who lived a thousand years ago. In Mexico, we’ll visit the great Mayan cities of Chichen-Itza, Mexico, and the majestic pyramids of Teotihuacán.
THE EXPLORERS
The Spanish Explorers
We’ll trace the footsteps of the explorers who followed Christopher Columbus to the New World in search of gold and power. Included will be Ponce DeLeon’s quest for the Fountain of Youth, in which he discovered Florida. On his first visit, he had a peaceful encounter with the local Indians in St. Augustine. But on his second visit, in which he intended to colonize the area, he ended up battling the Indians and was fatally wounded by a poison arrow. We’ll follow Hernan DeSoto’s search for riches and a mysterious river that poured fresh water into the Gulf of Mexico. We’ll see his very first view of the Mississippi – from bluffs occupied by Chickasaw villages. The site would later become Memphis, Tennessee.
Lewis and Clark
Follow the epic journey of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their Corps of Discovery as they ventured into the uncharted West. From their starting point in Saint Charles, Missouri, the last vestige of the known world, to the Knife River in North Dakota, where they met Sacajawea, who would guide them through the wilderness, all the way west to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon.
Daniel Boone
We’ll follow this pioneer’s remarkable life from his Birdsboro, Pennsylvania birthplace to the site where he was captured by Shawnee Indians during the American Revolution. Then we’ll go westward through Virginia and Kentucky, where he forged the Wilderness Road and led the settlers who founded the town of Boonesborough.
THE PIRATES
Blackbeard
The most menacing of all villains of 18th century America, Blackbeard had a brief but fierce 27-month reign of terror over the continent’s eastern coast. We’ll see his haunts and hideaways throughout North Carolina, the recently discovered gallows site in Williamsburg, Virginia where 13 of his men were hanged, and Ocracoke Island, where he fought his final battle. According to legend, he fought on even after being shot, stabbed and slashed across the throat, until he died while cocking a pistol
Jean Lafitte
The pirate Jean Lafitte cuts one of the most swashbuckling figures in history. He preyed on ships along America’s Gulf Coast, but when the British offered him a fortune to fight with them in the planned attack on New Orleans in 1815, he informed the American authorities. He later fought alongside General Andrew Jackson in defense of the city in return for a pardon for himself and his men. We’ll see the shop in New Orleans’ French Quarter where he worked in disguise to gather information and sell his booty. We’ll visit the plantation on the Mississippi supposedly haunted by his ghost. And we’ll pay a visit to the Old Absinthe House on Bourbon Street where he met with Andrew Jackson to plan the defense of New Orleans.
THE PATRIOTS
Paul Revere
Paul Revere’s midnight ride, immortalized in Longfellow’s poem, has become the stuff of legend. But it’s possible to visit the actual locations where the important events of that famous night took place. Revere’s signal lamps, “one if by land, two if by sea,” were hung from the steeple of Old North Church, the highest point in colonial Boston. We’ll visit the Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington, where Revere brought the news of the British attack to John Hancock and Samuel Adams. And we’ll go to the town green of Lexington, where the ensuing battle with the British took place. Also still standing is Paul Revere’s house, the oldest building in Boston. He is buried in the Old Granary Burying Ground, the site of the graves of John Hancock and Samuel Adams.
Benjamin Franklin
One of the most colorful and brilliant figures in American history, Ben Franklin was born in Boston, but will forever be linked with Philadelphia. You’ll discover Franklin’s Philadelphia – The elegant Powel House, where he attended parties and showed off his dancing ability. Christ Episcopal Church, where he attended services. And Independence Hall, the site of the Philadelphia Constitutional Convention. Also, the “ghost structure” that outlines the spot where Franklin’s house once stood.
George Washington
Perhaps the most imposing footsteps in American history are those of George Washington, who led the country in Revolution and became its first President. We’ll see where Washington’s political career began in 1759, when he took a seat in the House of Burgesses in Williamsburg’s Capitol at the age of 27. We’ll also uncover spots like the Raleigh tavern where he enjoyed congenial evenings with friends. We’ll also travel to the spot where he crossed the Delaware to win the crucial Battle of Trenton, to Valley Forge, where he and his men spent their most grueling winter, and the George Wythe House, his headquarters before going into the Battle of Yorktown. Other points will include New York’s Federal Hall, where he was inaugurated as the first President of the United States in 1789, and the Washington, D.C. landmarks that he helped plan – including the White House and the Capitol Building.
THE VALIANT
The Alamo
This old mission is the site of one of the most courageous battles ever fought in North America. There, a small band of Texans held out for thirteen days against the centralist army of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Although all of the Alamo defenders were ultimately killed, they had bought with their lives the time needed for General Sam Houston to weld a force that won Texas its independence. The memories of James Bowie, David Crockett, and William B. Travis are as powerful today as when, as legend has it, the Texan Army under Sam Houston shouted "Remember the Alamo!" as it finally defeated Santa Anna at the battle of San Jacinto. The most famous of those who died at the Alamo was folk hero David Crockett, rumored to have miraculously survived the attack, only to be executed afterwards by Santa Anna.
Little Big Horn
This tragic battle of the Sioux War is still shrouded in mystery and argued over by historians. In 1876, General George Custer, one of the country’s most beloved heroes of the Civil War, unwittingly rode with 225 men into a force of about 4,000. Custer and his men were slaughtered, and the news of the general’s death sent the entire country into mourning. It also led the army to exact revenge on the Indians, leading to the downfall of the great Indian leaders Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse. We’ll relive the battles at the sites where Custer and his men fell, the national cemetery where they buried the dead cavalrymen, and the Reno-Benteen Battlefield, where the other two segments of Custer's command managed to fight a defensive action until relief arrived.
Pearl Harbor
December 7, 1941 will forever be etched on the American consciousness – the day the impossible happened – the attack of Pearl Harbor, in which the United States’ Pacific fleet was virtually destroyed. We’ll learn how one mishap after another led to a breakdown in communication, leaving military intelligence in Washington unable to warn Pearl Harbor officers of the attack. Survivors will tell their stories as we see the actual locations where they took place. We’ll also go to nearby Hickam Field, where 18 Army Aircorps planes were destroyed or damaged on the ground. Finally, we’ll see the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial, located directly over the sunken ship which still contains the bodies of the 1,102 crew members who died onboard.
Arlington Cemetery
Originally the grounds of a mansion built in honor of George Washington by his adopted son, Arlington was the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee until 1864, when the government seized it and turned it into a cemetery for soldiers killed in battle. Since then, over 250,000 veterans and family members have been buried there. We’ll see the Tomb of the Unknowns, the grave of John F. Kennedy, and also learn the stories of some lesser known heroes buried there—like Edward M. Heyl, an officer who fought valiantly in many major battles of the Civil War -- Antietam, Unionsville, Harpers Ferry and Gettysburg -- and survived them all.
CIVIL WAR HEROES AND LEGENDS
In addition to the following, we will also have episodes on the most famous battles of the war. e.g. Gettysburg and Appomatox, and its most well-known heroes, e.g. Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant
The Underground Railroad
Trace the arduous journey of escaped slaves who risked their lives for the chance to reach Canada and freedom. Led by “General” Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave, the Underground Railroad was a complex network of courageous abolitionists who helped runaway slaves along the long road to freedom. We’ll trace a typical route, visiting still-existing “safehouses” in the North and South.
Sherman’s March
Major General William T. Sherman's March to the Sea was an extraordinary expedition through the heart of Georgia, from Atlanta to Savannah, carried out in the fall of 1864. It was intended to break the supply system of the Confederacy and hasten the end of the Civil War. We’ll follow the path of the 60,000 men who cut a swathe of devastation 20 to 25 miles wide for over 300 miles. We’ll stop at stopover places like Savannah’s Manor House, which housed Sherman and his officers during the march.
The Great Locomotive Chase
In 1862, Union spy James Andrews and 19 volunteers stole the freight engine “The General” at Big Shanty Georgia. It was one of the boldest, most daring acts of the Civil War. We’ll follow their path as they boarded the train as passengers at Marietta, rode The General to Big Shanty, and stole the train. A five-hour chase ensued, ending when The General ran out of fuel just a few miles outside Chattanooga. The raiders fled on foot, but were captured within a few days. Andrews and seven others were hanged as spies in Atlanta. While most of the men received Congressional Medals of Honor, Andrews, a civilian, was not eligible. We’ll pay a visit to The General, now safely housed in Kennesaw.
… But wait, there’s more! Following are a few more ongoing series ideas within the framework of “In the Footsteps Of….”
THE ENTERTAINERS
Here are two examples of possible episodes for this series. Other options include Hollywood legends like Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Cecil. B. DeMille and current favorites like Madonna.
The Rat Pack
Las Vegas was the stomping ground for the Rat Pack, a gang of entertainers who have come to represent the very definition of “cool.” Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop and Peter Lawford entertained others and themselves in Las Vegas’s swanky hangouts of the 1950’s and 60’s – the Sands, the Sahara, the Desert Inn, the Riviera and the Flamingo. We’ll see archival footage of those spots in their hip heyday, and we’ll visit them in their modern-day incarnations. We’ll see footage of the demolition of the Sands, the symbol of the passing of an era. We’ll also go in search of the last vestiges of Las Vegas’s golden age, downtown Las Vegas spots that still retain the martini-and-cigarette flavor of days gone by.
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Elvis
We’ll follow the life of “The King,” starting with his birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi, where he grew up singing gospel at the First Assembly of God Church. Then on to the Sun Recording Studios Memphis, where he was discovered, and Las Vegas, where he became truly immortal. Of course, the focal point will be Graceland, his beloved home that is now hallowed ground for his fans. We’ll also discover places where the spirit of Elvis lives on – from the Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas to Hollywood’s Palms restaurant, home of “Thai Elvis.”
THE OUTLAWS
From Billy the Kid to Al Capone, this series of one-hour episodes will cover the lives of those infamous characters who lived outside the law, their favorite haunts, and the sites of their final showdowns.
THE PRESIDENTS
Abe Lincoln’s Illinois, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, FDR’s Campobello are just a few of the places we’ll be visiting in this series. Each episode will show us a glimpse of an American President’s private life – his birthplace, his dream house, his favorite vacation spot, places that will shed light on the influences and personality traits that made him a great leader.
THE TYCOONS
In each of these episodes, we’ll follow the rise to power of a multi-millionaire business legend. We’ll also explore their mansions and their luxurious summer vacation homes. Among those profiled will be William Randolph Hearst, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, and Milton Hershey. We’ll also hear the story of the home-building competition between William K. Vanderbilt, the proud owner of Newport’s Marble House and Cornelius Vanderbilt II, who attempted to outdo him with his 70-room castle, The Breakers.
THE GREAT WRITERS
In this series of episodes, we’ll explore Mark Twain’s America along the Mississippi. We’ll explore Anne Rice’s New Orleans, Tennessee Williams’ vision of the South, Raymond Chandler’s Los Angeles, John Steinbeck’s California, Mike Royko’s and Ben Hecht’s Chicago, and the New York of Jimmy Breslin and Damon Runyon. We’ll also see Ian Fleming’s Jamaica, Elmore Leonard’s Florida, Candace Bushnell’s New York hangouts, and Zane Grey’s West. Maybe we’ll even see Hemingway’s Key West, Florida and Michigan Upper Peninsula.
THE MUSIC LEGENDS
Each of these episodes will focus on the birthplace of a different American music tradition – the Blues, Jazz, and Rock and Roll.
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