History Detectives Season 3 Episode 10 Leisureama Homes; Jim Thorpe Tickets; 1667 Land Grant

In this episode of History Detectives, the team investigates three intriguing historical mysteries. The first case involves a set of unusual, subterranean homes built in the 1960s in a rural Illinois community called Leisureama. The homeowners were promised an idyllic, self-sustaining lifestyle, but the development eventually failed and the homes were abandoned. The detectives explore the remnants of the homes and uncover the story behind this bizarre chapter in American housing history.

Next, the team examines a pair of tickets to the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, purportedly used by legendary Native American athlete Jim Thorpe. Though Thorpe famously won gold medals in both the decathlon and pentathlon at those games, the legitimacy of the tickets has been called into question. The detectives interview Thorpe's family members and examine primary sources in an attempt to determine whether the tickets are authentic and what role they may have played in Thorpe's historic athletic triumph.

Finally, the team investigates a 1667 land grant in Virginia that's been passed down through generations of a family, all the way to the present day. The grant, which was awarded by King Charles II, granted a parcel of land to a man named Joseph Bridger under mysterious circumstances. The detectives delve into the history of the Bridger family, tracing their lineage back to the original grant recipient, and uncover surprising connections to some of America's most famous historical figures.

As always, the detectives use a combination of research, historical intuition, and technological tools to piece together clues and solve these historical puzzles. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats as the team untangles complicated webs of intrigue and deceit to uncover the truth behind each of these fascinating cases.