Save Our History - Season 1 (1999)

New York City's Grand Central Station is spotlighted. Included: the heroic building's blend of architecture and functionality; how it spurred midtown development; the court case that saved it from destruction.

DEAR HOME: LETTERS FROM WWI chronicles the experiences of American soldiers and supply clerks, pilots and postal workers from draft day to homecoming, how they clung to pen and paper as their only connection to home, and how the war left them forever changed.

This program, narrated by Roger Mudd, offers an interesting look at the history of the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key's poem confirming a young nation's sense of self. The particular flag Key saw came about through the herculean efforts of a seamstress to meet a request by Captain Amistad, commander of Ft. McHenry outside of Baltimore. The captain wanted a large symbol of American pride to wave in the face of the British fleet as it bombarded his post during the War of 1812. Most likely, the good Captain had no suspicions as to just how wildly successful his efforts would be--after Key's poem was published in 1814, it was paired with a tune from a drinking song (everybody knew the melody already so it was easy to remember) and became quite popular. In addition to tracing the song and flag's history, the program also looks at present-day intricate efforts to preserve what is left of the original fabric.

Our first and foremost national park, Yellowstone was established in 1872 by Congress. Today, it encompasses 2.2-million acres and draws over 3-million visitors yearly. But it's under constant threat from pollution, urban encroachment, and the same tourists that have made it so valuable. We join ecologists, as well as the National Parks Service, in their search for ways to preserve this vitally important ecosystem, while keeping it available to visitors for years to come.

The National World War II Memorial is the first national memorial dedicated to all those who served in WWII. Established by the American Battle Monuments Commission, it honors all military veterans, citizens on the homefront, the nation at large, and the high moral purpose and idealism that motivated the nation's call to arms. Dedicated on May 29, 2004, we detail its history and talk to those involved in its conception and the fundraising that made it possible.

In 1607, 105 Englishmen crowded onto three ships to cross the Atlantic in search of a new world. They built a fort at Jamestown and established trade with the indigenous people. But things turned bad quickly--the natives became hostile, the land was unforgiving, and disease and hardship overtook them. Just how did Jamestown, long thought to be a near-failure due to its colonists' incompetence, survive to become the first permanent English settlement despite all odds? A 10-year-long archaeological dig is unearthing evidence every day that tells a different story. Host Steve Thomas climbs down a 400-year-old well, wades into a swamp filled with 1,000-year-old trees, and takes us to a firing range, a sculptor's studio, and right into a forensics lab to piece together the real story of Jamestown Colony.

Steve Thomas visits ghost towns from the American gold-rush era in Montana and California to examine preservation efforts, and innovative technology and methods used by miners. Towns include Garnet and Bannock in Montana; and Bodie, Cal. Also: A tour of the Knight Foundry in Sutter Creek, Cal.

In 1607, the sailing ship Godspeed played an important role in American history; she was one of three ships that carried settlers to the Jamestown colony. We follow the construction of a full size replica of the three-masted ship commissioned by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation. Host Steve Thomas guides viewers through the 18-month process, from the laying of the keel to her first days at sea, exploring the combination of old world craftsmanship and modern technology used to put the ship together. When Godspeed is ready to take her first sail into the cold waters of Penobscot Bay, we get to see the ship in all its glory, learn about conditions on the original voyage, and ponder the courage of those who set sail 400 years ago.