Extraordinary Stories Behind Everyday Things

Season 3

TV-G
Offering an in-depth look at how iconic American-made products are created, this series celebrates the ingenuity, passion and creativity of the people who proudly stand behind these timeless classics.

Where to Watch Extraordinary Stories Behind Everyday Things • Season 3

15 Episodes

  • Cowboy Hat
    E1
    Cowboy HatIn Texas, one company revolutionized cowboy hats in 1927 to be sturdier and stand up to harsh weather elements on ranches. Today, what seems like a simple hat requires 200 steps, two manufacturing locations and up to a month to make.
  • Cranberry Sauce
    E2
    Cranberry SauceManufacturers reveal how cranberry sauce is made in Cranmoor, Wisconsin. Since 1930, a co-operative of farmers has grown and harvested over seven million pounds of native berries, transforming them into the classic jelly sauce.
  • Pool Table
    E3
    Pool TableThe manufacturers at Olhausen Billiards in Portland, Tennessee, show how they've built the pool table from the ground up since the 1980s. They transform the game using a unique bumper that provides a perfect bank shot.
  • Lip Balm
    E4
    Lip BalmA Virginia pharmacist created the world's first lip balm in the 1880s using only five ingredients. Today, Chapstick continues to innovate by creating new flavors in Richmond and manufacturing products in Burlington, Vermont.
  • Wafer Cookie
    E5
    Wafer CookieLearn how a Belgian baker took his family's centuries-old wafer cookie recipe to Madison, Mississippi, and added a signature swirl and filling to create a modern-day favorite.
  • Hammocks
    E6
    HammocksTravel to Greenville, North Carolina, to discover how Pawleys Island hammocks were originally created by a riverboat captain in 1889. Today, they're an elevated art form handcrafted with a special, durable yarn.
  • Hammers
    E7
    HammersIn 1869, blacksmith Alexander Vaughan began creating and forging hammers in Bushnell, Illinois. Today, fifth-generation owner Charlie Vaughan operates the family business and continues to make hammers using vintage forgers and modern equipment.
  • Saddle
    E8
    SaddleThe Burns family reveals how they create the leather horse saddle in Salina, Utah. Since 1876, they've used 45 individual pieces that are layered and transformed into one moving piece.
  • Fly Fishing Rod
    E9
    Fly Fishing RodOrvis fly fishing rods have been made for nearly 150 years in Manchester, Vermont. Today, they're made with a carbon fiber design that requires over a hundred hours to construct.
  • Lawn Tractor
    E10
    Lawn TractorIn 1963, John Deere, the famous farming equipment company, created its own lawn tractor in Horicon, Wisconsin. Fifty years and dozens of models later, John Deere continues to innovate and perfect this classic piece of gardening equipment.
  • Surfboard
    E11
    SurfboardFind out how Channel Islands owner Al Merrick revolutionized the surfboard's shape by blending classic and new designs in Santa Barbara, California.
  • Grill
    E12
    GrillA Chicago welder invented the dome-shaped kettle grill in 1952 to cook the perfect steak. While the design remains the same, the manufacturing process has been refined to produce one million grills per year.
  • Skateboard
    E13
    SkateboardIn Southern California, an engineer and pro skateboarder reveal how they revolutionized skateboards in the 1970s by creating decks out of new materials and inventing new wheel recipes.
  • Washing Machine
    E14
    Washing Machine
  • Football
    E15
    FootballWilson shows how they've been making the football for over 100 years in Ada, Ohio. Today, over 700,000 footballs are handcrafted each year in the place in which they originated.

Cast of Season 3

  • Carson BeckNarrator (voice)

 

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