Abandoned - Season 1

Old MacDonald had a farm and shut its doors around 1955. Now the guys are singing e-i-e-i-o as they find historic items in the abandoned barn, house and mill in Westminster, Md. Jay's biggest finds include a bell and a collection of tiles that may be worth $140 each, but Mark is the one making hay when he finds an early radiator oven. The property's owner is on the fence about selling the items until he makes a surprising offer of his own.

With only 60 days to spare before Philadelphia's historic Church of the Nativity is demolished, the Jay, Markand Dan rush to retrieve abandoned treasures from the past 170 years. The guys hit the jackpot when they find floral and Tiffany-style stained glass windows in the sanctuary, and a giant rose window worth $10,000 has Jay saying 'Amen.' But perhaps their most surprising find is vintage parallel bars and the remains of a basement bowling alley.

The guys are watering at the mouth when they get a chance to explore the former Pabst Brewing Company Headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jay is on the lookout for memorabilia and is intoxicated by a blueprint of the factory and a blanket emblazoned with the Pabst logo. Mark spots Captain Pabst's own desk and Dan finds two oak chairs featured in a 1960s beer commercial.

Jay and his buddies take a ride to rural Lonaconing, Md., where they dig through a shuttered silk mill that's been abandoned since 1957. When the guys get in, they discover that the entire mill is totally preserved. With just six hours to dig, Jay, Mark and Dan scramble to find one-of-a-kind items, including a washbasin, a wheeled cart and a custom-built bench. But the building's owner is a tough sell, and Jay must convince him to lower his prices.

Jay, Mark and Dan travel to a property so old, it doesn't even have an address. The Owens Homestead is rumored to have items belonging to settlers from the 1830s. The guys hit the jackpot when they explore the cottage, discovering a Windsor icebox, an Edison phonograph - worth $1000 when restored - and a top-secret manual for the Boeing B-52 bomber. The owners are willing to sell many items, but to secure the ice box, Jay needs convince Ricki that the purchase is worth going over budget.

In the South, cotton is king, so when the guys head down to a cotton gin in Georgia, they're hoping to head home with the crown jewels. From a vintage Coca-Cola machine and Dino gas pumps to a Depression-era portrait and a Zenith radio, the guys truly uncover relic royalty. But it's a home-made hot-rod that really gets Jay's motor running.

Jay's salvaging crew seeks riches in an old abandoned bank that was built to hold the spectacular fortunes of America's big oil barons. Since this was once a high-class establishment, Jay believes treasures may still be hidden inside. Top picks include an antique cash counter and an elegant mail chute that extends through the upper stories of the building, as well as a grand, giant flagpole that once stood proudly and prominently atop of this beautiful building.

At an abandoned paper factory the size of several football fields, the guys hope to score a touchdown with an assortment of historic objects. Jay, Dan and Mark find antique fire hoses, a Fairbanks scale, customized lockers and a pair of temperature gauges. Just when the score is in their favor, Ricki warns that the job might get sacked: The property owners are planning to turn the factory into a museum and may hesitate to sell certain objects.

After failing to find valuable goods at a Tappan, N.Y., Masonic retirement home, the team explores two barns set for demolition in nearby Newtown, Conn. Jay is blown away by the automotive relics stored in one barn, including a restored tractor, porcelain signage and a Chrysler Saratoga. Now, Jay must convince the owners that he will successfully restore and resell the entire contents of both barns, but only if they can agree on a fair price.

It's an extraordinary opportunity to explore not just an abandoned building, but an entire town. Johnsonville, Conn., was purchased by a millionaire who planned to turn the mill and the surrounding village into a tourist attraction, only to shut it down in 1994. Jay, Dan and Mark expect to find well-preserved properties, but are shocked by excessive mold, mildew and disrepair. After struggling to negotiate fair prices, Jay decides to make an unprecedented offer'to buy an entire schoolhouse.

Known for hosting Babe Ruth and Al Capone, the historic Majestic Hotel closed its doors in 2006. At the abandoned hotel, the guys do some serious room service and find bathtubs, chaise lounges and a mosaic tile fountain. When Ricki gains access to what was formerly the tallest building in Arkansas, Jay gives Dan and Mark a chance to do some bargaining. Now, Jay must negotiate with the owner to take home at least one of his big finds, or he'll be in hot water when he gets home to Ricki.

The guys head to Vermont, where marble was processed for the U.S. Supreme Court Building and the Jefferson Memorial. The owners of an abandoned marble factory and a hidden bomb shelter grant Jay access to the property. After finding a huge air raid siren, the guys hop on an elevator that sends them straight to the basement - and to the bomb shelter. There, they find collectibles, including White House blueprints. But Jay's in for a shock of his own when Ricki surprises him on their anniversary.

If making lace in the early 20th century was like printing money, then the guys will be rolling in dough after they explore the abandoned Scranton Lace Factory in Scranton, Pa. As they cross the immense factory, the guys collect a check protector, a pair of doors and a vintage tampon dispenser. When Jay spots a single shoe and Mark finds a bowling score sheet, the guys follow the clues to a four-lane bowling alley full of American-made bowling pins and balls.