'American Pickers' star finds Somerset to have 'a lot to be proud of'

Apr. 5—"American Pickers" has been a reality genre hit since 2010, airing on the History Channel, part of the A+E Networks, with an audience of millions — including, apparently, a good portion of Somerset.

Mike Wolfe is one of the show's stars, known for exploring old garages and barns to find rare or even one-of-a-kind items that prove of great interest to collectors. On Wednesday afternoon, he was in Somerset — and found the community to be a treasure in itself.

"We love Main Street, we love small towns, we love architecture, small business, entrepreneurs," said Wolfe. "It's really, really beautiful."

Contrary to what one might expect, Wolfe wasn't in town on business — he wasn't doing any "picking" on Wednesday.

Instead, Wolfe was here with his girlfriend, Leticia Cline, who is a city councilor in Cave City, Ky. — and a friend of Somerset Mayor Alan Keck.

"I met him (Keck) at a KLC (Kentucky League of Cities) conference, and was just really proud of everything he's done for this community," she said. "I wanted Mike to come and check it out and see it."

Wolfe was indeed impressed by Keck and all else he found here in Somerset — which is notable, considering Wolfe has visited small towns like this one all over the country in his line of work.

"You've got great leadership obviously over the years, making good decisions," he said. "None of this happens overnight. There's a lot of work behind the scenes, there's a lot of people who have a lot of vision.

"I love that you guys have a car show," he continued, referring to Somernites Cruise. "I love that that's a huge draw for you. That's amazing."

Interestingly, it was city government — at least in part — that bonded Wolfe and Cline, as he himself served on the city council in LeClaire, Iowa.

"We both appreciate heritage tourism, and we both understand that small town America is in desperate need of a lot of help, and a lot of people who are passionate," he said.

"You guys are living the American Dream here," he added. "There are a lot of small towns that aren't in the position that (Somerset is) in. You guys have incredible homes and buildings ... a lot to be proud of."

Keck took Wolfe and Cline around town and introduced them to a number of people and local businesses in the downtown area, such as the Mole Hole and the Maker's Mill. Social media was soon awash in pictures posted by local individuals who had their picture taken with the TV star, excited for the opportunity to meet him.

For his part, Wolfe was gracious enough to take time to talk with local citizens and hear their stories — and pose for photos.

"It's great," he said. "We've been on the air 14 years now. ... One of the things that kept me going with it is the stories and places like this, the stories that they hold. Not just the people and the items, it's the community as well."

Cline herself is a well-known media personality, having appeared on several TV shows and films including "Beauty and the Geek," and wrestling program "TNA Impact!" in addition to modeling and her work in Cave City as both an entrepreneur and government official.

Keck told the Commonwealth Journal that Cline was "an inspiration in her own right," someone who ran for mayor in Cave City and "has done a lot for that community."

He added, "She texted me this morning and said, 'Are you in town?' I said, 'Actually I am, we've got a Veterans Park opening, and I've got a few-hours gap,' and she said, 'Well, Mike and I are going to come see you, I want to show him Somerset.' So I cleared a little bit of the schedule and walked them around downtown, took them to some of our local fare, and I think they loved it."

Keck said he was "blown away" by Wolfe's "humility and kindness" in talking with everyone they'd meet; "Maybe I didn't realize how famous he was. We took a lot of pictures."

The mayor noted that it was a "big day" for downtown Somerset, what with the park opening on Main Street and Wolfe's visit.

"Anytime that we can showcase our community to someone who has seen and promoted so many great places across America, (it's good); I was proud," said Keck, "and I was proud that the people who met him were proud of their town. It's part of our vision, and he seemed to be genuinely impressed with what we're doing downtown."