By The Chronicle Staff

That old barn packed with signs, tools and forgotten equipment might be more interesting than you think.

The Logan County Visitors Bureau is spreading the word that the History Channel's “American Pickers” is headed to Ohio this October and is looking for collectors with unique items — and interesting stories — to potentially feature on the popular television series.

The show is searching for extraordinary collections, rare antiques, vintage items and forgotten treasures tucked away in barns, garages, warehouses and other buildings across the state.

“Everyone knows someone with a barn, garage, or building packed with decades of history,” the Logan County Visitors Bureau said in a Facebook post announcing the opportunity. “Now's the time to tell that story.”

“American Pickers” follows antique hunters as they travel across the country searching through large private collections for unusual pieces of American history. While the items themselves are part of the attraction, the people who collected them and the stories behind the objects are often just as important.

That means a Logan County resident doesn't necessarily need to own an extremely valuable collection to catch the attention of the show's producers. Collections with character, history and an interesting story are particularly appealing.

For a county filled with historic farms, longtime family businesses, old barns and generations of collectors, the upcoming Ohio trip could provide an opportunity for a local collection to make its way onto national television.

The Visitors Bureau is encouraging residents to think about the people they know who have spent decades accumulating antiques, signs, automobiles, advertising memorabilia, farm equipment, Americana or other unusual items.

Maybe it's the neighbor whose barn has always been packed with things collected over a lifetime. Maybe it's a family member who never throws away anything connected to local history. Or perhaps it's a collection that has been passed from one generation to another.

Those are the kinds of stories producers want to hear.

People interested in being considered — or those who know someone with a collection worth exploring — can contact the “American Pickers” production team by emailing [email protected] or calling (646) 493-2184.

With the show's crew scheduled to travel through Ohio in October, the Visitors Bureau is encouraging Logan County residents to spread the word.

Somewhere inside a barn, garage or old building in Logan County could be exactly the kind of forgotten piece of American history the Pickers are hoping to find. ■