Royal Oak Museum Curator to Appear on PBS' 'History Detectives'

The sleuths at the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) have offered to help the determine whether a signature in its collection is real or a replica.

The autograph in question belongs to President Abraham Lincoln.

The investigators of television show History Detectives have volunteered to explore a military discharge letter with Lincoln’s signature at the bottom. The letter is part of the , the son of George Dondero, who was Royal Oak’s first mayor and U.S. congressman. George Dondero was a friend of Robert Todd Linclon, the 12th president’s eldest son, and the only one to live to adulthood.

, the curator of the Royal Oak Historical Museum, bubbled with delight Monday when she told city commissioners she was headed to Springfield, IL, where she will tape an episode of History Detectives and learn if the Lincoln letter is authentic.

“Everyone is pretty sure the signature is real,” said , who volunteers at the museum with his wife. “The question is whether the letter is a replica.”  

PBS producers have asked the museum to stop doing their own research on the letter so Versagi's trip to the Land of Lincoln on Thursday will be genuinely exciting as she learns more about the letter.

The episode is scheduled to air some time this summer on Detroit Public TV (WTVS Channel 56). Visit dptv.org for more information.