Almost two years ago, I noticed the Syfy show Alphas (now cancelled) used a doctored version of Davy Herold’s mugshot photo as a piece of set filler in an episode. Tonight, I was surprised to notice another Lincoln assassination related photograph in yet another SyFy channel show. This time the show was Warehouse 13, which actually ended its five season run in May of this year. Warehouse 13 revolves around a group of Secret Service agents who search for historical artifacts that have become imbued with supernatural powers connected to their origin. The effects of the artifacts can be both good and bad with most episodes revolving around the team identifying, searching for, and then taking possession of an artifact that is causing problems in the real world. For example, one artifact in the series is a glass bottle from the Donner party which causes those who handle it to develop hypothermia and insatiable hunger. The artifacts the agents retrieve are then kept in a huge “Indiana Jones” style warehouse under lock and key. It’s a unique and interesting show.
As stated, Warehouse 13 ended back in May. Nevertheless, I decided to relive the show and start watching it from the beginning again. Tonight, as I was bedding down for the night, I was watching an episode from the show’s first season entitled, “Regrets”. In this episode the main characters, Pete and Myka, are investigating what is causing prisoners at a penitentiary to hallucinate visions of their victims and then commit suicide due to their fear and guilt. At one point the agents are in a room of the prison which contains photographs of the history of the prison. One of the photographs on the wall caught my eye:
Clearly, that is not a photograph of the prison in Florida where they are supposed to be. Instead, a history minded set designer used a photograph of the execution of the Lincoln conspirators to round off the prison related wall.
This is actually not the only Lincoln assassination related item connected to Warehouse 13. As you would expect, fans of the show were always discussing historical artifacts that could be included in the show and the various “powers” they could have. One fan thought that John Wilkes Booth’s boot would make an interesting artifact for the show and created his own “Inventory Display” for it:
I give the fan credit for his creative thinking and mixing of fact and fiction, but I wish he would have used a picture of Booth’s actual boot, on display in the Ford’s Theatre museum:
Like David Herold’s appearance on Alphas, I’m amazed to find another reference to the Lincoln assassination in such an unlikely place. It’s good to know that the people at the SyFy channel seem to appreciate history, at least for set dressings.
References:
Warehouse 13, Season 1, Episode 9, “Regrets”
LOC
John Wilkes Booth’s Boot on the Warehouse 13 Wiki
LincolnConspirators.com 
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