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#10 - THE SHARPSHOOTER RIFLE AND HISTORIC GAVEL
This case and its contents came from the Bradford Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows of Towanda. The Remington Hepburn Sharpshooters rifle was designed by Lewis L. Hepburn and produced from 1880 to 1907. In 1875 and 1879, Hepburn was granted two patents on his gun firing mechanism and consigned them to E. Remington and Sons. The ‘Remington-Hepburn’ rifles were introduced for target competition – a sporting rifle with barrel sights as well as a long range Creedmoor target rifle. This rifle belonged to Edward Walker and was used in a competition at what is today Eastside Riverfront Park in Towanda. The gavel was made from wood taken from the Heckewelder house in Wyalusing, the oldest house in Bradford County, built in 1768. The house deteriorated and was gone by the 1930s. If you make a trip down to the first floor of the museum you can read the enclosed letter by the man who made the gavel.
Visit the Bradford County Historical Society Wednesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm to see this and hundreds of other local history pieces.
