BCHS MUSEUM FAVORITES - by Heather Palmer

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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.

BCHS MUSEUM FAVORITES - by Heather Palmer

Click the title to visit the Curator's Blog if the photo does not appear above.

#9 - FRENCH BURR MILLSTONE Sorry folks, this is not the remnants of a wheel from the Flintstone’s vehicle. This is an upper, or “runner,” stone from a gristmill once located in Leona. It is placed bottom side up here in order to show its grinding surface. It is “dressed” with a pattern of “lands” and “furrows.” The lands refer to the raised portions, while the furrows are the grooves cut into the face using a mill pick.

When it was in use, the stone sat face down and rotated upon a stationary “bed stone.” It was kept in place by the large iron bar seen here, which was called a “balance rynd.” This stone is made from a type of quartz found near the village of Chalons in northern France. It was sent in pieces to America and joined together by a wrought iron band. This stone weighs an astounding 946 pounds.

Visit the Bradford County Historical Society Wednesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm to see this and hundreds of other local history pieces.

BCHS MUSEUM FAVORITES - by Heather Palmer

Click the title to visit the Curator's Blog if the photo does not appear above.

#8 - DISCARDED PISTOLS This week’s spotlighted exhibit is a recent addition to the museum. It coincides with the end of the 150th anniversary of the end of the Civil War and our upcoming Friday Night at the Museum event entitled “The Last Hurrah”. These pistols were discarded during the Civil War and brought home as souvenirs by Bradford County soldiers. While most of them are not military issued weapons, they may have been used by civilians or picked up by soldiers along the way. In most cases, they were produced in the years before the Civil war began.

Visit the Bradford County Historical Society Wednesday through Friday, 10 am to 4 pm to see this and hundreds of other local history pieces.