Wish I'd taken pictures.

[Shotgun Willy]

I found a place here in Oklahoma that I wish ya'll could see. My family and I took a little vacation up to Bartlesville Oklahoma to have a good time with the kids. I know 'where?' . The place we visited is called Woolaroc and it's the ranch of Frank Phillips of Phillips petroleum. They've got a little firearms museum with a gatling gun, browning .30 cal mg, some revolving ML shotguns, prototypes for the 1911 and stuff like that. The fun part is on the outside wall where they have a lot of Colt prototypes and antiques. Lots of 1851's, 1860's, a couple of Walkers, several Dragoons (some with shoulder stocks) and even a Dragoon with a creeping loading lever. Apparently they were trying it out on the Dragoon before putting it on the 1860. Most of these pieces have no serial number. They even have the largest caliber revolver ever made at the Patterson plant. Apparently the Army was wanting something that used the same size ball as the long arms so Colt made a 6 shot in .54 caliber. They also had quite a few little pocket pistols and such. There were also a few little pistol kits in .28 caliber. I swear it was the right size for my 6 year old. The funny part was, as small as it was, was that it still had a little 1 inch loading lever on it.
I wouldn't drive across the country to see it but if you're within driving range it's fun to see and the kids loved it too. (not the weapons so much as the rest of it)
Bill

 

[arcticap]

Our state library in Hartford has a state history museum that includes a significant Colt collection. Sam Colt is still sort of an icon in the Hartford, CT area and one of the original factory buildings is still standing and has been refurbished. The U.S. Patent Firearms company was located there, making their own guns until recently when they opened up a new secondary worksite, but the HQ's and some workers may still remain there under the blue dome with the replica rampant Colt statue mounted on the top of it.

http://www.usfirearms.com/

The blue dome is a Russian type of onion dome design that's original to the building. Of course, when Colt was in it's heyday, there was a huge complex of buildings complete with worker's housing and stores. He literally owned a good part of the city in those days.
As far as the current Colt's Manufacturing Co. in West Hartford, CT, an employee once told me that he didn't expect them to stay open more than 5 years, and that they just about shut down all of their civilian pistol manufacturing because of a lack of profitablity. Maybe that situation will change, but I hope that it's not true because if it does ever shut down, it will be the end of "another" Colt era, much like the recent Winchester plant closing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt's_Manufacturing_Company

Thanks for sharing, it's always nice to see that Colt's guns endure.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Good collections displayed by the National Park Service

Springfield Armory National Historic Site
Gettysburg National Battlefield Park
Chickamauga National Battlefield Park

BTW, this year I finally visited the Virginia War Museum in Newport News. It's a must see for gun collectors. All sorts of WW II German guns, plently of earlier guns too and a 240 mm Railroad Gun (outside for cheapskates who don't want to pay to go in).

 

[Bad Flynch]

SW,

Since you are in Guthrie, take a trip to the J.M. Davis gun museum in Claremore some time. It is more and better than Woolaroc and it is free. Besides, you could drop by Will Roger's memorial and, I believe, that one of the larger .45 ACP custom makers (Novak?) is located there, too.

The only place better than J.M. Davis' museum that I have seen is the museum in Cody, WY., and there is only one like that in the whole world.

 

[mec]

I've seen a picture of a paterson 54 with a belt hook Bound to be extra valuable.

 

[arcticap]

I forgot to post this link to a picture of the original rampant colt that was at the top of the factory blue dome, but is now in the museum. A replica is now mounted on the dome.

http://www.museumofcthistory.org/colt.asp

 

[O.S.O.K.]

Frank Phillips

is the brother of Waite Phillips who donated the land for present day Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico (see my post).

Good folks those Phillips bro.s - I'm pretty sure they all donated a lot of stuff - Waite gave away 50% of everything he ever made.

Be great if today's billionaires would follow suit - especially if they dontated to orgs like the BSA or towards revitalization of inner cities and such.

Just think what impact that would have.

 

[Peter M. Eick]

One of the stories I have heard about Frank and Waite is that during the dust bowl then went through western Oklahoma and north Texas on the way to their place in Philmont from Bartlesville (B-ville to those in the company). On the way they saw the banks taking the "family farms" all across OK & TX. They went back to B-ville, got some money and bought the mineral rights out from the farms so they could pay off the mortgages. This was way before oil production was established in the area. I have read some of those 20 to 30's leases and come across Frank's name on them.

Pretty impressive guy to just give away your wealth for presumed worthless minerals during the great depression.