This project started as an idea which came to me at the Contemporary Longrifle Association annual show in Lexington, in August, 2015. The basic idea is based on the "Southern Traveler" display which was at the show. It occurred to me that one could create a display that could be taken to public events to both educate people on history and the "longrifle" culture, as well as promote the many talented longrifle culture artists, of which Missouri is blessed.
After bouncing this idea off a number of truly talented artist such as David Wright, Ian Prat, Kyle Carroll, my own son, Matt Fennewald, and others, and with suggestions along the way from each of the Missouri artist promoted in this project, another journey begins.
Background/Panels explaining the display:
The panels read as follows:
Panel 1:
In an earlier time, in areas of the East
including Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, there was a phenomena involving
groups of men who would go out on expeditions beginning in late fall, not
coming back home to their families until early spring. On these extended expeditions, they hunted
and trapped for both fur and food, and traveled long distances. They have since been labeled “longhunters”. This collective group of “rough and brambled”
men explored and charted much of the ever expanding American frontier for
future settlement.
The era lasted a relatively short period
of time. This way of life which began in the mid 1700’s with people like the
Harmon brothers, John Findley, Elisha Walden and the Boones, generally coming
to an end by 1780 when the eastern frontier states of Virginia and Kentucky
became settled. However, in men like
John Coulter, who served as a scout for the Lewis & Clark expedition, that
spirit of adventure drove exploration of the uncharted West well into the early
1800s.
Panel 2:
Some of these men, such as Daniel Boone. Elisha Walden, John
Hughes, and others, did not accept the routine “genteel” life with its ever increasing
taxation and government regulations, as found in established settlements in
Kentucky and other Eastern states. They chose to migrate and live out their old
age in the more unsettled and unconfined Spanish Missouri Territory which is
now the State of Missouri.
{Image of an original sketch by Kyle Carroll titled "Missouri
Travelers"}
Daniel Boone moved from Kentucky and settled in the Spanish
Missouri Territory in 1799, west of the Mississippi River, near present day Defiance,
Missouri. Elisha Wallen and John Hughes came to Missouri in 1806, and settled
near present Ironton, Missouri. John
Coulter, when done exploring, settled near New Haven, Missouri circa 1810.
In 1817, at eighty-four years of age, Boone went on what would
become his last extended hunt to the cold, blustery Missouri prairie. It is
written that Boone's’ son Nathan, later said: “ Father was exhilarated to be
camping out
Panel 3:
again. He had brought his gun, his kettle, a light axe, provisions
and two or three traps. He seemed to feel himself in his ancient element. After
the evening meal, he told stories of his olden- time adventures”.
The era of the longhunter was ending...”
The “Missouri Hunters” display is a collection of a hunter’s tools
and equipment which were commonplace on the Spanish Missouri frontier circa
1815-1820. If men such as Boone, Wallen,
Hughes, or Coulter were allowed by their Creator to come back to the area where
they lived out their lives, before going to the eternal hunting ground beyond,
and revisit their “ancient element” by going on one last extended hunt, these
are the tool a pair of hunters might want to find waiting for them in their
station camp.
This display is also a tribute to the
Missouri artists who are keeping this epic tradition and love of adventure
alive. Much of that same spirit of these past hunters is present in their art.
(Info on artists & art can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/MissouriHunters )
The Display:
The display will initially contain guns, bags & horns, and a sundry of other items a pair of hunters on the Spanish Missouri frontier might have used, or would be familiar with if they were to re-appear today and go on one more last hunt. The panels will serve as a backdrop, and the guns, bags & horns,, and other items will be displayed leaning on an old log with a burnt out campfire, kettle, etc.
God willing, this display will make it's debut appearance at the 2016 Contemporary Longrifle Association annual meeting in Lexington, KY August 19-20, 2016.
Thanks for looking and stay tuned as we start to add artist's info and photos of their work.
Be humble,and don't stumble......
Wishbone
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