Hawken/Remington barrels & rate of twist

[redheart]

Love it Phil,
Many thanks.

[Daryl]

Wonderful stuff- thanks Mark, for the pictures and story. Glad that machine is working still. I don't know if Sam had a sine-bar machine - possibly, but not likely, me thinks.

[moseswhite]

Mark , it looks like the Hawken rifle you built was from one of Art's kits ?

[Craig Wilcox]

You all seem to have a great deal of info on the Hawken "factory".  Many good rifles produced there in the "Gateway to the West", whether by the Hawken family or the Gemmers.  And you  are improving my mind remarkably.
I used to kind of disregard the Hawken rifles.  Probably a bit of dislike, on my part, of percussion guns.  But - I believe that you have changed my mind for me.  Certainly the Hawken rifles were an integral part of the westward expansion, and of the later period of the fur trapping business.

So, the arch to our left of the gun "factory" and the "What Cheer" bar is the original St. Louis "Arch"!??

[Mtn Meek]

So, the arch to our left of the gun "factory" and the "What Cheer" bar is the original St. Louis "Arch"!??

May be.  It is the approach to the Eads Bridge which was completed in 1874.  Shown here under construction about 1870.



Here is a map that shows area of St. Louis around 1826 and locates the various shops that the Hawken brothers had over time.  The J. P. Gemmer "Hawken Rifle Factory" from the first photo is location "10" on the map below.  It is about where the east side of I-44 is now, right near the northwest corner of the Gateway Arch Park.  Location "6" on the map is the J&S Hawken shop which is part of the approach to the Eads Bridge now.  The Arch itself would be located almost straddling Market St. at the bottom of the map.



If you ever go to the Arch and park in the parking garage at the north end of the park, you will be close to where Pierre Chouteau Sr. mansion was and not for from the AFC offices/warehouses and the Hawken brothers shops.  Hallowed ground if you are a student of the fur trade.

[Bob Roller]

Mark's grandfather and I were there in 1972 and he told me the Eads Bridge was the
first iron bridge in America.Also the left leg of the current arch is on the site of the
Albright Hardware Store that was also a major supplier during the Westward Expansion.
That had to be in September of '72 because or second son,Eric was only 6 weeks old,
born on 29 July that years.I remember visiting with Art Resell and he gave me the
breech and tang from the Gemmer Shop I still have.We had just bought a new Lincoln
and on the trip to St.Louis from Willimasport to St;Louis I cruised at about 90MPH and
remember Tom saying,"I hope Ford uses high quality tires on these heavy cars."
Memories,ThanK God for them and they will never be repeated.

Bob Roller