Submitted by the Salem Museum and Historical Society
In the 18th century, the long rifle played an important role in shaping Virginia’s history. Gunmakers brought their own distinctive personalities to the process of rifle making. Essential for survival on the Virginia frontier, this celebrated rifle became a surprise factor in winning American independence.
On Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m., join renowned expert and Salem native Wallace B. Gusler for an in depth look at the impact of the long rifle on the development of colonial Virginia. Now retired, Gusler previously worked at Colonial Williamsburg as its first Master Gunsmith, and later as the Curator of Furniture and Arms and the Director of Conservation. With his many years of experience, he is a scholar highly regarded for his in-depth knowledge of 18th-century firearms.
This Salem Museum Speaker Series talk will be presented on Zoom. The Zoom link will be posted on the Salem Museum’s website, salemmuseum.org, on the morning of the talk.
An in-demand speaker and exhibit consultant, Gusler served as the guest curator of The Long Rifle in Virginia exhibit at the William King Museum of Art in Abingdon. On display through Oct. 31, the exhibit details the art and artistry of the 18th and 19th century long rifle gunmakers throughout the Virginia backcountry. This story of the Virginia frontier is also highlighted at the six regional museums which form the Virginia Settlement Trail, which follows the path of the Great Wagon Road. Learn more at the Wilderness Road State Park, Ewing; Natural Tunnel State Park, Duffield; William King Museum of Art, Abingdon; O. Winston Link & History Museum of Western Virginia, Roanoke; Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton; and the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester.