Speaker series: History of the Kentucky Rifles, April 2025 – Brian LaMaster and Tim Hodges

 

Speaker Series – Brian LaMaster and Tim Hodges of the Kentucky Rifle Foundation – Kentucky Rifles

A special exhibit, Longrifles by the Sheetz family and Other Gunsmiths from Jefferson and Berkeley Counties, opened at the Historic Shepherdstown Museum on Saturday, April 19. The exhibit, co-sponsored by Historic Shepherdstown and the Kentucky Rifle Foundation,  featured 15 rifles made between 1740 and 1840, including 10 signed Sheetz rifles. The Speaker Series talk History of Kentucky Rifles from the 18th to 20th century took place on Wednesday, April 16, at which master gunsmith Brian LaMaster spoke about Kentucky Rifles in general and Kentucky Rifle Foundation board member Tim Hodges spoke about the rifles in the exhibit.

The Kentucky Rifle Foundation is the educational arm of the Kentucky Rifle Association. The KRA is an organization dedicated to those people interested in collecting and preserving the art and history of antique Kentucky Rifles, pistols, horns, and accoutrements. Both LaMaster and Hodges are past presidents of the KRA.

This will be the largest display of rifles in the Historic Shepherdstown Museum in its more than 40-year history. The exhibit is the first event for Shepherdstown’s 250th Anniversary Celebration of the Bee Line March, which occurred in the summer of 1775.