Celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Hawken Rifle May 16-18

The 200th anniversary of the J&S Hawken rifle is the Summer of 2025. The Hawken brothers are the first well-known sporting arms makers in the United States. Jacob and Samuel Hawken built these rifles out of the St. Louis Hawken Shop from the 1820s to the 1850s.

Thanks to donations from the NMLRA, The Hawken Shop, and the Gemmer Muzzle Loading Gun Club the gate fee to the museum has been removed. Entry will be FREE to the public to have full access of the museum and the displays.

Activities will include:

• Incredible collection of original and contemporary Missouri rifles on display.
• Knowledgeable guest speakers on the history of the Hawken rifle and related subjects.
• Living history camps in period correct attire.
• Vendors – including The Hawken Shop, Trail Creek Trade Company, Powderhorns and More, and many more…
• Artist and craftsmen demonstrating weaving, forging, fire starting, powder horns, leather work and more.
• Opportunity to shoot black powder from an original Hawken rifle owned by Greg Roberts.
• See many period-correct guns, accoutrements and enjoy the living history.
• Test your skills at traditional archery, hawk and knife throw, and fire starting.
• Come learn how Lewis and Clark and the Hawken Rifle impacted America’s history.

The event will be FREE to the public. The Hawken rifle displays will be in the museum and the gate fees are being waived for this event due to donations from the NMLRA, The Hawken Shop, and the Gemmer Muzzle Loading Gun Club.

JUST ADDED TO THE HAWKEN WEEKEND: Book signing of A Canoe Named Klmin, the story of how William Clark’s descendants righted an historic wrong by presenting a ceremonial canoe to the Chinook people. Carlota “Lotsie: Clark Hermann Holton will be signing the book on Saturday from Noon until 2 upstairs at the Boat House.

JUST ADDED TO THE HAWKEN WEEKEND: Book signing of A Canoe Named Klmin, the story of how William Clark’s descendants righted an historic wrong by presenting a ceremonial canoe to the Chinook people. Carlota “Lotsie: Clark Hermann Holton will be signing the book from Noon until 2 upstairs at the Boat House.