Hawken Classic Boat House Bicentennial
Traditional crafts, such as blacksmithing, are on display at the festival
The Hawken Classic is a NMLRA event with the goal of increased education about the history of the iconic Hawken rifle in America’s history.
Purpose: 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.
The Hawken Classic is a celebration of the Hawken rifle’s contribution to American History, and the Lewis and Clark Boat House and museum near St. Louis, Missouri is a great location for our event.
Registration:
If you are going to visit the Hawken Classic, you do NOT need to send in a registration form. Registration is only needed for Vendors, Campers, and Seminar Presenters. You can register online here.
Cost for Participants:
- Period Camp: $15 (up to 2 people, $5 for extra people)
- Trade Blanket: $10
- Vendor: $40 (up to 2 people, $5 for extra people)
- 20# bags of ice available for $5
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.