Reverend Ron
Private
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2018
- Location
- Raccoon Ford, Virginia
Greetings All !
Here's my not too long of a story.
Two years ago I purchased an old church on the Rapidan River (Raccoon Ford, VA) with the intention of bull dozing the place down and building a nice country home for my retirement. Turns out that the church was built in 1850 and changed hands (Union/Confederates) numerous times during the Civil War and I suspect was used as a Field Hospital. A couple of dozen skirmishes occurred there and 2 sizable battles.
Turns out everybody and their cousins marched right pass the church to cross the Rapidan. Longstreet, Lee, Custer, Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow, Ewell, Prince, Stuart, Slaughter, Loron F. Packard. The list goes on and on. The re-discovered history of this place has radically altered my thinking. Now preserving the church, attached fellowship hall, parsonage, and cemetery.
The church restoration (plus heating and air) is now complete and will be used as a Civil War themed Wedding Chapel, the Fellowship Hall is being transformed into a Living History Museum and special event venue. Being a single older guy, I can happily live a minimalist existence in the rear parsonage. Safe 50 yd. black powder shooting range is being designed for out back.
I have starting purchasing repro weapons not just for display, but to give folks the experience of actually handling them, casting lead bullets, loading and live firing Civil War era muskets and cap n' ball revolvers (the are going to learn how to clean them as well : ) I still have to install a new septic system, well, bathroom, and kitchen. Big bucks of course and I am funding this whole operation out of my personal retirement money.
Not expecting "free bees" from anyone, but with all my other expenses I cannot afford to pay "new" $1,200 for each musket. So, if you are getting out of re-enacting, skirmishing, etc. and have anything that you would like to part with in the $500 to $800 price range, please reply to this thread or shoot me an email at [email protected]. Still looking for a Le Mat revolver, Springfield, Enfield, Mississippi muskets, etc., bayonets, bullet molds, etc.
If they are damaged, bores shot out, or unsafe to shoot that's OK. I'll just make them "wall hangers" for the museum, but please tell me upfront so nobody gets hurt later on.
Have no idea what kind of response I will receive from this. I know it all sounds a little nuts.... but I have now drunk the Civil War Kool-Aid and I am committed to making this happen, saving this historic property, preserving and protecting our history and leaving some sort of legacy behind.
"Reverend" Ron
Now of Raccoon Ford, VA
Here's my not too long of a story.
Two years ago I purchased an old church on the Rapidan River (Raccoon Ford, VA) with the intention of bull dozing the place down and building a nice country home for my retirement. Turns out that the church was built in 1850 and changed hands (Union/Confederates) numerous times during the Civil War and I suspect was used as a Field Hospital. A couple of dozen skirmishes occurred there and 2 sizable battles.
Turns out everybody and their cousins marched right pass the church to cross the Rapidan. Longstreet, Lee, Custer, Benjamin Franklin Stringfellow, Ewell, Prince, Stuart, Slaughter, Loron F. Packard. The list goes on and on. The re-discovered history of this place has radically altered my thinking. Now preserving the church, attached fellowship hall, parsonage, and cemetery.
The church restoration (plus heating and air) is now complete and will be used as a Civil War themed Wedding Chapel, the Fellowship Hall is being transformed into a Living History Museum and special event venue. Being a single older guy, I can happily live a minimalist existence in the rear parsonage. Safe 50 yd. black powder shooting range is being designed for out back.
I have starting purchasing repro weapons not just for display, but to give folks the experience of actually handling them, casting lead bullets, loading and live firing Civil War era muskets and cap n' ball revolvers (the are going to learn how to clean them as well : ) I still have to install a new septic system, well, bathroom, and kitchen. Big bucks of course and I am funding this whole operation out of my personal retirement money.
Not expecting "free bees" from anyone, but with all my other expenses I cannot afford to pay "new" $1,200 for each musket. So, if you are getting out of re-enacting, skirmishing, etc. and have anything that you would like to part with in the $500 to $800 price range, please reply to this thread or shoot me an email at [email protected]. Still looking for a Le Mat revolver, Springfield, Enfield, Mississippi muskets, etc., bayonets, bullet molds, etc.
If they are damaged, bores shot out, or unsafe to shoot that's OK. I'll just make them "wall hangers" for the museum, but please tell me upfront so nobody gets hurt later on.
Have no idea what kind of response I will receive from this. I know it all sounds a little nuts.... but I have now drunk the Civil War Kool-Aid and I am committed to making this happen, saving this historic property, preserving and protecting our history and leaving some sort of legacy behind.
"Reverend" Ron
Now of Raccoon Ford, VA