Historical Society Fireside Chat on Historical Firearms draws enthusiasts

11/19/25

By Louis Gauthier
MONTROSE — A chilly, rainy evening on Nov. 7 provided a fitting backdrop for the Susquehanna County Historical Society’s Fireside Chat, “Guns Through the History of Susquehanna County.” Local firearms enthusiast and restorer Kevin Dougherty led the discussion, guiding attendees through a selection of the Society’s historic weapons while describing their craftsmanship and explaining how many had been adapted over time. He illustrated how each piece had been modernized, repaired, or converted from military to civilian use as it passed through multiple generations.
Historical Society Curator Bonnie Yuscavage introduced Dougherty, explaining that he had initially visited for a tour. After seeing the firearms in the Society’s collection, he offered to inspect some of the items, which eventually led to his volunteering to present at a fireside chat. Dougherty began by telling the audience that he spends about half his time restoring old weapons and the other half building faithful reproductions. While he has an appreciation for modern firearms, his real passion lies with older weapons dating from the 1650s to around 1820.
He shared that his interest in restoration began more than 30 years ago, when he saw a flintlock rifle and “thought it was cool,” prompting him to build one himself. Pointing to his favorite item on the display table, an old Pennsylvania long rifle showing obvious age and wear, he explained that he would never fully restore such a piece. “You don’t want to restore history,” he said. “You want to help it along.”
Dougherty offered detailed descriptions of the items on display, noting years of manufacture, demonstrating different types of sights, and showing examples of firearms built to accommodate bayonets. He also explored the rich history of early firearm manufacturing in Pennsylvania, describing the many regional “schools” of design from Lehigh and Susquehanna Valley to Lancaster and beyond and how these influences merged as weapons and people migrated. Attendees could see some of the design differences in purpose-built touches, including one rifle featuring a slot for a feather used to clean the flintlock’s ignition point during use.

Demonstrating how firearms evolved over time, Dougherty displayed a 1763 Charleville rifle. Originally supplied to the Patriot army during the American Revolution by the French, it was later stored in Virginia and eventually modernized from a flintlock to a percussion rifle to be put into service by the Confederacy during the Civil War. When an audience member asked about the typical range a shot would have been taken with a rifle like this in battle, Dougherty elicited a chuckle from the audience with his reply: “It depends on if you were good or lucky,” he said, explaining that a good shooter could hit targets 75–100 yards away while a lucky one could hit a target further out.
“Here in Susquehanna County, a military gun could have been captured or sold to make its way here,” Dougherty said, and described how firearms were often “sportorized” after military service to make them more suitable for activities such as hunting. Yuscavage added that the Society focuses on collecting items “of the county or by the county,” noting that the firearms on display at the Society “are not pristine items that hung over fireplaces; they were purpose-built or modified” for local use.
Dougherty also shared some of the more unusual discoveries he’s encountered while inspecting older weapons, including extra ammunition loaded in the weapon, marbles, toy soldiers, mud daubers, and even German Bible pages stuffed into gun barrels. He recounted how, when he first began reviewing the Society’s collection, he asked if any of the weapons were loaded. “We’re not sure,” Yuscavage had said. He then explained to the audience how to safely check if an old flintlock or percussion rifle is loaded. On his approach to restoration, Dougherty explained that he could “restore some modifications to original” but normally does not because “it destroys the history” describing that his approach is often to just “take off the dust” of some of these old barn guns. “They all have stories, they all have history,” he said. “You just need to know what to ask.”
The audience clearly enjoyed the presentation. Mark and Karen Peterson of Montrose, who have visited the Society many times, said Mark was “fascinated by the rifles” on display. Ed Pompey of Springville attended with his grandson Logan and enjoyed learning about the Civil War shooting range, joking that he was “surprised they weren’t really shooting that far” in the heat of battle.
Mack Wright of East Rush attended with his wife Amanda and son Jack, making it a family outing. An avid collector himself, Wright said he “loves old weapons and the family gets a kick out of the history.” It was his first visit to the Society, and he was impressed. “We need to keep stuff like this going, so we don’t lose it,” Wright said.

Founded in 1890, the Susquehanna County Historical Society moved into its current location on Monument Street in Montrose in 1907. With a mission to preserve the county’s history, the Society hosts a collection of artifacts and also maintains a genealogy research department. Additional information, including operating hours and information about future special exhibits and fireside chats, can be found at www.susqcohistsoc.org.