[El Tejon]

LAPORTE (Northern Indiana, near Lake Michigan)--A collection of rare firearms willed to the city in 1916 is the subject of a debate over where the guns can be displayed safely while still capitalizing on their tourist potential.

The more than 700 firearms, including an umbrella-handled revolver, are currently housed in a 17,000 square foot museum in the LaPorte County Complex.

But the LaPorte County Historical Society Museum will soon be converted into county offices. Community leaders disagree on where the collection can be relocated so that it is safe from theft and acessible.

County Commissioner Clay Turner said a former office building currently under consideration to house the W.A. Jones gun collection was not a good choice because it is in an industrial corridor.

LaPorte seeks new home for gun collection, Lafayette (Indiana) J. & Cour., Jan. 15, 2003, at B2.

Wonder what the county commissioners would say to selling the collection to the highest bidder?:)

[Soap]

Hmm...sounds interesting! Have you been there yet El Tejon?

[El Tejon]

Dan, yes, buddy of mine has a lake house in Long Beach and took a detour one day. (Great place to shoot too--piles of sand make an excellent backstop!).

[rick458]

I could keep some at my house,
OOPS wrong La Porte:neener:

[PDshooter]

Lived in La Porte from 1960 to 1964!
Great place to raise kids! Wish I could live they now!:(

[4v50 Gary]

Hey guys, I'm looking for (not trying to buy, just trying to find) a Morgan James made sharpshooter rifle from the Civil War era. It was built on a Remington Zouave but the barrel is his own and there's a full length scope attached to it. Unlike other scopes of the period, this one hand an internally adjustable reticle. Is it part of the LaPorte collection?

[Chris Rhines]

Laporte has probably the nicest outdoor public range that I've ever been to. I think I'm maybe feeling the need for a road trip...

- Chris

[redneck2]

I wuz just in LaPorte today.. the Courthouse is one of my accounts

Silly me, I've walked past the Museum dozens of times and never gone in...gonna go in now. I'll be in LaPorte tomorrow.

I know one of the commissioners. I'll check and try to find out what's up

[El Tejon]

redneck2, do me a favor and see if they have that rifle Gary is asking about. I don't remember seeing one, but who knows.

Chris, that sounds great. Do some shooting, see some guns, go crash at Greg's lake house. Let's wait until at least late March though:)