Rifle Fundraiser  May 1, 2021 thru May 29, 2022
by Fort Boonesborough Foundation, Inc.

Rifle Details

Gunmaker Wayne Estes said that Squire Boone’s “folk art exists today through rock art examples and this helped me with the inspiration for this rifle. My goal was to present a gun that a man of his skills would have produced in the 1790s in Kentucky, possibly assembled from salvaged parts and incorporating Boone’s artistic interests. It’s strictly a ‘what if gun’”.

This beautiful rifle has a 50 caliper barrel, stocked with fine curly maple. It was crafted by longtime Fort Boonesborough Foundation supporter Wayne Estes of Paris, Kentucky with help from friends Randell Cantrell of West Liberty, Kentucky, and Gary Tucker of Georgetown, Kentucky.

This powder horn, strap, bag, pick, brush, and powder measure is to accompany the rifle in the fundraiser. The accoutrements were donated by Ron Hess, Buckhead, Georgia. Ron created the southern style banded horn featuring a two piece tip made from antler, the powder measure is wood and pick and brush set antler, the simple lined bag was made by Matt Adams.

The Squire Boone inspired carvings

Squire left several of his carvings in stone for one to see and admire. Like the one at the Madison county courthouse, but unfortunately the one he created on a rock where he established a station known as the Painted Stone Station near Shelbyville, KY, disappeared long ago. Painted Stone Station is where on September 13, 1781 the terrible “Long Run massacre” occurred. In particular, the artwork on stone at his Indiana station were his best work.

On some of the foundation stones used in construction of his Indiana home in about 1809, and a grist mill he built, he carved designs and verses that are presently on display in the mill. One stone bears this inscription: “My God my life hath much befriended, I’ll praise Him till my days are ended.” Only thirteen of his hand carved stones remain. An in depth review of Squires carvings was first published by Tom Strohfeldt, July 2011, in the American Tradition - The Journal of the Contemporary Long rifle Association, entitled “Squire Boone, His life and Artistry”. He later published this in book form.

Top photo of the detail on the gun. Below a photo of the Squire Boone Carving (left) and on the right the cleaned up version that Wayne used for the gun.

Same for the detail shots below, shown with Squire Boone’s rock carving’s  below.

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The original Fort Boonesborough was built by Daniel Boone and his men in 1775

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