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Over the years I’ve been fortunate to gather quite a few pieces of Spruce Gun memorabilia to go along with my two 1894 WW1 spruce guns. I have them framed and displayed on the wall of my gun room. It would make a great display if I ever make it to the Cody show someday.
This was my latest find–a second original LLLL member ID card:
Here’s the rest of my collection:
Don
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Don –
That is amazing. I had no idea such memorabilia existed. You’re right, it would make a great display. Now I want a Spruce Gun!
I’m very impressed by Don’s collection, but more by the fanatical propaganda than by the guns themselves. What do you suppose happened to loggers who refused to join LLLL?
clarence said
I’m very impressed by Don’s collection, but more by the fanatical propaganda than by the guns themselves. What do you suppose happened to loggers who refused to join LLLL?
Likely unemployed or drafted is my guess.
steve004 said
Don –That is amazing. I had no idea such memorabilia existed. You’re right, it would make a great display. Now I want a Spruce Gun!
Thanks Steve. Here are a few photos of one of my Spruce Guns along with some close-up photos of some of the framed items. The original publication/correspondence from the governor of Washington is one of my greater finds.
Don
Don –
Thank you, I am getting quite an education this morning. That is a wonderful carbine with a very interesting historical connection. I have had the regret that I hadn’t purchased every 94/95 variant carbine that passed by me over the past 45+ years. Now, I’ve added the Spruce Gun to that regret category.
steve004 said
Don –Thank you, I am getting quite an education this morning. That is a wonderful carbine with a very interesting historical connection. I have had the regret that I hadn’t purchased every 94/95 variant carbine that passed by me over the past 45+ years. Now, I’ve added the Spruce Gun to that regret category.
There’s a great book out there, but it’s now out of print and a bit spendy. Still worth it though in my opinion.
Don
deerhunter said
There’s a great book out there, but it’s now out of print and a bit spendy. Still worth it though in my opinion.
Any of your items included in it?
clarence said
deerhunter said
There’s a great book out there, but it’s now out of print and a bit spendy. Still worth it though in my opinion.
Any of your items included in it?
Not that I’m aware of. There are examples of ID cards and pins, etc., but likely not the same ones. None of the publications I have are in the book. The book is chocked full of photos, some of which were provided by Jim Curlovic.
Here’s a couple great links as well:
http://swansongrp.com/llll.html
http://www.swansongrp.com/spruce.html
Don
Was there an article on Spruce Guns in the WACA magazine? I have a vague recollection there was. I tried looking this morning but quickly got distracted as I found other articles (that were very interesting).
I stumbled upon the Loyal Legion Beer Hall in downtown Portland, Oregon a few years ago. The building was the old original union hall for the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumbermen. They found the original sign in the abandoned building during renovation. That’s why they named it the Loyal Legion. The sign is now hanging on the wall. Thought this was pretty cool. There’s a photo of the sign in the link below.
https://loyallegionbeerhall.com/portland/about/
Don
steve004 said
Was there an article on Spruce Guns in the WACA magazine? I have a vague recollection there was. I tried looking this morning but quickly got distracted as I found other articles (that were very interesting).
Rick Hill wrote an excellent article in the Summer 2005 Winchester Collector magazine about the Spruce Guns:
https://winchestercollector.org/magazines/200506/
Don
steve004 said
Was there an article on Spruce Guns in the WACA magazine? I have a vague recollection there was. I tried looking this morning but quickly got distracted as I found other articles (that were very interesting).
Pretty good write up on Wiki, & also the answer to my question about those who refused to join LLLL: “Failure to take this loyalty oath could be met with discharge from employment and even arrest.” But that’s preferable to being sent to one of the concentration camps Wilson set up for those caught reading German-language newspapers or speaking German.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyal_Legion_of_Loggers_and_Lumbermen
clarence said
What do you suppose happened to loggers who refused to join LLLL?
Bear food ??
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
For the past many years now, I have been the maintainer of the Spruce Gun survey. As of this time, (270) of the (1,800) Winchester Model 1894 SRC Spruce Guns have been found and documented in the survey. In addition to the authentic Spruce Guns documented thus far, I have also confirmed the existence of at least (26) Faked Spruce Guns.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
Bert H. said
For the past many years now, I have been the maintainer of the Spruce Gun survey. As of this time, (270) of the (1,800) Winchester Model 1894 SRC Spruce Guns have been found and documented in the survey. In addition to the authentic Spruce Guns documented thus far, I have also confirmed the existence of at least (26) Faked Spruce Guns.Bert
That’s a pretty decent chunk Bert, just 85% left to go! From most of the ones I have seen, they were rode hard and put away wet. Wonder how many actually survived? I imagine quite a few are tucked away in closets and people don’t know what they actually have. Definitely a cool piece of history with ties to the great PNW.
Don
deerhunter said From most of the ones I have seen, they were rode hard and put away wet.
I’ve been looking at photos on the Forest Service website: stupendous logs, but not a rifle in sight. Much of the work done by the Army consisted of building roads & railroads, & bridges, inc. a titanic trestle bridge across a deep valley. I suspect the cost of all this infrastructure is why these virgin forests had never been exploited by private loggers. The scale of the work resembles that done to build the Alaskan Highway, but without the heavy construction eqpt available by WW II.
Very few US made aircraft made it to Europe before the war ended; most Americans flew French or British planes.
clarence said
deerhunter said From most of the ones I have seen, they were rode hard and put away wet.
I’ve been looking at photos on the Forest Service website: stupendous logs, but not a rifle in sight. Much of the work done by the Army consisted of building roads & railroads, & bridges, inc. a titanic trestle bridge across a deep valley. I suspect the cost of all this infrastructure is why these virgin forests had never been exploited by private loggers. The scale of the work resembles that done to build the Alaskan Highway, but without the heavy construction eqpt available by WW II.
Very few US made aircraft made it to Europe before the war ended; most Americans flew French or British planes.
The opening photo in the below link shows a squadron with rifles, but they are not 1894’s.
deerhunter said
The opening photo in the below link shows a squadron with rifles, but they are not 1894’s.
Krags; some state NGs still had them by 1918, but I’m a little surprised to see regular troops with them, unless this unit was in fact a NG unit mustered into federal service.
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