Grant Cottage Displays Civil War Arms

WILTON – This weekend, a local Civil War arms collector, who prefers to remain unnamed, will display and discuss his large personal collection at Grant Cottage in Wilton, as part of an Independence Day celebration. The discussion will begin at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 5.

Grant Cottage is known for being the house where General Ulysses S. Grant died 130 years ago this month. The cottage remains fundamentally the same as it did during the Grant family’s stay there, with original furnishings, decorations, and personal items.

On the porch of the cottage, where the arms will be displayed, there will be sabers, swords, Whitney percussion pistols, and bayonets. During the discussion, the collector will discuss the Confederate Richmond musket and the Springfield rifle. He will also tell the story of when Confederates captured the Harper’s Ferry Arsenal, which allowed them to model their own weaponry after what they found. 

This exhibit will be present at the Grant Cottage Visitor Center for the season.

Grant Cottage is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday through Labor Day and on weekends through Columbus Day.