It’s exciting to discover the next generation of ancestors. It’s even more exciting to discover where they lived and find that their home still stands. Also fun is discovering that something that they owned still exists today.

I found out that John Alden’s rifle exists.  It is the only know firearm to have crossed the Atlantic on the Mayflower. It is safely kept at the NAR Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia. It is the only gun from Pilgrim history and the museum has some great photos and a video on the weapon.

Here is a link that shows you the photographs.

Here is the link that shows you the video.

It’s impressive to know that my Ancestral Grandfather’s rifle is held in a museum. I”m sure there is nothing that I have that will interest a museum. I will simply be proud of my Grampa.