Get a closer look at items that were once in a private collection and stored in a safe deposit box. Receiving a treasure trove of Annie Oakley items at Garst Museum from Carolyn Timmins Greenfield and her husband Jeff Greenfield as representatives of the great grandchildren of the Longfelders are left to right: Brenda Arnett, Garst Museum; Joan Dowler and Bonnie Perry, great, great nieces of Annie Oakley; Mike Ross, AOCF and Garst board member; the Greenfields; and Eileen Litchfield, AOCF and Garst board member.
Photo taken from the Garst Museum’s website
GREENVILLE — Annie Oakley died nearly 98 years ago, and you would probably believe there couldn’t be anything new to learn about the legendary sharpshooter. If that is your belief, you’d be incorrect. The Annie Oakley Center Foundation and Garst Museum recently received items from a private collection that gives another glimpse into Darke County’s most notable daughter.
What’s new? Did you know Annie slept with a gun under her pillow when she traveled alone? Stop by the Garst Museum to see the pearl-handled revolver that belonged to Annie Oakley. The revolver, along with a few other artifacts are temporarily on exhibit in the Lowell Thomas Meeting Room at Garst Museum. Once everything is catalogued some of the items will go into the permanent Annie Oakley exhibit. There were numerous letters and newspaper clippings in the collection from Annie Oakley, including the letter that stated she slept with the gun under her pillow.
The new artifacts were made possible through the donation of a private collection. The collection belonged to the heirs of William and Jennie Longfelder. The Longfelders were more than acquaintances of Annie Oakley and Frank Butler, William Longfelder, of Nutley, New Jersey, was the executor of their estates.
The items had been stored in a safe deposit box for nearly a century, but now visitors to Garst Museum can see a few of the items before they head to the permanent collection. There is no charge to see the temporary exhibit.
The Annie Oakley Center Foundation worked with the Longfelder heirs for two years in order to receive the artifacts.
Garst Museum’s Annie Oakley specialist and member of the evaluation team, Brenda Arnett, said, “This is a treasure trove of great artifacts and research material about Annie Oakley.”
Dr. Clay Johnson, Garst Museum CEO, said, “This is a unique collection of items with excellent provenance and connection to Annie Oakley.”
Stop by Garst Museum to see this temporary exhibit and you can see the entire exhibit when you tour the museum. Admission to tour the museum is $12 for adults, $11 for seniors 60 and over, $9 for youth (6-17) and Darke County Genealogical Society members, and free for Darke County Historical Society members and children five and under. Apply your single day admission to a membership and enjoy the museum through the year.
Garst Museum is located at 205 N. Broadway St., Greenville. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, visit www.garstmuseum.org.
