I was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania over the weekend.  As I was walking along the street looking inn all of the windows of the great little shops they have, something caught my eye.

The shop is called The Union Drummer Boy: Authentic Civil War Era Artifacts.  In the front window was a very large Civil War cannon, made out of wood.  It was a real eye catcher.  Then I looked at the card on it (see photo).  It read:

"Representation of a Civil War Cannon made by a veteran for the GAR (Grand Army of the Republic)  Post in Otago, New York.  Circa 1870s-1880."

Wait.  OTAGO, New York?  My thoughts exactly.

I looked up Otago, New York on the internet and could not come up with anything.  So into the store I went.  I mentioned it to the shop keeper and he said it was an old item he bought more than 20 years ago at an auction.  He said the auctioneer THOUGHT it came from an Otago, NY so that is what he put on the card.  BUT>> it could very well be Otego, N.Y.  I told him I lived in Upstate New York near Otego.  He said it was probably made here.

It is about 6-feet long and the owner referred to it as a replica of a Napoleon cannon used in the Civil War.  I told him I would share this information with my listeners and see what we could come up with.

I asked him if it was for sale?  He said, "No, but make me an offer."

So, what do you think folks?  Is this the real deal made up here?  I'll bet Buzz Hesse knows....

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