J. Curtis Earl Memorial Exhibit

One of the nation’s largest collections of historic arms and military memorabilia is housed at the Old Idaho Penitentiary. The wide-ranging collection and dramatic settings illustrate the development of weapons throughout history. The collection includes ancient Luristan bronzes, medieval arms and armor, Revolutionary War firearms and swords, Civil War artifacts, and an 1883 Gatling gun on its original carriage. Pistols, rifles, machine guns, mortars, and cannons from many of the countries involved in World Wars I and II are also featured. This extraordinary collection was donated to the Idaho State Historical Society in late 1999. It includes artifacts dating as far back as 3,500 B.C. that were accumulated over some 60 years by the late J. Curtis Earl, a part-time Boise resident who passed away a few months after finalizing the donation.