PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Revolutionary War-era relic that’s been missing for more than half a century has returned to Philadelphia.
The New England musket, made in the early 1770s, was one of many Revolutionary War-era artifacts stolen from the Valley Forge Historical Society in 1968.
“The assumption was these things were long gone and would never be seen again,” said Scott Stephenson, president and CEO of the Museum of the American Revolution in Old City.
Stephenson says the musket, as well as other stolen artifacts, started to reappear in 2009.
“The owner who had purchased it in the 1960s, probably shortly after the theft, turned it over and said, ‘Oh my gosh I had no idea,’” Stephenson explained. “He had purchased it at an antique show somewhere. It was just amazing how it all came together.”
The musket will eventually be on display at the Museum of the American Revolution. Until then, Stephenson says they want to spend time studying it and having a conservation assessment done.
Upper Merion Township Detective Brendan Dougherty helped recover the musket. He says they are still on the hunt for 39 other stolen Revolutionary War artifacts.
“We forecast that we’re going to spend the rest of our careers tracking down these items,” he said.