Thanksgiving

    Europeans and Native Americans both celebrated the end of harvest. When the Europeans arrived in North America, the two celebrations merged together. However, Canada's Thanksgiving festivities did not originate from harvest. Martin Frobisher had been trying to find the northern passage to the Pacific Ocean, along the way he and his crew braved many storms and icebergs. In 1578 a feast was thrown to give thanks to God and surviving the long journey. The year 1621 marks the beginning of America's Thanksgiving. Settlers were barely feeding themselves, so Native Americans taught them how grow and hunt their own food. After 1621's great crops, the settlers and Native Americans held a harvest festival. The official date of Thanksgiving changed multiple times throughout history. Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be Thanksgiving. It wasn't until December 26, 1941 than Thanksgiving became the fourth and not necessarily final Thursday of the month.

Dove Creek Trading Company wishes everyone a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving.

Veterans Day

In 1918 on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month "the war to end all wars" ended. The allied nations and Germany had went into an armistice and months later on July 28th the Treaty of Versailles was signed ending World War I for good. President Wilson appointed November 11 as Armistice Day saying, "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…" Armistice Day was set aside to honor WWI veterans until after WWII. Military involvement was at its highest in America's history during WWII. Therefore, on June 1, 1954, Armistice Day became Veterans Day. President Eisenhower stated, "In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose. Toward this end, I am designating the Administrator of Veterans' Affairs as Chairman of a Veterans Day National Committee, which shall include such other persons as the Chairman may select, and which will coordinate at the national level necessary planning for the observance. I am also requesting the heads of all departments and agencies of the Executive branch of the Government to assist the National Committee in every way possible." This made Veterans Day into a day to honor all veterans rather than just WWI. This wonderful holiday continues to be celebrated today.

From everybody at Dove Creek, we would like to thank all of America's veterans for their patriotism and willingness to risk their lives for our great nation.

Tomahawk: The Come-Back Kid

    Tomahawks have been used in almost all of America's major wars. During the Revolutionary War, they were issued to soldiers for usage as a weapon and a tool. Soldiers even carried tomahawks before the Revolutionary War. In the Korean War soldiers would take their standard issued tomahawks and grind the handle down into a spike to make them better for fighting. In World War II many G.I.s carried them and used them during combat. However, tomahawks are most known for their usage in Vietnam. The Vietnam Tactical Tomahawk was designed by Peter LaGana and from 1966-1970 sold around 4,000 of them to Armed Forces members. They made a comeback around 2000 when Andy Prisco got premission from LaGana to begin remaking them. The Vietnam Tactical Tomahawk is very popular with modern soldiers. The US Stryker Brigade in Afghanistan, is one of the many forces that use it. In fact, every Stryker vehicle comes with a Tactical Tomahawk in the “Modular Entry Tool Set”.

SOG Tactical Tomahawk, Fusion Series F01T-N

Origination of Labor Day

    Labor Day is the workingman's holiday and pays tribute to the contributions of American workers. It originated due to the awful working conditions in the late 1800s. At that time the average work day was 12 hours long and the work week was all 7 days of the week. The workers weren't given enough breaks, didn't have enough fresh air, and work in very unsanitary conditions for little pay. Labor unions began appearing to form strikes and rallies protesting the poor treatment of workers. 10,000 workers took unpaid time off of work on September 5, 1882 to hold the first labor day parade in history. They marched from City Hall to Union Square in New York City. The idea of Labor Day on the first Monday of September caught on and many states began recognizing it. However, it wasn't until 1894 that Congress made it into a federal holiday.

    From everyone at Dove Creek Outdoors, we wish you a safe and happy Labor Day.

The Legendary Jim Bowie and His Knife

      The Bowie knife was made famous by Colonel Jim Bowie during the Sandbar Fight of 1827 in Mississippi. In this duel Bowie was severely injured but managed to make it out alive due to his knife that was specifically made for him. Bowie earned quite the reputation for his knife fights and in 1829 spared an opponet's life in a fight. After recovering the man hired three assassins to kill Bowie. In December of 1830, Jim Bowie presented a wooden carved knife model to an Arkansas blacksmith named James Black. Black made Bowie's knife as well as a modified one with a sharpened edge on both sides of the blades curve. The double edged knife became so popular in Sheffield, England, who began mass-producing in by 1850, that it was named the Sheffield Bowie knife. Upon his return to Texas Colonel Bowie was met by the three assasins in 1831. Although the assasins had firearms, Bowie still defeated them all with his knife building his and his knife's fame even more. He later became an American legend after dying at the Battle the Alamo in 1836. Long after his death, his legacy lives on and so does his knife, however; nobody knows what happened to the original knife. In the Historic Arkansas Museum there is a knife with the engraving "Bowie No. 1" but scientists have no way of proving if it is the original.

Colt .45 Bowie Knife, CT306DM, Damascus Blade