The Site of Confederate Arms Factory Plaque stands proudly in front of the Veterans Memorial Library. This historical marker tells a tale of the early days of Dallas, the city’s role in the Civil War, and the impact it had on Texas’s armory. During the war, a scarcity of weapons and ammunition plagued the Confederate States of America and its states. In response, Texas encouraged the establishment of local arms and powder mills to overcome this shortage. The Texas government decided to commission Tucker, Sherrod and Company of Lancaster, a company in Dallas, to manufacture revolvers on the Colt dragoon model.
This site, marked by the plaque, was where the company’s operation was based. These revolvers, manufactured in 1862, are considered some of the first pistols made by the state of Texas. John M. Crockett, the mayor of Dallas and lieutenant-governor, was the superintendent of the factory and oversaw the production of 1,464 revolvers until September 1863. This remarkable tale of Texan ingenuity and resilience is preserved by the Site of Confederate Arms Factory Plaque, right here in the heart of Lancaster, a small town close to Dallas.