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Have you ever traveled north up the MTA line along the Hudson and passed by that impressive castle situated on one of the few islands on the river and thought, “What’s the deal with that”? Wonder no longer, the full, unabridged history of Bannerman’s Arsenal has arrived. Author and Historian Thom Johnson has gifted us the entire history of Francis Bannerman, his military surplus business, his ingenious catalog, and the story of the arsenal’s preservation, all in an impressive 3-part book series modeled after the classic Bannerman catalog. As the American Civil War was wrapping up, a young man from Scotland, Francis Bannerman VI, wisely invested in a plethora of military surplus left over from what was the largest conflict in the Western Hemisphere. Selling these goods to the public for profit was the obvious decision, but what Bannerman did next not only propelled his own business but revolutionized American commerce. He created a gorgeous catalog to advertise what he had in stock, describing the items in great detail while also including fascinating stories of military history and letters from customers. This would be the model that the iconic Sears catalog would follow some years later. On the strength of his success before the turn of the century, Bannerman was able to not only supply American soldiers during the Spanish American War—thereby selling military goods back to the military for profit—but he then purchased roughly 90% of the captured Spanish equipment after the war had concluded. Now that is the real “Art of the Deal”. Just as everything was going smoothly, a problem quickly arose. He was storing fully functioning tools of war (guns, ammunition, cannons, and other explosives) in a NYC storeroom on Broadway. He had to find a new location far enough away from populated areas but also close enough to quickly ship stock in and out. This is what led him to purchase Pollepel Island on the Hudson to build a new storage space, but that still wasn’t enough. So this brilliant man built an Arsenal that was modeled in the style of a European castle, to not only advertise the success of his surplus empire, but also to express himself through his love of art, history, and culture. It is through this iconic structure that all of us in the Hudson Valley have been blessed by Francis Bannerman. Thom Johnson has single-handedly kept the history of Bannerman’s Arsenal alive for future generations through his books, lectures, and art. Similar to Francis Bannerman, Thom Johnson is also a creative spirit, combining his love of art, writing, photography, and speaking to keep this amazing history alive. I am also lucky enough to call him a friend, and so I have vowed to support this amazing series of books by selling them directly to you! Simply email me if you are interested, and you can receive an autographed set of this amazing three-part series. Supplies won’t be around for too long, so don’t miss this amazing opportunity to support and preserve local history!
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