A new exhibit focusing on the history and design of the Bowie knife is opening Friday at the Historic Arkansas Museum.
The expansive collection features items once owned by Theodore Roosevelt, frontier hero Davy Crockett and General Winfield Scott, who served as a commander in the War of 1812 and the Mexican-American War.
Also included in the showcase are pieces from James Black, a Washington, Ark. native who pioneered the Bowie knife in the mid-1800s and influenced later design of the weapon.
More than 200 knives are included in the exhibit, which provide for a compelling retrospective, according to museum director Bill Worthen.
"It is really the most comprehensive look at the Bowie knife ever assembled," Worthen said. "It's a history lesson of the entirety of the spectrum of Bowie knives in one place."
The collection will be unveiled Friday and remain on display until June 2014.
