Earlier this month, Compass conducted a special 2-day event titled “Pistols at the Prison” in partnership with and located at the Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary attraction in Petros, Tennessee.
After a week of heavy rain, Team Compass and visitors alike were able to enjoy the pleasant, sunny weather and fresh mountain air during the event.
That weekend, visitors browsed different vendor selections in the weekend-long gun show right next to the historic prison. Over two days, the prison grounds saw a very brisk sale of firearms, knives, T-shirts, ammo, accessories, and more from participating vendors.
Compass set up a firing range available to guests, including an AR-15 and ammo for rent to visitors who didn’t bring their own gun. The controlled environment was constantly monitored by at least one Compass Range Safety Officer (RSO) during the event.
Brushy Mountain offers an array of activities to its visitors, like roaming the prison grounds and taking a tour of the facilities, exhibiting items from the prison’s past and rooms which used to house some of America’s most hardened criminals for decades.
The prison also offered its legendary museum and ghost tours throughout Pistols at the Prison. While they were there, visitors had the chance to experience the Brushy Mountain Distillery, home of drinks like Brushy’s “End Of The Line Moonshine”, “the world’s only legal, prison-made moonshine”.
Compass was proud to serve Morgan County by fundraising for MoCo Mutts Rescue Center and the Morgan County STEM program. Two special Dawn of Defense rifles were sold during the event’s firearm auction, with 100% of the final bids earning over $3,000 for the two non-profits.
In addition to that, a vehicle situated on the property was designated as the “smash car”, a popular attraction where visitors both big and small could give back to the community in exchange for a sledgehammer and a few minutes with the car.
Between the different events, Team Compass enjoyed a ghost tour through the facility, meals at Brushy’s Warden’s Table restaurant, and the local sights in Petros by traveling mountain trails and appreciating the view from the peaks that gave the state pen its name, all while staying in a home used to film scenes in the 1999 film October Sky.
The event concluded with an auction on Sunday evening, featuring over 300 firearms, including several rare guns, in particular a Colt 1911 in excellent condition manufactured in 1914, a Winchester 1873 rifle made in 1883 according to a verified factory letter, a limited-edition Bristol Motor Speedway 50th Anniversary rifle — number 8 out of just 100 made — and other unique items.
Compass wants to thank Brushy Mountain for hosting Pistols at the Prison, and all of the vendors who participated in the event. Team Compass hopes to see everyone again next year for another fun-filled weekend.
To learn more about our current and upcoming auctions and events, visit our Auction Calendar page. For more information about Compass and our auctions, email Info@SoldOnCompass.com or call (800) 729-6466.