Could Historical Artifacts bail out Pennsylvania’s State Capital?

I grew up in Pennsylvania, not far from Harrisburg, where some historical artifacts might make the difference between sinking or swimming through the city's ongoing financial woes. A stock pile of antiques, collectibles and oddities (8000 items to be exact) will soon be auctioned off to help balance the city’s budget:

The financially troubled capital of Pennsylvania is hosting an auction of artifacts this summer in hopes of raising enough money to close the gap between the city's revenue and operating costs. The loot is the end result of a failed plan to open several new museums in the city after it made substantial acquisitions of art and artifacts. Former Mayor Stephen Reed, who served from 1981 to 2009, hoped new museums would spur tourism and economic growth in this town of just under 50,000 residents. But while one Civil War museum was built, institutes devoted to sports history, African-American history and the Wild West that were planned never got off the ground. When current Mayor Linda Thompson took office in 2010, she inherited about 8,000 historical artifacts stored in two separate warehouses in Harrisburg by the previous administration and is now offering them all for sale.

So if you’re in the mood for a revolutionary era weapon or perhaps Doc Holliday’s one-of-a-kind pistol, (and you’ve got money to burn) check out the full story here!