By: David Herman, Deni J. Seymour
A firearm discovered in Arizona may be the oldest ever found in the lower 48. When the 1539-1542 led by Fransisco Vazquez de Coronado crossed the Santa Cruz River in Arizona, it appears they left behind a light bronze cannon, also known as a wall gun. Not only is the piece potentially the oldest in continental U.S. history, it is also the first ever connected to the famous expedition exploring the modern-day American Southwest, including sections of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.