|
Tuolumne
County Museum
Map to Museum
By 1960, the Tuolumne County jail, built in 1866, was obsolete and a
new jail was constructed one block north. At the time, the Tuolumne
County Museum and History Collection was located in the Veterans
Memorial Hall on Washington Street in downtown Sonora. Carlo De
Ferrari, County Clerk, was assigned the administrative
responsibility of the museum after the retirement of Ruth Ann
Newport. The Board of Directors, of the newly formed Tuolumne
County Historical Society, discussed the need for expanding exhibit
and storage space. At the request of the Society, the Tuolumne
County Board of Supervisors designated the old jail as the Tuolumne
County Museum and the Society became stewards of the Tuolumne County
History Collection.
“Board committees were busy with planning for the conversion of
the jail to a museum, and looking forward to the day when a
library and research center could be added….Remodeling was under
way by January 1962 and finally completed in 1965….Next came the
cases, ten of which were ready in November 1967, and exhibits were
installed in the former jailor’s quarters.” Chispa,
Vol. 25, No. 4, April-June, 1986
In 1974, the Museum Board of Governors was organized to provide
continuity on museum issues. A Master Plan was developed for the
site and the exhibits; Phase 1 called for construction of a new
building north of the museum for storage and library use, Phase 2
called for rehabilitation of the museum building, and Phase 3
provided a plan to convert the prisoner’s exercise yard into a patio
for public use.
The old kitchen of the sheriff or jailer’s family was converted into
a turn-of-the-century office, which was originally occupied by the
Chamber of Commerce and now home to the Tuolumne County Genealogical
Society. Reproductions of many old photos, antiques and costumed
mannequins are on exhibit depicting the six geographical regions of
the county, “Our Towns” – Sonora, Crossroads of Tuolumne County;
North to Columbia; Jamestown and the Way West; South of the River;
Out to Tuolumne and Up in the Hills. Other displays contain
information on the overland trails across the Sierra Nevada between
1841 and 1860 and pioneer firearms.
|
