California State Mining and Mineral Museum in Mariposa, California
Sierra Sun Times file photo

March 25, 2017 - As the afternoon torrential rain struck Mariposa on Tuesday, March 21, 2017 the California State Mining and Mineral Museum flooded and is currently closed for repairs.

For an idea of how much rain impacted the museum the Sierra Sun Times rain gauge recorded 3.29" for the day. From 4:52 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. the gauge recorded 1.60" as rain came down along with hail, thunder, lightning and wind and from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. the gauge recorded an additional 1.04”. 

Water over an inch deep covered the floor of the museum, soaking the new carpet that was installed a few months ago. Mud pushed out of the Mine Tunnel doors into the museum. With emergency funding Belfor property restoration was called out and mopped up the mud and water. They have installed heater blowers all around the museum along with dehumidifiers to dry the carpets and take the moisture out behind the walls. Some sections of wall board will have to be replaced but in most areas the baseboard was removed and holes were drilled into the walls to let air flow into the back of the walls. 

None of the rocks, minerals or gems were damaged with the flooding.

The California State Mining and Mineral Museum is tentatively scheduled to reopen on April 6th.

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The museum proudly displays the Fricot “Nugget”, a rare and beautiful specimen of crystallized gold discovered in the American River in 1864.  This spectacular 13.8-pound. specimen is the largest remaining intact mass of crystalline gold from 19th century California, when these finds were more common but usually were simply melted down.
Source: California State Mining and Mineral Museum