Photo Courtesy of Northern Mariposa County History Center
HISTORY CENTER REOPENS FOR 2016
“ALL ABOARD” To Coulterville!
The Museum will celebrate this year’s reopening with its popular annual Gala event, this year themed “ALL ABOARD” TO COULTERVILLE. It will take place from 2 - 5 p.m. on Saturday, February 6. There will be wine and a traditional tea service plus a variety of tasty finger foods and pastries to enjoy. A raffle and auction are also planned, for this fund-raising event. Tickets are $15. Tickets are still available, just call: 209-878-3750 or email: info@coultervillemuseum.org as well as at the Coulterville and Mariposa Visitor's Centers.
Come enjoy the new displays along with wine and a traditional tea service plus a variety of tasty finger foods and pastries as well as a Basket raffle and live auction.
(Pictured: Western Chaps for NMCHC's Gala Auction)
One of the interesting new displays will have a Country Kitchen there… everything a homemaker at the turn of the century (19th to 20th) might have in order to feed those hungry men-folk. A transportation display will feature items tied to the various ways people and goods could travel to Coulterville in the 1800’s and early 1900’s, which often involved a train ride on the Yosemite RR from Merced to Merced Falls, then carriage, wagon, horseback, etc. for the last segment of the journey. And this year the Pioneer Showcase will be filled with items on loan from the Varain family. Charles Varain emigrated from France to California’s gold country during the gold rush era. One of his sons, Hypolyte Peter Varain and his wife, Monica, moved to the Don Pedro area in the 1860’s and established the Varain Ranch. The original ranch house is still there as is the name. The display will feature personal family items including mining claims, the ranch's branding iron, mining tools, photos and other cherished belongings.
RESUMPTION OF REGULAR HOURS
Docents Ready To Welcome Visitors
The museum will resume its regular 5 day-a-week schedule, open each Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. beginning Wednesday, February 10. The day prior to this, Tuesday, February 9, the Docents will do a walk-through of the museum to make sure they know all the historic tidbits associated with the new displays and are fully armed with interesting information to share with visitors. This will be followed by an Appreciation Luncheon.
The following month the NMCHC docents will journey north for a special tour of the Amador County Museum in Jackson, another gem of a museum focusing on the gold rush era located along the Highway 49 Gold Chain Route. Anyone interested in becoming a docent can contact the museum at: (209) 878-3015 or Helen Bauman at: (209) 878-3483. The commitment is for only 3 hours a month and in addition to that great feeling you get from knowing you are contributing to the community, you will get to know a great group of interesting fellow volunteers at the various gatherings scheduled throughout the year.
HISTORY CENTER BREAKFAST
Enjoy a great breakfast at the Old Schoolhouse on Sunday, February 14. Great “all you-can-eat” pancakes, eggs cooked to order, ham or sausage and fresh fruit is served from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Adults are $5.00, children $3.00 and a family of four (2 adults, 2 children) is just $15.00. Great raffle prizes! The Old Schoolhouse is located at the corner of Broadway and Cemetery Streets.
Shawn Shimer serving breakfast
NMCHC CALENDAR OF EVENTS
This year, thanks in large part to Bill Lane’s advance work shortly before his passing last fall, the entire line-up of Spring programs and speakers is ready to roll-out. The CoyoteFest is another date to jot into your calendar now!
NMCHC EVENT CALENDAR
REOPENING GALA – ALL ABOARD TO COULTERVILLE - February 6, at the museum
SPRING SPEAKER SERIES
Location: IOOF. 5030 Main St. Coulterville, Start time: 4 p.m.
March 5: NMCHC SPRING SPEAKER SERIES: Jim Phillips on the Big Oak Flat Road and the Carlon Inn
Free admission
April 2: NMCHC SPRING SPEAKER SERIES Linette St. Vrain on the Varain Family, Early Settlers in Mariposa's North County
Free admission
May 7: NMCHC SPRING SPEAKER SERIES Jay Barnes on the Mather Saddle and Pack Station
Free admission
June 4: NMCHC SPRING SPEAKER SERIES Robert Oakley on the Great Flood of 1862
Free admission
COYOTEFest - September 24
These and many other important dates can be found online on the museum’s website: CoultervilleHistoryCenter.org in the 2016 Event section or call 209-878-3015 to learn more.
