The garden along the pathway to the entrance was filled lovely flowers that looked gorgeous in the wet weather.
The area of Groveland was initially inhabited by the Native American, Miwok people. One of their winter shelters made of bark with a deerskin covering the entrance is on display in the lobby. Pine needles covered the floor with a fire pit in the center. Meals were prepared by placing heated stones in handmade baskets with food.
Docents in the museum provided an interesting narrative on the history of Groveland. The town was formed during the California Gold Rush of the 1850s although was not named Groveland until 1875. There is a cool operating model of the Longfellow Mine and another model of a lumber mill...once important businesses in Groveland.
There are exhibits of the three pioneering families that settled in Groveland and still have relatives living here today with various artifacts that have been donated to the museum. Below is one of those exhibits of the Priest family.
Collections of woodworking tools and vintage bottles are displayed.
John found the Black Powder Firearms display very interesting (as always!)
Furs of animals indigenous to the area are on display as well as some taxidermies. There is a huge black bear in a case, too!
The museum, opened in 2000, is funded entirely by donations. It is manned entirely by community volunteers that have in-depth knowledge of the town. It is open every day from 1 pm to 4 pm, except Saturday when there are extended hours (10 am to 4 pm). You can pick up a brochure here for historic Walking Tour of Groveland. I was impressed with the quality of the displays here and was glad we stopped by to see it. Cards, postcards, and other local items are sold in the gift shop.
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