Plumas County Museum History

The museum's collections originated with the memorabilia assembled for exhibit in the Memorial Room at the Plumas County Courthouse in 1921 by the Native Daughters of the Golden West and the Native Sons of the Golden West. This room is now the Plumas County Recorder’s Office. A small portion of the collection was moved to the courthouse lobby where it resided until construction of the museum in 1968. Many items were also gathered for eventual inclusion in the museum by the Plumas County Historical Society, formed in 1960. Since 1968, the citizens of Plumas County have been so generous with their donations that it was necessary to construct an addition adjacent to the museum, obtain and restore the Coburn-Variel Home, and in 1997, construct a Carriage House for storage. The bulk of the collection is donations from the communities of Plumas County. The museum has thousands of artifacts representing just about every aspect of Plumas County. Listed below are only some of the highlights of the museum's collections:

Davis Basket Collection: A variety of Maidu Indian baskets made prior to 1900. Arrowheads, a bow, arrows, tu tums (baby boards), and other artifacts make up the remainder of this exceptional collection.

Falck Basket Collection: A collection of Maidu basketry unrivaled anywhere in the state. Some of the finest examples available are in this collection.

Stella Fay Miller Music Parlor: Three vintage pianos, organs and various musical instruments that played an important part in the cultural lives of county pioneers.

Chinese Collection: Artifacts, clothing and other items representing the presence of the Chinese and the contributions they made to Plumas County history.

James Boynton Railroad Collection: Donated in memory of James Earl Boynton, retired Western Pacific locomotive engineer, the collection encompasses artifacts from the steam era into the diesel years. Builders’ plates, photos, literature, lanterns, signs, and hundreds of other artifacts make up this comprehensive collection. The "Steam Forever" collection augments the railroad wall in the museum Carriage House.

Firearms Collection: Shotguns, rifles, carbines, pistols, knives and even a blackjack are displayed in this collection of pioneer firearms and related materials. From black powder through cartridges, these are fine examples of early weaponry.

Exhibit Yard: Hydraulic monitors for large scale gold mining, an aerial ore car from Walkermine, a stamp mill, and an 1890s furnished miner's cabin plus many tools represent the county’s mining heritage. Nearby is an 1870s farm wagon fitted with a large redwood water tank, a 1920 gas operated one cylinder saw, and numerous logging and ranching tools. A working blacksmith shop with a viewing table beneath the shade of oak trees makes this outdoor exhibit area a pleasant experience.

Doll Collection: A large representation of dolls from the mid 1800s to the early 1900s are exhibited permanently on the Stella Fay Miller Mezzanine Gallery.

Longboard Skis: Twelve to fourteen foot long wood skis once used to race straight down slopes at speeds up to 88 miles per hour, along with associated paraphernalia still perplex visitors as to how these people weren't killed riding them.

Vehicle Collection: Consists of a restored 1910 Italian buggy, a railroad baggage cart, farm wagon, convertible sleigh-wagon, and a one horse winter sleigh that doubles as Santa's for the holidays.

Art Collection: An eclectic collection of various historic works with emphasis on local scenes and local artists.

Natural History Collection: Many of the specimens in the collection were taxidermied by Ed. Garner around 1900.  The remainder are more recent and range from squirrels to a 175 pound mountain lion.

The museum executive director manages the collections with assistance from the museum curator and museum registrar. The staff performs all registration, cataloging, inventorying and disposition. A deed of gift, acquisition number, description, and acknowledgment are all assigned to each item donated to the museum. The Collections are preserved through proper care, maintenance and storage either in locked and alarmed buildings or on display.

The care and maintenance of objects is an essential museum responsibility. Critical elements in prolonging the life of objects are proper conservation and preservation while on exhibit and in storage. Objects need protection against strong light, pest and fungal infestation, vandalism, and burglary.

The Plumas County Museum has undergone an intensive Collections Assessment Program funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.  The assessment identified problem areas, noted improvements and made may useful suggestions to assist staff with collections care.  The staff has since instituted many of the report's recommendations but more work needs to be done.  Monetary donations to further upgrade this project are always welcome. 

The museum exhibits are the primary medium for transmitting the story of our history to the public. Objects are exhibited at the museum, in temporary off-site exhibits, and at other institutions. Exhibit preparation includes research into the history and context of the objects. The exhibit planning process includes concept development, selection of objects, label composition and visitor interpretation materials. The exhibit design includes the setting and installation plan, along with a furnishing plan and traffic pattern. Security of the exhibits and objects as well as public safety are additional considerations.

The Plumas County Museum actively collects a wide variety of materials, which document the growth, and development of Plumas County and the surrounding region. Emphasis is on the period from mid-19th century to the early 20th century. Native American artifacts, both prehistoric and historic, are collected for research and exhibit with emphasis placed on objects of local origin.

Prospective donors are encouraged to stop in at the museum or call (530) 283-6320 to arrange to meet with staff. For artifacts, a Deed of Gift form will be filled out listing the item(s) being donated. An acknowledgement card will be sent to the donor upon accessioning of the item(s).

The present owner must have clear title.

The museum must be in a position to care properly for the proposed acquisition.

The significance of the material or objects must be determined.

Acquisitions must, in general, be free from donor imposed restrictions.

In general, the museum does not purchase artifacts. Board of Trustee approval is required prior to any purchase.

The acquisition must conform to the museum's collecting objectives.

For tax-deductible monetary donations, either drop by the museum or send your check to: Plumas County Museum Association, 500 Jackson Street, Quincy, CA 95971. If your donation is in memory of a person, please be sure to note that information on your check.

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