Day Trips: Museum showcases County's history

For years, our family has been going to Mooney Grove in Visalia to celebrate various occasions, such as birthdays, Mother’s Day, etc. In all of those times, however, we never paid much attention to the Tulare County Museum, located in the park. That is a shame, because the museum has so much to offer.

The museum’s exterior is rather unpretentious, but inside it is filled with a wealth of information about the history of the area. It has a large collection of Native American basketry and artifacts, antique guns, memorabilia from early Tulare County residents and displays depicting Visalia at the turn of the century.

Behind the museum is Pioneer Village with 11 historic structures from throughout the county. In addition, on its grounds is the newly opened Museum of Farm Labor and Agriculture.

The Native American display in the main building concentrates on the contributions made by the Yokuts Indians of Central California. According to information at the museum, the Yokuts are believed to have migrated from Russia to California approximately 12,000 years ago. Their territory was bordered by Stockton on the north and the Kern County line on the south.

Early English settlers gave them the name, Yokuts, meaning “People of the Valley.” They are actually made up of 40 to 60 tribal groups that have their own names, but are still classified as Yokuts.

The exhibit has hundreds of baskets of all kinds and shapes. Many are decorated with  animal and reptile designs. There also are cradleboards for boys and girls, gambling trays, arrowheads, spear points, murals and examples of early money.

According to Parks and Recreation Manager Neal Pilegard, “This collection of Yokuts artifacts and basketry is the most extensive in existence.” He noted there are even more artifacts in storage.

Adjacent to the Yokuts area is a display highlighting the early history of Visalia. Included are farm implements, tools, mining and office equipment, railroad models, silverware and an old safe.

Another exhibit features items commonly found in homes after the Gold Rush. There are numerous examples of kitchenware, coffee grinders, bread makers, sewing machines, irons, spinning wheels, quilts, dolls, furniture, pianos and clothing for men, women and children.  

I am a gun enthusiast and was particularly intrigued with the museum’s extensive collection of antique guns. There are 34 handguns dating back to 1770. These include  flintlocks, pistols, revolvers and derringers. You also can view 38 rifles, carbines, shotguns, muskets and machine guns. In addition, there is a display of uniforms, weapons and memorabilia from World War I, II, Korea and Vietnam.

Outside the main building is the Pioneer Village. It has 11 buildings relocated from throughout the county. Included are one-room schoolhouses, a log cabin, a large ranch house, a jail, a newspaper office, a blacksmith shop, a caboose and a harness shop. A new addition to the grounds is the Museum of Farm Labor and Agriculture. It opened last December and was constructed through a $1.5 million grant from the California Council and Historical Endowment.

This 17,000 square-foot museum showcases the cultural history of the people who farmed the San Joaquin Valley during the past 500 years. This includes the Yokuts experience, the pre-statehood era, and the efforts of Mexicans, African Americans, Armenians, Dutch, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese and others.

Currently, the museum is celebrating the contributions of Armenians and African Americans to the growth of agriculture in Tulare County. The Armenian display traces their influence in the county from the 1890s and the important role they played in the introduction of grapes and production of raisins in Central California. The African American exhibit focuses on this group’s roles in mining and farming in California and the county. A major emphasis of the exhibit concerns the Allensworth Colony near Earlimart. This was a self-governing black community that numbered 300 people and flourished in the early 1900s. It is a state park today.

Both exhibits use a combination of artifacts, educational films and historical images that can be viewed on the museum’s audio-visual system.

The Armenian and African American Experiences continue through the summer. In the fall, there will be an exhibit about the Dust Bowl era migration to California. Future displays will involve the contributions of Portuguese, Filipino, Japanese and Chinese citizens.

Pilegard said the purpose of the exhibits at the Farm Labor and Agriculture Museum is to help minority children relate to the rich cultures that have had a profound influence in the development of Tulare County.  “We hope the exhibits will engage the youth and get them excited in learning more about their own ancestry,” he stated.

The Tulare County Museum is open Thursdays through Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is free, however, $6 per car is charged to enter the park. Seniors get in free. For more information, call 733-6616. I invite you to check it out. You won’t be disappointed.