Nevada County GenWeb

Libraries, Museums and Historic Parks

Libraries

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History Center
For hours call 530-265-5892 to reserve computer and microfilm reader time. Location: 615 Hollow Way, Nevada City.

Doris Foley Library for Historical Research (the history branch of the Nevada County Library)
    211 N. Pine Street, Nevada City, CA 95959; Phone 530-265-4606.
    Current Hours EFFECTIVE August 1, 2008: Monday, Tuesday & Friday - 10:00am - 4:00pm
       Closed Wednesday,Thursday, Saturday & Sunday
   www.mynevadacounty.com/library
    (Part of catalog listed on our Libraries & Reference Page)

Nevada County Historical Society's Searles Library
    214 Church St, Nevada City, CA 95959. Phone 530-265-5910.
    Repository of county genealogical records, maps, photographs, and information
    on people, mines, businesses and residences of the 1850s to present time.     Staffed by Volunteers of the Nevada County Historical Society.
    open Monday - Saturday 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. http://nevadacountyhistory.org

Nevada County Public Library, Grass Valley-Royce Branch
    207 Mill St, Grass Valley. Phone 530-273-4117.
    HOURS: M & F -- 10:00am - 6:00pm
    T, W, Th & Sat-- 10:00am - 8:00pm
    Closed Sunday

Nevada County Library- Madelyn Helling Branch, Nevada City (Main Branch)
   980 Helling Way, Nevada City
    Phone 530-265-7050
    HOURS: M & F -- 10:00am - 6:00pm
    T, W, Th & Sat-- 10:00am - 8:00pm
    Closed Sunday

Nevada County Public Library, Truckee
   10031 Levon Avenue, Truckee
    Phone 530-582-7846
    HOURS: M & F -- 10:00am - 6:00pm
    T, W, Th & Sat-- 10:00am - 8:00pm
    Closed Sunday

Sierra College Library, Nevada County Campus
    250 Sierra College Drive, Grass Valley.
    Phone 530-274-5304.
    Please call for days and hours open.

Museums

Emigrant Trail Museum
   Located on the campsite of the Donner Wagon Party
    12593 Donner Pass Road, Truckee, CA (or P.O. Box 9210) Truckee 95737
    Phone 530-587-3841.
    Please call for days and hours open. Fee to Enter.
    Exhibits on railroad logging, dioramas on Indian and westward movement,
    pioneer tools, Indian artifacts, logging tractor and wagons, trapping items.    Tours, docent program, gift shop.

Firehouse No. 1 Historic Museum
   214 Main St, Nevada City.
   Phone 530-265-5468 for days and hours open. Current hours Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturnday * Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Opens May 1 for Summer Season.
   Donations requested.
   Collection of Nevada County 19th Century artifacts and memorabilia, a
   Chinese Joss House, Maidu Indian artifacts, Donner Party artifacts, and
   other displays. Original firehouse, Firehouse NO. 1 is the most photographed and artistically painted in Nevada City.
   Volunteer staff docents from Nevada County Historical Society.

Grass Valley Museum / St. Joseph's Cultural Center
   410 S. Church St, Grass Valley
   Phone (530) 273-5509 for tours, days and hours open.
   Donations requested.
    Part of the old Mount Saint Mary's Convent and Academy. Numerous
    displays relating early Grass Valley and Nevada County history including
    a replica of a doctor's office, a classroom of the 1870s, antique furniture
    and paintings. Outside is an heirloom rose garden.

Historic Nevada County Courthouse
   201 Church St, Nevada City.
   This historic, award winning art deco government building has several
   collections including a display of rare firearms, the Heritage of Gold Rush
   Era exhibit, state fair trophies, and Wallace M. Gordon heirlooms.

Lola Montez House
248 Mill Street, Grass Valley

Lotta Crabtree House
Mill Street, Grass Valley
(near Lola Montez house, above).

Miners Foundry Cultural Center
    325 Spring St, Nevada City.
   Birthplace of the pelton wheel, display of state historic landmarks in
   manufacturing metal products for mines and other businesses, and outside
   displays of mining tools, machinery, an ore car, and a pelton wheel.
   Docent led tours by request.

North Columbia Schoolhouse Cultural Center
17894 Tyler Foote Crossing Road, Nevada City.
Special exhibits change periodically.

North Star Mining Museum
   Allison Ranch Rd at Mc Courtney Rd, Grass Valley
   Phone (530) 273-4255
   Please call for days and hours open. Large displays of mining equipment,
   artifacts and memorabilia. Gift shop.

Western America Skisport Museum
   Boreal Ridge Ski Area, Donner Pass
   P.O. Box 729, Soda Springs, CA 95728
   Phone (530) 426-3313
   Free admission.
   Please call for days and hours open.
   This is a sports history museum with a memorial to Snow-Shoe Thompson,
   memorabilia from the Western North America Skisport Hall of Fame, ski
   history and manuscript collections. One of the best collections of antique
   ski/snowshoe equipment.

State Parks

Empire Mine State Historic Park

   10791 Empire Street, Grass Valley, CA 95945

   Phone (530) 273-9853.
   Please call for days and hours open.
   Oldest and richest hard rock mine in California, which yielded 5.8 million ounces of gold before it closed in 1956. Park includes a mine shaft, mine yard, scale model of mine, and a machine shop.

Tours of the historic Bourn Cottage and gardens, walk down into a mine shaft, view a mine history film, displays, docent programs, gift shop.

For those searching in the Grass Valley area who have information that their ancestor was employed by the Empire Mine, this is a good place to start your research. Photographs of employees from 1930 are available with a name index and reference numbers. Transcripts of interviews and historical information from the local libraries also available. It is necessary to complete a form with the information on the ancestor you are seeking. This form is only available from the Visitors Center at the park. The form is then submitted and a committee will review it and let you know when you can come in to view the photographs and other information on your ancestor. All of this employee information belongs to the Park Association and not the State Park Department. NOTE: This historical mining site and facility may be closing due to California budget cutbacks!

Malakoff Diggins State Park
   23579 North Bloomfield Road
   Nevada City CA 95959
   Phone (530) 265-2740
   Please call for days and hours open.
   Fee to Enter.
   About 26 miles northeast of Nevada City. Once California's largest hydraulic
   mining operations, the North Bloomfield Museum has extensive exhibits and
   several restored buildings. Only steep cliffs remain where huge monitors once
   directed streams of water over the hillsides to wash down the gravel with its
   mineral content. Good hiking trails, camping, cabins, picnic tables, and tours
   available.

   Hwy 49 for 10 miles to Tyler-Foote Crossing Road, then 16 miles to the park. NOTE: This historical museum and California State Park may be closed due to budget cutbacks.
   Web Site

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Page last updated: July 16, 2008

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