tuolumne memorial museum
Located at the corner of Carter and Bay Streets
Tuolumne, California
Hours
open most weekends
Saturday & Sunday
1 to 4 pm
Admission is free
Closed on these holiday weekends
November 28-29, 2026
December 26-27, 2026
January 2-3, 2027
Location
18663 Carter Street at Bay Street
Tuolumne, California
To Contact The Museum
PO Box 1174 Tuolumne, CA 95379
209 928-3516
TuolumneMemorialMuseum@gmail.com
Christmas Parade – December 11
Come out for the heartwarming Tuolumne Christmas Parade at Westside Memorial Park, then warm your hands and tummy with hot chocolate and community in the Veteran’s Hall. We have heard that Santa and the Mrs. are planning to be there.
Christmas Open House -December 12
Homemade cookies, live Christmas music, a brilliantly lit ceiling-high tree, richly decorated rooms and a mix of Christmas favorites and songs from the past…. all to be enjoyed at the Museum’s Christmas Open House!
The museum is totally supported by dedicated volunteers and funds from memberships, donations and the generosity of thosewho dig deep into their pockets when needed and remember the Museum with bequests after they’re gone.
welcome to
Tuolumne Memorial Museum
The Tuolumne Memorial Museum was founded through the efforts of local teacher and historian Marie Rozier and businesswoman Patsy McMahon–both descendents of local pioneer families. In 1942, they began collecting treasures from Tuolumne families with the dream of establishing a local musem. The collection resided in several temporary homes over the years: on display or in storage. Thus, the two women assured the township’s history would be preserved in a permanent collection.
Kindergarten class at Tuolumne Women’s Improvement Clubhouse.
In 1981, the Tuolumne Women’s Improvement Club gift-deeded their property and clubhouse to the Museum. The location has a history of its own. Built in 1922, the clubhouse had also served as the site of the town’s library, local kindergarten classes, and hosted various celebratory events. By the early 198o’s, it had fallen into disrepair.
In 1982 the reconstruction of the existing building and addition of two wings began.
In December of 1984, the Tuolumne (City) Museum opened its doors in its permanent home at the corner of Bay and Carter Streets. Marie Rozier, one of the museum’s founders was present for the celebration.
The building itself is still a gathering spot for celebrations and special occasions. The museum is totally supported by dedicated volunteers and funds from memberships, donations and the generosity of visitors and local citizens.
Like our founders, we have a dream of keeping this history alive and sharing it with all who want to learn more about our past.
Please come visit and see for yourselves what has been collected and is now housed in this historic building.
THE COLLECTION
Every item has a connection to our town, to families who were native to this land, who immigrated here, settled here and called this their home, often for generations. Tuolumne has gone through four distinct historical stages: The Me-Wuk era, Gold Rush, Homesteading & Ranching, and the West Side Lumber Mill operations. Each are represented in the Museum.
EXHIBITS
Main Room: Looking much as it did in the original clubhouse, this room retains the restored wainscoting topped by tile and batten walls and the Douglas fir wood flooring. The original fireplace, built of local river rock, is flanked by seating benches likely built by a local craftsman. The bookcases which once held library books now house exhibits of pioneering family bibles, photo albums, books, cameras and more.
In this room you will also find Me-Wok artifacts, the story of the town’s three names, and items that resided in local homes including musical instruments, rifles, and furnishings.
Family Gallery: Numerous articles of clothing, family heirlooms, toys, school exhibits, and photos of high students from long ago. Items from various businesses are on display., including instruments used by Dr. Reid, West Side’s physician,
KITCHEN: The original kitchen area remains as the exhibit area for vintage and antique cookware, gadgets and other kitchen and household items. The words “what did they use that for?” are frequently heard here.
TRAIN ROOM: Exhibits and artifacts fro the West Side era are found throughout the Museum. The most populare is the working model of the West Side Narrow gauge logging railroad which runs through a model of the mill site. Also found in this room are wooden molds from the Tuolumne Foundry used to cast parts for train engines and the lumber mill. Gold mining maps, photos and equipment reside here as well.
COMMUNITY GALLERY: As you enter the room, a wall on yur right honors Tuolumne’s veterans. In this room is a working model of the Lady Washington Mine stamp mill and exhibits and artifacts of the farming and ranching. Featured is a wall-size mural of the West Side log pond, a video of logs being dumped from a train into the pond, photos of the mill, logging operations and a variety of artifacts from these operations. Photo books with many historical pictures are here for you to enjoy.
other resources
In addition to the items on display, the museum is home to an extensive collection of written material and documents, maps, photographs, recordings and videos of local citizens reminiscing about local history.
