Plumas County Museum

Plumas County Museum The Plumas County Museum collects, interprets, and shares the rich social and cultural history and heritage of Plumas County and its natural environs.

The Plumas County Museum is an active "living Museum" that offers new exhibits, presentations, and special events, year round. Our Museum complex consists of the Museum - which includes two exhibit floors and an industrial history (railroad and gold mining) wing; an outside exhibit yard that features mining and lumbering displays, a gold miner's cabin, and a blacksmith shop; and the restored 1878

Variel Home (which is open for tours on Saturdays, 11 am - 3 pm, May through October.) Exhibits within the Museum include an outstanding collection of Native American basketry produced by the area's original inhabitants, the Mountain Maidu; displays on the early Chinese of the area; fine examples of early fi****ms and weaponry; a natural history collection - including a 175-pound mountain lion; an extensive goldmining and railroad exhibit; history of longboard skiing displays; medical exhibits; am ever-changing gallery of contemporary art showcasing area photographers and artists; and much more. The Museum also manages the pioneer log Peppard Cabin and the Pioneer Schoolhouse at the Fairgrounds. Both are open to the public during some special events and during the Plumas-Sierra Fair in August. The Plumas County Museum is truly worth visiting!

Fun Photo Friday! 📸Check out this log landing at Cromberg, CA for the California White Pine Lumber Co., circa 1900. If y...
05/08/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
Check out this log landing at Cromberg, CA for the California White Pine Lumber Co., circa 1900. If you look closely, the sheer variety of tools and equipment is incredible. It’s amazing what they accomplished with pure horsepower and grit.
Can anyone spot a specific tool they recognize? Let’s see who the history buffs are! 👇

It's time for 4th Grade Pioneer Living History Days.  Come give a 4th grader memories of a lifetime as they bake biscuit...
05/05/2026

It's time for 4th Grade Pioneer Living History Days. Come give a 4th grader memories of a lifetime as they bake biscuits, learn roping skills, do laundry by hand, pan for gold, make leather pouches, and learn what life was like in pioneer times! The more hands, the merrier the day! If you're not already volunteering for this much-loved event, you should be! Contact Crystal at the Museum - 530-283-6320 for more information.

Fun Photo Friday! 📸Ever wonder how many "hats" a druggist had to wear back in the day? Check out S.L. Bailey (Bill) weig...
05/01/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
Ever wonder how many "hats" a druggist had to wear back in the day?
Check out S.L. Bailey (Bill) weighing gold for a miner at the Quincy Drug Store circa 1932. Back then, pharmacists didn't just dispense medicine- they were buying and weighing gold. This was an essential service for the community, especially during the Great Depression.
✨See it for yourself: The exact analytical balance Bill is using in this photo can be seen here at the Plumas County Museum!

Fun Photo Friday! 📸Getting some inspiration ready for Opening Day tomorrow! 🐟Check out these two men with a great catch ...
04/24/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
Getting some inspiration ready for Opening Day tomorrow! 🐟
Check out these two men with a great catch near Belden, CA, and the young fisherman with a look of pure pride (names unknown).
Good luck to everyone hitting the water tomorrow! Happy Fishmas!!

Fun Photo Friday! 📸Today you can see a great Eastman's Studio real photo post card of the Mohawk Tavern, Blairsden, CA. ...
04/17/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
Today you can see a great Eastman's Studio real photo post card of the Mohawk Tavern, Blairsden, CA. I am ready for vacation just looking at it!
Can anyone identify the vehicle parked in the front? 🛞
AI is saying it is a 1938 Studebaker, is it right? I know there is some classic car experts out there!

Fun Photo Friday!📸This rare shot shows the Rock Creek Bridge, 1896 in Plumas County.  Long before any highways were pave...
04/10/2026

Fun Photo Friday!📸
This rare shot shows the Rock Creek Bridge, 1896 in Plumas County. Long before any highways were paved local engineers constructed this "small marvel" to connect our small mountain communities. Anyone recognize the area?

Fun Photo Friday! 📸Outdoor Fun! Throwing it back to simple times at camp. This photo is labeled "Barbeque," Feather Rive...
04/03/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
Outdoor Fun! Throwing it back to simple times at camp. This photo is labeled "Barbeque," Feather River Camp. Locals also know this camp as "Oakland Camp."
We have some questions on their method of BBQ but we're more concerned about the guy's motives in the lower left corner, what do you think he is up to?🙃

Fun Photo Friday!Take Me Out to the Ball Game.  It's that time of year when the crack of the bat and the cheers of the c...
03/27/2026

Fun Photo Friday!
Take Me Out to the Ball Game. It's that time of year when the crack of the bat and the cheers of the crowd can be heard far and wide across Plumas County. Go get your peanuts and crackerjack, find a seat, and enjoy this home-run selection of photos featuring Plumas County baseball. Click on each photo for description. Play Ball!

Fun Photo Friday! 📸Here is a young Stella Fay Miller c. 1900, surrounded by a sea of pansies at the Illinois (Thompson) ...
03/20/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
Here is a young Stella Fay Miller c. 1900, surrounded by a sea of pansies at the Illinois (Thompson) Ranch in Quincy, CA. She would grow up to become one of the most important figures in preserving our local history.

Fun Photo Friday! 📸This photo on Main Street in Quincy, CA has been viewed a lot but it still has a special place in our...
03/13/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
This photo on Main Street in Quincy, CA has been viewed a lot but it still has a special place in our Plumas County history.
Taken circa 1920, it captures the fascinating "in-between" era of transportation.
Look closely and you'll see:
A "cutter," (a light, horse-drawn sleigh with narrow runners)
An early soft-top auto parked at the "Auto Oils" station
A classic buggy tucked in the background

It's amazing to see the Plumas Bank building and the Clinch building have stood the test of time while the world changed around them!
(People and animals not identified in photo)

Fun Photo Friday! 📸During World War I, this canteen in Portola, CA was one of the 700 stopping points along the U.S. rai...
03/06/2026

Fun Photo Friday! 📸
During World War I, this canteen in Portola, CA was one of the 700 stopping points along the U.S. railroad for soldiers.
The American Red Cross operated these canteens to support millions of servicemen in transit. Volunteers- primarily local women- provided a true "comfort of home" to soldiers, with hot coffee, sandwiches and a friendly face, ensuring soldiers never felt forgotten on their long journey.
Anyone recognize this area in Portola?

Address

500 Jackson Street
Quincy, CA
95971

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

+15302836320

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