 What do you think?
Many of us have walked by our beloved Sierra Railway Exhibit with a warm place in our heart for how it was created, and regret that it no longer functions. I'd like to put out a plea to the community regarding this model train display at the back of the Pole Barn here at the museum. Having checked with Chuck Schneider and Jim Miller, our museum historians, to the best of our my knowledge the display has sat in an inoperative state for at least the last fourteen years. The foundation has recently conducted a formal assessment and, we are in agreement that if we wish to have a Sierra Railway Exhibit that operates, educates and excites our visitors – we need to start from scratch. That said, I'd like to dismantle the current display – retaining any essential parts that could potentially be reused in a reimagined exhibit, and use this new space to display artifacts that are currently boxed and shelved. The result would be new exhibits to see each time you visit! I want to assure the community that we still will have a Sierra Railroad display, but it might be a couple of years off. As you read earlier, the foundation has taken the formal steps necessary to potentially tap in to federal funds to build a new, engaging, and interactive exhibit that connects with today’s museum audiences in a way that will really bring the Sierra Railway innovation and achievement to life! If anyone has any objections to us dismantling the old display, please contact us as soon as possible. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for the Angels Camp Museum.
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Pole Barn Campaign & Giving Tuesday Results
Money In: The Pole Barn campaign launched in 2021 and concluded with a final push on Giving Tuesday this past November, 2022. We set a goal of $25k. During the final push during Giving Tuesday we raised $4,100 for a total raised of $21,105 over the course of the campaign. Money Out: So far the foundation has contributed $2,250 to pole barn stands, $1,016 on signs and $13,580 on concrete for pole barn pathway expansion/improvements. If you haven’t visited the Mining & Ranching exhibits in the Pole Barn recently, you should! You’ll be delighted at the amazing work of Museum Staff! Spring 2023 Fundraiser Want to know what it was really like in Angels Camp in the 1856? The Museum Foundation is working on a story about a man who came to Calaveras County from Massachusetts with the hope, like so many others, of finding gold and striking it rich. His name was Andrew Galliardo. It’s an account of what life was like then as told through Andrew’s eyes, a prospector who hailed originally from Rehoboth, Massachusetts. This story draws on letters generously shared by the Pierce family, which they had received from Andrew between 1856 and 1858. Keep an eye out for our invite! We're targeting April! Reimagining the Old Sierra Railway Exhibit There have been numerous efforts to reinvigorate the museum's Sierra Railway exhibit. The most recent effort was done by the Angels Camp Museum Foundation which started in August 2021. Working with several train enthusiasts both in the surrounding area and the Bay Area and completing a thorough assessment, it was finally determined that while the exhibit was one of the more interesting models, it was so aged that it really needs to be rebuilt from the ground up. Major findings include:
We have identified a vendor in Fresno, Monster City Studios, as a resource to build the exhibit (they even have a train enthusiast on staff) and will work with them on a scope of work to attach to a planning grant application the foundation plans to write requesting federal funds from the National Endowment for Humanities. Once a detailed plan and budget are in place, we would apply for the implementation grant. Clearly, this is a multi-year effort; it will be worth it. If you’re interested in helping to write the grant (next round due in August), develop specifications, or help with any other aspects of the project, please apply here. This year the foundation will pursue 3 grants from the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH), two of which focus on museum collection cataloging and one focused on an exhibit.
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