Steve and I agreed that this museum, located 6 miles out of downtown Bishop, was the best of its kind- EVER. I can't believe we've been driving past it for the last 40 years and have never stopped!
The Laws Railroad Museum & Historic Site's mission is "Preserving the History of Owens Valley and the Eastern Sierra". And what a fine job they have done!
This unique museum setting encompasses 11 acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits, including the original depot and steam locomotive engine #9.The Carson and Colorado was a narrow-gauge railroad line that passed through the Laws Depot, extending from Reno in the north to the town of Keeler, on the east side of Owens Lake.In 1960, the train (the 1909 Slim Princess pictured) steamed into Laws for the last time. The station, rail yard, land, depot and other buildings were then donated to Inyo County and the City of Bishop by Southern Pacific. In 1964, the Bishop Museum and Historical Society was formed and the Laws Railroad Museum opened its doors in 1966.People immediately began donating items, even entire historic structures, ranging from antique pioneer furnishings, old photographs, wagons, farm equipment and mining equipment, and a working stamp mill. The vast amount of artifacts is almost overwhelming and definitely demands another visit.Everything here intrigued me. The camera display was housed in a building constructed by Paramount as part of the movie set for Nevada Smith (1966) starring Steve McQueen.The Mercantile Store was bursting with goodies. The building was constructed using old lumber from warehouses from along the Slim Princess railroad. It was originally a small store in Chalfant Valley owned by George Martin. The museum purchased it, had it moved to Laws, and was remodeled to double its size.The Western Building houses an old hearse, an extensive collection of branding irons, and saddles.This really is an extensive collection including this taxidermized display. These conjoined twin lambs were stillborn on the Ed Matlick Ranch in 1938. Yes, someone kept them all these years.This Heart branding iron comes from the George L. Brown ranch (1919). His story is worth the read (Native American, Owens Valley Pioneer, and an alumnus of the Carson City Indian School).This is the original Laws Post Office. This is one of the first historic buildings moved to the museum.And yes, those are the original P.O. boxes. So dang cool.I was totally enamored with the Print Shop which houses working printing presses and equipment dating back to 1880.The building contains equipment used by the legendary William Chalfant whose father founded the Inyo Independent in 1870, and later the Inyo Register which is still in publication today. For decades his publishing enterprise, the Chalfant Press, was the region’s only major publisher.The Pioneer Building housed some of my favorite things: Antique bathtubs, guns, radios, telephones, pianos, musical instruments, sewing machines, and military items from several wars.
The Medical Offices exhibits the offices of a doctor, dentist, optician, pharmacy and even a barber shop.Look at that Perm contraption!Steve's new job as barkeep at the Silver Canyon Saloon.We visited Laws on Wednesday which happens to be the day miners are there. Volunteer Jay was extremely generous with his time and vast knowledge.This turntable (1883) was so well balanced that a 40-ton engine could be moved by one person. WOW.These pieces of rail from the original Carson and Colorado railroad tracks were laid here in 1883, when the railroad originally came to Laws. The rail is 35 pound rail, which means it weighs 35 pounds per yard, thus at 33 feet long, each piece weighs 385 pounds.
Compare these pieces to the short piece of typical modern rail which weighs 136 pounds per yard. It can support heavier locomotives, heavier freight cars and the pounding of higher speed train travel.
I enjoyed the School housing turn-of-the-century desks, blackboards, and school memorabilia. Built in 1909, four miles north of the Laws Museum. It was later moved to Benton and converted into a residence. It sat abandoned for many years before being donated and moved here.Our last stop as at the original 1883 Depot. When the Carson and Colorado railroad was first built in 1883, this depot was simply called Station, later changed to Bishop Station, and finally named Laws Depot in honor of R.J. Laws one of the original station Superintendents.This graffiti caught my eye. "You Know Betty?" dated '25. If it's from 1925, that is the year my mom, Betty, was born. Kind of a cool connection! Fun discoveries everywhere!"Neither a wise man nor a brave man
lies down on the tracks of history to wait
for the train of the future to run over him."
-Dwight D. Eisenhower
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2 comments:
Quite an extensive collection! The hair permanent contraption looks scary. I wonder if there was a quick release in case of emergencies? yikes
Wow. What an amazing museum! We will have to go there the next time we are in the area. I am not sure exactly when that will be. Spring break maybe, if the Sequoias don't work out. Time will tell... time to travel...
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