Mariposa Museum Provides Glimpse to Past

admin — Tue, 29 May 2007 16:36:00 +0000

“Rat-ta-ta-ta-ta, rat-ta-ta-ta-ta” people would hear as they approached Mariposa during the California Gold Rush, it was the distinctive sound of a five stamp mill than ran day and night crushing quartz ore to capture gold.Â Travelers would know what town they were approaching by the sound of its mill.Â It’s said that when the stamp mill was finally turned off, Mariposa residents couldn’t stand the silence.

This interesting bit of history can be seen operating at the Mariposa Museum and History Center on Jessie St. in Mariposa.Â It’s the only operational 5-stamp mill in California.Â The Smithsonian called this museum one of the best small museums in America.Â Gold panning is demonstrated and taught for $6.00 adult/ $3 child, and you can keep whatever gold you find.Â Dioramas inside the museum show how various merchant stores, homes and professions would have looked in Mariposa’s past.Â Indian lodges, a miner’s tent and exhibits representing various periods in Mariposa’s history are entertaining and informative.

Visiting the Mariposa History Center is a fun and inexpensive stop on the way to or from Yosemite National Park.Â The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily through October.Â Â Admission is $3 for adults and free for kids.Â The Best Western Yosemite Way Station.is within walking distance along the Mariposa Creek Trail.

Yosemite Tonight » 5-stamp-gold-mill

Mariposa Museum Provides Glimpse to Past