Heritage Trail 2009 Wrap Up

In an attempt to take in as much Placer County history as humanly possible, hundreds of modern day pioneers trekked from the valley to the sierras, one museum at a time. It was a weekend of discovery and family with plenty of great picnicking weather to boot.

Volunteers at all 18 museums were up to the task of sharing their specialties with an eager public whose thirst for family fun and learning was near unquenchable.

In honor of those who rode the trail this year and couldn’t get enough, and for those who missed it, the collective museums of Placer County are committed to putting on the event once again, and are already making preparations for the Heritage Trail 2010. That’ll make three years in a row, which categorically changes it from an event to a tradition.

Thanks to all the volunteers, participants, and Placer County history itself, for making the 2009 Heritage Trail weekend a rousing success.

A- Tisket -a –Tasket, I want to win that Picnic Basket!

To encourage everyone to slow down and enjoy the historical gems of Placer County we are giving away three grand prize picnic baskets full of prizes to those who visit four or more museums. It’s free! Simply pick up a “Get Up and Go Card,” have it stamped at four museums and deposit your ticket at any of the 18 museums. Winners will be drawn at the end of the weekend and need not be present to win. Get Up and Go Cards are available at all museum sites.

In addition to the three Grand Prizes each museum has created their own picnic baskets full of treats, books, gift certificates and more. Drawing tickets can be purchased for $1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. After purchasing your ticket deposit it at the museum that has your favorite basket and you are eligible to win that prize too!

Heritage Trail Promo Video

Catch a glimpse into the sights and sounds of the upcoming Heritage Trail 2009 with our brand new video.

Click Here to check it out!

Bus Tours!

A Heritage Trail bus and van tour will depart daily from Auburn.

On the Saturday bus trip, Trail Travelers will visit the Golden Drift Museum, Colfax Area Heritage Museum, Forest Hill Divide Museum, and the Griffith Quarry Museum. On Sunday, the bus will travel west and make stops at the Rocklin History Museum, Fruitvale School, Roseville Telephone Museum, Roseville Historical Society Carnegie Museum, and the Maidu Interpretive Center.

On both days, the van tour will explore sections of the Lincoln Highway and visit the Gatekeeper’s Museum and Watson Cabin in Tahoe City and the SkiSport Museum.

A picnic stop is planned for all tours and participants can order a box lunch or bring a picnic. All tours cost $10.00.

Reservations and advanced payment are required.
Please call 530-889-6500 to reserve a seat.

2009 Trail Guide

For your road tripping convienence, we have prepared a printable PDF of our trail guide in a handy fits-in-your-glove-box size. Just click on the image below to access the file. Trail guides will also be available at all 18 participating museums.

Heritage Trail Map

To help our visitors get to as many of Placer County's finest museums as possible, we have created a road map which includes the location of every participating museum as well as information about what each of them have to offer.

To follow the trail, Click on the map below

18 Great Stops on the Heritage Trail!

The 2nd annual Heritage Trail will be held on August 8 & 9, 2009. Once again 18 participating museums from Roseville to Tahoe are committed to showcasing history in a fun, entertaining way. All the museums will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on both days and admittance is FREE. The theme this year is A-Tisket A-Tasket . Bring your picnic basket. We encourage Trail Travelers to bring a picnic and eat at one of the museums designated for picnics.

The tour promises to be a family-friendly event with many hands-on activities for all ages. Visitors can bake biscuits in an 1890s wood stove, jump to the finish line in an old fashioned sack race, explore the wonders of a granite quarry, view the world from a 19thc stage coach, pan for illusive flakes of gold, and listen to Native American stories. Trail Guides will be available at every museum in July and on our website. For the most up to date information on the weekend activities visit our website www.placer.ca.gov/museum and blog www.placercountymuseums.blogspot.com .

The museums are grouped in four clusters, and are easy to reach from I-80.

Valley Museums - located in South Placer
Roseville Historical Society Carnegie Museum
Roseville Telephone Museum
Maidu Interpretive Center (Roseville)
Rocklin History Museum
Griffith Quarry Museum (Penryn)
Fruitvale School (Lincoln)

Auburn Museums - within one mile of the Historic Courthouse
Placer County Museum
Bernhard Museum Complex
Gold Country Museum
Joss House Museum
Gold Country Medical History Museum
The Benton Welty School Room

Foothill Museums - located higher in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada
Forest Hill Divide Museum
Colfax Area Heritage Museum
Golden Drift Museum

Mountain Museums - located at the crest of the Sierra Nevada and Lake Tahoe
Western SkiSport Museum (Boreal)
Gatekeeper’s Museum (Tahoe City)
Watson Cabin (Tahoe City)

For more information call 530-889-6500.

Heritage Trail 2009

Last year was the inaugural year for The Heritage Trail event. It took place on August 9th and 10th and included 18 museums in Placer County. Our goal was to create an event that focused on the history of the county and encouraged participants to visit multiple museums in two days. The response to the event exceeded our expectations so we are planning the 2nd annual Heritage Trail on August 8 & 9, 2009.

Once again 18 participating museums from Roseville to Tahoe are committed to showcasing history in a fun, entertaining way. All the museums will be open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on both days and admittance is FREE. The tour promises to be a family-friendly event with many hands-on activities for all ages. It is a chance to take a trip back in time and get a better understanding of Placer County’s rich, colorful history. Visitors will learn more about the pivotal role our county played in important events such as the California Gold Rush, construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad and the development of the recreation industry in the Sierra Nevada.

For more informaion,

call the Placer County Museums office at 530-889-6500