Murphys “Old Timers Museum” A Virtual Gold Mine of Mother Lode History! Story and Photos by Greg Kristapovich
I’m not really a museum person. But I’ll admit: a tour of the Old Timers Museum in Murphys may have made me a convert!
The museum’s docent of ten years, and a retired research scientist in the Aerospace business, was the very cordial Bob Buchanan. “I was a scientist, full and true, research all the way. (He graduated from UCLA with a PHD in physics.) “But when my wife and I came up here, I started to get involved in all the history! I want to tell you about the man who started this museum,” Bob said. “He was Richard Coke-Wood. Without him we wouldn’t have the museum.”
Coke-Wood came to Murphys in the mid ‘30s for tuberculosis treatment. When he was released, he fell in love with Murphys. He stayed here, taught school, bought a house, and raised his family. And he became a very, very important figure in the community! He got interested in history, earned a PHD at UCLA, and was later hired by Delta College as a history professor.
In Murphys, (1948), there was a Centennial celebration of the discovery of gold in California. For the celebration, Coke-Wood recommended that everyone bring some things in from their attics, to kind of represent what life was like in Murphys in the 1800s!” And that was the start of the museum! Bob also pointed out that the museum is inside one of the oldest buildings in Murphys. Both it and Murphys Historic Hotel were built around 1856, and Bob is always eager to tell the story of how the two buildings survived the big fire of 1859.
The museum is overflowing with artifacts! Pictures on the walls show pioneers who lived in Murphys, “and the rest of the museum is their stuff! Their descendants brought it all in!” There is an amazing collection of Mi-Wuk Indian baskets. There’s a memorial exhibit about Albert Michelson, who won the 1910 Noble Prize in physics. He lived in Murphys! “And he went to school here, at a little schoolhouse up on the hill. Of course, you know our elementary school here is named the Albert Michelson Elementary!” Bob enthusiastically pointed out.
The Old Timers Museum is located at 470 Main Street in Murphys and is open Friday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call (209) 728-1160.
The Old Timers Museum is an absolute “gold mine” of local history—including many exclusive books about the Mother Lode! Check it out sometime!
