Alpine Museum a portal to another age

Curator Wanda Coyan and Assistant Joanne Oehlerking welcome residents and visitors to view the old schoolhouse, the jail, and the carriage house with a blacksmith shop exhibit, as well as the stamp mill, the only working one in the area.

From Highway 88 in Woodfords it's six miles on State Route 4 and 89 to Markleeville. Then turn right on Montgomery Street that's by the Wolf Creek Restaurant in the large white building. The museum is open Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. and on Mondays by special arrangement.

Once inside the museum building you go back in time to the exhibits of an old store, Chalmer's Mansion, Washo life and baskets, and Snowshoe Thompson. See the paintings of Alpine's Walt Monroe and peruse the museum store with its books of local and regional interest and animal toys that delight children. And enjoy the picnic tables outside. The museum and its facilities are handicap accessible.

Coyan directs the museum following former Director Dick Edwards' retirement. Edwards, as director emeritus, edits the newsletter and The Alpine Review, and provides advice and help upon his visits from his home in Southern California.

Coyan's responsibilities include organizing and securing the collections, photographing and numbering each item and listing it in the computer. She noted that for a nominal fee the museum will make copies of family photographs in its collection and accepts gifts of historic value as well as bequests and donations.

The museum and its staff is funded by Alpine County with support from the county's active historical society. The society helps in planning and funding projects such as the restoration of Monroe paintings.

Its officers are President Rick Dustman of Mesa Vista, Vice-President Irving Krauss, Woodfords, and Treasurer Dolores Clark also of Woodfords, and Secretary Ernestine Fogarty, Markleeville.

Other board members are Judge Richard Speccio, Woodfords and Kathleen Andrews, Markleeville, and Past President Gary Coyan also of Markleeville, a non-voting board member.

The historical society conducts quarterly potluck meetings in Turtle Rock Park that feature programs by experts on topics of local historical interest.

Presentations have included archeological findings in the drained Caples Lake, the history of the Basques in Alpine and nearby Nevada, animal trapping, and a photo and music depiction of the Sierra Nevada.

The next meeting is Aug. 30 with a talk by Don DeYoung on the legend of Monte Wolf.