Exeter Historical Museum Head

Welcome to the Exeter Historical Museum and Courthouse Gallery

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"Open a year and what a fantastic museum" is what is being said about our Exeter Historical Museum. The museum has now been open for over a year with guests visiting it in ever-growing numbers. Many more local residents have had a chance to visit the museum and the word is spreading around the valley that Exeter has another special attraction to visit. Our six video displays continue to enthrall our guests who continue to occupy the seating provided for viewing.

The Exeter Historical Museum is located under the Exeter Water Tower at 125 South E. St. in Exeter.

The Museum Committee, consisting of Museum Director Chris Brewer, Board President Leon Ooley, Wes Clover, and Wilma Hirni continue to work to provide a well-rounded program for museum visitors. As a reminder, the committee reports to the Board of Directors of the Exeter Art Gallery and Museum Association, a private non-profit organization.

With the Downtown Gallery at 179 East Pine St, next to Book Garden, serving as the gathering point for those interested in donating artifacts and other items to the museum (funding assistance is always welcome) donations are still coming in faster than ever. The telephone number for the Downtown Gallery and Museum Director Chris Brewer's office is 559 592-2020.
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New donations to the museum in the last couple of months include one of the hanging tram buckets from the Empire Mine in Mineral King, complete with a segment of cable and some ore. We now have the long-planned bookcases in the hallway between the museum and gallery. The cases will house the museum's library and will also be a display case for small artifacts.

Wilma Hirni and her granddaughter Lauren, are working feverishly on the computer getting our artifacts sorted and cataloged. They work on their own, volunteering their time so our collection is properly taken care of. Our Chief Volunteer, Carl Collins, has been polishing up the building and cabinetry and is working on the finish work for our new bookcases.

The conference room continues to have rentals for both private use and business and government meetings. Our careful planning for that room has paid off and the room's reputation as a great meeting place continues to grow.

As winter comes, we will pay special attention to our artifacts that are weather sensitive. Many of us are ourselves sensitive to the weather, especially those cold fronts that come through and chill us to the bone. Be careful over the holiday season and be sure to visit the museum and gallery for the ever-changing exhibits that enthrall our visitors.

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Special Programs

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The Museum offers regular and special guests speakers throughout the year as well as providing compelling activities in conjunction with the permanent and special exhibitians at our museum.

Exeter Historical Museum offers unique learning opportunities for teachers and schools. Though tours, outreach programs, hands-on workshops, events and classroom resources, these programs offer students and teachers opportunities to develop critical understandings of the rich and diverse history of Exeter and its neighbors.

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About the Museum

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From 2004 to 2008, the former Mt. Whitney Power Company Substation was renovated into what is now the Exeter Historical Museum. It was a million dollar project, and would not have come to fruition were it not for a group of dedicated volunteers. The project was the culmination of 30 years of hopes and dreams of local residents who wanted a museum for the community. 
Inside the museum, visitors will see a variety of artifacts, all pertaining to the history of Exeter and Lemoncove areas. It also includes artifacts from the Yokohl and the Mineral King, including Conifer. 
Shortly after entering the museum, we had the opportunity to watch videos about the history of Exeter, and we learned a few things that we didn't know before, such as the great Mixter Building fire of 1992. There are 6 video displays downstairs. Each of them is worth stopping to watch. My husband also especially enjoyed the sheriff's display, which had artifacts dating back to the 1800's.

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Museum Information

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The Exeter Historical Museum is Located at 125 S. B Street underneath the Exeter Water Tower.


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HOURS:

9-5 Monday through Friday

DIRECTOR/CURATOR:

Chris Brewer

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