#1 Field Trip this Week

This is the county's historical museum mom and I went to tour yesterday with Barbara and her day care kids. It is housed in the old courthouse built in 1910. I had been there years ago while taking a real estate appraisal class from the county tax assessor. His offices were in the building.

It was stunning. It was filled with white marble, glass windows, a huge dome, inlaid small tiles and several rooms filled with so much local history. The exhibits were extremely well presented with lots of hands on stuff for the children. The docent was extraordinary and clearly knew what interests children and kept them totally engaged. There was one room of early California, Ohlone Indians, the Spanish rancheros, the missions and discovering the bay. 

Another room focused on the largest group of immigrants early into the county enticed by the Gold Rush: Irish, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Mexican and Italy. Those simple exhibits were lovely. The guide even had the children make Chinese helmets using origami. So patient.

There was a room filled with exact replicas of ships from 500 – WWII. Another room was dedicated to entrepreneurs. It was rather interesting that I knew several of them, as they were parents at the school where I got sick.

The highlight for the children was the old courtroom. The docent simply placed the children and they quickly enacted a trial. After looking at several other exhibits, they asked to return to the courtroom. They loved playing another trial. Sadly, the jury of mom, Barbara and I called it guilty because “he just looked guilty.” The pretend judge sentenced him to 25 years and the bailiff took him away. They really were play-acting. It was wonderful to watch.

Afterwards, we sat in the courtyard and had lunch together. Mom and I will see them all again on Thursday when we meet at the University of California in Davis owned Elkus Ranch. Lots of chickens, goats, sheep and fun watching them play with the children. I think we may even have to stop at the beach on the way home.