The town of Truckee is rich in history. Prehistoric nomadic tribes once summered in locations around Truckee. These tribes are believed to be ancestors of the Washo, Maidu and Paiute tribes. In 1866, the first white emigrants settled in the area.
“It’s been a train stop since the train started rolling in 1868.”— Greg Zirbel, president of Truckee-Donner Historical Society
A new Museum of Truckee History recently opened in the train depot in downtown Truckee to illuminate the town’s rich history. The project is a collaborative effort of Truckee-Donner Historical Society and Truckee Donner Railroad Society. The two organizations and a host of volunteers have spent years of hard work and research to bring Museum of Truckee History to life.
Read more about Truckee’s railroad history
When the Truckee Chamber of Commerce outgrew its space in The Depot, the historical societies knew they had found a home for the museum. It took six months to renovate the space.
I met Greg Zirbel, president of Truckee-Donner Historical Society, for a tour of the museum, which is housed in original depot built in 1901.
“It’s been a train stop since the train started rolling in 1868,” said Zirbel, who is excited to finally finish the project.
There are nine exhibits in the museum that take visitors on a journey back in time. Each display has a 27-inch touchscreen monitor that offers a slice of Truckee history.
When you enter the museum, the first room is the trainmaster’s office. This room features furniture and artifacts from the original depot, including a potbelly stove from 1901. Each exhibit depicts a different era of Truckee history. There is a display that examines the lives of Native Americans who lived in the area. The life of the Chinese immigrants who worked on the railroad is also exhibited.
Zirbel walked me through the railway exhibit, which examines the railroad’s history. Maps and model trains depict the stories and glimpses of passengers past and present.
Exhibits highlight the history of the lumber and timber industry, which was a vital industry in Truckee in the 19th Century. Tools and ice picks from that era hang on the wall. Visitors will be able to learn about Truckee’s ice industry and ice production that occurred from 1863 to 1926. A video from that period shows men cutting blocks of ice. There is also an exhibit that features the history of Boca Brewery that was established in 1876. The brewery changed the beer industry in California.
For ski and winter sports enthusiasts, there is an exhibit that explores the humble beginnings of winter sports in Truckee.
“There was the ice-skating rink and the ice palace that burned down in 1914,” said Zirbel.
The exhibit also provides a glimpse into Charles McGlashan’s legacy of winter sports in Truckee. The Great Truckee Ice Carnival featured cross-country and short-distance ski jumping and tobogganing.
The opening of the museum was initially planned for May 10 on the 151st anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad, but due to the pandemic, the opening was put on hold until the first week in July. The museum will be open Thursdays to Mondays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Old Jail Museum on Jibboom Street and Caboose Museum located in the Depot parking lot will continue to be open on a limited basis as part of the historical society. | truckeehistory.org, truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com
