Nevada County residents take great pride in their colorful history, so it’s no surprise that the region is punctuated with museums of every ilk. Housed in a vintage orphanage, the Grass Valley Museum’s collection depicts the Gold Rush days through 1930. Also in Grass Valley, the Northstar Mine Powerhouse and Pelton Wheel Museum focuses on mining history, while in Nevada City, the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum focuses on railroad history.

Nevada City is home to the circa 1861 Historic Firehouse No. 1 Museum, which features horse-drawn fire wagons, handcarts and “modern” motorized engines through 1938, as well as Native American, Chinese and Donner Party relics. Historical researchers will enjoy spending time at Nevada City’s circa 1872 Searls Historical Library with its treasure trove of historical photos, maps and books.

To learn about the emigrant experience and the Donner Party, look no further than Truckee’s Emigrant Trail Museum at Donner Memorial State Park. In Truckee’s historic downtown, the Old Jail Museum is one of the few remaining 19th century jailhouses and currently houses interesting artifacts from this town’s fabled past.

If you enjoy exploring Nevada County and learning about its history, check out Exploring Nevada County, a guide to the over 200 historical landmarks in the County. Published by the Nevada County Historical Landmarks Commission, it is available in electronic format from Amazon and iBooks, and in paperback from Comstock Bonanza Press.