SAN GABRIEL — A pair of 1890s slippers, records from an early California jail and photographs of Theodore Roosevelt might seem to have little in common. At one small San Gabriel museum, they help tell the story of a state through objects people chose to save.
The San Gabriel History Museum known as the Ramona Museum of California History holds more than a century of collecting by members of Ramona Parlor No. 109 of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
Located near San Gabriel’s historic Mission District, the free museum has three exhibit rooms and a library. Its collection reaches from early California into the 20th century.
Rather than presenting one sweeping timeline, the museum offers glimpses into everyday life and major events through personal belongings, photographs and records.
Visitors can see slippers, combs and spurs used during the 1890s. The collection also includes photographs and artifacts connected to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire.
Other holdings include an early-1900s law enforcement booking log and unpublished photographs of Roosevelt and his Rough Riders.
San Gabriel History Museum Grew From Collection
The collection predates the museum itself.
Ramona Parlor was chartered June 9, 1887. Over subsequent decades, its members preserved and donated objects connected to California history, including items associated with people involved in early Los Angeles.
One of the museum’s more unusual pieces is a sprig of edelweiss said to have been picked in 1603. Its history reportedly includes displays in European circus tents and sideshows.
Ramona Parlor opened its museum on Figueroa Street in Highland Park in 1972. The organization purchased its current San Gabriel building in 1998 and renovated it for exhibits and meetings.
A historical marker identifies the building as a 1951 structure.
The Native Sons of the Golden West began as a fraternal organization focused on preserving California history and Gold Rush-era heritage. Membership was once limited to California-born men. Ramona Parlor now welcomes men and women interested in California and its history.
Museum Connects History With Students
The organization extends its historical work beyond museum exhibits.
Ramona Parlor offers programs for students, including essay and public-speaking contests, scholarships and a mission model competition. Private tours are available for classrooms, Scout troops and other community groups.
Volunteers also help support the museum.
A typical visit takes about 30 to 45 minutes. Nonflash photography is permitted. Food and drinks are prohibited in the exhibit rooms and library.
The San Gabriel History Museum is at 339 S. Mission Drive. Admission is free.
The museum’s website lists regular Saturday hours from noon to 2 p.m., excluding holiday weekends. Some recent promotional materials give a 3 p.m. closing time, so visitors should confirm hours before making a trip.
For current hours or group tours, call 626-289-0034 or email [email protected].
More information about exhibits, programs and visiting the museum is available from the Ramona Museum of California History website.
For San Gabriel residents, the museum offers something larger institutions cannot always provide: a close look at California history through objects that local collectors decided were worth carrying into the future.
