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Open: Friday - Saturday - Sunday 12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Closed: Dec 15 - Jan 31
Admission: $2.00
Children under 12 free
Group tour discounts (15 or more) - $1.50
For information and Group Reservations call (530) 538-2497
Inspired by her father's passion for history, Florence Danforth Boyle
developed a lifelong dream to create a museum dedicated to preserving
the memories of the Pioneers who first settled in California and, in
particular, the Butte County area. Florence Boyle made her dream a reality
in 1932 with the aid of the local members of the Native Sons and Native
Daughters of the Golden West.
The original six hundred square foot building was built on the sight of
Oroville's first sawmill. Designed to represent a pioneer's cabin, the
small building was constructed from hand made brick and rough sewn timbers.
The structure was embellished with historical elements. The face of the
building was covered with rock quarried from the winter quarters of the
Toto tribe. The entry was paved with stones from the early downtown sidewalks.
The flag pole was salvaged from Oroville's first Department of Motor
Vehicles office.
The Butte County Pioneer Memorial Museum was dedicated on May 12, 1932.
Mayor Rolph of San Francisco, who later became Governor of California,
was among the officials attending the ceremony.
The museum grew from its humble beginnings to an impressive collection of
artifacts and memorabilia dating from the Gold Rush era to the early part
of the Twentieth Century. It wasn't long before the original building could
no longer contain the constantly expanding collection. After many years of
fundraising and generous donations by Jess and Cornelia Lott Sank, Minnie
Braseltion Fahey, and Fred T. Huntington, a new wing was added in 1961.
The collection continued to grow to include; home furnishings, apparel,
children's toys, firearms, needle work, quilts, photographs, mining
implements, musical instruments, sewing machines, tools, as well as Native
American and Chinese artifacts.
The museum leadership passed from Florence Boyle to her daughter, Betty
Boyle Davis. Betty Davis and the Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden
West continued to diligently run the museum. The Pioneer Museum was
rededicated in celebration of its 50th anniversary in May, 1982.
In March, 1999, the museum was deeded over to the City of Oroville, and
is now operated by the Department of Parks and Trees.
CSUC Picture Archive
The link below is to the Pioneer Museum archive maintained by CSU Chico.
To view nostalgic pictures of the Local area, choose "donors" in the Subjects
drop down menu, then type "pioneer musuem" in the open field to the right.
Enjoy the tour down memory lane.
http://cricket.csuchico.edu/spcfotos/photos2.html
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Pixels by Design