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Experience it for yourself! You’ll live the life of a pioneer family while museum guests are around, but also in the solitude of a quiet summer night with the warm glow of firelight and candles illuminating your historic home.

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Imagine living and working in an 1865 Gold Rush town – make our home your home for one memorable weekend.

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On select weekends each year, you can share in your own pioneer experience firsthand. As pioneers you will tackle the daily chores necessary for your family’s survival—anything from fetching water to working the gold fields, tending gardens, blacksmithing, tinsmithing, working in the wagon barn, and cooking your meals on a cast iron stove. Activities change depending on the time of year and every Pioneer Experience is unique—customized for your family or group by our staff.

 

Your pioneer guide and advisor for the weekend will be an experienced museum interpreter and cook. Our pioneer museum staff thoroughly enjoy spending their days working around the town as they share stories of pioneer life with all of our guests.

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Your personal guides will be helping you master the skills necessary to accomplish all of the work required to support your family.

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Your experience includes lodging within the museum in one of our historic homes or tents, meals, and historic clothing for your stay.  

 

The fee is $200 per adult, $150 per youth (ages 10-17, this experience is not appropriate for those younger than 10). A non-refundable down payment of 50% of the total is due upon acceptance. The remaining 50 % is to be paid 2 weeks prior to arrival. Payments can be made via check or credit card (Visa, MasterCard or Discover). Each “pioneer” group must include a minimum of two adults. There is a maximum of 6 people per group.

 

2023 Dates:  Minimum 30 day advance reservation 

June 30 - July 2

July 28 - 30

August 25 - 27