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Visit the Bernhard Museum in the Gold Country, Auburn CA
Bernhard Museum
By Lonnie Crider
The Gold Country is a treasure trove of both passive and active historical landmarks available to the public for visitation. They bring to life the rich and romantic history of California and the west in general.
Many of the “passive” sites are commemorated with numbered State Historical signs found almost everywhere along major and minor highways. In addition there are more complex and informative stone and bronze plaques paid for and erected by such organizations such as E. Clampus Vitus and the Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden West.
The most interesting sites that can be better described as active or even better “interactive” are the sites which attempt to give their visitors and the community an ongoing flavor and lesson about its contribution or role in the history of the area. These sites rely on the generous donation of time, labor and money from local citizens and businesses that want to keep the living history lessons alive and available for generations to come.
We are fortunate to have one of these special interactive sites just off Highway 80 in the historic area of Auburn, CA (Less than 2 minutes to the parking lot when taking the Maple Street exit).
The Bernhard Museum, located at 291 Auburn Folsom Road, is right next to the Gold Country Fairgrounds and is easily seen from the road. The Museum complex
Carriage House
Includes a white 2 story main house, believed to be one of the oldest wooden frame structures in Auburn, a hand built stone wine cellar which now houses an active local winery, a large barn which displays a horse-drawn hearse, sleigh, buggies, wagons, and the blacksmith implements used to maintain them.
The main structure was originally built in 1851 by George Bishop and John Long of Pony Express fame, and served as a Traveler’s Rest Hotel. Prior to the winery being built in 1874, Auburn Folsom Road ran by just off the front porch of the main house and was frequented by teamsters delivering supplies to the many gold diggings and towns exploding in the mountains, as well as stage coach travelers coming to California, and Pony Express riders who needed re-mounts or repair.
The house was sold to the Bishop family in 1858 and was then acquired at public auction, along with the adjacent 30 acres, by Eliza Caruthers in 1864. The Bernhards purchased the Mansion and 30 acres from Eliza for a whopping $3,500 in 1868!
Wine Cellar
Benjamin Bernhard was an industrious immigrant from Germany who immediately added a single story west wing in 1870 and purchased an additional 10 acres for $85. The beautiful stone winery was added in 1874 and is joined to the house by a unique underground tunnel. Auburn Folsom Road was then moved down the slope near the large iron doors at the end of the winery so that Mr. Bernhard could load his many cases and barrels of Claret, Sherry, Port, Zinfandel and Brandy on to the mule drawn freighters that traversed the road from Sacramento to the gold fields on a daily basis.
The Bernhards continued to prosper until their passing in 1902 at which point the property passed to their daughter Anna Barkhaus. Anna eventually sold the wine making equipment, and planted fruit trees in place of the vineyards. Barkhaus and subsequent generations lived in the mansion until the 1960’s at which point the complex was abandoned and in rapid deterioration. Concerned citizens stepped in and restored the premises under direction of the Placer Historical Museum Foundation. The completely restored and period furnished complex was dedicated in April 1982 by the Native Sons and Daughters of the Golden West.
Today this delightfully restored treasure is open to the public on Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Not only can you tour the period furnished and equipped main house, but you can also roam the 2.3 beautifully landscaped grounds, the huge barn filled with period carriages and wagons, and the fort-like wine cellar with its colorful local stone walls and massive iron doors.
A dedicated staff of local docents also makes it possible for thousands of local 3rd graders to visit the museum’s Living History Program annually. The students get a chance to cook biscuits in a wood stove, wash clothes using a wash board, dasher and wringer, make various crafts, clean leather and sew a marble bag.
The Bernhard Museum offers a wonderful opportunity for people of all ages to take a trip back 150 years to the early days of a young and burgeoning California culture with roots in the romantic Pony Express and the perennially romantic wine industry.
