Agricultural Equipment Restoration Project Building Groundbreaking Ceremony

The Tulare County Museum is excited to announce the construction of a new building that will house the Museum’s agricultural equipment collection. The Tulare County Museum has been working closely with the Tulare County Historical Society on the Agricultural Equipment Restoration Project for several years and we are excited to see the final stages begin! If you have visited the Tulare County Museum in Mooney Grove Park, you have seen the large collection of agricultural equipment that is currently outside under minimal cover. Over the years, due to the weather, many of the pieces of equipment have become deteriorated. In an effort to save these important pieces of the collection, Tulare County Historical Society members reached out to local high schools to solicit assistance in restoring some pieces.

The schools that have agreed to participate in our program are Woodlake High School, Exeter High School, Redwood High School, Hanford High School, Golden West High School, Central Valley Christian High School, VTEC, Corcoran High School, Mt. Whitney High School, Lindsay High School, Strathmore High School, and El Diamante High School. These schools have each received a piece of equipment that the students have worked to restore and research. With the help of the local schools, the Museum will use the restored pieces of agricultural equipment to create a display in the new building that tells the history of farm equipment. The Visalia Vapor Trailers Car Club has also restored several pieces that will be in the new display.

The Museum is thankful for generous donations from the Tulare County Historical Society, and the Rotary Foundation, along with County funds to make construction of this new building possible. Our past couple of fundraisers, put on by the Tulare County Historical Society, have raised funds for supplies needed for the restoration projects that will need ongoing support. The Rotary Foundation’s support will go toward the signs needed for the displays and the materials for building platforms to showcase the restored pieces.

The groundbreaking ceremony will take place at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 16 at the site of the new building, near the commonly called “Big Red Barn.” The program will feature remarks from Brooke Sisk, General Services Agency Director, Amy Shuklian, Tulare County Board of Supervisors, Carl Switzer, Past President of the Tulare County Historical Society, and Amy King-Sunderson, Tulare County Museum Curator. Light refreshments will be served. Please join us in celebrating this exciting occasion at the History of Tulare County Farm Labor & Agriculture Museum in Mooney Grove Park (27000 S. Mooney Blvd. Visalia). Museum entrance is free.

About the Tulare County Museum

The Tulare County Museum is the largest museum in Tulare County, housing one of the largest Native American basket collections in California, as well as artifacts of the pioneer era, agriculture equipment, restored buildings, and many other treasures that tell the history of Tulare County. The newest addition to the Museum is the History of Farm Labor and Agriculture Museum, where several cultural groups and their contributions to farm labor and agriculture will be featured. The museum aims to educate residents of Tulare County as well as visitors on the importance of Tulare County and its history with the hope of recognizing the unique roll it has played in California History. For more information about the Museum and its activities, visit tularecountymuseum.org and follow us on FaceBook!