Tag Archives: Auburn

Museums in Auburn : Barnhart Museum, and Gold Country Museum – Mining

museum-sign

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By Judy J. Pinegar

Arriving in Auburn on a hot Sunday in July, John and I decided to tour a couple of museums. First was the historic Bernhard Museum just off Auburn Folsom Boulevard near the fairgrounds. The house is over 150 years old, built in 1851 by George Bishop and John Long as the Traveler’s Rest Hotel, one of Auburn’s oldest surviving buildings.

In the Gold Rush, this hotel held teamsters traveling the old Auburn Folsom Road, and miners working in nearby Rich Flat. In 1858 the building was converted to a home for one of the builders, George Bishop. The house and 30 acres were sold in 1864 to Eliza Caruthers, and again in 1868 to the Bernhard family. This family and their descendants lived here for over 100 years. They started planting vineyards, making wine and then built a two story natural rock winery into a hillside in 1874.

Now with only 2+ acres left, the house has become a beautifully restored museum of the Victorian Era (mid 1830’s to 1900). No pictures are allowed inside the museum, but it is truly a sight to see. Also on the grounds is an old wine processing building, displaying wine making and barrel making artifacts, as well as a barn with a hearse, a sleigh, buggies and wagons of days gone by.

The top of the stone winery is now an art gallery, while the bottom still houses and operating winery, Bonitata (more on this later).

Next we visited the Gold Country Museum, housed in a historic Works Progress Administration (WPA) building, on the Auburn fairgrounds itself.  We began by touring a replicated hard rock mine (thanking our lucky stars that we didn’t have to do that job!) Many other mining displays are also on display, as well as a model stamp mill, and an assayer’s office, a miner’s cabin and an old saloon.

After this tour we went back to the Barnhart Museum Parking lot, but walked down to the winery to do a little wine tasting in the Bonitata Boutique Winery (see last picture in the slides).

Judy J. Pinegar is a writer and winemaker, and her articles appear in many publications.

John J. O’Dell Realtor® GRI
Civil Engineer
General Contractor
(530) 263-1091
Email jodell@nevadacounty.com

DRE#00669941

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South Pine Cafe, Three Locations, Nevada City, Grass Valley and Auburn

 

Review by Sherri L. Reynolds

” South Pine Cafe”…a local Nevada County establishment, located in the foothills of beautiful Nevada City, Grass Valley and Auburn, Ca. is open for breakfast and lunch 7 days a week. A place where the community and visitors alike gather to eat and choose off a menu of healthy, zestful and exceptional food items.

The menu consists of anything from omelet’s, egg or tofu scrambles. specialty dishes like  lobster benedicts, huevos rancheros ( a local favorite) breakfast burritos filled with tofu, eggs, brown rice and fresh veggies, pancakes topped with fresh oliberries and real Vermont maple syrup to organic burgers, sandwich wraps, vegan sandwiches like the nut burger ( my favorite),hot homemade soups and salads.

They have an extensive list of beverages to choose as well, such as fresh squeezed orange juice, lemonade-strawberry mimosas, fresh carrot-apple-ginger juice, espresso coffee drinks, soy hot chocolate, local wines, light, dark and organic beer and Fox Barrel hard pear cider.

All burgers, tofu and coffee are organic, eggs are range free, little use on cooking oils, no GMOS are used. You can purchase the South Pine Coffee Blend at both SPD market locations in Nevada City and Grass Valley and at Caroline’s Coffee in Grass Valley. South Pine Cafe also makes their own Blackberry-Mango Jam and you can buy a jar at either of their locations. They also make their own ketchup and sell memorabilia t-shirts with their logo and theme ” Feel the Joy” .

South Pine Cafe has been owned and operated by George Dyer since 1995. Doug Huntington is the general manager of both locations and has been managing for about 9 years now. They employ several chefs, cooks, waiter and waitresses. They always have an upbeat, friendly, good energy feel and your meal is always served with a smile

The Nevada City location has a Bohemian feel to it. There are local artists paintings on the wall to observe and sell . Also, there are crayon drawings on posted on the walls that children have drawn. I, especially like the framed  “Ketchup” drawings, as it illustrates how to properly get the ketchup out of the bottle. At one time this location was once called “Misty Hot Tub” and when South Pine Cafe started, it still had a hot tub in the dish room area.

The downtown Grass Valley location opened approximately 7 years ago. At one time it was a local bar called ” The Office” and local musicians performed there on occasion. You can feel the warm and welcoming atmosphere here and a waiter named Todd can take your order without writing it down. This guy will always put a smile on your face and get you to laugh with his wit and humor. In general, everyone here gives you a home town welcoming feel.

So, I suggest giving these two locations a whirl for an exhilarating experience and save some space for a great cup of organic coffee and a slice of homemade cheesecake to top your day off with. ” Feel the Joy” and be surprised !

Bon appétit,

Breakfast and Lunch served from 8 am to 3 pm seven days a week.

( catering, holiday parties, birthdays, weddings and business lunches also available)

Visit their website for locations and more information

Sherri L. Reynolds

( a frequent patron)