Ranching

The north wall and northwestern corner of room two you will find displays against the wall that exhibit Ranching and rural life in Coarsegold and the surrounding areas.  Once the placer mining had played out people who remained in the area began cattle ranching.  The cattle could be driven from the lower foothills in the winter months where there was enough feed for the animals into the higher mountains during the summer months once the springs wild grasses were growing.

Saddle_Chaps

Stock Saddle and tack gear. Look to the wall and you will see exhibits and information on the ranchers in the area.  The Chaps were owned by rancher Henry Jones who was instrumental in implementing Native American cultural events. On the wall, note the wagon skid and wagon tongue and pictures of stages and wagons.  There is also a picture of Ed “Gabby” Bradburn who once drove stagecoaches in the early western movies.  Looking further down the wall you will see a variety of things from the ranches. 

Harnesses from the CC Clark Ranch, two large kettles were used for a variety of things on the ranch – making chili beans for rodeos, Saturday night baths, doing laundry, scalding butchered hogs… The bellows came from an old mine in O’Neals.

Dr_Buggy

Around the turn of the century Doctors used to make house calls for their patients.  Often the patient was too sick and bed ridden to be brought to the Doctor’s office.  Donated to us in June 2008 by Judy and Ray Carter of Stockton. The buggy was originally purchased by Judy’s father when they lived in the Selma area. Judy inherited it, and when they found out about our museum asked if we would be interested in having it!  The buggy has been restored to the beautiful condition it is in today by Judy’s family.

The buggy was manufactured by the Woodward Company in Fresno. We know they were in business with a machine works and woodworking shop at the northeast corner of Kern and J streets in downtown Fresno. They had agricultural implements on the first floor.  In an October 7, 1910 newspaper, they had an ad with local businesses at the Fresno Fair. Woodward advertised vehicles and cream separators – a diversified business! They were probably a competitor of Fresno Agricultural Works, now Fresno Ag Hardware.

McLeod_Tool

McLeod tool was invented in Oakhurst and consists of a steel hoe on one side and a rake on the other.   This tool has become a favorite used by firefighters around the world.  It’s very handy fighting brush fire having the Hoe and Rake all on one tool.  On the floor at the end of the display case next to the McLeod Tool you will see a Fireless Cooker, a predecessor to the modern Crock Pot.