Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation - Anza, California

Address: 39991 Contreras Rd, Anza, CA 92539.
Phone: 9517631350.
Website: hamiltonmuseum.org.
Specialties: Museum.
Other points of interest: Wheelchair accessible parking lot, Wheelchair accessible restroom, Restroom, Restaurant, Good for kids.
Opinions: This company has 22 reviews on Google My Business.
Average opinion: 4.8/5.

Location of Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation

9517631350

The Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation is a unique cultural institution that offers visitors an exceptional experience. Located in the heart of nature, at Address: 39991 Contreras Rd, Anza, CA 92539, this museum is a must-visit destination for anyone interested in history and culture.

The museum is dedicated to preserving and showcasing the history of the Hamilton family, who were pioneers in the region. The foundation's mission is to educate the public about the Hamilton family's contributions to the region's development and to preserve the Hamilton Ranch for future generations.

The Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation offers a wide range of exhibits and programs that are sure to delight visitors of all ages. The museum's collections include artifacts, photographs, and documents that tell the story of the Hamilton family and their impact on the region. The foundation also offers a variety of educational programs, including workshops, tours, and special events.

One of the unique features of the Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation is the Hamilton Ranch itself. The ranch is a stunning example of the region's natural beauty, with rolling hills, oak trees, and a variety of wildlife. Visitors can take a guided tour of the ranch and learn about the Hamilton family's history of cattle ranching in the area.

The Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation is also committed to accessibility. The museum offers a wheelchair-accessible parking lot and restroom, making it easy for visitors of all abilities to enjoy the museum's exhibits and programs. The foundation also offers a restaurant, making it a great destination for a day trip or a family outing.

The museum has received excellent reviews from visitors, with an average opinion: 4.8/5 based on 22 reviews on Google My Business. Visitors have praised the museum's exhibits, programs, and the beauty of the Hamilton Ranch.

Overall, the Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation is a unique and fascinating destination that offers visitors an unforgettable experience. Whether you're interested in history, culture, or nature, this museum has something for everyone. If you're looking for a memorable day trip or a family outing, be sure to check out the Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation. Don't forget to visit their website at hamiltonmuseum.org for more information and to plan your visit.

Reviews of Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation

Hamilton Museum & Ranch Foundation - Anza, California

TC RES

5/5

Great museum, Harry and Sandy showed us around nice bit of history for the Anza area

Chris O'Neil (ChrisO)

5/5

Unforgettable experience ... highly recommended. The museum contains an amazing collection of local history, photographs, and antiques/relics of both original families who built homesteads and carved out a rough living, as well as the Cahuilla people who have lived in this area for hundreds of years. I was fortunate to get a private tour from the founder (Margaret) who had some amazing stories to tell (she was born and raised here, and had many children and grandchildren of her own). Definitely worth a visit, bring your entire family so they can see what rural life was life in the early 1900's.

Rob Fryan

5/5

HAMILTON MUSEUM AND THE LOST GOLD (The entire story)
In the mid 1800s, there were many eager prospectors looking for gold in the hills surrounding Garner Valley. Some miners were lucky and some not. For a short time in the late 1800s there was even a flourishing gold mining town called Kenworthy, with homes, a hotel grocery store, a post office, a school, a stamp mill, an assay office, and all the other buildings needed for a gold producing mining town.
One young miner who was very successful may have even been a determining factor in where Hamilton Museum is located today. Jesus Contreras, an enthusiastic and lucky miner found a large amount of gold, buried half of it and took the rest back to Agua Mansa (Colton) to live on his gold for many years.

YEARS LATER JESUS CONTRERAS RETURNED to the mountains to retrieve his buried treasure, bringing with him his two grandsons, John and Antonio Contreras. The trio had no luck finding the buried treasure, but the two grandsons did find wives. John Contreras soon married Fannie Arnaiz and his brother, Antonio married Daisy, the daughters of Manuel Arnaiz and Dolores Arnaiz, settlers in Garner Valley in the 1800s.

THE PROPERTY WHERE HAMILTON MUSEUM is situated was homesteaded by newlyweds, Fanny and John Contreras, who probably met only because of the search for John’s grandfather’s buried and then lost gold. These two couples were among the first to homestead in Bautista (Anza) when it was reopened for homesteading in 1909.
FANNY AND JOHN'S HOMESTEAD SITE is now the home of Hamilton Museum. So we might say that only because of that long lost stash of gold can Hamilton Museum be found at the south end Contreras Road in Anza.
Hamilton Museum is the place to learn more of mountain’s interesting past.
The museum is open for visitors on Wednesday and Saturday from ten until two and there is no charge.