Page 30 - TalesoftheParadiseRidge-Fall2020_Neat

Memories and Musing from the

Museum Operations Director

Michelle Rader

Since the founding of the Gold Nugget other items representing the significance of orchards and farms on the
Museum and the opening of its doors in Ridge remains unscathed, accompanied by our two antique tractors
1981, there have been many a volunteer, and numerous other farming implements scattered throughout the
staff member, and community member grounds. A large collection of Butte County Railroad and logging
dedicated to the preservation and shar- items remain in the small Paradise Depot Museum. These constitute a
ing of Paradise Ridge memories. Many of testament to the Diamond Match and Sierra Lumber Companies, and
these memories were shared through the the strong men, women, and families who made a significant contri-
bution to our local area as it grew from scrappy mining encampments
pages of the Tales of the Paradise Ridge, into the small town and surrounding communities we’ve known and
as well as through the exhibits and loved as the Paradise Ridge.
activities created and carried out in the
museum’s buildings and grounds. And though damaged and forlorn, many items were recovered and
saved from the rubble of the museum structures. These items serve
The museum collection, much of which as a reminder of our museum’s past, a memorial to the tragedy of
was donated by community members and the Camp Fire, and, for the few items that can be conserved or even
amassed by volunteers and history and an- restored, further testament to the strength and resilience of a new
tiques enthusiasts well before the doors were generation of pioneers.
opened to the public, served as artist can-
vas and medium to bring those stories and Surviving
memories to life through museum exhibits memo-
both permanent and temporary. With objects ries and
from the past, visitors could step back in time remnants
and imagine themselves in the lives of our …small
ancestors, the pioneers who worked hard to and even
build their homes and livelihoods in these significant
Sierra Nevada foothills. miracles…
can be found
Yes, much of this large and varied collec- in Paradise
tion was lost on November 8, 2018, when today and
the Camp Fire devoured most of our Gold even around
Nugget Museum and grounds along with 90 the world.
percent or more of Paradise, but not all was Just a few of these miraculous survivors have made their way to
lost. And some of Paradise Lost can still be the Gold Nugget Museum office in recent weeks: vintage Paradise
found. Scoutmaster uniforms that survived undamaged in an outbuilding
surrounded by leveled homes; an early photo of the Foster Memo-
rial Wall and the beautiful trees where the Gold Nugget Museum’s
Miner’s Cabin and gold panning stations later stood; a 1959 Gold
Nugget Days dress; several boxes of Paradise Preschool class photos,
documents, and mementos; and an incredible digital archive of 1940s-
1980s photos of events in and around Paradise.

These are not isolated miracles. Treasures like these are still out there,
somewhere, just waiting to be rediscovered. They might be found in
the dens, garages, attics, and trunks of family members who visited
every summer while their grandparents grew apples or pears on
Miraculously, the small agricultural barn that the outskirts of town. Just recently, a Paradise resident whose home
housed the apple washer, apple peelers, and survived the fire brought in a collection of Paradise cookbooks pur-
28