Join other visitors from around the world who have come here to experience this unique museum setting. You’ll find eleven acres of indoor and outdoor exhibits including the original depot and steam locomotive engine #9. Experience what life was like over 100 years ago.
Don't miss it! A nominal fee gets you in the gate to enjoy the Eastern Sierra's famous and long-standing swap meet event to benefit Laws Museum, held at the Tri-County Fairgrounds twice each year. Prospective vendors, call now to reserve your space. 760 873-5950
Laws Good Ole Days, a long-standing community event since 1977, revived Laws once again on Saturday, September 10,2022.
Laws was a bustling community full of people, activities, and excitement. Listening to live music in the depot during the rain surely instilled a good ole time. On Friday, the sold-out Dave Stamey dinner-concert started the festivities on the right notes. Saturday morning came around with overcast skies making for a pleasant day on the Laws grounds. Everyone had a good time whether riding the rails, investigating the paranormal
presence of past local generations, crushing rocks, observing the blacksmith, printer, woodworkers, weaver, or saddle maker. Kids were testing their skills on a treadle seeing machine, in jewelry making, and learned the first steps in quilting. CALFire and USFS brought Smokey Bear and Captain Cat along with a log, misery whip, and branding iron to raise awareness of fire safety.
Update: 1883 Agent's House Now Open To The Public
California State Historical Landmark #953, Laws Narrow Gauge Railroad Station and Yard, was built in 1883, the Carson & Colorado Railroad was built between Mound House (near Carson City, Nevada) through Laws to Keeler, California, a distance of 300 miles. Laws Station was named in honor of Mr. R. J. Laws, Superintendent of the railroad. Between 1883 and about 1915, this railroad provided the only dependable means of transportation in and out of Owens Valley. Train service was stopped on April 30, 1960. On February 26, 1964 Bishop Museum and Historical Society dba Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site incorporated and began the task of preserving the history and artifacts of Inyo County pioneer families.
The Agent’s House has undergone several projects over the years: 1916 the kitchen was added, 1923 brought the addition of an indoor bathroom and scullery, followed by the second bedroom. The original colors were oxide red with white trim, Southern Pacific painted the house and depot the yellow with brown trim you see today. In 2010 a foundation was installed to preserve the building.
We are delighted to announce our goal to have the Agent’s House open to the public on a daily basis has been reached.
The stamp mill and feeder here at Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site were built by the Joshua Hendy Machine Works in San Francisco California. . Joshua Hendy came to this country from Scotland in 1836 and learned the Bishop Museum machinist's trade. In 1851 at the age of 33 Joshua traveled to California and worked in San Francisco until 1852 when he had saved enough money to build a saw mill on the coast near Fort Ross. In 1855 he returned to San Francisco to manufacture parts for mills. By the 1860's the Joshua Hendy Machine Works was also making parts for mining and milling equipment.
Submitted by Preston Chiaro and Henry Golas of the Death Valley Conservancy
One of the DVC's most valued partnerships is with the Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site in Bishop, CA. During 2016, while the DVC were constructing our reproduction Death Valley 20-Mule Team Borax Wagons to appear in the 2017 Rose Parade in Pasadena, CA, Laws raised funds and constructed a dedicated exhibit barn to house the wagons. At that time many ideas were tossed around regarding what additional exhibits might go into the wagon barn; the notion of installing a mural on the back wall was near the top of the list. We just needed time to raise the funds for it. We're happy to announce that this project to enhance the wagon barn experience is now completed.