Truckee-Donner Historical Society

About Truckee-Donner Historical Society

The Museum of Truckee History, a collaboration between the Truckee-Donner Historical Society and the Truckee Donner Railroad Society, occupies the historic depot building in downtown Truckee. Visitors explore exhibits covering the region's major industries and communities. Displays include the Trainmaster's Office, Indigenous Tribes exhibit, Contributions of the Chinese exhibit, and Logging and Lumbering, which details life in the historic logging town of Hobart Mills. Additional exhibits cover the Ice Industry, Boca Brewery, Charles McGlashan's vision for winter tourism, and the path from early winter sports to the 1960 Winter Olympics at Squaw Valley. The Railroading Then and Now exhibit features cab forward steam engines used to haul trains over Donner Pass. The Truckee-Donner Historical Society maintains the Old Jail Museum, the Joseph Research Cabin, the Community Memorial Garden, the Donner Cross, and Schaffer Cemetery. The Truckee Donner Railroad Society operates the Truckee Railroad Museum in a caboose, railroad equipment displays, and a kids' ride-on train.