California's Capital Region: The Sacramento Valley

L AW & ORDER IN G OLD C OUNTRY
The Placer County Museum is located on the first floor of Auburn’s Historic Courthouse. The
cornerstone was laid on July 4, 1894, and the courthouse was completed in 1898. History took its
toll on the building and by the 1980s, its future was uncertain. Fortunately, the community rallied
behind the courthouse and raised over $6 million to restore it. On July 4, 1994, Auburn’s Courthouse
once again opened to the public. The first floor includes the Placer County Museum Gallery, foyer
displays of the Pate Collection of American Indian Artifacts, a restored sheriff’s office, and the treasury,
where the museum’s gold collection is on permanent display. Outside the courthouse beneath the
stairs is the restored women’s jail.
CHAPTER THREE
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