Community Rallies to Create Yuba County History Museum

Local historical organizations come together to preserve the region's rich past.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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A group of community members in Yuba County, California are raising funds to establish a dedicated history museum for the region. The effort is being led by the Yuba County Museum of History Organization, which has been inactive for years but is now being revived by passionate local historians and history buffs. The goal is to secure a physical location to house and display the area's valuable historical artifacts and share the county's 175-year-old story with the public.

Why it matters

Yuba County and its largest city, Marysville, have a long and rich history dating back to 1851, but the region currently lacks a centralized museum to preserve and showcase this heritage. The creation of a dedicated history museum would allow the community to safeguard its past and educate residents and visitors about the area's important role in California's development.

The details

The Yuba County Museum of History Organization began in 2009 but has been inactive in recent years. Now, a group of local historians and history enthusiasts are reviving the effort, with the goal of securing a physical location to house historical artifacts and share the county's story. The group held a fundraising event on Saturday that attracted over 100 people, who participated in activities like panning for gold and learning about the region's past. Organizers are now working to count the money raised and explore options for renting or purchasing a building to serve as the museum.

  • Yuba County and Marysville celebrated the city's 175th birthday on Thursday, February 6, 2026.
  • The Yuba County Museum of History Organization was founded in 2009 but has been inactive in recent years.
  • The community fundraising event took place on Saturday, February 8, 2026.

The players

Judy Mann

One of the organizers of the effort to create a Yuba County history museum.

Dale Whitmore

President of the Yuba County Museum of History Organization.

Charlotte Mattocks

A Marysville resident who was born and raised in the city and is passionate about preserving its history.

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What they’re saying

“It's like a family reunion of history today.”

— Judy Mann, Organizer (cbsnews.com)

“A lot of the historians and history buffs have wonderful, valuable stuff at home. We just have it in our garage and we're getting older and we want to donate it to a museum and preserve it and share it with the community.”

— Judy Mann, Organizer (cbsnews.com)

“This is a fundraiser for the Yuba County Museum of History. And we've been selling memberships and raising some money here. We have been looking at a number of different buildings. We've got to raise some money if we're going to buy a building or rent a building.”

— Dale Whitmore, President, Yuba County Museum of History Organization (cbsnews.com)

“When I was a child growing up, Marysville was the center of everything; it had all the stores, the history. It makes me very happy to see the number of people here.”

— Charlotte Mattocks, Marysville Resident (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The organizers are still counting the money raised at the Saturday fundraising event and plan to use those funds to hire grant writers to secure additional funding for a physical museum location.

The takeaway

The community's efforts to establish a dedicated history museum for Yuba County highlight the importance of preserving local heritage and sharing a region's story with residents and visitors. The revival of the Yuba County Museum of History Organization demonstrates the passion of local historians and history enthusiasts to safeguard the area's rich past.