Housed in Sonora's original 1857 county jail and courthouse, this compact museum is one of the best Gold Rush history collections in the Sierra foothills. The exhibits cover the full arc of Tuolumne County life: the Mexican miners who founded Sonora and named it after their home state, the Chinese laborers who worked claims after the 49ers moved on, the hydraulic mining operations that reshaped entire hillsides, and the timber and ranching industries that carried the region through the lean decades after gold ran out.
The collection includes period photographs, mining tools, firearms, and personal effects of miners from a dozen countries. Particularly affecting are the letters home — in Spanish, Chinese, and English — from men who came expecting quick fortune and mostly found hard work and hard luck. Admission is free and the staff are genuinely knowledgeable about local history.