Julian museum expands to add Indian artifacts

By Gina Patrone

For the first time in more than 20 years, the Julian Pioneer Museum will expand its exhibition area, creating a new section dedicated to Indian artifacts and a research area.

The expansion was made possible through numerous donations. Dixieline Lumber donated all exterior siding and roofing materials for the completion of the museum addition. Materials were delivered by Dixieline Lumber to the museum on Nov. 12.

Boasting the finest lace collection in California, plus 1896 to 1913 clothing, photographs, household and mining equipment, the Julian Pioneer Museum has been in operation for over 80 years. It also houses Victorian era pianos, an original Julian City buggy and sleigh, animal and bird mountings,

The museum expansion is scheduled to be completed by fall 2009.

“We’re proud to donate the building materials necessary for the museum’s expansion,” said Joe Lawrence, president of Dixieline Lumber Company. “Dixieline Lumber has been a part of San Diego for over 95 years and we’re excited to be a part of historic Julian.“

The building housing the Julian Pioneer Museum first served as a brewery in the mid-1880s. The brewery operator was Peter Meyerhofer, who operated other beer establishments throughout San Diego.

The Julian brewery only lasted about three years before the building was sold and converted to a blacksmith shop that operated there until the 1930s.

Expansion plans for the museum include a section dedicated to Indian artifacts, particularly Kumeyaay Indians.

Long before Julian’s gold rush of 1870 brought hundreds of miners to the area, Indian villages dotted the landscape. Ancient Indian trails leading from desert to mountain and mountain to shore provided the first white man with a road map of the region.

A new research area will be established within the museum, giving visitors a first-ever look at Julian’s heritage and beginnings, including the Gold Rush of 1870 and its apple production.

“We’re confident that these new additions to our museum, made possible by Dixieline’s generous contribution, will help attract visitors and scholars to Julian,” said Edwina Silbernagel, curator of the Julian Pioneer Museum. “We want to assure people that not only did Julian survive the devastating fires of 2003 and 2007, it’s thriving and growing.”

Headquartered in San Diego, Dixieline Lumber Company has 17 locations throughout Southern California. Founded in 1913 by the Cowling family of San Diego, the company is now owned by Denver-based ProBuild Holdings, the nation’s largest professional building materials supplier to professional contractors.