COLLECTIONS

In 1961, farmer William G. Micke died and left his estate to San Joaquin County. Members of the San Joaquin County Historical Society saw that the legacy of William and his wife, Julia, needed to be preserved. Led by Amy Boynton, the Society worked with the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors to save items from the Micke estate. These objects would help create a future museum honoring the Micke family’s contributions to the community while also reflecting the history of the County.

Medora Johnson led the Society’s museum committee. She gained support from the Board of Supervisors, county leaders, businesspeople, and educators to make the museum a reality. On December 21, 1965, the Board of Supervisors approved a museum at Micke Grove Park. The Historical Society would manage the museum and Medora Johnson would serve as its first director. On July 28, 1966, the County and the Historical Society signed the official agreement creating the San Joaquin County Historical Museum.

Volunteers worked in a small maintenance building on the south side of Micke Grove Park. This metal and wood sign hung above the door to this first Museum “office.” It was here that artifacts from the Micke estate and community were collected, documented, and cared for. The Museum’s current business office in the Erickson Building opened in 1976.

The San Joaquin County Historical Museum has grown from its original twelve acres to eighteen-and-a-half acres today. The grounds feature seven exhibit buildings, four historic structures, the Sunshine Trail, the Delta Water Path, and a quarter-acre of Mr. Micke’s 1922 Flame Tokay vineyard. The long-awaited Pioneer Village serves as an immersive experience for our education programs. For sixty years, the Museum has preserved, shared, and celebrated San Joaquin County’s rich history. The Museum’s ever-growing collections reflect the broad diversity of our County, celebrating the communities and stories that shape its history.