Museum Celebrates Antique Agricultural Equipment

Interest has been strong since opening day 18 months ago.

"We had 14,000 visitors in 1998," she adds. "We had a group from Australia here on opening day, and we've already had three tour groups from Monrovia. We've had people from New Zealand, England and France, and all over the U.S."

The 130,000-square foot Heidrick Center includes the Hays Antique Truck Museum, billed as the largest exhibit of its kind; a fully-stocked gift shop, courtyard, play areas (indoors and outdoors) for children, and a 300-seat conference center.

A force of 70 trained volunteers contributes to the effort.

"We have one man who's 95 who works in here three hours a day," Jordan says.

That level of dedication, she says, reflects a widely-held passion for the farm classics.

"We give people a lot of joy here," she says.

"They see these things, and it kind of revives childhood memories. Some of our visitors have operated this equipment, or they remember their fathers operating it."

Oscar Bacon, a Heidrick volunteer, says the equipment brings home the challenges faced by early farmers.

"People marvel at these machines, and the number of men it took to operate them, and the engineering that went into them," he says. "They were kind of geniuses, weren't they?" FC 

The Heidrick Ag History Center, 1962 Hays Lane, Woodland, Calif. 95776; (530) 666-9700; e-mail at lindseyl@aghistory.org; online at www.aghistory.org.
Hours: Monday & Tuesday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.; closed July 4th, Thanksgiving Day, December 24, 25 & 31, January 1. Last admission one hour before closing. Admission fees: Adults (13-61) $7, seniors (62 & up) $6, children (5-12) $4, under 4 free.