American mule museum “The story of the mule” (стр. 3 )

Exhibit – Early book illustrations and maps of the Voyage of Discovery will be used.

The Santa Fe Trail, an important trade route, from Missouri to Santa Fe, New Mexico 1821 – 1849 will display a map designating the route. This exhibit will flow into the Old Spanish Trail that continued on from Santa Fe to Los Angeles in California. The Old Spanish Trail was the longest commercial pack trail in the country at over 1,200 miles and utilizing up to 1,000 mules, or more, in a caravan. The trail had to veer far north to avoid the impassible canyon country and crossing the Colorado and Green Rivers added further difficulties.

Exhibit - A large map will be important in showing the difficulty of the terrain with a painted mural back drop. The exhibit will also display illustrations of packed mules, examples of trade goods, bells worn by mules to identify different traders in addition to a glossary of Mexican terms used by the California’s – such as arrieros (packers).

The Westward Migration to Oregon and the California Gold Rush

Though many oxen and horses were also used, mules were the preferred draft animal as they could travel faster than oxen and they were hardier and could subsist on sparse feed better than horses. However, they were much more expensive and harder to find. When settlers arrived in Oregon or California, many farmers used these animals on their farms.

Exhibit 1 - Again, large maps of the various trails such as the Oregon Trail, the California Trail etc. will be incorporated. Covered wagons, mule harnesses and artifacts relating to the migration can be exhibited.

Exhibit 2 – An illustration mural of an early mining town, with pack mules entering it, will form a backdrop for artifacts set up in the foreground.

Early Explorers of the West

Jedediah Smith, in 1826, was with the first party of fur trappers with men, horses and mules to travel from the Salt Lake basin to Mexican California. In May of 1927, after a number of unsuccessful attempts to cross the Sierra over deep snow, Smith and two other mountain men attempted to cross the Sierra again in the vicinity of Ebbets Pass and though it was a difficult crossing they made it through. Starting with 7 horses and two mules, they reached the deserts of Nevada with five of the horses and one mule. They were the first recorded Americans to cross the Sierra Nevada. Smith then re-outfitted and returned to California to relieve the rest of the party left behind in central California.

Joseph Walker’s expedition using pack mules to carry supplies, in 1834, from Wyoming to California, crossed the Sierra in the vicinity of the current Tioga Pass road. This exploration party was the first American party to see Yosemite Valley.

Exhibit – A mural exhibit of Walker’s ragged party of trappers, with their trail-worn pack animals in the background, gazing into the wonder of Yosemite Valley will be memorable. An early book illustration of Jedediah Smith and his small party struggling through snow in the Sierra will add drama.

U. S. Military Mules

The U. S. Military has used mules in every war effort since the Seminole Indian War. The mule is the symbol of the U. S. Army and the mascot of West Point. Huge numbers of mules were used in the Civil War. Mule pack trains and mule-driven wagons and artillery were used extensively during the Indian Wars to transport and supply the troops. General Ulysses S. Grant served in the Mexican War, when he as a 2nd Lt. in charge of a regimental quartermaster corps, in General Zachary Taylor’s army. On the campaign to Mexico City, Grant’s harness and pack mules assisted in moving the army from Texas to Mexico City, and contributed to General Taylor’s success in the war. Both Zachary Taylor and Ulysses S. Grant depended on mules in their careers and both men became presidents of the United States.

Col. Stephen W. Kearney’s Army of the West used over 3,600 mules on their epic march from Fort Leavenworth to Santa Fe, and Santa Fe to California, in the war with Mexico.

General George Crook, in the late 1870s, said he preferred to ride his mule, “Apache” that he considered much superior to a horse and gave large credit to his mule pack strings for his success in the Apache campaigns. Crook continually stressed the importance in having well-fed and taken care of pack strings in his command.

Exhibit - Many photos, text from “Manual of Pack Transportation” and “Shave Tails and Bell Sharps - The History of the U. S. Army Mule” will provide much text and will help in designing this display. Army artifacts, riding and pack saddles and equipment, photos of mules in various campaigns will be displayed in a cavalry camp scene with uniformed cavalry manikins and a fiber glass packed mule. Aparejos or Phillips pack saddle and gear would create an authentic scene.

THE WEST BECOMES SETTLED

Pack Mule Express

When gold was discovered in the mountainous Mother Lode of California, mules were used extensively in transportation of heavy mining equipment, goods, freight, and supplies to and from the gold fields. Mule pack trains serviced many mining towns where roads were not available or possible. A “Pack Mule Express” business not only carried mail as well as supplies, but transported gold ore from mines to the 1855, the California mule population swelled to over 31,000 animals.

Exhibit - Paintings, drawings, photos of a mule train supplying a mining camp or on the trail and scenes of early camps and diggings. Dioramas and vignettes will greatly enhance this story in addition to a mountain stream scene with gold pan and rocker. Some of Mark Twain’s pithy mining camp comments can be incorporated.

Early surveying of the West and the Sierra Nevada

When California became a state, it was necessary to survey and map the state. The Whitney Survey accomplished the first geological survey and many of the crew made first or later ascents of the highest peaks. The U. S. Army’s Corps of Engineers’ Wheeler Survey was based out of Fort Independence in the Owens Valley of Eastern California. Both surveys used mules as saddle, pack and harness animals in surveying often very forbidding terrain.

Exhibit - Photos of early surveying experiences showing pack and saddle mules and artifact exhibits of early surveying instruments, compass, early maps and map making tools. Photos or illustrations of the surveyors climbing and of high mountain peaks such as Mt. Whitney will interest visitors.

Exhibit 2 - Photos of Fort Independence, headquarters of the Wheeler Survey, will add geographical interest.

Mule Team Freighting in the West

In the Eastern Sierra, large mule teams of 16 to 22 mules and more were used to haul freight and ore from mining camps and towns to Los Angeles. Remi Nadeau’s long line teams hauling silver ore from Cerro Gordo to Los Angeles, freight teams supplying the Eastern Sierra and later, the Borax Twenty Mule Teams and wagons Borax from Death Valley became famous.

Indoor exhibit – Photos, drawings, twenty mule team models, mule freight teams and text, displays both indoors and out with freight wagons and with various wagon parts identified for their various purposes. A life-size teamster manikin on the wagon seat with bullwhip in hand will make the story become real. Harness laid out on a wagon tongue with other necessary equipment will round out the displays.

Outdoor exhibit – A display of antique freight and farm wagons, a canvas covered chuck wagon, and pioneer covered wagon will be displayed. A set of twenty mule team wagons with water wagons attached would be a great addition.

The Building of the Los Angeles Aqueduct

Mules were the engines of moving the heavy equipment used to construct the Los Angeles Aqueduct by the Department of Water and Power, beginning in 1908 that transported water from Inyo and Mono Counties to the growing city. As many as 52 mules were used to haul a gigantic section of steel siphon pipe for installation.

Exhibit - Photos, text descriptions of the construction and a map along with selected artifacts will be used.

Exhibit 2 - An exhibit of the ‘100 Mules Walking the Los Angeles Aqueduct’ celebration event will bring this construction fete to the present day. In 2013, the 100 year celebration of the completion of the aqueduct, one hundred pack mules travelled the route of the aqueduct in commemoration. The American Mule Museum will honor this historical achievement.

Mules used in Construction

Southern California Edison Company - prior power company construction of dams, reservoirs and power plants at Bishop Creek, South Lake and Lake Sabrina - 1906-07 and other nearby sites will be the subject. Electric power was generated from Bishop Creek to export to the new mines of Tonopah in 1905.

Exhibit 1 – Photos, text and murals of large mule freight teams hauling machinery and supplies to high mountain dam sites on precipitous, primitive roads will be shown.

Note- this exhibit could be combined with the DWP exhibit.

Exhibit 2 – Photos, artifacts and texts will show road building and maintenance in Eastern California.

MULES IN THE 20TH CENTURY

Recreational packing with Commercial Packers and development of recreational packing industry

With a road less backcountry and wilderness areas in the Sierra Nevada, tourist recreation expanded before the turn of the century. People accessed these recreation areas with saddle and pack animals for fishing, hunting, youth camping and to enjoy the beautiful mountain mercial packers expanded their freighting business to include packing tourists and their camping supplies to backcountry mountain lakes and streams. Livery stables evolved into packing and supplying tourists with stock, equipment, guides and camping equipment.

After 1908, pack stations became Forest Service permittees. The Park Service, after 1916, created Park Service concessionaires.

Indoor Exhibit – Photos and texts, camp scene artifacts; diorama with tent, fire circle, fish string, camp kitchen, including a backdrop of full-sized painting/photo – riders on horseback with pack mules arriving in a life size camp framed by backdrop of a fly fisherman in background by stream and lake framed by Sierra peaks. Pack equipment displays and a packed mule in vignettes and a diorama.