Menifee History Museum: A glimpse of the area's past

Menifee Mayor Bill Zimmerman speaks to a guest at the Menifee History Museum. (Photos by Kelvin Portillo)

 

By Kelvin Portillo, Correspondent

The Menifee History Museum, located on the site of the former Menifee Elementary School, hosts a treasure trove of Menifee’s past, spanning from the 1800s.

Once through the door, guests will see that the museum is neatly arranged in chronological order, from the time before any settlers through the earliest formation of the city. In addition, the museum displays sections highlighting different eras of agriculture and everything from mining to farming to beekeeping to the use of natural gas.

It’s important to keep an open mind and a sense of curiosity, as one might be surprised by what they’ll learn. Guests can expect to be immersed in the people that are vital to the expansion of Menifee. For example, the beginning section of the museum explores the Luiseños, a group of Native Americans to have first made their imprint on the land as they utilized makeshift tools to secure their livelihood.

Displayed at the museum are Native American tools, such as a heating stone named a comal, which was an oval-shaped tool carved from rocks for the purpose of cooking prey. Other tools include a mortar, which was a large oval like shaped tool with a small hand tool inside used to grind seeds and nuts. These tools and many others are on display to be seen and touched.

With the aid of docents on site, anyone can seek answers to or inquiries one may have. Videos, donated artifacts, and replicated items offer the public visual stimuli regarding tools and artifacts of the past. Topics covered range from the founding families to early education.

The purpose of the museum is “To identify, preserve and promote the historic legacy of the Menifee Valley, to promote respect for our past and educate the public about its historical significance”, according to the Menifee Valley Historical Association mission statement. One doesn’t need to be a Menifee resident to experience all the museum has to offer. In fact, inside the museum there is a pamphlet with a “museum passport” where one can stamp off museum visits from different cities like Perris or Temecula.

There is no admission charge for the museum, which is open from 1-4 p.m. on Sundays. The museum offers various programs for the community to learn about the past, such as the “Badge Earning Program”, where a child can earn a patch by answering a few historical questions.

Although the museum is encompassed in a single room, one can spend hours gathering information, whether an individual is new to the city or has lived here for decades.

Mayor Bill Zimmerman is a board member of the Menifee Valley Historical Association. He led a private tour of the facility recently to show what the museum has to offer.

The museum is located at 26301 Garbani Road in Menifee.