The Linn County Historical Museum (nicknamed the Brownsville Historic Pioneer Museum) was founded in 1962. The museum’s exhibits are displayed in Brownsville’s original railroad depot and six Southern Pacific railroad cars. Collections cover the lives, work, and cultures of Native People, Oregon Trail immigrants, Black and White pioneer settlers, and the early families and communities of Linn County. You will also find exhibits on the Brownsville Mill Race (the earliest source of local industrial hydro-power), the Brownsville Woolen Mill and regional mining. One of the boxcars is even a 29 seat theater, The Boxcar Theatre. The museum also houses a fairly extensive and well used Genealogy Section. Of particular interest is the Covered Wagon that carried the Drinkard family across the Oregon Trail in 1865. Not to be missed is the elegant 1881 Moyer House, open for tours most weekends and by request.
About Linn County Historical Museum
Reviews & Ratings
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August 23, 2024mariono227Excellent museum in a cute small town.
We had some spare time as we were traveling on I-5 to get to our next hotel, and we decided to stop here. We are so glad we did! They have done an excellent job putting this little museum together! We also got a tour of the Moyer House built in 1881. Cute town where Stand By Me movie was filmed. The museum was free admission and the house was only a few dollars. I bought a book with Oregon Trail true stories. The museum has one of only three remaining original Oregon Trail wagons. So cool! I found out about this museum from one of the magazines the Oregon tourism dept. hands out. You can order them for free shipped to your home before your trip.
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December 29, 2022cynthiacZ4570GI
The best of its kind
The very best local historical museum I have seen, and I have been to hundreds. A full account if the local area in well done exhibits that make history interesting. Don't miss it.
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November 13, 2022W7801AJjuliat
Great experience!
Such a fun hand on type of museum. Great look at the area's history. My kids really enjoyed all the different exhibits and being able to climb around in the box car.
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July 28, 2019295edl
Wonderful, must see
This little museum is packed with gems. There were plenty of pieces of old machinery I had never seen. The original wagon from a wagon train is a gem, made even more fun by being able to dress up in the provided era clothing for photos. I really loved the stories of early pioneers written by the pioneers themselves. We spent almost 2 hours. I wouldn't spend less but I could easily spend more.
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January 9, 2019Anna L
So much great history! So interesting!
Don't think the tidy little building is small: inside, you'll be pleased by the great displays and local information. Not only do they have a REAL COVERED WAGON (not a replica), but there are so many artifacts from the past. Also, making this museum such a cool destination, there's a little movie theatre inside.