Laws Railroad Museum & Historical Site — Attraction in Bishop

I have been coming to the Owens Valley for 43 of my 48 years. I've been to Bodie probably 30+ times but never made it to Laws until today. Wow. What an experience. I am a history teacher and have been to countless museums. Laws ranks among the best experiences I've had. History is important to me. It's clear that maintaining critical western history is important to the caretakers of Laws as well.

The exhibits are fascinating, well presented, and abundant. However, it's not the exhibits by themselves that stand out. The standouts are the people telling the story. On my visit with my wife we met Lynna and Jay. Lynna walked us through the trolly car exhibit and we talked history for 20 minutes. She was knowledgeable and effervescent.

Then there is Jay. Jay is the kind of historian/curator that can turn an average visit into a lasting memory. He took the time in 100 degree heat to walk us through every step of the western mining process. A miner himself, he tied his own experience into his lesson on blasting a vein, getting rock to the mill, and each stage of the stamping process. I was completely enthralled by his knowledge and enthusiasm. In addition, he brought most of the machines back into working order, including making custom parts of several stages of the Stamp. From the grizzly which sifts rock, to the chipmunk which gets rock down to size, to the stamp and amalgamation table, Jay's lesson on mining is one everyone should experience. He even fired up the 4 stroke engine which powered the belt drive of the stamp. What a day.

Thank you Lynna and Jay for your lessons and love of history. Laws is AMAZING! (Jay says the younger generation uses that word too much, but in this...

If you are ever in Bishop/Mammoth Lakes, please drop by and visit Laws Railroad Museum and Historical Site. We had such a fun time! You walk around the 11-acre museum at your own pace which is really cool so you can get to know the pieces and the buildings more. We had an especially great time with the ladies at the train exhibit, who were very knowledgeable about their craft. We also had so much fun and we learned a lot from the gentleman at the mining exhibit, Jay! He was exceptionally well read and proficient with everything at the mining exhibit. We spent almost an hour and a half with Jay and it was the most fun time! He showed us how the early mining machines worked, and we were especially amazed at how he restored century-old motors. The coolest part is when he showed us how those worked! Jay also introduced us to many rocks and minerals which were very cool. We learned a lot from this visit, especially with Jay, and we would be sure to come back when it's not too cold anymore so Jay can show us how the 100-year-old engine works! Thank you, Jay! 😊

Overall, this museum is a must visit! If you can, please donate more. The ladies at the train exhibit and Jay (mining exhibit) are volunteers who are very devoted to their craft. Their dedication to their exhibits are truly a labor of love. Donations help them restore historic pieces which tells us visitors a lot about history. They are very passionate about their craft which makes the visit...

Laws Railroad Museum is located on the site of the original depot for Bishop on the Carson and Colorado narrow guage railroad. It is a very educational place to visit. There are many historical displays and old equipment scattered around the eleven acre site. The restoration of the "Slim Princess " #9 Baldwin locomotive and the replica Twenty Mule Team Borax wagons among my favorites. They have a gift shop that is packed with related items. On special occasions, they offer rides on what they call the Brill car, a self-propelled "doodlebug" trolley that they have fully restored. Entry to the grounds is a donation at the gate. The Museum grounds can be very challenging if you require a mobility device such as a scooter or power chair. The boardwalks are rough, and many of the paths are soft sand. The entries to many of the buildings have door sills that are difficult for smaller wheels to negotiate. Heavier, all terrain mobility scooters might have difficulty with some of the tight corners and wooden paths. My heavy scooter felt like it was damaging the old dry, brittle boardwalks. Laws is a great place to...