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Lawrence Museum

I left Gore and headed over to Dunedin and rode into the little town of Lawrence. There was a sign coming into town that said that there was “Free Wifi”. So I stopped in at the Information center/museum and checked my email. By the way folks, I really enjoy you letting me know that you are having a good time riding along with me as I travel and enjoy seeing the things I see. After shutting down my computer I went on into the little museum figuring that there wouldn’t be much in there but worth a look as it was free. Well, it was very interesting and sort of like coming home in seeing the same things like where I grew up. This is Gold mining country and where there was Gold the Chinese came in after the White guys and ‘cleaned up’ what they had left. These little bottles on the left foreground are opium bottles. They have some really nice artifacts of the Chinese in this little museum.

I really like these museums where things are out where you can see them and not behind bullet proof glass. You could actually touch these thing.

I understand the fine tooled leather side saddle but what is that saddle next to it for?

For my packsaddle mule and horse buddies.

the miners wore these hobnail boots in the rocks so they didn’t wear out fast.

I have never seen a wagon with one seat set to the side. I wonder if it was for hauling sheep? There were not many info sheets in this museum and actually it looks like they are just getting a lot of it set up now. I am sure it takes a lot of volunteer work to put these things together.

Potato digger.

Not sure what this thing did other than maybe till the sides of a potato/Sweeds ridge?

Planet Jr. seeders.

I have seen quite a few of these old delivery bikes at bakeries.

I think this was suppose to be a representation of the early day gold miners camp or maybe early Backpackers?

This photo is terrible (taken through glass) it is a photo that was taken fifty years after the gold rush happened. it was the fifty year anniversary and these guys and a few women were some of the original ones that worked the mines. Now you figure that anyone working here was probably at least 20 that makes everyone in the photo at least 70 and some of them a lot older than that. They are all dressed in suits with white shirts and ties. Most of the men have beards. I commented on that to the volunteer lady here and she said that the men are growing beards now, as there is a competition on who has the best one. It will be 150 years since gold was discovered this year.