The Westwood Museum, located in the little mountain community of Westwood, contains the artifacts of a once thriving logging town that was founded in 1913 by the Walker Family. During the time the town was owned by the Walker family, the nation experienced the Industrial Revolution, two World Wars and significant societal changes.

The Red River Mill was the largest operating mill in North America. The town had a state-of-the-art hospital, a theater and opera house, the largest sawdust pile in the world and an indoor mall, said to be the first indoor mall in the United States.

The people who came here to live were a mix of people from the Midwest and immigrants, working side by side to earn a living and raise their families.

In 2013 Westwood marked its centennial. Descendants of some of the original families are still here and provide a thread of continuity along with new comers who have found their way to this town over the past 100 years.

No building could ever contain all the history, artifacts and stories from this community, but the Westwood Museum holds many original items from the town’s history. Logging and railroad memorabilia are well represented, as are household items from the different eras.

Special displays pay tribute to people who played a large role in the town over its span. Oral and written histories, collected by museum docents, flesh out the saga of Westwood. Binders feature major events such as the theater fire and the snow of 1952, the opening of the Westwood Mall and the organizations that provided the social network for the residents.

A visit to the Westwood Museum is an opportunity to learn the story of this once mighty logging town and experience its history through the displays, information and visiting with the docents. The history of Westwood is not static, however, as new information and artifacts continue to find their way to the museum.

You can take a tour with a docent or explore on your own, sit and read about events and people who shaped the community, listen to recordings or watch short videos on highlights of the town’s history.

For more Westwood information go to: https://mountainvalleyliving.com/?s=westwood+pages or www.westwoodareachamber.com

For Westwood lodging go to: https://mountainvalleyliving.com/2016/01/17/norcal-lodging-guide-butte-lassen-plumas-shasta-tehama-counties-norcaltravelguide-com/

Find Westwood dining: https://mountainvalleyliving.com/?s=dining+Westwood