Moraga School District 3rd Graders Visit the History Center

Every April  the  Moraga School District 3rd graders visit the History Center to complete their unit on the History of Moraga. The Center's three rooms contain displays especially prepared by Elsie Mastick for the three day visits.

The first room contains artifacts of natives who were here when the Spanish arrived.  There are dioramas built by Les Krames to give the students a clearer understanding of the native Saklins and the Spanish. The three docents in this room were Elsie Matick, Pam Williams and Rosemary Coburn. Ms Williams is a 9th generation Californian whose ancestors were in the Anza Expedition which came from Mexico in 1775.

The second room contains displays and artifacts showing evidence of animals in Moraga before man arrived. Dr. Lee Nelson explains this period. There are also models of the Sacramento Northern railroad in this room. Ed Waltenspiel describes the electric train which ran through Moraga nearly 100 years ago.

The third room houses arrowheads from native as well as items used by the Spanish in times of ranching. Mary Ostrander, Norma McKenzie, Margaret dePriester and Susan Sperry demonstrate the farming and ranching artifacts.

Mary Ostrander shows 3rd graders from Camino Pablo Elementary School the Sears catalogue and common household items once used in Moraga homes.	Pam Williams explains the importance of the early Spanish explorers, showing dioramas of the typical outfits worn by the soldiers.
Norma McKenzie talks about the use of a bed warmer, branding iron, grinding stone and other farming and ranching artifacts.	Dr. Lee Nelson fascinates the 3rd graders with stories of early animal life and Ed Waltenspiel shows models of the electric trains in Moraga nearly 100 years ago.
The students are captivated by Rosemary Coburn's stories of early indian life in our valley.