Current Exhibits

Temperance, Teetotalers & Taboo

This exhibit, curated by The Wine History Project, looks at the Temperance Movement, the events leading up to the passage of the 18th Amendment, and the effects of Prohibition on grape growing, both locally & statewide.  In the 1880s, a movement was underway, driven by religious & ideological groups, denouncing liquor as the plague of society.  They eventually succeeded with the passage of the 18th Amendment in 1917 and its ratification in 1920, one hundred years ago.  The 18th Amendment, the only amendment that limited human freedom, allowed for loopholes, however, and vineyards across California increased to levels not seen again until the 1970s!

Salinan Exhibit

Salinan artifacts are displayed, courtesy of Salinan Tribe, 7070 Morro Road, Suite A, Atascadero, CA, Patti Dunton, Tribal Administrator.

History of Women’s Suffrage in the Paso Robles Area

Women’s suffrage in the United States, the legal right of women to vote, was established over the course of more than half a century. California was the 6th state to allow women to vote, 9 years before the 19th Amendment enfranchised women nationally. Organizations that supported women’s suffrage nationwide, and eventually locally, are displayed - The Grange, Farmers’ Alliance, Populist party, Political Equality League, and the WCTU (Women’s Christian Temperance Union). Women in rural parts of America traditionally had more rights or freedoms than women in the cities.  They were treated as valuable members of the community.

Exceptional Women of the Paso Robles Area

Many exceptional women of Paso Robles and its surrounding area have helped shape Paso Robles into what it is today.  A few of these women are featured with photos and stories of their unique contributions with a special focus on Dolly Barba Bader, a 7th generation Californian. A few photos from the early 1890s, taken by photographer R.J. Arnold, have been added to this exhibit as points of interest.