The Fillmore Historical Museum is displaying vintage wedding dresses and photos from 1886 to the 1960s, 340 Main Street, Fillmore. Call for hours.

Beginning on May 15, 2009, the Fillmore Historical Museum located at 340 Main St. in Fillmore will be displaying wedding dresses and photos from 1886 to the 1960s. The display includes a century-old hand crocheted wedding dress, a lovely dress made from a silk parachute, a dress worn by a mother and her daughter, and a 70 year old dress that is modern enough to be found on the fashion runways of today. Courtesy of Mathias Gonzalez, we include the Hispanic tradition of the father of the groom writing the father of the bride, asking for the bride’s hand in marriage. Pictures of the families and a copy of the letter, written in Spanish and translated into English are on display. We invite you to visit the museum and discover the joys of romance and marriage during the time period since Fillmore’s establishment until the mid 20th century.

The Museum has been fortunate that over the years local Fillmore residents have donated numerous of their family treasures to be displayed for all to see. This is your hometown museum dedicated to showing how Fillmore and its surrounding communities of Bardsdale, Sespe and Piru grew and developed.

The restored 1887 depot now is home to many railroad related photos and artifacts. There are tools used by the farming community, photos of the early days and a beautiful mural created by local artist, John Brothers, depicting Central Avenue about 1910.

The craftsman style Hinckley House is filled with antiques of the kind found in your grandmother’s home. There is also a display of art by Lawrence Hinckley who, with his wife, established the “Artist’s Barn” here in Fillmore. Lawrence was an early Fillmore High School graduate who became a noted artist in the 1930s and 1940s.
Finally the 1919 Rancho Sespe bunkhouse houses an eclectic mix of Fillmore memorabilia. This is where the wedding display is located as well as displays of Fillmore’s early schools, Indian artifacts, WW I and II and hundreds of photos of early Fillmore.

We welcome you all to visit. We are open Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon, and 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10:30 until 3 p.m. We offer tours to groups any day by appointment.

We are an all volunteer organization and are always looking for additional helpers to guide tours or work in the collection. Contact us at the office in the bunkhouse or by phone at 524-0948.