Young patrons of the San Manuel Museum. Photo by Elise Godoy
By Elise Godoy, Special to Copper Area News
The San Manuel Historical Museum preserves more than only artifacts – it preserves the town’s mining identity and foundational history of San Manuel. As the new school year has recently begun, the museum is offering learning opportunities outside of the classroom every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., or by appointment, giving students, families and community members a chance to connect with their roots and heritage.
San Manuel was founded on its history in the copper mines that were once located across the street, where Salt N Pepper now stands. The copper mine went beyond operating the mine – it owned the town itself, providing housing and trash services, and managed utilities for the town residents. This history continues to define and impact the town today, even decades after the original mine’s closure. The San Manuel Museum strives to preserve these mining roots and stories as a vital educational resource to the community.
For longtime resident and retired miner, Abraham Romos, the mining years of San Manuel were an “excellent time” for the town and community, a time full of opportunity. The town thrived with stores, gas stations, bars, entertainment, clinics, and multiple schools, while residents were able to have a steady income from 40-hour workweek jobs at the mine.
“It was nice times. We created a family. The environment was good. Everybody was making money; there was money in town, so that made the town survive,” Abraham recalled. “The company had some good stuff going on until it all came down in 1999.”
The stability ended abruptly in the summertime, June 1999. “We had about 5,000 people in the whole industry here, but yeah, that night, about 2,500 to 2,700 people were laid off,” he described.
The closure of the mines affected the community quickly, with the town’s health descending alongside it. With the closure of the mine, stores started closing, the utilities were taken over by other companies, and the parks went under the management of local schools, leaving the town to adjust to a new era.
Abraham mentioned the importance of preserving the town’s history and impact from the copper mines. “The people that were here, from the copper industry, were here. They know the impact, they know what we all went through, but it’s becoming less and less because now our older generation is being deceased.”
. Decades later, the San Manuel Historical Museum is committed to sharing stories like Abraham’s and the miners who played a role in shaping the town’s history with future generations.
. “It’s nice to see something and see someone take an interest in doing something for the town,” Abraham shared. “We got history here, they got the history of earth, but we went through something, you know.”
Richard J. Stocking, local high school Social Studies and History teacher at the Mammoth-San Manuel Unified School District, emphasizes the museum’s educational role in helping students stay connected with their towns and personal ancestral history through hands-on and physical location learning.
“Kids could go in there and learn from primary source material and physical artifacts that were in the mine – possibly even from people they know who used them, their ancestors,” he mentioned. “It allows them to directly connect their history to the geographic location and to their learning. They’ll see some of their last names and some of their relatives that lived in this area, so they can connect it to themselves.”
. Through the local museum, students and families can connect to their loved ones who worked tirelessly in the mines. Community members can also learn from the museum to understand where they are living and the history that has defined San Manuel.
The San Manuel Historical Museum remains open in the Elks Plaza, behind Salt ‘N Pepper, on Saturdays and by appointment, with free admission to offer families opportunities to bond, engage students in learning outside of the classroom, and visitors to explore the town’s rich mining heritage.
David Prough, Board Director and President of the San Manuel Historical Museum, explains, “Part of our concerns and wishes is to get a better connection with the kids in the school.” The museum is actively seeking volunteers to help share this history with the community. He voices, “Anytime we could get students down here, even to help with visitors, would be fantastic.”
. San Manuel’s local history is continuing to grow with every passing day, as history is being made in the moment. Richard reflects on the town’s ever-evolving history, noting, “There’s a lot of really good history out there about San Manuel, but there’s a lot more to be discovered.”
Building on this idea, David adds, “I would like to get students involved because not only are we making history that we need to have help keeping track of, but there are still stories that need to be recorded and written from our past.” Through these educational efforts, the museum ensures that San Manuel’s history and mining foundation are not only preserved but are also experienced and passed on to future generations.
Editor’s note: Elise Godoy is a student at Grand Canyon University and is a resident of Mammoth. This story is the first in a two-part story on the importance of local support for the San Manuel Museum.
Part 2 can be found here.