Away from the frenetic pace of cities such as Los Angeles, Modesto California has developed as a bedroom community in recent years. The town started life as an Old West town with something of a wild reputation!
Today, the local authorities are keen to extend the hand of friendship to the world and there are sister city liaisons with the Ukraine, Mexico, India, Canada and Japan.
One of the most well known landmarks in the town is the McHenry Mansion. Robert McHenry, a local ranch owner and banker, built the house by hand at the beginning of the 1880s. The building was restored to its original condition and opened to the public. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission is free and there are guided tours around the property.
Opposite the mansion, the McHenry Museum and Historical Society acts as an archive for the history of Modesto California and the surrounding area. There is a changing exhibition space, where past displays have included a silver collection, dolls and quilts.
The permanent exhibition contains a series of rooms to show life in the time of the pioneers and beyond. There is a general store, a dentist’s office and a hardware store. There is also a replica of a blacksmith’s forge and artifacts associated with gold mining. An exhibition of oil paintings shows images from a typical cattle ranch in the Old West. The museum organizes special events and there is a well stocked gift store.