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GRAND OPENING
OSCAR WIEDMAN TOOL SHED

Saturday, October 25,2025 at 11 am

in front of the Red Barn

Come and celebrate our latest exhibit! The Curatorial Staff has finished mounting the tools and providing appropriate labeling to a collection, Dr. Otto Mayr, Curator of Mechanical Engineering, Dept of the History and Science Technology of the Smithsonian Institution said “Any museum would be proud to have.”  The collection of mostly Nineteenth Century Tools collected during Oscar’s Retirement years, 1959-1985, was quite extensive.  It became the subject of a visit by the Smithsonian, which produced a documentary, a short segment of which can be watched in the tool shed. Although the Smithsonian would have accepted donation of the collection, and reached out from 1976-1985, the family was not ready to donate it. Some years later some of the best and most rare pieces were sold on E-Bay on behalf of the family.  The balance of the collection resides in a container in Fresno.  When we were offered any tools we would like to exhibit, SHS members made four trips to Fresno to pick the collection over.  What we brought back represents about 5% of what was still remaining. We have tried to exhibit the tools in a similar manner in which Oscar had exhibited them out on his farm at Cherry and Burbank Ave.  We especially thank Lynn Wiedmann Taylor, Allen Taylor and Dennis Wiedmann for donation of tools, photos, and the toys, Christmas placeholders, and pen drawings that Oscar made. We also thank Bill Thompson, who donated the funds for the building of the tool shed.

Depot Hours

Every Saturday

September – May from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm

June – August from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Hope to see you there!