FAQ

When and where does the CAHS meet?

The CAHS holds a quarterly membership meeting and program. The meeting and program are held on a Saturday evening at 7 p.m. There is no charge. This meeting is open to all CAHS members and to the public. Visitors and guests are welcome. Refreshments are provided. Upcoming meetings are listed on our Calendar page and also on our Facebook page.

The CAHS board also holds a board meeting 3-4 weeks prior to each quarterly meeting and program. These meetings are open to all members and are announced in the Colfax Cobblestones newsletter, on this web site, and on our Facebook page (Colfax Area Historical Society).

How often is the the Colfax Cobblestones newsletter published?

Colfax Cobblestones is a quarterly newsletter, which is mailed a few weeks prior to the next general program/membership meeting.

Who can join the CAHS?

All interested persons are invited to join. As a member, you will receive the Colfax Cobblestones newsletter four times a year by mail. Each issue of the newsletter includes articles and photos about local history, CAHS news, reports about presentations at membership meetings, and news of upcoming meetings. Your membership supports the work of both the CAHS and the museum. There are also opportunities to volunteer at the museum.

Yearly memberships are available for the following amounts:

• $20. Individual membership.
• $25. Family membership (includes spouse and children).
• $35. Business or Non-Profit Organization. This membership includes an advertising listing for your business or organization in each issue of the newsletter.

To join, download and send us this membership form (PDF).

How is money raised and how is it used?

In addition to membership dues, we also raise money through sales, donations, and auctions. Membership dues and all money raised help us accomplish the following goals:

• Maintain the Colfax Heritage Museum in the Colfax Passenger Depot building, in Colfax, California.
• Maintain historical archives in a rented room at the Sierra Vista Community Center.
• Manage a growing collection of archival artifacts and make these available for research.
• Preserve and protect a collection of 10,000 glass negatives taken by Grace Hubley Jones, a successful commercial photographer of this area.
• Collect and catalog photographs of early Colfax families since the 1850s.
• Research and compile the history of early buildings in Colfax, with commemorative bronze plaques placed on buildings along Main Street.
• Recognize and register three historical areas (Colfax Passenger Depot, Freight Depot, and the Cape Horn Overlook ) as Historical Landmarks with the California State Preservation Commission.
• Research the history of various personalities in Colfax, such as Robert Fowler (aviator) and Pat Jones (journalist), and dedicate monuments to them.
• Develop a file system to assist persons searching for information on people and history of Colfax and the surrounding area; start a collection of oral family histories on tape.
• Display archival and historical materials at public events.
• Publish and sell historical publications related to Colfax and other nearby communities.

What is the purpose of the Colfax Area Historical Society?

The objective of this Society shall be to support and promote charitable, educational and scientific work as defined by Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code as well as promote interest in the history of the Colfax area in the State of California, to support a local Museum; cooperate with other Historical Societies and local groups; to discover, collect and make accessible to the public any and all historical facts and objects; to mark places and buildings of historical interest in the Colfax Area and catalog such markers in an orderly and available manner; to accept gifts and donations from the public and other organizations; to raise funds in a legal manner to accomplish the above.