Redwood Empire Railroad History Project
Exhibition Building
Mendocino County Museum
Willits, CA

This project involved additions to the existing Mendocino County Museum in Willits.  It is a multiphase project involving a variety of uses.  The new buildings included additional galleries, exhibition building, classrooms, computer lab, offices, maintenance building, artifact building and accessory buildings.  These are all integrated into a community park, with little league fields, football fields, parking and all surrounded by a working railroad loop for steam locomotives  There is also a rail spur and bridge to the public rail system.  This project involved integration with the City of Willits, County of Mendocino, Mendocino College, Corp. of Engineers, Cal Trans and Roots of Motive Power.  Roots is one of the funding groups and a nonprofit organization who will operate the railroad aspects once the project is completed.  The program called for an emphasis on railroads and an emphasis on the historical use of redwood in northern California.  They also wanted a the look of local historic barns.  It also called for the project to be multiphase such that improvements can be built as funds become available.  The first 5 phases are completed that include the parking lots, park, Exhibition Building, Artifacts Building, Learning Center and Maintenance Building.  The last phases include a working railroad loop around the facilities as well as a train station and out buildings. 

For more photos see:
http://www.rootsofmotivepower.com/html/Gallery/htmlExhLrnCntr/ExhLrnCntr.htm

Project Cost: $1.6 million
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