"The site is unique" Supervisor Kris Stevens says. "It dates back about 7,000 years as a sacred place where ceremonies were held."

The American Indians who performed those ceremonies were part of the Maidu tribe whose territory once stretched eastward from the Sacramento River to the peaks of the Sierra Nevada. The land where the center now lies was important because of its year-round stream and wealth of oak trees, which produced acorns, a vital part of the Maidu’s food supply.

The center provides tours of the museum and grounds that give visitors a glimpse into Maidu culture. The 5,000-square-foot museum is filled with baskets, ceremonial regalia, tools such as bows and arrows, toys such as dolls and acorn dice, and rare soapstone pipes and jewelry. Although most of the items on display are Maiduan, some artifacts are from tribes across the United States. Outside, under the shade of oak trees, traces in the landscape help to tell the story of what a Maiduan’s daily life might have been like. There are petroglyphs (rock carvings) and bedrock mortars (holes in boulders where acorns were ground for mush and bread)

"All of the exhibits illustrate the connection between the people, their culture, and nature," Stevens says.

The center emphasizes those connections with events like the monthly campfire, where docents tell traditional stories. The annual Taste of the Wild (February 25, 2006) includes a feast of quail, salmon, and venison and visitors can watch bead making and weaving demonstrations. The Maidu Spring Celebration heralds in spring with dance groups, storytelling, a native crafts sale, and demonstrations of such skills as basket weaving.