General Information about Laws Museum

Choo-Choo! All Aboard the Laws History Train!

Laws Railroad Museum is located on the site of the village of Laws, named after R.J. Laws, a railroad official. Founded in 1883, Laws existed for approximately 80 years along a narrow-gauge railway portion of the Southern Pacific Railroad. Southern Pacific donated the train depot and other buildings, as well as the last train, to Inyo County and the City of Bishop in 1960, and a local post office, which had operated at Laws since 1887, finally closed in 1963. The museum opened one year later.

The section of the Southern Pacific Railroad that passed through Laws was called the Carson and Colorado Railroad, as it was originally intended to run from Mound House in Carson City, Nevada, to the Colorado River. However, it only ended up stretching as far south as Keeler (72 miles south of Bishop on Highway 395), on the east side of Owens Lake. Because of the narrow tracks, one type of engine that powered the narrow-gauge trains was affectionately dubbed the “Slim Princess,” and one can be viewed at Laws.

Although most of the buildings at Laws now are not original, the feel of the village has been recreated by bringing in historic buildings and an extensive collection of late-19th/early-20th-century artifacts from around the Owens Valley to grace our beautiful museum grounds, which lie near the base of the postcard-worthy White Mountains to the east.

 

Gift Shop

Shop at Our Gift Store and Take a Bit of Laws’ Charm with You! 

We have a delightful collection of gifts available for your shopping pleasure: railroad and Western memorabilia, books, DVDs, children’s toys, souvenirs, decorations for your home, gourmet food items, dog treats, lots of fun items for pet lovers (of dogs AND cats), and an extensive selection of Christmas decorations all year round. 

What is the Laws Railroad Museum?

Laws is the location of the Bishop Creek Railroad Depot, which grew into a sizable settlement after the first train steamed into the station on April 1, 1883. By 1900, Southern Pacific Lines had taken over the Carson & Colorado Railroad and renamed the station "Laws" in honor of the railroad's Assistant Superintendent, R.J. Laws. While it was originally mainly a railroad site, Laws grew into a community center for local homesteaders, farmers, ranchers, and miners. The station and its community flourished until the railroad ceased operation.