Cave Creek Museum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Cave Creek Museum

Cave Creek Museum entrance.
Established	1968
Location	6140 East Skyline Drive Cave Creek, Arizona
Type	History and culture museum
Key holdings	The first church of Cave Creek and the last tubercular cabin in the state
Collections	Central Ansbaugh Auditorium, the Archaeology Wing, the Pioneer Wing and the “Mini-wing.
Founder	Volunteers of the local historical society

The Cave Creek Museum is a special place in Cave Creek, Arizona. It's located at the bottom of the Black Mountains. This museum helps us learn about the past of the Cave Creek and Carefree areas. It shows us how people lived long ago, from ancient times to more recent history. You can explore many cool exhibits both inside and outside the museum building. Outside, you'll find the very first church of Cave Creek and a unique old cabin.

History of the Museum

How the Museum Started

The Cave Creek Museum began in 1968. A group of local people who loved history decided to form a historical society. They wanted to save important items and stories from the past. Frank and Hazel Wright generously gave them the land for the museum. Their main goal was to teach everyone about the history and culture of the Cave Creek area. They planned to do this through education, research, and cool exhibits.

Exploring the Museum

The museum officially opened its doors in April 1970. Inside, there are four main areas where you can see historical displays.

• The Central Ansbaugh Auditorium shows off beautiful textiles, oil paintings, jewelry, and sculptures.
• The Archaeology Wing teaches you about ancient times.
• The History Wing has items from Cave Creek's mining, military, and ranching days.
• There's also a "Mini-wing" with more interesting things to discover.

Outdoor Exhibits

Outside on the museum grounds, you can see the First Church of Cave Creek. This church was moved to the museum to be preserved. You can also find the last Tubercular Cabin in Arizona. This cabin is so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Long ago, gold prospectors came to Arizona looking for gold. They set up mining camps, even in Cave Creek. One of the museum's exhibits is the Golden Reef Stamp Mill, which was used to crush rocks to find gold. Other exhibits show tools and machines used by early ranchers in the area.

Amazing Historic Structures and Artifacts

The Cave Creek Museum has many cool historical items. Here are some of the things you can see:

• The Tubercular Cabin was built in 1920. You can see it from the outside and even go inside. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.
• The First Church of Cave Creek was built in 1948. It's also known as the First Episcopal Church of Cave Creek.
• You can see the original bell from the First Church of Cave Creek.
• The 1900 Cave Creek Bandshell is a historic gazebo.
• The Golden Reef Stamp Mill was built in 1880. It's a big machine used for mining.
• There's also a pre-1913 Golden Reef Mine Aerial Cableway. This was like a ropeway conveyor used to move things.
• You can see a Miner's Arrastra, which was a simple machine used to grind ore.
• Don't miss the fun Cave Creek Museum lizard bench!

See also

• Arizona Mining and Mineral Museum
• McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park
• Pioneer and Military Memorial Park
• Pioneer Living History Museum