Modoc County Historical Museum

The Modoc County Historical Museum is a history museum in Alturas that holds extensive collections related to the region and its original inhabitants. Inside and outside, visitors find Native American artifacts, military items, pioneer objects, and a historic steam locomotive.

The museum was founded in 1926 by Marc and Myrtle Bellis, who started it as a personal collection of Native American and pioneer objects. The collection grew over time as new items were acquired and donated.

The museum displays items from three regional Native American communities: the Pit River Tribe, the Modoc, and Paiute people. Visitors can see how these groups lived and the tools and crafts they created.

The museum is easy to access and offers both indoor exhibitions and an outdoor area with the historic locomotive. Visitors should allow time to explore both sections thoroughly to see the full range of collections.

The museum houses a notable firearms collection spanning from the 15th century to weapons from both World Wars. Among the rare pieces are old blunderbusses that show how shooting weapons changed over hundreds of years.

Location: California

Inception: 1926

GPS coordinates: 41.47950,-120.54200

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:43