How a 1929 Land Gift Gave Lassen Volcanic Park Its First Museum

Homesteader Benjamin Loomis photographed the dramatic eruptions of Lassen Peak in 1914, documenting a pivotal moment in volcanic history. Together with his wife Estella, he later built a museum and seismograph station on their private land near the volcano. In 1929, the couple formally donated their 40-acre property, including these facilities, to the United States government. The site is now known as the Loomis Museum, located within Lassen Volcanic National Park in California. It continues to educate visitors about the region's volcanic past and the Loomis family's role in preserving its history.