Auburn's 1898 courthouse built on the site of the town's first cemetery, where staff report Elmer Gum's cigar smoke in the restored sheriff's office and loud crashes linked to executed murderer Adolf Weber
101 Maple St, Auburn, CA 95603
Research updated June 2026
Age
All Ages
Cost
Free
Free admission. Gold Country Ghost Tours (separate operator) are ticketed; tickets go on sale in August.
Access
Wheelchair OK
Ground-floor museum in a large 1898 courthouse; accessible entry.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 1898 · National Register of Historic Places · Old Auburn Historic District · Built on site of Auburn's first cemetery and first public hanging ground
Auburn's first European-American settlement grew quickly after gold was discovered in the surrounding ravines in 1848. The town's first cemetery was established near the top of the hill that now anchors the Old Town commercial district. When Placer County needed a courthouse in 1854, the wooden structure was built on or adjacent to that cemetery ground; remains were relocated. When the present 1898 building replaced it, another relocation occurred.
The 1898 Neoclassical courthouse — built in an architectural style that echoes elements of the state capitol — was designed to project stability and permanence. It remains in active use as a superior court, with the Placer County Museum occupying the first floor. The building is a contributing property in the Old Auburn Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Adolf Weber, a young Auburn man, robbed the Bank of Placer County in May 1904. When his family became aware of his involvement, Weber shot and killed four family members — his parents, his 18-year-old sister Bertha, and his 8-year-old invalid brother Earl — burning the house to conceal the crime. He was arrested, tried in the Placer County Courthouse beginning February 6, 1905, convicted of murder, and hanged on September 27, 1906. The trial, conviction, and execution drew regional attention and were reported at length in California newspapers of the period.
Sheriff Elmer Gum, who died in 1941, was a longtime county official known for smoking cigars at his office desk. The courthouse was Gold Country Ghost Tours' anchor venue when the tour operator launched in 2016.
Sources
The Placer County Courthouse Museum's two most-documented paranormal accounts are linked to specific named individuals with verified historical records.
Sheriff Elmer Gum, who died in 1941 after years of service to the county, was well-known for smoking cigars at his desk. Staff in the restored sheriff's office have reported detecting cigar smoke on days when no smoking is present anywhere in the building. The account is consistent enough that county staff who documented the museum's ghost stories in official materials cite it as the most frequently noticed phenomenon.
Adolf Weber — convicted and hanged in 1906 for the murder of his parents, sister, and brother after they discovered he had robbed a local bank — is connected to reports of loud crashing sounds that occur without apparent cause when visitors discuss or appear to provoke his presence. The Placer County government's own published account of ghost stories from its museums includes this description.
The building's location above the former cemetery and hanging ground provides additional historical context for the reported activity. Gold Country Ghost Tours uses the courthouse as its tour departure point and has documented Auburn's execution history as part of its programming since 2016. The museum also reports accounts of a young child seen or heard in the building, though this figure is not tied to a named historical record.
Notable Entities
The first-floor museum presents Placer County history from the early Nisenan inhabitants through the 20th century, including gold artifacts, the Pate Collection of American Indian objects, and a Thomas Kinkade painting. The restored sheriff's office — where cigar smoke has reportedly been detected since the death of Sheriff Elmer Gum in 1941 — is among the most-noted rooms.
A two-hour evening walking tour operated by Gold Country Ghost Tours departing from inside the Historic Courthouse, covering 10 of Old Town Auburn's most historically notorious sites. Seasonal (fall) offering; tickets available through Eventbrite.
Every HauntBound history is researched from documented sources. We clearly separate verified historical fact from paranormal folklore.
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