Merced County Courthouse Museum will open “Centennial Celebrations: El Nido Schoolhouse and Gustine City” exhibit on Thursday, July 30 at 5:00 p.m. From the Eastside to the Westside, Merced County is observing two important centennial celebrations this year. The old El Nido Schoolhouse, completed in 1915, has served as the heart and soul of this unincorporated town for a century. Over on the Westside, the City of Gustine, incorporated on November 11, 1915, continues to be the dairy center of Merced County as its city seal illustrates. Featuring historic photos, artifacts, personal diaries, and family stories, the exhibit will highlight a century of progress in these two rural communities. While the El Nido exhibit is thematically arranged by family stories, Gustine’s display is organized chronologically with a timeline of major events. At the exhibit opening, Pat Snoke, Gustine historian and author, will autograph “Gustine: Gem of the Valley” which was published in 1990 to commemorate Gustine’s 75th anniversary as an incorporated city. For more information about the exhibit, please contact the Courthouse Museum at 723-2401. The exhibit is free to the public and will run through September 27