The museum was destroyed in 2015 in the Butte Fire and is now located near Santa Cruz.
[3] The museum was registered in 1999[4] and takes its name from its founder, John K. La Rue, whose collection originally formed its basis.
[1][5] The museum's collection, drawn from all over the world and dating back to the 1870s, has included switching equipment, military equipment, batteries, prototypes, and telephone memorabilia such as directories, in addition to working handsets of all eras.
[2][6][7] Founded in Mountain Ranch, in the Sierra foothills, it was destroyed in the Butte Fire on September 10, 2015.
[5] Curators have included Wayne Merit[3] and Remco Enthoven.