Exhibit Traces the Heartbeat of Merced Through Sound

Display panels present Merced and its surrounding communities in words, pictures and sound - visitors can scan a QR code with their phone to access sound clips.

"One of the main goals of the project was to have us understand the sonic presence within all the diversity of this community," said Vergara, a professor of music with a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology - the study of music in social and cultural contexts. She is also a jazz pianist who studied at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

"When you do this kind of research, you tap into deep, personal memories. The people we interview want their stories recorded, which is a gift to us."

There are trains in the "Soundscapes" exhibit, of course - railroad lines have defined the city since its birth in the 1870s. Soria said his grandfather came from Mexico at the start of the 20th century to work laying track for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

Other sounds evoked in the exhibit include military planes from Castle Air Force Base, the rattle of farm machines, the thrum and crash of old neighborhoods coming down and new ones going up, and the rustle of tall grass.

Music remains a big part of "Soundscapes." Venues such as the Merced County Fairgrounds and the American Legion Hall showcased local acts, along with national talent such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. The Joaquin Club, located on East 16th Street, hosted jazz, Latin, R&B and rock acts for decades; it was torn down in 2000. The oral histories delve into contemporary music makers such as hip-hop artists.

Numerous cultures weave through the exhibit's narrative - Indigenous people; Mexican Americans; Sikhs; Hmong; and descendants of early immigrants from Portugal, Italy, Ireland and the Netherlands.

The "Soundscapes" project includes a digital archive of music, sounds and interviews that Vergara is curating with support from the UC Merced Center for the Humanities.

"There's a different kind of knowledge you can access through sound," Vergara said. "When you ask people about sounds they remember, you get answers you wouldn't get otherwise."