NHS digital e-newsletter
Spring 2022
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Year of the Docent - 40th Anniversary of the NHS Docent Council |
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Our amazing docents at the
Reno Aces Education Day, 2018.
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One of our educational docents, Sam Maculuso, leading a school tour. |
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Happy Spring!
The NHS Docent Council celebrated the members’ many achievements at the Fordham Luncheon on April 6. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the NHS Docent Council, and we celebrated their awe-inspiring achievements with awards from Governor Sisolak and the Docent Council. We were thrilled to have Brenda Scolari, Director of Department of Tourism & Cultural Affairs, and Myron Freedman, Administrator of the Division of Museums & History, there to honor our docents and meet the Docent Council founder Barbara Harmon! The NHS simply could not operate without docent support, and the awardees reflect this, including those who have volunteered over 9000 hours! THANK YOU DOCENTS!!!
There are a variety of ways you can support the Nevada Historical Society with tax-deductible donations through annual/unrestricted gifts, memorial endowment funds, restricted donations, or personal legacy funds; contact Catherine for details.
Cheers,
Catherine
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Panoramic view of Pioche. NV. 1880s.
Photo# LN00665, NHS.
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Pioche's first courthouse. 1920s.
Photo# LN00157, NHS.
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NHS This is Nevada Series
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Great Pioche Fire of 1871
Although Pioche had a reputation as one of Nevada's toughest towns during the boom days of the early 1870s, the community shared many of the problems of other settlements on the mining frontier. Among these was an inadequate water system and a consequent problem with fire. The crowding of wooden houses on the hillsides near the mines was part of the problem, as was haphazard installation of stovepipes, the practice of discarding hot coals out the doorway, and the storage of blasting powder and other explosive materials right in town.
To learn more about the Great Pioche Fire, click on the article link.
TWNS - published in April 1992.
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40 Years of the Docent Council |
Did you know that NHS is celebrating a major milestone beginning in April?
Our volunteer program, the NHS Docent Council, has turned the BIG 40!
Our docents have accomplished so many things over the years from giving tours, processing collections, outreach, greeting visitors, and helping work with researchers in our library. We can't thank them enough for their generosity.
Each year in April, the docent council recognizes those members that have contributed to the NHS in special ways, either through length of time served or through particular programs and projects at the Marjorie Fordham Luncheon.
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John Gomes, former NHS docent, leading an Artown tour in the Mining section.
Check out the NHS website Year of the Docent to learn more about our docents, past and present! |
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Research Library Appointment Scheduling System |
We are excited to announce that the Nevada Historical Society has a new online appointment scheduling system for booking visits to the Research Library on our website.
ScheduleOnce, by OnceHub, allows researchers to select the date and duration of their requested visit, as well as supply information about their research topic.
Staff are then able to review the booking request and confirm appointments via the system, which also tracks all bookings.
Researchers will receive an email from the OnceHub Mailer mailer@oncehub.com when their appointment has been confirmed by staff.
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The confirmation email also includes the option to add the appointment to a calendar. 24 hours before an appointment, a reminder email will be sent out, with a link allowing the researcher to reschedule or cancel if necessary.
Essentially, ScheduleOnce streamlines and automates much of the appointment booking process on the staff side, freeing up time to assist with research inquiries and prepare for Research Library appointments.
If you have any questions or feedback about ScheduleOnce, please feel free to email Librarian/Archivist Sarah Patton at spatton@nevadaculture.org.
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High Noon: Shootout with Neal Cobb Series |
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Thursday, April 21, 2022
Speaker, Steve Saylor, Exe. Director
Lecture Title: Donovan Mill
The Donovan Mill in Silver City, Nevada was established in 1860 and was the longest running stamp mill on the Comstock and is the largest historic stamp mill in the nation. It is only one of four mills left on the Comstock out of 260 stamp mills that were in operation back in the late 1800s. The Comstock Foundation purchased The Donovan in 2014 and saved it from being sold off piece by piece. Since then tens of thousands of dollars have been spent on restoration of the mill. Thousands of dollars are still needed to complete restoration with progress being made every day.
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Steve Saylor, Executive Director Comstock Foundation |
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Thursday, May 19, 2022
Speaker, Carol Coleman, Pres.
Lecture Title: Where to Hear about Nevada History
The Historic Reno Preservation Society (HRPS), in its 25th year as an all-volunteer organization, strives to preserve and promote the history of the Truckee Meadows. HRPS offered Walking Tours and Speaker Programs and, starting in 2010, a Fall Home Tour, where many Reno residents opened their historic homes to the public.
HRPS writes about Reno’s historic properties and advocates for their preservation. With the pandemic, HRPS turned to virtual Neighborhood Stories and Speaker Programs. This presentation will describe HRPS activities, a few great books on Reno and Nevada history, and other historical organizations that you should know about.
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Carol Coleman, HRPS President |
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Anecdotes from the Archives
Sarah Patton, Archivist
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It’s hard to believe it’s already been three months since I started in the newly-created position of Archivist at the Nevada Historical Society.
As one might expect, I’ve spent a fair amount of time familiarizing myself with our holdings, collecting areas, and existing policies and procedures, as well as learning more about Nevada history and geography.
Responding to the reference inquiries we receive and preparing for researcher visits has definitely helped with the latter!
For the Research Library, I implemented online appointment scheduling at the beginning of February. In the works is a digital researcher registration form, which includes an updated Conditions of Use agreement. We also purchased out cards for researchers to use to mark their place while working with boxed manuscript material, helping to ensure that folders stay in order.
And keep an eye out for new signage coming soon related to copyright, handling material, and what can/cannot be brought into the Research Library
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For manuscripts, my goal in the coming months is to enhance our physical and intellectual control of the material to better serve staff and researchers.
To that end, I would welcome assistance with data entry / data clean-up projects, including:
• Shelf-read (Excel)
• Record clean-up (PastPerfect)
• Reformatting finding aids for website (Word)
• Researcher card data entry (Access or Excel)
Thank you to everyone for being so welcoming and patient as I settle into my new role. I’m excited for what lies ahead!
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Sarah cataloging the New China Club photos for her upcoming Artown talk. |
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Huffaker House, spring 1934. |
Newly built chicken coop with daughter Annie in the doorway, 1934. |
John and Annie sitting on burro with their father F. M. Young standing and holding the reins, 1934. |
Construction workers building the new milk barn, pose for a photograph, 1938 |
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Historical Collection Highlights
Sheryln Hayes-Zorn, Curator of History
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Newly discover in the Verna Paterson papers is a handmade album belonging to F.M. Young, covering the period 1934-1940.
The album consists of photographs, newspaper clippings, highlighting what the F.M. Young family did while living and running the historic Huffaker Ranch that businessman Mr. George Osen purchased and named the Thomas Creek Ranch.
Mr. George Osen was the owner of Osen Motor Sales in Reno. He purchased the Huffaker Ranch from Leon Shores in January 1934. The property consisted of 60 acres of land, the eight bedroom Huffaker home, ½ mile of highway frontage, and numerous outbuildings and barns. Osen paid $25,000 to purchase the property.
The remodeling began right away after Mr. Shores moved out on January 17th, 1934. The workers built a new house and remodeled the Huffaker house, inside and out.
Mr. Osen had work done on the property for F. M. Young, manager of the Osen Motor Sales and ranch. The family moved in on March 13, 1934, after the remodeling was complete.
A new garage and chicken coop were built, along with new fruit trees being planted in early April. The Young family raised chickens, rabbits, ducklings, turkeys, and a golden pheasant.
The family oversaw the new Guernsey Cattle and the construction of their new milk barn in 1938 for the Thomas Creek Ranch Dairy.
The Youngs were equestrians and owned several horses and a couple of burros. They were involved in the Baker and Reno Rodeos.
The album shows the names of their calves and their son, John showed his calf, Jarbidge, in the 1938 Reno Rodeo.
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Neil Carlsen is the intrepid leader of Team Photo who is making our photography collections more easily available to YOU. Neil has been working at NHS for the past five years.
Neil volunteers at the NHS four days a week digitizing photographs and entering them and their valuable historic information into our database. Neil has volunteered over 2000 hours preserving our cultural heritage!
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Lorraine Petersen giving an Artown tour in the Living off the Land section. |
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We are excited to promote our in-person Artown short-talks and gallery tours that are scheduled for every Wednesday in July.
Click on the link to download our Artown Talks & Gallery Tours brochure. for this July. We will post more information about specific gallery tours on our website soon! We look forward to seeing you here.
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NHS Collection News
Sheryln Hayes-Zorn, Curator of History
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Staff and volunteers are always working behind the scenes processing collections at the Society.
NHS docent John Hoffa and myself recently processed one of our political collections.
MSNC148, The papers of David G. Towell Sr., Nevada's only representative in the U.S. Congress from 1973-1975.
This collection contains extensive correspondence and legislative material on topics that still impact us today. Topics range from creating parks (including Red Rock Recreation Park), designating wilderness, social services, Aging for Seniors, education, veteran services, and abortion. Of course, we can't forget Nixon and Watergate!
Towll lost his bid for the US Senate in 1976. He lived in Carson Valley and worked as a realtor for 40 years. Towell passed away in 2003 from cancer.
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SHS student letter supporting the impeachment of President Nixon, 1973. |
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Dr. Jeanne Elizabeth Wier |
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Nevada Historical Society 'Q' |
Diary of Jeanne E. Wier
Left Reno for Goldfield at midnight. Upper berth & hot. Noise from Reno Hotel Roof Garden, so no sleep until sleeper was attached to [train] 24 and left Reno. Diner left at Mina, . . . Reached Goldfield at noon.
Has certificate framed which shows dividends paid. (1875) Once asked John MacKay for privilege of visiting mine. Latter said it would cost him $3000. Because miners would talk to him...
To learn more about the adventures of Dr. Wier, first NHS director, click on the article link.
NHSQ Spring 1961, pages 3-23.
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NHS Program Lectures Available |
Don't forget to check out the Interviews, Programs and Lectures page. Content continues to be added to this page! From the latest IndyMatters Podcast segment on History of Nevada Day, 100 years of History of the NHS video by Gwen Clancy, and more. |
We have many of our history and educational videos on YouTube. You can find the Nevada Historical Society playlist under the Nevada State Museums Channel.
Click here to subscribe to the NHS Playlist under Nevada State Museums channel.
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Nevada's Oldest Cultural Institution
Nevada Historical Society
1650 N. Virginia Street
Reno, NV. 89503
775.688.1190
NHS is part of the Dept. Tourism & Cultural Affairs, Div. of Museums & History
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