About the Nevada Historical Marker Program
Nevada's Historical Marker Program was authorized by the State Legislature in 1967, with the purpose of commemorating and bringing to public attention the state's historic heritage. The 267 markers (as of early 2011) highlight the significance of people and places that have shaped Nevada - ancient archaeological sites, early exploration, emigrants and pioneers, cowboys and Indians, ranching and settlement, mining booms and busts, boom towns and ghost towns, the Pony Express, historic events, natural wonders, and more. It's an impressive list. To make it all work, the Historical Marker Program is a cooperative effort involving a number of state agencies - Department of Cultural Affairs, State Historic Preservation Office, Nevada Historical Society, and the Nevada Department of Transportation.About the Types of Nevada Historical Markers
Nevada's historical markers come in a variety shapes and sizes. The most recognizeable ones are like the photo with this article, made of metal, shaped like Nevada, and painted blue. In other configurations, you will find them as metal plaques on the sides of buildings, embedded in rocks, and preserved in stone monuments and pedestals. Some are big, some are small, some are prominent, and some are in obscure places and hard to find. Nevada-Landmarks has photos and good descriptions of how each marker is constructed.
Nevada Historical Markers in Reno and Washoe County
There are 42 historical markers in Washoe County. Most are concentrated in the Reno / Tahoe area encompassing Reno, Sparks, Carson City, and the north end of Lake Tahoe. From the old Washoe County Courthouse downtown and on out to Verdi, you will encounter a few of them on most any trip around Reno. If you venture further afield, look for markers to the east along I80 and way up north to Gerlach and beyond.Sources for Finding Nevada Historical Markers
Many of Nevada's historical markers are located by the roadside blue and white signs saying "Historic Marker Ahead." Many markers, however, do not have such a clue as to their location. A good guide is essential for the marker hunter and the best one I've found is Nevada-Landmarks by Paul Sebesta of Carson City.
When I say Sebesta's guide is good, I mean extensive. You won't find another single source for more information about Nevada's historical markers. Over a period of five years, he visited and photographed every one of Nevada's 267 markers. On Nevada-Landmarks, he describes each marker, provides directions for finding it, adds a story, and describes any precautions he thinks may be warranted (like markers really close to busy highways). He started the website in 2006 with a few markers in the Carson City area and it took off from there.
The historical markers website of the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office may also be useful to the historical marker hunter. The site appears to be suffering from lack of maintenance, but there is interesting information about the markers.
Historic Marker Program
State Historic Preservation Office
100 North Stewart Street
Carson City, NV 89701-4285
Telephone: (775) 684-3439
Sources: Nevada State Historic Preservation Office, Nevada-Landmarks.
Books About Reno History
Early Reno - A book of historic Reno photographs compiled by the Nevada Historical Society Docent Council.
Historic Photos of Reno - A coffee table-sized book on Reno with pictures and commentary covering Reno from around 1868 to the end of the 1970s. Author Donnelyn Curtis is a librarian at the University of Nevada, Reno, Director of Research Collections & Services, and head of Special Collections.
Nevada Ghost Towns & Mining Camps: Illustrated Atlas - Author Stanley W. Paher brings us an excellent book about exploring northern Nevada ghost towns (there is a companion book covering southern Nevada). Together with a little history of the sites, the book has maps and photos to help you find these historic sites.
