Former U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan will announce Preserve Nevada's 2004 choices for the state's "11 Most Endangered Historic Places" at a press conference May 10 in Las Vegas . The event, which is free and open to the public, will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Railroad Cottage, located at Fourth Street and Bonneville Avenue .
The endangered sites were selected by Preserve Nevada as part of its program to bring attention to significant buildings, sites, and landscapes that face threat of destruction. For the first time, Preserve Nevada included in its lists two categories that reflect statewide preservation concerns: cemeteries and ranches.
Preserve Nevada is a non-profit preservation organization associated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the public history program in UNLV's College of Liberal Arts .
"Nevada is in danger of losing many of its cultural and architectural treasures to the state's unprecedented development," said former Sen. Richard Bryan, chair of the Preserve Nevada board. "I hope that as we build awareness of the importance of these historic places, they will serve as testaments to our preservation successes in the future."
The 11 Most Endangered Historic Places for 2004 are:
- The La Concha Hotel Lobby - Designed by African-American architect Paul Revere Williams, this mid-century modern structure will be demolished unless it can be relocated through an organized rescue by its owners, Preserve Nevada, and a nation-wide network of preservationists.
- Bethel A.M.E. Church , Reno -- Built in 1910, the Bethel A.M.E. Church is the longest-operating black church in Nevada . An arson fire damaged the church's interior in March.
- Nevada cemeteries - A large number of cemeteries have been abandoned or left vulnerable to the ravages of time.
- Hawthorne U.S.O. Building - Opened in 1942, the Hawthorne served as a "home away from home" for thousands of servicemen and war workers. It is the sole remaining USO building in Nevada of two that were originally built.
- The Bank Saloon (Jack's Bar) - - Built in 1899, the pink sandstone building has been a meeting place for legislators, the press, and local residents for more than a century.
- Northern Nevada Railway and Line - Built in 1905, the railway has contributed to the diversification of the Great Basin and is threatened by a lawsuit that, if successful, will scrap remaining track.
- Nevada ranches - Many of Nevada's pioneer ranches are in danger of being lost due to the shifting economy and encroaching urbanization.
- The Reno Masonic Temple/Reno Mercantile - Nevada 's oldest commercial building has been recently deemed as having "no commercial value."
- Rye Patch and Applegate-Lassen Trail - One of the richest archeological sites in Nevada, the property has been transferred from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to Pershing County, making the future of prehistoric and historic sites in this area uncertain.
- The Old Spanish Trail - Once the only all-weather route between Santa Fe and Southern California, the trail is under continued threat from explosive growth in Clark County.
- The Union Hotel - This Dayton hostelry was constructed in 1870 and, having been neglected, may soon deteriorate beyond repair.
Preserve Nevada will also name the state's preservation success stories at the event, including the Thompson Opera House in Pioche, the Sloan Canyon Conservation Area, and the Rinckle Mansion .
Preserve Nevada's board members include former Sen. Richard Bryan; Andrew Kirk, director of UNLV's public history program; Sue Fawn Chung, professor of history at UNLV and Southern Nevada adviser to the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Robert A. Stoldal, vice president of KLAS TV-8; Carrie Young, founding member of the Truckee Meadows Heritage Trust; Honor Jones, a longtime preservationist in Reno; Gregory Seymour, research manager for the Las Vegas Springs Preserve; Andria S. Daley-Taylor, Northern Nevada adviser to the National Trust for Historic Preservation; Nancy Hexter, managing editor of the American College of Sports Medicine's "Health & Fitness Journal"; and Michael "Bert" Bedeau, architectural historian and director of the Comstock Historic District Commission.
Additional support for Preserve Nevada is provided by a $35,000 challenge grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
An additional announcement will be made May 14 at the Fourth Ward School in Virginia City . For more information about Preserve Nevada, contact Andrew Kirk or Mary Wammack at (702) 895-2908 or send an e-mail to: Preserve.Nevada@ccmail.nevada.edu .
UNLV is a doctoral-degree-granting institution with nearly 27,000 students and approximately 850 faculty members. More than 200 undergraduate, master's, and doctoral degrees are offered. Founded in 1957, UNLV is located on 337 acres in dynamic Southern Nevada . The university is ranked in the category of Doctoral/Research Universities-Intensive by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
