Historical

As we get ready to ring in 2018 and say goodbye to 2017, we want to reflect briefly on the history of the New Year celebration and amuse you with some fun historical facts.

One of the most notable celebrations is that in Times Square in Manhattan. This has been an annual event in New York since 1907.

Nearly every television station will broadcast the “ball drop” in Times Square: A large, lighted crystal ball sliding down a 77-foot pole over the course of the last minute of the year. When the ball reaches the bottom, it is the New Year.

Santa comes in all shapes, sizes, and apparently, vehicles. Hop aboard the Santa Train at the Nevada Railroad Museum. It’s an out-of-this-world Alien Santa at the annual Zen Christmas at A to Zen. A cookie-loving Santa can be found at Adele’s during their annual toy drive for the Ron Wood Resource Center. If your ‘kids’ are the four-legged kind, then head over to PetSmart or Paws to Pur-fection Dog Grooming for your holiday photos. In addition to the Santa-mania, you’ll find a downtown Carson Beer Crawl, two plays at the Brewery Arts Center, and plenty of music.

Minden's Tanner Thorson, 21, looks ahead to 2018, as he partners with new organizations for the upcoming race season. Thorson is set to pilot the Dooling Hayward Motorsports/Richard Childress Racing No. 63 midget and the Tri-C Motorsports No. 3c wing sprint car.

CARSON CITY — The sight of school buses outside Nevada’s seven State museums has become less common in the years since the Great Recession hit in 2007 as school districts dealing with tight budgets cut spending on field trips and their related transportation costs.

The rumors of Santa Claus coming to town are true. The jolly old man is making several appearances today, and is feeling photogenic. Take a ride with him at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, join him on the ‘Elf Crawl’ from the Capitol to the Carson Mall, or tell him your wish list at Debug Computers. Adults have a hard choice to make: the monthly downtown wine walk and the Holiday with a Hero Pub Crawl both take place today, and I’m not sure I’d recommend attempting both.

Carson City will soon be home to a championship disc golf course complex on the east side of town with a tentative opening sometime in spring 2018, according to Carson City Parks and Recreation officials.

Tis the season for visits with Santa, holiday twinkle lights, and craft fairs and festivals. In order to make your December planning a little easier, take a look at what is coming up in the Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton, and Virginia City area. Go deck the halls, get some jingle bells, and wassail away.

Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District christened Marine 24 earlier this month, giving Lake Tahoe its first year-round firefighting boat. At a cost of nearly $500,000, the vessel is able to fight fires from on board as well as piping water from the lake into water tenders.

With Thanksgiving just days away, the holiday season is just around the corner. The annual Holiday Craft Fair at Carson High features a plethora of handmade and locally crafted gifts for the loved ones on your shopping list. Take the plunge at the Carson Aquatic Center if you want to get a picture with Scuba Santa. Grab a coat, some friends, and your ID and head downtown for this month’s beer crawl. $15 gets you a glass and your first beer, from there you’ll pay only $1 for refills at several watering holes. There’s even more to enjoy this weekend, so keep reading for your options.

It was at one time the mightiest voice in Nevada journalism, and could make or break powerful men with just one sentence printed on a Hoe steam press, located in the basement of the Territorial Enterprise building. After a long and distinguished career the T.E. building is being sold once again.

It has been said that those who can’t ‘do,’ teach. ‘Inspirations,’ the newest art exhibit in the Community Development Building by City Hall, proves that adage a lie. At the reception tonight, you’ll get the chance to meet regional art teachers that are still practicing their passion.

Although Veterans Day was observed yesterday, there are several things today that honor our former members of the military. Battle Born Harley Davidson is throwing an appreciation party complete with food trucks. Virginia City’s annual Veterans Day Parade begins at 11 a.m. and the City of Reno will commence their parade after a short ceremony beginning at 11:11 a.m. You’ll find an abundance of craft fairs in Carson City, Carson Valley, and Dayton. Western Nevada Musical Theater Co.

Every year for Veterans Day, several local and national businesses go out of their way to say thank you to the men and women who have served, and are actively serving in our armed forces. Below, you’ll find a list of our local companies that have something special for our active and retired military members. Be prepared to provide proof of service in order to take advantage.

SPECIALS AND FREEBIES FOR VETERANS DAY:
SATURDAY – SUNDAY:

Welcome to the weekend, Carson City. Now that we are in November, thoughts turn to the holiday season. That means craft fairs. St. Paul’s Lutheran Family on Saliman welcomes you to their annual Craftique Open House. You’ll find the Young at Heart Seniors Club hosting a faire at the Douglas County Community Center. The Carson Nugget’s Sierra Room will be home to several artisans, vendors, and crafters during today’s wine walk. There’s quite a bit more, and plenty that doesn’t involve shopping, so take a look and have a great time.

SATURDAY:

Finally, Nevada Day weekend is here. State offices are closed, the kids are off school, and Carson City is hoppin’. Join the Downtown Business Association for the ‘Passport to Downtown’ with live music, a raffle, craft and vendor show, and a family fun center, complete with petting zoo. Stick around for the annual fall Blinky Man Costumed Nighttime Bike Ride Pub Crawl with Lights. Halloween festivities, a carnival in Mills Park, and opening night of the La Ka Lel Be Pow Wow are on today’s list, as well.

It’s that time again. The Battle Born state celebrates its admission to the United States on the last Friday of October, with the annual Nevada Day parade on Saturday. New this year is a ‘Passport to Downtown’ event on Friday. Also new this year is the one-night-only curated art show, Capital Collage, on Friday night featuring over 20 diverse artists and organizations.

The countdown continues. Nevada Day is observed Friday, so get ready for an action-packed three-day weekend. Head down to Old Town Dayton for their annual Haunted Hayrides into History. You’ll find games, refreshments, Ghostly Pioneers, and it’s the perfect place for your costume. The Boys and Girls Club invites you to their ‘Lights on Afterschool’ event with an ice cream social, face painting, games, bounce house, S.T.E.M. labs and more. A Dodgeball battle at the Multi-Purpose Athletic Center raises money for Domestic Abuse Awareness.

The Nevada State Museum and the Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City are offering free admission to patrons both Friday and Saturday in recognition of Nevada Day.

Welcome back to the weekend, readers. Halloween stuff is plentiful (go HERE for a complete list of upcoming activities), pumpkins are patched, the ghosts are walking, and there are loads of events to keep you, your friends and family entertained. The Harvest Train at the Nevada Railroad Museum is a fun treat for kids of all ages. It’s time for the annual all-day downtown Ghost Walk. From 10 a.m.

Join Nevada author Sandie La Nae and Nevada Historical Society's Special Works Historian Arline La Ferry for their lecture at the Gold Hill Hotel/Crown Point Restaurant Thursday, Oct. 26 from 7 to 8 p.m.

La Nae and La Ferry offer an informative, interesting and intriguing lecture on their book, "Weird Silver Terrace Cemetery....Tales Beneath The Tombstones," the second volume of their "Weird Virginia City" trilogy.

A PowerPoint presentation accompanies the lecture.

Entrance fee is $5. Reservations are required.

Every season brings a new kind of beauty to our valley. Just like the changing leaves, our art galleries are constantly evolving. You’re almost out of time to enjoy the ART from UNR display in the Community Development Building behind Jimmy G’s Cigar Bar. If you attend the Capital City Arts Initiative's Nevada Neighbors talk tonight, you’ll have plenty of time to check it out. CCAI has invited curator Michele Quinn to present an illustrated talk on the rising art scene in Las Vegas.

CARSON CITY — A bronze plaque at Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada memorializes Stephen T. Mather, the founder and first director of the National Park Service.

There have been quite a few exciting changes to downtown this year. Today we celebrate the grand opening of the Union Carson eatery, taphouse and coffee bar with a ribbon cutting and tasty fundraiser. $20 gets you a few hours of food, beer and wine, and great live music, and it’s all for a great cause. Artist Adrienne Harrington is the star of this evening’s reception at Artsy Fartsy Art Gallery. The Gold Hill Hotel hosts a weekly lecture series: learn more about the near-by historical ghost town, Bodie, while enjoying a meal. Hoops with Heroes at Dayton High School pits the varsity and j.v.

SILVER CITY, Nev. — Sophie Scott of New Zealand is the visiting artist at the Resident Artist Program in Silver City this Autumn. Her latest artwork will be showcased in an exhibition on the 4th Floor Gallery of nearby St. Mary’s Art Center, 55 North R Street, Virginia City, from Oct. 14 through Oct. 21. The public is invited to the catered opening reception on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 1 to 4 p.m.

Members of the Carson City Leisure Hour Club will learn of the loves and losses of Julia Bulette, renowned resident of Virginia City, at their dinner meeting on Wednesday, October 18.

Bulette’s murder began a manhunt that last over a year and resulted in the arrest, trial, and the April 24, 1869 execution of John Millian.

In what was the largest gathering of people in Nevada up to that time, 3,000 to 4,000 people were present at the hanging.

Some weekends are pretty cut and dry, just a few things to choose among. This, however, is not one of those weekends. High-flying, death-defying action takes over the Minden Airport as the Aviation Roundup Air Show takes to the skies. Pasta-lovers won’t want to miss the Eldorado Great Italian Festival in downtown Reno. Carson City’s monthly Downtown Wine Walk gets a dose of nostalgia as the Western Airstream Convention sets up shop and welcomes the curious.

The Carson City Historical Society is holding a Bear and Doll Show and Sale on Saturday, October 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Vendors and collectors will showcase dolls and bears from vintage to contemporary hand made.There will be bears, dolls and their accessories for sale.

Calling all Geeks. After a long hiatus, the Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz has returned to Carson City, and is setting up shop inside Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint on Tuesday nights. Grab your smartest friends for a fun night of yummy drinks, great food, and nerdy competition. It's National Register to Vote Day - Carson residents can go to the County Clerk's office in the Courthouse. While you're there, head to the CCAI Gallery on the second floor to catch the last few days of the 'Industrial Art: Sports Edition' exhibit.

The Nevada Historical Society in Reno is launching a new lecture series that celebrates one of the state’s most important industries: gaming.

The children of Randall and Hope Posas-Wungnema cordially invite the public to join them on Saturday, Oct. 7 for the screening of “W is for Wungnema” a presentation detailing the family’s many and varied masonry projects throughout Northern Nevada and Northern California.