Museum exhibits take residents back to good ol' days

It was one more chapter in the history of Carson Valley Friday night, as many residents gathered at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center reception.

Lifelong Valley people such as Max Jones, Ed Court and Paula Reed were there with many others dropping in during the three-hour viewing of the museum's new exhibits.

Mike Malone entertained with his singing and guitar playing while attendees looked at the new murals of wild horses and Kit Carson painted by Beverly Caputo, at the Minden Centennial room, at the Women in History exhibit and downstairs at the "Main Street" exhibit being created from several rooms with windows displaying "shops" that you would find in a small town of the past.

Richard Smith and Dan Hickey examined a 1906 map of Minden on the wall in the Minden Centennial room, with strings running from a specific point on the map to a picture of what was located there.

"I love these old pictures," said Smith.

Hickey, who is a fourth-generation Carson Valley resident, reminisced about when he was a child growing up in Minden.

"When I was a little kid, there was a butcher shop there," he said, pointing to the area next the C.O.D. Garage in one photo. "Us kids would peek in there at the C.O.D. Garage car shows that were held in September. They had the balloons, they had the hot dogs. It was really neat."

Paula Reed was taking a look at all the photos displayed on another wall in the Minden Centennial room.

Born in 1921 on Mono Street in Minden, Reed said she remembers everything shown in the pictures. One in particular was of the 1908-1909 school year at Minden Grammar School.

"Miss Sofena Jepson was my aunt," she said, pointing to the teacher's picture. "She taught my father, Herman Springmeyer," she said pointing to one of the students.

Museum volunteers created the Minden Centennial exhibit in time for the Minden Centennial Celebration that will take place on July 2. The exhibit will remain in place until November.

For more information on the Carson Museum & Cultural Center, call 782-2555.