Next week is the beginning of September which means that Saturday, Sept. 1, will be Student Day at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville. Student Day is when all students get in free if they are accompanied by an adult. We have a special surprise planned. Mrs. Debbie Byers, portraying her grand-mother Mrs. Auguste Hellwinkel, will be our featured guest.
Mrs. Hellwinkel came to Carson Valley in 1910 and was married and raised her nine children here. She has a lot of interesting things to tell us about the history of our Valley and will be speaking at 11 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. in the main gallery of the museum. This is part of the continuing series on oral history, which stresses the importance of recording the history of grandparents and great grandparents while they are still alive.
The lecture series continues 7 p.m. Sept. 13 with Stan Paher, Nevada historian, author and publisher. Stan is an authority on old Nevada ghost towns and mining camps.
Last week I promised you something new to involve the whole community.
Here it is. We are sponsoring a photo contest. DCHS wants to know what you think best represents Douglas County in the month of September. Is it kids going back to school? Is it dry riverbeds? Is it last minute, hurry up and finish before the snow falls, road construction?
We want you to take a picture of that one thing that means September to you. Then we want you to submit a copy of that photo to us at DCHS.
There are just a couple of rules you will need to follow: You can submit your photo to either the Genoa Court House Museum or the Carson Valley Museum in Gardnerville.
If you cannot submit your photo in person, you may submit it by mail. Fill out an entry form with your name and address so we can find you if you win. And we will need your permission to use your photo for promotional purposes for DCHS.
-- Submissions will be accepted from Sept. 17-28.
-- There will be one winner to be announced by Oct. 12.
-- Photos can be black and white or color, no smaller than 4x6 and no larger than 8x10. The photo needs to be printed, not on disk.
-- Photos will be judged by the being the most illustrative of September in Douglas County, not the most professional.
The winner photo will be featured in this column and will win a one year membership in the historical society with all the privileges - free entrance into the museums, 10 percent discount in both gift shops, etc.
We are looking forward to all your photos and what it is that you see as September in Douglas County.
If you have any questions about anything mentioned here, please call the Douglas County Historical Society at the Carson Valley Museum in Gardnerville at 782-2555 or the Genoa Courthouse Museum at 782-4325. Go to www.historicnevada.org.
And, if you have the time, both museums are always looking for interested volunteers.
-- Contact Ellen Caywood at in2my2cats@yahoo.com
or 790-1565.
