We are now well into the Douglas County Historical Society's April photo contest. Have you taken your best shot to enter? Entries can be taken directly to the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville or e-mailed to the address below. Make sure to get them in before 4 p.m. April 30. Our winner will be announced May 7.
We are gearing up for the season opening of the Genoa Courthouse Museum on Wednesday, April 28. We're opening early to accommodate the crowds expected for the Genoa Cowboy Poetry & Music Festival. Our official opening will be on Student-Senior Day, Saturday, May 1. Come up to Genoa and celebrate the season with us. We'll have special demonstrations of spinning and weaving at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Tickets are now on sale for the Douglas County Historical Society's Second Hand Rose Fashion Show and Sale held at the Gardnerville museum May 8. The price of $15 includes the fashion show, green salad and dessert, and shopping for recycled clothing. The salad and dessert will be served at 1 p.m., but the shopping begins at 10 a.m. Come early to get the best bargains.
DCHS has their one and only summer flea market, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 19, at the Gardnerville museum. Cost is $10 for a 10-by-10 foot booth space. Applications are available at the front desk, at www.historicnevada.org or by calling 782-2555. The Main Street Gardnerville program is working with us to have a neighborhood garage sale and business sidewalk sale on the same day, so this should bring a lot of people to the museum parking lot.
Coming on May 22 is the historical society's annual Barn Tour. This year's tour will be along the historic Emigrant Trail route, also known as Foothill Road. We hold this tour in May every year in conjunction with Historic Preservation Month. The Emigrant Trail and ranching played a vital role in the early history of Nevada and especially Carson Valley. These historic barns built along the Emigrant Trail represent the early families that created this beautiful place we enjoy today.
Barn Tour tickets are $15 for DCHS members and $20 for non-members and will be available next week. Your ticket includes a color booklet showing photos, descriptions and histories of all barns on the tour. Get your tickets soon as this event is one of our most popular and can sell out early.
Finally, Main Street Moments will not be in your local paper for a couple of weeks. I am traveling partly for pleasure and partly for business, but will be back here for the May 7 edition. Even though the column is on hiatus, our museums still need your support. We depend upon you to help us keep Douglas County history alive.
Contact the Douglas County Historical Society at www.historicnevada.org or at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville at 782-2555. Remember, DCHS and its two museums in Gardnerville and Genoa don't receive any regular state or county funding. It's up to our members and friends to help us keep our doors open.
Contact Ellen Caywood at in2my2cats@yahoo.com or 790-1565.
