August 2024

HRPS News & Updates

Dear HRPS Members and Friends,

Although July was among the hottest on record, I hope you found cool ways to spend your time, including taking in some of our walking tours and other Artown events. Amy Burton captured some great moments from the tours. We'll put out a special photo recap in coming days.

Meanwhile, HRPS Vice President Derek Partridge and his Home Tour committee have secured the last of the homes for this year's event and promise another exciting tour. See the "Save-the-Date" announcement below. Tickets will go on sale in early August.

As with our walking tours, the Home Tour requires a lot of volunteers. Volunteers can be members or non-members, and in return for giving us half a day of your time, your registration is free. See below for the volunteer sign-up form.

We lost another dear friend last month. Webmaster, walking tour host, researcher, and reno history expert, Rosie Cevasco, passed away on July 1 of cancer. This was her third bout so you could say she beat the odds twice before, but this time it got her. She will be sorely missed.

Amy Burton, our able administrator these past 15 months, has decided to switch to a volunteer position and will continue to assist with the remaining two rescheduled walking tours, and will continue her work on cataloging and archiving HRPS issues of FootPrints and other documentation in the office. We'll continue to see her abundant energy and radiant smile in a slightly different capacity.

Meanwhile, Amy suggested her friend Peggy Boni (pronounced Bonny) to take her place. They met at a tap-dancing class where Peggy works/volunteers and hit it off instantly. Peggy has a lengthy background in office management and special events, and we think she'll be a great asset to our organization.

August is filled with more special events, so get out, look up, look around and appreciate all our community has to offer!

Joy Orlich, President

joyorlich@sbcglobal.net

775-544-0686

Not a HRPS Member? Join Here!

In Memory of Rosie Cevasco

Rosie Cevasco passed away on July 1 from complications of cancer. She would have turned 74 in December. Deb Hinman will write a more complete remembrance in the next issue of FootPrints, but I wanted to share a few thoughts here.

I got to know Rosie some ten years ago as a member of the Harpies - Rosie, Deb Hinman, Sharon Honig-Bear, and Cindy Ainsworth - a tightknit band of HRPS leaders and supporters. They let me join their occasional gatherings when I began volunteering for the annual Home Tour.

Rosie had a winning smile and a wicked sense of humor. She came from an IT background and selflessly dedicated herself to setting up and maintaining our HRPS website.

Founding HRPS President Pat Klos with Rosie Cevasco at the 25th Anniversary Gala in April.

She was an avid history buff, and quite the genealogist, tracking down hundreds of members of her extensive family tree. She researched and conducted many of our walking tours, and for many years was the logistics coordinator for the home tour.

Many of you got to see Rosie at our 25th Anniversary Gala in April, and I can tell you she was thrilled at seeing so many longtime friends and acquaintances again. If you knew her, she likely touched your heart as well.

No obituary has been published to date, but if one is, we'll be sure to publish it here. For those who may wish to remember Rosie in some way, a donation to the Nevada Historical Society would be a nice gesture, and of course you may also donate to HRPS.

Save the Date!

2024 Harvest of Homes Tour

Saturday, September 21, 2024, 9am - 3pm

Get this date on your calendar now! We have 6 great homes that you won't want to miss.

Watch for a special announcement in the next couple of weeks with photos and descriptions of each home. Tickets will go on sale in early-August.

This home on Plumas Street is a must see!

Home Tour Volunteers Needed!

Each year, we recruit about 100 volunteers to help with the Home Tour. Volunteers are assigned to work at one of the homes for either a morning or afternoon shift (total of about 3 1/2 hours). You can request which shift you prefer.

Not only do you get a close-up look at one particular home, but as a volunteer, your registration is free! ($40 value for members, $50 value for non-members). Here are the positions needed:

Home Host - 2 hosts are assigned to each location to serve as coordinators for activities at that home
Registration/Check-In - 2 volunteers man the check-in table to check people in, have them sign the waiver form, and provide them with a wristband. Also take checks or cash for walk-up registrations.
Docent - 5-8 volunteers are stationed around the inside of each home to help guide people through the home, provide interesting facts or point out certain interesting or unusual elements within the home, as well as insure nothing is touched or handled within the homes.

Training will be held Saturday morning, September 14, and detailed information will be provided to all volunteers.

Interested?

Click this button to complete the Volunteer Application form

Volunteer Application Form

Check Out These Great Events

Nevada Historical Society and Washoe County Libraries present:

High Noon with Neal Cobb

Nevada's Wild Ways

with Chris Orr, Co-Host of Wild Nevada

Thursday, August 15, 2024, Noon-1:00pm, via Zoom

Chris Orr

Chris Orr has been at PBS Reno, the PBS member station in Reno for more than 23 years. Orr is PBS Reno’s Director of Art and Digital Marketing and the co-host of the travel-adventure series Wild Nevada.

The award-winning Wild Nevada series, features Orr and her co-host Dave Santina taking road trips and having adventures all around the Silver State. During her time at PBS Reno, Orr has developed multiple local-national websites, led numerous design projects, launched the station’s social media platforms, and become a familiar on-air personality for the station. She now leads a station team that develops and maintains the station’s online, social media and print branding.

Event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required.

Summer Continues at Dangberg Ranch

Dangberg Ranch is once again hosting a summer of great events, including Chautauqua performances, author talks, young Chautauqua performances, concerts, and a Chautauqua workshop for those aspiring to research and recreate historic characters.

Dangberg Ranch has many more exciting programs in August, including:

8/03 - Michael Fischer on America's most famous stagecoach ride

8/10 - Tami Force on Nevada's Ghost Towns

8/17 - Donna Inversin on the Historic Virginia and Truckee Trail

8/21 - Chautauqua performance, Doug Mischler portrays Sir Ernest Shackleton

8/24 - Glen Whorton on escapes from the Nevada State Prison

Click here for a complete schedule of events and ticket information:

Dangberg Summer Festival – Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park

HRPS Fall Programs Preview

Here's a sneak preview of our Fall Speaker Programs. Programs are held on the second Sunday of the month, from Noon - 1:30 at the downtown Reno Library, 301 South Center Street.

9/08 - Jean-Guy Dube', "Surviving Railroad Depots of Nevada"

10/13 - Michael Fischer, "Roy Frisch Findings"

11/10 - Chuck Weller, "Stories of Reno in WWII"

Visit our website for more details - Speakers (historicreno.org)

Washoe County Library, 301 S. Center Street. Parking is free on Sundays.

Casa Del Rey

The Spanish Colonial Revival home known as Casa Del Rey was built in the Newlands Manor subdivision in 1930 by Nevada Developers, Inc, headed by W.E. Barnard.

Casa Del Rey was described as a "five-room Spanish bungalow, featuring a genuine Spanish fireplace, monastery interior finish, and recessed kitchen ceiling." The house was listed in the City of Reno's Register of Historic Places in 2024.

Source: City of Reno

Casa Del Rey will be featured on the 2024 Harvest of Homes Tour

Casa Del Rey - The Spanish Colonial Revival style house was built in the Newlands Manor subdivision in 1930. | Reno Historical

Join HRPS Today!

HRPS is "Dedicated to Preserving and Promoting Historic Resources in the Truckee Meadows through Education, Advocacy and Leadership". With over 500 members, your membership is a vote and a voice for historic preservation.

Do you have friends, neighbors, or family members who share an interest in local history? If so, forward a copy of this newsletter and encourage them to join HRPS! Or have them go to our website - Historic Reno Preservation Society - and click on the "Join Us" tab at the top of the page.

A single membership is just $25/year ($45 for a family membership), and you can now join and pay online.

Benefits of Membership