Talks, walks and storytelling offered in August at Genoa's Mormon Station State Historic Park

GENOA, Nev. — Mormon Station State Historic Park is offering a number of exciting interpretive programs this August. Join park staff in the heart of the Genoa National Historic District for history talks, cooking classes, guided walks, and children’s arts and crafts activities.

Park History Walk
There’s even more to Mormon Station than meets the eye! Join a park ranger for a “behind the scenes” guided tour of the grounds of Mormon Station State Historic Park, and learn about the fascinating history of this four-acre parcel of land. Participants will also tour park structures that are normally closed to the public.

WHEN:
Thursday, August 1, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Friday, August 2, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Thursday, August 8, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Friday, August 9, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Sunday, August 11, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Thursday, August 22, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Friday, August 23, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Thursday, August 29, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Friday, August 30, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

History Talk – Braving the California Trail through Nevada
For many emigrants who braved the California Trail in the mid-1800s, the segment through Nevada was the most hated and feared portion of the entire journey. A park interpreter will discuss what made travel through the Great Basin of Nevada so arduous for wagon trains, and will explore topics such as the forty-mile desert, the Humboldt River and the legend of the Buenaventura River.
WHEN: Saturday, August 3, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Junior Ranger (Children’s Activity)
Children ages 7-12 are invited to join park rangers for a fun program that will consist of educational activities and short walks. At the end of the program, participants will receive their own Nevada State Parks junior ranger badge!
WHEN:
Saturday, August 3, 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.
Sunday, August 4, 1:30 p.m. - 2:45 p.m.

History Talk – “If these Items Could Talk…”
Many of the artifacts in Mormon Station’s collection were very important items to people living in the Carson Valley area 100-plus years ago. New inventions have made some of these items obsolete, while others are simply no longer a part of day-to-day life for many people. As a result, sometimes the purpose behind artifacts isn’t obvious to us. Join park staff for a talk that will highlight select artifacts and discuss their purpose.
WHEN: Sunday, August 4, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

History Talk – The Early Years of Mormon Station
Join a park ranger for a talk on the early settlement and development of Mormon Station, and what life was like for the early settlers that called this place home. This talk will focus on the 1850s, and discuss how Mormon Station grew from a remote trading station to a bustling community over the span of a few years.
WHEN: Saturday, August 10, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., and again from 2 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

History Talk: The Pony Express in Nevada
Join a Park Ranger for a history talk focusing on the Pony Express' operations in Nevada! We will discuss the difficulties of the route riders took, the numerous Pony Express stations located throughout the Silver State, famous rides across the state, and ruins that can still be seen today.
WHEN: Sunday, August 11, 2:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

History Talk - The Civilian Conservation Corps and Nevada’s State Parks
The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) played an instrumental role in the creation of Nevada’s State Park system as a whole in the 1930s. This ranger-led talk will cover the impressive array of projects completed by the CCC crews that were tasked with creating destinations for outdoor recreation in beautiful, yet fairly remote corners of the Silver State. We will also discuss projects completed by the CCC in the Carson Valley area, and attempts to have the CCC reconstruct Mormon Station.
WHEN: Saturday, August 24, 11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Leather Tooling (Children’s Activity)
Stop by Mormon Station anytime between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to participate in a program that will introduce the basics of leather crafting! Park staff will provide all necessary supplies, and participants will be given the opportunity to stamp various designs of their choosing on a leather keychain, which will be theirs to keep at the end of the program. NOTE: This program is designed for children ages 7-12, but all are welcome to participate.
WHEN: Saturday, August 24, 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Stories under the Stars (Campfire Program)
Mormon Station will be holding a “Stories under the Stars” campfire program on Saturday, August 24. Park staff will read many of the humorous and insightful stories from the oral history of early Carson Valley residents. Park staff will also be providing s’mores for participants to enjoy. Participants may bring other food items to cook on the fire if they would like. Participants are also encouraged to share their own stories related to the history of Carson Valley. NOTE: Pre-registration is required for this program, and is limited to no more than 15 participants. Those interested in participating in a “Stories under the Stars” program must pre-register by calling the park office at 775-782-2590.
WHEN: Saturday, August 24, 8 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Guided Walk of Historic Genoa
Mormon Station is located in the heart of the Genoa National Historic District, which encompasses over 25 structures and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Join a park interpreter for a guided walk throughout a portion of the historic district. During the approximately one-mile roundtrip walk, we will discuss the significance of the structures located along the route. NOTE: Pre-registration is required for these programs, and each walk is limited to no more than 30 participants. Those interested in participating in a guided walk must pre-register by emailing Chris Johnson at mormonstation@parks.nv.gov or calling the park office at 775-782-2590. Each program will be limited to the first 30 registered people only.
WHEN: Saturday, August 31, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Make a Model Covered Wagon (Children’s Activity)
Stop by Mormon Station anytime between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. to make your own model covered wagon! During this activity, children will be lead through the process of making their own model covered wagon using arts and crafts materials. Throughout the activity, we will discuss what life was like for pioneers on the California Trail. All necessary supplies will be provided by the park. NOTE: This activity is designed for children ages 6-12, but all are welcome to participate.
WHEN: Saturday, August 31, 1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Mormon Station State Historic Park is located 20 minutes south of Carson City via Hwy 395, about one hour south of Reno, and approximately 20 minutes from South Lake Tahoe via Hwy 207.

— Jenny Ramella is an Education and Information Officer for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Nevada Division of State Parks. She can be reached at jmramella@parks.nv.gov.