Nevadans for Cultural Preservation

History Blog Article(Left side; Gabriel Kirellos, Right side; Union Pacific)

By Michael Misanik

Founded at the beginning of the twentieth century, Caliente owes much of its existence to the arrival of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. Located in the lush Meadow Valley, the town became an important railroad hub along the line, connecting southeastern Nevada with Utah, Arizona, and California. The arrival of the railroad helped stimulate the region's mining and ranching industries, while Caliente itself developed into an important transportation and hospitality center. The town takes its name from the nearby hot springs and the Spanish word caliente, meaning "hot."

The Caliente Railroad Depot was completed in 1923 in the Spanish Mission Revival style. It was designed by the prominent Los Angeles architectural firm of John and Donald Parkinson, a father-and-son partnership whose work included numerous important buildings throughout Southern California. The imposing depot featured a substantial oak interior and cost more than $80,000 to construct.

The depot replaced an earlier railroad structure that was destroyed by fire on September 9, 1921. The new building was considerably more than a passenger station. For a time, it housed a restaurant and a fifty-room hotel, reflecting Caliente's importance as a railroad stop. 

Its Spanish Mission Revival architecture makes the Caliente depot particularly distinctive among Nevada's historic railroad stations. Rather than following the utilitarian appearance common to many railroad facilities, the building was designed as an imposing architectural and civic landmark, reflecting Caliente's importance as a major railroad community.

July 2026

The quarterly social was held at PKWY Tavern in Henderson, Nevada, bringing together a diverse group of professionals and community members dedicated to cultural resource preservation. Attendees included archaeologists representing land management agencies, universities, cultural resource management firms, utility companies, and the Nevadans for Cultural Preservation (NVFCP). The event also welcomed volunteers and individuals who share a passion for protecting and preserving cultural resources, providing an opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen professional and community partnerships. We hope you'll be able to join us at our next event this fall. 

July 2026

The Beyond the Trail: Building Nevada's Outdoor Future Luncheon was an excellent opportunity to share NVFCP's mission of Preservation Through Education while advocating for responsible and sustainable outdoor recreation. We are grateful to Get Outdoors Nevada for making our participation possible.

The event provided valuable opportunities to connect with business owners, community leaders, and outdoor recreation advocates from across Nevada. We were also honored to welcome Congresswoman Susie Lee, who stopped by our booth to learn more about our mission and programs.

With nearly 300 attendees, the luncheon brought together a diverse group of stakeholders invested in the future of Nevada's outdoor spaces. After attendees had the opportunity to visit exhibitor tables and network, the program featured a panel discussion highlighting the economic impact and future opportunities created by Nevada's thriving outdoor recreation economy.

The discussion, facilitated by Get Outdoors Nevada, featured speakers from the Outdoor Business Coalition, The Nature Conservancy, the Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation, and Get Outdoors Nevada. Their insights emphasized the importance of collaboration, stewardship, and continued investment in Nevada's outdoor recreation industry.

July 2026

Nevadans for Cultural Preservation was invited to present at the Gold Searchers of Southern Nevada monthly meeting.

The meeting was held at the American Legion Post 40 in Henderson, where the preservation message was warmly received. Members asked thoughtful questions and shared their own experiences, leading to an engaging and informative discussion.

The Gold Searchers of Southern Nevada hosts monthly meetings and prospecting outings at several mining claims located approximately one to two hours outside of Las Vegas. Members have access to equipment such as metal detectors and prospecting gear while learning responsible recreation and stewardship practices.

In addition to supporting recreational prospecting, the club participates in community service projects and educates young people about the mining industry, minerals, and the basics of gold panning.

To learn more about the Gold Searchers of Southern Nevada, visit their website here.

June 2026

Speaker Series Presentation by Sayre Borden-Historic Preservation Specialist II with Nevada Division of State Parks

This virtual architectural walking tour explores the emergence of Googie architecture in Las Vegas during the mid-twentieth century, examining how architecture helped construct the city’s identity as a landscape of futurism, spectacle, and entertainment. Developed during the postwar boom and influenced by automobile culture, atomic-age optimism, and advances in technology, Googie architecture transformed Las Vegas into a visual symbol of modernity and fantasy.

Through a digitally guided exploration of historic casinos, neon signage, entertainment venues, and preserved architectural landmarks, this presentation analyzes defining characteristics of the style, including dramatic geometric forms, neon illumination, exaggerated signage, cantilevered structures, and futuristic imagery.

The presentation also examines the cultural and economic forces that shaped the development of Space Age design in Las Vegas, including tourism, mobility, consumer culture, and Cold War-era fascination with technology and the future. Googie architecture played a critical role in establishing Las Vegas as one of the most recognizable and visually experimental urban landscapes in the United States.

Sayre Borden is a Historic Preservation Specialist II who has been with the Nevada Division of State Parks since June 2024. Prior to that he worked as an Associate Architectural Historian with SWCA Environmental Consultants in Sacramento California. Sayre holds a Master’s Degree of Arts in Public History from California State University, Sacramento and a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in History from Eastern Nazarene College. He lives in Las Vegas.

Image from UNLV Digital Archives

Video of the presentation can be found on our YouTube page here.

June 2026

Sustaining Site Steward Programs: Insights from 40 Years of the Arizona

Speaker Series Presentation by

Sean Hammond
State Coordinator, Arizona Site Steward Program

As the Arizona Site Steward Program (ASSP) celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2026, it offers valuable insights into program longevity and institutional resilience. Having weathered economic cycles spanning five calendar decades, current Site Steward Programs now face unprecedented hurdles due to federal funding cuts affecting land management partners like the BLM, U.S. Forest Service, and even non-profit preservation organizations.

Amidst these funding shifts, the ASSP Foundation, established in 2017, has emerged as a vital pillar and currently serves as the program's primary financial support.  In this presentation, ASSP Coordinator Sean Hammond, now in his eighth year leading the program, will discuss the foundation’s operations, its critical role in supporting the Arizona SSP, and the strategic public outreach initiatives marking this historic 40-year milestone.

Watch a video of this presentation on our YouTube Chanel here.

May 2026

On another windy spring day, dedicated volunteers braved the elements to clean up trash and remove graffiti at the Little Red Rock Archaeological Area. Located on private property, this historic area has suffered damage over generations from vandalism and neglect.

Efforts like these are about more than cleanup — they are about education and preservation. We continue working to help the public understand the importance of protecting these irreplaceable cultural sites and how a few careless moments can create hours of restoration work for volunteers. Every cleanup makes a difference in preserving these places for future generations.

May 2026

There’s no small-town celebration quite like the Memorial Day weekend in Caliente, Nevada.

The town combines high school graduation, family reunions, and Memorial Day into one lively community celebration packed with softball games, fun runs, local booths, great food, and plenty of hometown pride. Naturally, Nevadans for Cultural Preservation (NVFCP) didn’t want to miss a minute of the action.

We set up our outreach booth near the softball field on Saturday, right in the middle of the excitement. Between cheers from the games, families reuniting, and visitors strolling through vendor booths with tacos and shaved ice in hand, the atmosphere couldn’t have been more perfect.

To match the spirit of the weekend, we brought along one of our favorite outreach tools: the Lincoln County Pioneer Board Game.

The game was originally designed while working with the Nevada Site Stewardship Program. Players travel the historic 1908 roads of Lincoln County, completing missions that send them from one town to another while navigating the unpredictable realities of pioneer life. Along the way, players encounter calamities, unexpected windfalls, and the constant challenge of protecting their precious “artifact points.” The goal? Reach your destination without losing everything along the trail.

Some attendees shared memories of growing up in the area, while others were discovering local history for the very first time. That’s exactly why outreach events like this matter. Cultural preservation isn’t just about protecting the past—it’s about connecting communities to their stories in meaningful and memorable ways.

And honestly, the weather could not have cooperated better. It was a beautiful 80-degree day with a steady breeze rolling through town, making it the perfect backdrop for an afternoon filled with laughter, softball cheers, community spirit, and a little friendly competition over artifact points.

May 2026

Speaker Series Presentation by Cynthia Sanford, Clark County Museum Registrar

In 2014, the Clark County Museum received 200 photos of the life of Bill Martin, the owner of a brothel in Amargosa Valley. While researching this man and his brothel, museum registrar Cynthia Sanford discovered his place in Nevada brothel history, and in some of its biggest scandals. In this talk, titled “Shamrock Brothel: Photos from Bill Martin,” Sanford will share some of the Martin family photos in the museum’s collection, give a brief overview of the history of legalized prostitution in Nevada, and show the progression of the Shamrock Brothel over its nearly 70 years of history.

To watch a video of this presentation on our YouTube Channel click here. 

May 2026

There’s something magical about standing in front of ancient rock writings and realizing you’re looking at images left behind hundreds—sometimes thousands—of years ago. This spring, Nevadans for Cultural Preservation (NVFCP) had the incredible opportunity to help preserve that history at Little Red Rock alongside Knight and Leavitt Associates.

Our mission? Update archaeological records for the site and carefully document every pictograph and petroglyph we can find.

That might sound simple until you’re hiking across rugged terrain with cameras, drones, GPS equipment, and notebooks while chasing the perfect sunlight angle for photography. Archaeology, it turns out, is part science, part art, and part adventure.

One of the most exciting parts of the project has been working with three undergraduate students from UNLV. These students have jumped headfirst into the world of cultural preservation, helping with photography, digital file management, and detailed illustration work. They’re not just observing—they’re gaining real-world field experience that will shape the next generation of preservation professionals.

And there’s a lot to learn out there.

Students are developing skills in relocating glyphs in the field, understanding how lighting can completely change the visibility of rock writing, and mastering programs like Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to create accurate digital illustrations. Every image and drawing becomes part of a permanent record that researchers and future generations can rely on.

Past collaborations with J. H. N. Loubser PhD, RPA at Stratum Unlimited LLC taught NVFCP an important lesson: high-resolution photography and accurate illustrations matter. A lot. Tiny details can disappear over time, and once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.

That reality hit hard during our May documentation outings.

Sadly, we discovered that several pictographs and petroglyphs have completely eroded since earlier recordings. In some cases, the previous photographs and illustrations are now the only visual evidence that these images ever existed. It was a sobering reminder of how fragile cultural resources can be—and how urgent this work truly is.

To tackle some of the more difficult recording challenges, NVFCP has also been using drone technology. Drones allow us to safely document higher glyphs and massive horizontal panels that would otherwise be difficult to photograph accurately from the ground. Plus, seeing ancient rock art from above offers an entirely new perspective on how these panels interact with the surrounding landscape.

Despite the challenges, every day in the field has reinforced why this work matters. Preservation is more than documentation—it’s storytelling, stewardship, and creating a bridge between the past and the future.

At Little Red Rock, those stories are still written on the stone. And thanks to dedicated partners, students, and evolving technology, we’re doing everything we can to make sure they’re not lost to time.

Photo: Intern learning how to document historic cans from Knight and Leavitt Associate crew member