Tickets on sale for barn tour

The Historic Emigrant Trail Barn Tour is May 24, and tickets are going fast. Call the Douglas County Historical Society at 782-2555 as soon as possible for tickets.

The tour starts at the south end of Foothill Road with three barns open from 9-11 a.m. Though the tour is self-guided, there will be docents at each barn to give you a bit of the history and local color. The tour will continue north on Foothill Road with barns open between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Lunch, catered by the Douglas County Farm Bureau, will be available at 1 p.m. at a nearby ranch where you will also be able to tour the historic home of Dr. Eliza Cook. In addition, barn expert Paul Oatman will give a short talk on our remarkable barns. This tour is a part of Historic Preservation Month in celebration of Northern Nevada heritage.

It's almost time to announce the May photo contest winner. This May has been an unusual one since we have not had any appreciable rain or snow. Some of you may remember the Mother's Day when we had 8 inches of snow. Even without snow, we need photos from you that represent what you think of when you think of May in Douglas County.

The deadline for entering the May photo contest is 4 p.m. May 31. You may enter by dropping off your photo at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville any time before then or by e-mailing your entry directly to in2my2cats@yahoo.com. Photo contest entry forms are available at the museum or at www.historicnevada.org. We should announce our May winner in this column on June 6.

Once we get into June, summer will be upon us and both the Gardnerville museum and the Genoa Court House Museum will be in full swing. Upcoming events include the Pony Express Re-ride scheduled for June 19. Because the re-ride goes from West to East this year, the changing of the mochila is in Woodfords at approximately 10 a.m. Information at the Genoa Court House Museum, 782-4325.

Our June Student-Senior Day and the June lecture series will also be geared toward the Pony Express. Each will feature a part of the history of that great adventure that lasted less than 18 months but has captured the hearts of Americans nationwide. Don't miss the Pony Express exhibit on the ground floor at the Genoa Court House Museum.

If you have any questions about anything mentioned here, please call the Douglas County Historical Society at the Carson Valley Museum & Cultural Center in Gardnerville at 782-2555. Visit our Web site at www.historicnevada.org. Remember, DCHS and its two museums do not receive any regular state or county funding. It's up to our members and friends to help us keep our doors open.

n Contact Ellen Caywood at in2my2cats@yahoo.com or at 790-1565.