In this interview, I am joined by fellow colleague and solutions engineer for Twelve Horses, Dean McBeth to conduct a very informative and interesting interview with the Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer, Ron James.

James has served in his position as officer since 1983, and in that time he has grown the agency in both size and significance. In 1991, he organized the Commission for Cultural Affairs and since that time has distributed over $30 million in grants to support such endeavors as rehabilitation of historic buildings and cultural centers. He also served on the Comstock Historic District Commission for 17 years and currently serves the National Park Service as a member of the National Historic Landmarks Committee. James is the author or co-author of  five books including The Roar and Silence: A History of Virginia City and the Comstock Lode. His complete bio is located here.

During the podcast, James shares some fascinating history, folklore and information regarding the state of Nevada. Clearly, we could not cover it all in the time allotted, but you can certainly pick up one of his books, find some more information on the State Historic Preservation Office website, or visit ONE, the Online Nevada Encyclopedia. One excerpt from the podcast that I found especially interesting is the following quote from Ron James:

“The grant program established by the Commission for Cultural Affairs puts Nevada at the top of a very prestigious list offering more funding on a state level per capital for historic preservation than any other state in the nation.”

There are a lot of wonderful historical landmarks and cultural centers to preserve and to visit in Nevada, and it is people like Ron James who ensure they exist for future generations to enjoy.

Listen Now (MP3, 26.0)