Special Christmas ornaments help promote downtown

Carson City again is offering a specially designed Christmas ornament to commemorate the holidays while spreading awareness about downtown.

"We started this program to encourage shoppers to come to the charming stores in the downtown," said Supervisor Robin Williamson, who also is chairwoman of the city's Redevelopment Authority.

This year's ornament highlights the Capitol, and it's the fifth in a series of ornaments that depict historic buildings in the city.

The Bliss Mansion was highlighted on the design of the 2005 ornament. Other sites depicted during previous years since 2002 were St. Peter's Episcopal Church, the Nevada State Museum and the Paul Laxalt Museum.

Some ornaments from previous years also are available for purchase, Williamson said.

Nevada's State Capitol is built of native sandstone and combines elements of classic Corinthian, Ionic and Doric architecture. The building was constructed in 1870 and 1871 and is nearly 300 feet long and 120 feet high from the ground to the top of its silver-painted cupola, according to the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau.

It houses the offices of the governor and Nevada's other constitutional officers, as well as a gallery containing portraits of every governor.

The ornaments will be available at various locations around the city, including The Purple Avocado, 904 N. Curry St.; Sugar Pine Cove, 1087 S. Carson St.; Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1900 S. Carson St.; and the Nevada State Museum Gift Shop, 600 N. Carson St.

"I expect the ornaments will be very popular during the Dec. 2 Wine Walk," Williamson added.

Cost for each ornament is $15.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber@nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.