Upcoming historical events

• On Tuesday, July 22, the Carson City Historical Society and Carson City Re-development will present a free lecture and musical performance by David Bugli on composer J.P. Meder. The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Carson City Library, 900 North Roop St.

Born in New England in 1848, John P. Meder came to the young town of Carson as a teenager in 1864 with his father, B.H. Meder, and the rest of the family. While his father, an industrious yet adventurous idealist, began to make his mark in the lumber business and in politics, young John began to make his mark on the cultural life of Carson City, Virginia City, and Reno. He showed skill as a composer early in his life and published several piano pieces. He is most famous for his "Hank Monk Schottische" and the "Nevada State March." Although he made most of his living as a butcher, freight agent for the V& T Railroad, he was also known to all the residents for his musical, theatrical and educational contributions throughout his life. He served as manager of the Carson Opera House and a long tenure as president of the school board until his death in 1908.

David C. Bugli has music degrees from Ithaca College and the University of Massachusetts. He move to Carson City in late 1983 and became involved in the musical life of the city. He founded Carson City Symphony in 1984 (then called the Carson City Chamber Orchestra), which he has conducted since its beginning. He also plays tuba and trombone and composes and arranges in various styles. He is the recipient of the 2007 Nevada Governor's Arts Award for Distinguished Service to the Arts. He and his wife Elinor, an amateur violinist and retired hydrologist, live in Carson City. She is the recipient of the 2008 Annual Community Awards' "Artist of the Year" award.

• Also on Tuesday, July 22, The Nevada State Museum, 600 N. Carson St., will hold a presentation called "Hank Monk, Mark Twain, & the Real Western Man" by Ron James, and featuring Fred Stanio as Hank Monk. It will be at 7:30 p.m. For more information, contact Robert Nylen at 687-4810, ext. 239 or 245.

• The Carson City Historical Society will be hosting a membership meeting, open to the public, at the Bliss Mansion, 608 West Elizabeth, on Thursday, July 24 at 6 p.m. The speaker will be Ron Machado, local historian on the "Beginnings of the Nevada Landmarks Society."

Sesquicentennial celebration plans coming into focus

The Carson City Sesquicentennial Committee has announced details of the citywide celebration slated for Aug. 16. Here is the schedule:

8:30 a.m. Ð 4:30 p.m.: Nevada State Museum Coin Education Fair

9:30 Ð 10:30 a.m.: Robert Nylen: History of the Carson City Mint at the Nevada State Museum

10 a.m. Ð noon: Meet President Abe Lincoln at the Capitol

10 a.m. Ð 2 p.m.: Capitol Building tours every half hour at Nevada State Capitol

10 a.m. -3 p.m.: Children's Museum of Northern Nevada Annual Carnival

10 a.m. Ð 3 p.m. Kid's Treasure Chest and Gold Panning at Nevada State Museum

10 a.m. Ð noon and 1-3 p.m.: Coin Press #1 Special Minting of the 150th Anniversary Commemorative Medallion

11 a.m. Ð noon: McAvory Lane as Mark Twain's Ghost at the Nevada State Museum

1 Ð 3 p.m. Abe Lincoln to greet visitors at the Nevada State Museum

1 Ð 3 p.m. Young Numismatists Workshop at the Nevada State Museum

1 - 2 p.m. Chili Cook-off Tasting and Judging

1 - 4 p.m. Ice Cream Social at the Robert's House

2 - 3 p.m. Chili Cook-off Awards

3 - 3:30 p.m.: Cutting of the Sesquicentennial Birthday Cake and introduction of dignitaries

3:30 Ð 4:30 p.m.: Paul Roth Quintette

7 - 10 p.m. Karson Kruzers Street Dance and Show 'n Shine at the Nugget parking lot