Stewards of Carson City's historic homes receive awards

Maintaining the integrity of Carson City's historic district is one of the reasons Carson City is able to market itself as a historic treasure, so recognizing outstanding efforts by property owners makes good sense, historians believe.

"There is a lot of interest in Carson City history from a tourism perspective, and this is a way we can help to keep that image," said Mike Drews, chairman of Carson City's Historic Resources Commission. "We think it's important to recognize the vibrant historical contributions that people in the historic district make."

This year, the commission selected one individual, one residential rehabilitation project and two commercial properties as recipients of the 2010 Carson City Historic Preservation Awards.

And for the city's planning division, the character of the downtown is also important to the state of Nevada.

"This year's recipients exemplify the spirit, motivation and determination necessary to preserve our state's heritage for future generations," said Principal Planner Jennifer Pruitt at a recent meeting of the board of supervisors.

The following recipients were recognized:

• Law firm Kilpatrick Johnston & Adler, owners of the Frank Norcross House, were selected for a "remarkable addition" to the back of the house at 412 N. Division St.

"We were honored to receive the award and we're always happy to maintain the district's historical aspects," said partner Bob Johnston.

The house was built in 1906 by Judge Frank Norcross.

• Carter and Peggy Twedt were awarded for their pre-1875 home at 612 W. Robinson St. because of the "inspired addition and remodel" of the house.

"Everything they do on that house is just excellent," Drews said.

• Noreen Humphreys was selected for her outstanding efforts in historic preservation. She is an author, artist and historian, and was co-founder of the Carson City Landmarks Society and the Friends of the Library. She wrote historical articles for the Nevada Appeal and the Las Vegas Sun.

"A lot of what you see in the historic district is the result of Noreen's efforts," said Drews.

• The Edwards House at 204 N. Minnesota St., built in 1883, was recognized for renewable energy efforts including installation of solar panels without disturbing historical architectural elements of the building. "The structure represents one of the city's most interesting and carefully executed architectural designs and reflects the stone building tradition that is so important to the city," the commission wrote in the award presentation.

Jack Kurt, representing the Edwards House, said that as a result of the upgrades, they do not have a power bill for the house April through November.

Drews said the trend is toward green technology.

"It is the wave of the future for old buildings," he said. "By preserving them, you keep material out of landfills and contribute to a cleaner environment."