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Bring your family to the mountains of Montana for an adventure – an adventure in preservation and history in the historic mining town of Nevada City, Montana.
Nevada City, and neighboring Virginia City, sit high in the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of 5,882 feet / 1793 meters. This is AiP’s third workshop in this beautiful location, but our first opportunity for families to enjoy the experience together.
Alder Gulch was the scene of Montana's greatest placer gold rush in the spring of 1863. By the fall of 1864, nearly ten thousand people crowded the surrounding hillsides. At its peak, Nevada City boasted dozens of stores and cabins, but by 1869, the population had fallen to one hundred ten. By 1876, Nevada City was nearly a ghost town.
Over the following decades, gold dredging and highway construction destroyed most of the town’s original buildings. In 1959, Charles Bovey (whose passion was saving historic buildings slated for demolition or being lost to neglect) was asked to move his collection of buildings from their site, and he selected Nevada City as the new location. Charles and Sue Bovey almost single-handedly saved a significant piece of Montana’s architectural heritage, bringing over 80 buildings from around the state to this town.
There are more than ninety buildings along Nevada City’s streets. A few are original; many have been carefully placed along the streets in order to retain the original streetscape, and some are re-constructions. In 1997, the State of Montana purchased the Bovey properties and they are now cared for by the Montana Heritage Commission. Also housed here is an outstanding collection of historic music boxes, player pianos and calliopes. A narrow gauge rail system links Nevada City and Virginia City (continuously occupied and filled with its original historic buildings), by means of a fully restored 1910 Baldwin Steam Locomotive.
The Nevada City hands-on workshop will be a week-long heritage immersion experience. Participants will be involved not only in learning building preservation techniques that are used to repair and maintain the historic wooden structures, but will also work with an archaeologist to see how they explore for remnants of the historic mining era. In addition, everyone will get to work with a blacksmith, try their hand at gold panning, and cook meals over an open fire in Dutch ovens, the way it was done over 100 years ago.
The building conservation component of the workshop will involve learning how to mix and how to apply the historic exterior finishes that help the buildings survive the harsh winter weather, such as whitewash and a linseed oil preservative. Participants will also learn how to chink a log cabin and will be taught how to mix and apply daubing. Gold rush residents in Alder Gulch used chinking and daubing between the logs in their walls to keep the frigid Montana winters at bay. Participants will have the opportunity to apply their new skills at several historic structures in Nevada City. These activities involve a great deal of fun "playing in the dirt" while learning preservation methodology and ethics.
Note that solvents and linseed oil will be involved in mixing the preservation treatments and that the daubing mix includes lime - these substances need to be used with some caution as skin can react if it comes in contact with these materials.
We will be working at the Finney complex and at the Richards cabins, two sites with very interesting roles in Montana history. The Richards cabin is the cabin from which X. Biedler yelled "Ask him how long he gave the Dutchman?" to George Ives on the evening of December 21, 1863, just before the Vigilantes hanged Ives. Additional background information will be sent upon registration.
The age limit for children is 11 and up, based on experience at previously held history camps. If you believe your younger child would be able to participate and enjoy this experience, please contact the AiP office at 1 303 444 0128 to determine if an exception will be made.
Bill Peterson, Curator of Interpretation with the Montana Heritage Commission in Virginia and Nevada Cities, will be the workshop leader.
The workshop is one week in length and participants will stay in Nevada City in log cabins; two of the cabins actually have sod roofs. Participants should arrive on Sunday, June 20th, and may check into their lodging after 1 pm.
Activities will take place Monday – Friday, from 8:30am to 5pm, with one or two evening activities scheduled during the week. Lunch is included in the program and will be served at the site. Participants should plan to arrive in Nevada City on Sunday to settle in and be ready for the fun to begin Monday morning. Participants will be met at 8:30 a.m. by Bill Peterson of the Montana Heritage Commission. The meeting location will be provided in the agenda once registration is completed. Instruction will be in English.
The cost of the workshop is US$1650 per adult and US$950 per child. Workshop fees cover lodging, breakfast and lunch, one dinner, insurance, workshop materials and instruction. Transportation to the workshop is not included and is the responsibility of the participant.
If arriving by air, the nearest major airport is in Bozeman, Montana. Both domestic and international participants can fly to Denver International Airport and on to Bozeman. Pick-up from the Bozeman airport can be arranged if needed. For assistance making travel arrangements, contact Peace Frogs Travel/Outfitters, AiP’s partnering travel agency.
Participants may want to arrive early to tour Virginia City and become familiar with its intriguing history. Upon registration, participants will receive a course agenda with supplemental information on the greater Nevada City/Virginia City area. Nevada City is less than 100 miles from Yellowstone National Park and a number of other natural and historic sites.
Summer in Montana brings daytime high temperatures from the upper 70s F (25 C) to the low 90s (32 C) and overnight lows in the 40s F (8 C). Due to the high altitude, temperatures cool off rapidly in the evening so bring attire suitable for the weather that will also be comfortable for activities and protective while working. On occasion it does snow in June, so bring a set of warm clothing just in case. Close-toed shoes are required, and water bottles, insect repellant and sunscreen are recommended. Please be conscious that safety is an important issue at any work site.
Note that there is no cell phone reception in the Nevada City area and no TV in the cabins where you will be staying. In other words, you'll be able to relax and enjoy the best of the west while truly getting away from it all.
Sunday
Arrive, check into cabins, explore Nevada City / Virginia City historic area at your leisure.
Monday
Meet Bill Peterson and other families at 8:30am at the Montana Heritage Commission office.
Tuesday through Friday
Heritage immersion activities 8:30 – 5:00, with lunch provided at the site.
One or two evening activities will be designated in final schedule received upon registration
.
Saturday
Departure.
If you have additional questions or would like to discuss this project with AiP staff, please contact us at workshops@adventuresinpreservation.org or call +1 303-444-0128.
Joining AiP's Nevada City workshop is a great way to help preserve Montana's historic sites. If you find this project intriguing, but are unable to attend, you can still make an impact by supporting restoration work with a tax-deductible donation to AiP. Your donation will go directly to workshop planning, scholarships and materials.
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If you would prefer to mail in a gift, please use our donation form.
