Nevada Day revisited: 1956 & 1966

Editor’s Note: This continues a series featuring the Appeal’s coverage of past Nevada Days.

Reprinted from the Nov. 1, 1956, Nevada Appeal:

Some 1,200 Nevada Day visitors attended the annual Nevada Artists Association exhibit in Leisure Hour Hall yesterday.

The visitors named the following as winners of the popularity Poll: Oils — Sandra Hillygus, 1st; Maxine Peters, 2nd; Hortense Tinkham, Reno, 3rd.

Watercolor — Franklyn Kahn, Reno, 1st; Hildagarde Herz, Reno, 2nd; Blossom Hollister, Genoa, 3rd.

Pastel — Genevieve Shoe, 1st; A. Minor, Reno, 2nd; Leah Churn, Reno, 3rd.

Reported successful was the sale of pictures donated by artist members, receipts of which will be placed in the artists’ local gallery building fund.

Praise for their efficient work in announcing yesterday’s Nevada Day parade today was given to the 10 announcers by Phil Roventini, chairman of the public address committee.

Handling the various posts to keep spectators informed to the entries — an important job due to last-minute changes necessitated by weather conditions — were Tom Carter and Bob Shriver, No. 1; Bill Cardinal and Archie Pozzi Jr., No. 2; John Moroni and Cecil Perrin, No. 3; George Hawes of Reno and Willie Capucci of Fallon, No. 4; George Gessler and Steve Stephens, No. 5.

Carson City was crowded yesterday, although the crowd was not as big as it has been in previous years on Nevada Day.

Figures released by highway chief planning survey engineer Orvis Reil show that about 15,273 persons were in the Carson area yesterday.

Reil reported that an estimated 9,265 persons arrived in Carson City by motor vehicle, plus 900 students in school buses counted separately.

This is about 6,000 fewer people than were in the area last year. However, Reil said the crowds apparently stayed longer this year than they did last year. There was no peak hour of outgoing traffic, with vehicles straggling out of town until 6 p.m.

Although the storm was largely responsible for the smaller crowds pouring into Carson to join in the traditional activities, Reil said that in even numbered years since 1948 there have been smaller crowds on Nevada Day than in odd numbered years. He said there is no explanation for the lower number of people turning out for the even numbered years, but it has been consistent since Nevada Day 1948.

Another factor in the smaller crowds attending this year was that Nevada Day fell in the middle of the week, and it was almost impossible for persons living a great distance away to make the trip.