Ensuring Our Future Remembers Our Past
Being the first number within the State Marker System, [1] -- Empire and Carson River Mills comes with a remarkable push in our state's heritage. At the beginning of 1990, the Nevada State Historical Marker System was enacted by the State Historical Preservation Office in Carson City, a program honoring selected sites around the State of Nevada with "roadside heritage plaques." It wasn't but two months later, this new program hit a road block and sparked some debate among state lobbyists regarding limited state funds and the need for precious man hours. A zealous appeal by the general public and a fully-funded ten-year contract won enough ground to re-launch the State Marker System and with it, the construction of the Nevada's first state-funded historic marker!
The original location for [1] was set for the Carson River bridge along Deer Run Road, a more historically accurate location approximately 1/2 mile to the southeast near the former site of the Gregory Mill. However, the SHPO deemed it a little out of the way, instead settling on this particular spot along US 50. Despite it being the first marker in the system, this one has somehow lived a docile life. Since its debut, [1] has seen a number of improvements. In 1995, the mortar within its stone base was replaced, and in 2000, a more modern metal plaque (so often seen by many of the markers around the state) was placed over its original etched lettering against to further protect it against wear and tear.
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