Web page designed to reel in history tourists

The slot machine is rolling on a new National Park Service Web page, and the jackpot is some of Northern Nevada's top historic sites.

A page featuring Carson City, Reno and Virginia City went online Thursday.

Dedicated to attracting tourists and locals alike to Northern Nevada's historic byways, the site features a three-reel slot machine with photos of historic sites in Carson City, Reno and Virginia City.

Click on the handle, and the reel turns. Line up three of the same city and a historic photo is the prize.

It's not that easy, though.

"I've never seen anyone win it," said Historic Preservation Officer Ron James. "It's a real tight slot."

It can be done, though, as a Nevada Appeal editor proved after about 30 virtual pulls.

Those who prefer to skip the game can go straight to information about 57 historical features in the three cities. It's found at www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/nevada.

The Park Service's site, which includes 27 other areas of historical interest, averages 80,000 visitors per week. The hope among officials is that it will promote cultural tourism in Nevada as well as stimulate local interest.

"Cultural tourists spend more time and return more often and we want to make sure they know we're here. But at some point, locals need to know we're here, too," James said. "It's very difficult to predict what impact this site will have, but anytime we get Nevada's name linked with tourism, it's a good thing."

An adjunct of the National Park System, the National Register of Historic Places is cooperating with communities, regions and heritage areas throughout the United States to develop the sites, which are designed to help potential visitors plan their next trip by highlighting the diversity of the country's historic places.

"Three Historic Nevada Cities" is one of 28 itineraries developed for the project. "The American Southwest," "Places of Aviation History" and "Shelby, North Carolina" will also debut this year, with more to come.

"We were selected early on as likely target for this project," James said. "We were very lucky to be invited."

Terri McBride, archaeologist with the State Historic Preservation Office, said staff members in Washington, D.C., designed the site, but the groundwork was done here.

The project took five years, incorporating the efforts of a number of local agencies including Carson City Planning and Community Development, Carson City Historic Review Commission, Virginia City Convention and Visitors Authority and the Comstock Historic District Commission.

ON THE NET

Nevada's site can be found on the National Park Service Web site at: www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/nevada