Architect, restaurant owners to be honored for preservation efforts

While many people spend their time trying to make history, Art Hannifan is more concerned with saving it.

For the last 33 years, Hannifan has worked to restore and preserve historic structures in downtown Carson City. He was an original member of the Carson City Historic Resources Commission and has served on the Historic Architectural Review Committee.

His company, Hannifan Design Associates, has worked to preserve several historic structures, including the building that houses the Children's Museum of Northern Nevada.

Now, Hannifan is one of seven being honored for contributions to the state's historic preservation efforts.

"I think I've made a humble and modest contribution to the historic area of Carson City," Hannifan said.

Hannifan will be honored with a Nevada Historic Preservation Award at 1 p.m. Sunday during a ceremony at the historic Fourth Ward School in Virginia City.

The ceremony is being held in conjunction with Archaeology Awareness and Historic Preservation Month and is included in the schedule of events during Comstock Historic Preservation Weekend.

The weekend's activities include the "Between the Fences" exhibit from the Smithsonian, a letterpress printing workshop, a historic preservation ball on Saturday and a Victorian fashion show on Sunday.

Several of the other award recipients have worked to preserve historic buildings in Virginia City. Jeff Teague and Paul Yandre, co-owners of Yandre and Teague, Ltd.; and Ardie and Brian Shaw, owners of the Cafe Del Rio restaurant, are among the honorees.

"When you do something like this, you just hope to have a good use for a historic property," Shaw said.

The Shaws bought and restored the building that now houses the restaurant. They converted the adjoining shed into the bar and repaired the downstairs. Shaw said he would eventually like to restore the upper level of the building, which used to be an 11-room boarding house.

"There weren't many obstacles in restoring it. We wanted to use the building, but didn't want to do anything extraordinary," Shaw said.

State Historic Preservation Officer Ron James, who will present the awards, said, "These awards are presented each year to recognize the hard work of individuals and organizations that make a difference in our state. We are all grateful for what they have done to maintain our quality of life through preservation of Nevada's heritage."

Hannifan said he works with historic buildings to help preserve the culture and heritage of the area, as well as providing a way for visitors to see the examples of the past.

"We do it not only because they remind us of the past in our current fast-moving world, but also because the people who live in these old buildings are stewards of something that was built long before their time," he said.

The other honorees are Mayor Oscar Goodman, the city of Las Vegas and the Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission; Archaeo Nevada; University of Nevada, Reno professor Katherine Fowler; and the U.S. Forest Service Mountain City Ranger District of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.

20th annual Comstock Preservation Weekend

All weekend:

10 a.m.-5 p.m. "African Americans in Nevada," Fourth Ward School.

10 a.m.-3 p.m. "Between Fences" exhibit, the Comstock History Center.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. "Cast Your Bias to the Wind," St. Mary's Art Center.

Friday:

5:30-8 p.m. Kickoff party for Parties of the Year. $25 per person.

Saturday:

10 a.m.-3 p.m. Comstock Cemetery tours, the Silver Terrace Cemetery. Guided tour lasts one hour. $5 donation.

11 a.m.-4 p.m. Letterpress printing workshop, Fourth Ward School.

12 p.m.-2 p.m. "Global Voice Youth: A World That Works For All," Fourth Ward School.

2:30-3 p.m. 14th Annual Comstock Children's Chorus sings, Fourth Ward School.

6:30-10:30 p.m. Historic Preservation Ball at Piper's Opera House. $35 in advance includes light buffet supper.

Sunday:

1-1:30 p.m. Preservation Awards. Fourth Ward School.

2 p.m.-3 p.m. Victorian Fashion Show, Fourth Ward School.

3-4 p.m. Carol Morgan Page Memorial Silver Tea, Fourth Ward School.