Former governor's home new stop on Victorian Christmas Tour

Phil and Tina Hersey know that restoring a historic home is a labor of love.

And after 14 years of fixing up the former residence of Nevada Gov. Roswell K. Colcord, they are ready to show off that hard work Sunday as the newest stop on the annual Victorian Christmas Tour.

"It's a reward for all the work we've put into this," Tina said Friday as she was hanging Christmas decorations in the trees outside the residence. "It's finally ready, and so this year we said, let's get involved with this."

The home was built in 1874, and sits on half a block on Telegraph Street, between Mountain and Elizabeth streets. The restored Victorian is a huge improvement over what Phil Hersey first laid eyes on 14 years ago.

"It was just a wreck when we drove by it," Phil said. "It looked like a West Virginia shack in the back with all the old additions. We came from that way, and the real estate agent started pulling up to the curb, and I opened my window and was waving her on, saying 'keep going.'"

"He said the lady next door came over and said, 'Are you going to tear it down? That would be great,'" Tina added.

Phil said that the house had been cut up into apartments, with several additions added on, and hadn't seen any maintanence for 50 years.

The couple moved into the house three years ago with their four children, ranging in age from 12 to 17. It has five bedrooms, two of which are in a new addition they added to the home.

"I love it," Tina said. "There are some inconveniences of course, like no central heat, and the plumbing kind of comes and goes. But I think it's neat. I like history, and I always wanted to live in an old house."

While working in an addition to the home that was built in the 1890s, Phil found some papers that had Gov. Colcord's daughter's name on them, which now hang in frames on the wall.

"We dug up a lot of history," Tina said.

The home is one of eight on the self-guided tour noon-5 p.m. Sunday. The tour is sponsored by the Carson City Historical Society and Carson City Redevelopment.

Tickets are $12 adults, $10 seniors & historical society members, children 6-12 $3; 5 and under free. They are available at the Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, White Cat Antiques, Foreman Roberts House and Green House Garden Center. Proceeds benefit the Foreman-Roberts House Museum and Carriage House.

For morel information, call 687-7410 or 882-1805.