In this issue:

 Bethel AME Church added to Reno’s Historic Register in 2025 

 Your invitation to the exclusive Spanish Oaks Tennis Club, Apr. 18 

 Reid Public History Institute

 Meet Volunteer Christine

 Learn about Historic Designations Apr. 18

This month’s newsletter highlights the many ways preservation connects past, present, and future. We begin in Reno with Bethel AME Church, a newly recognized historic landmark whose legacy reflects Nevada’s deep and complex civil rights history. We also share exciting news about our partnership with the UNLV Reid Public History Institute, an initiative focused on mentoring and preparing the next generation of preservation professionals.

From upcoming programming to volunteer leadership, this issue underscores a simple truth: preservation thrives through community. Thank you for being part of the work to protect and elevate Nevada’s historic places and stories.

PRESERVATION SPOTLIGHT: Reno’s Bethel AME Church

In Reno, a modest brick church stands as a powerful reminder that Nevada’s history is layered, complex, and still unfolding. Built in 1910, Bethel AME Church has long served as a religious, social, and civic anchor for the city’s African American community. More than a house of worship, it functioned as a gathering place, organizing space, and political center during the early twentieth century. Established to serve Reno’s Black residents in the 1910s, the church later became a central hub for local civil rights activism in the 1960s.

Closely connected to the NAACP and local civil rights efforts, the church helped shape Reno’s social and political landscape through its active community leadership and steadfast dignity in the face of discrimination—values rooted in the core principles of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Its walls have witnessed generations of baptisms, funerals, strategy sessions and celebrations, representing both the everyday and extraordinary moments.

In recognition of its enduring legacy, the AME Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was added to Reno’s Historic Register in 2025. Its designation affirms the building’s critical historical significance as one of Nevada’s most important sites associated with the African American population and the civil rights movement. Read more about the preservation of the AME Church.

UPCOMING PROGRAMMING: 

1984 Revenge of the Yuppies: A Totally Preppy Country Club Soiree

Saturday, April 18, 6pm • $75

It’s the summer of 1984. You’ve just graduated high school and have one last summer before your parents expect you to apprentice in the family business when you are offered a summer job at the elite Spanish Oaks Tennis Club.

From the moment you arrive at the pristinely manicured grounds, you know you’ll never be satisfied until you achieve the posh, pastel lifestyle of its wealthy yuppie members.

Join us for a totally major sunset soirée at a private clubhouse overlooking the iconic Las Vegas Strip. This exclusive location has remained largely unchanged since the late 1970s. Sip Salty Dogs, explore grounds once walked by A-list celebrities, and enjoy the smooth sounds of early ’80s pop hits.

 Get tickets here!

HERITAGE HIGHLIGHTS: NPF’s PAST PROJECTS & RESEARCH

At NPF, we’ve long believed that safeguarding places requires more than passion - it requires people who know how to listen to old walls, read fading records and translate what once was into reasons why it still matters. That belief is taking shape in a new partnership with UNLV’s Reid Public History Institute, aiming to grow the next generation of preservation professionals right here in Nevada.

This initiative links NPF’s expertise and networks with UNLV’s academic resources to give students hands-on experience, mentorship and a clearer path into the field of heritage preservation, from research and documentation to advocacy and community engagement. By building bridges between classroom and real-world preservation work, the collaboration reinforces a simple but vital idea: the work we do today to understand our past makes it possible to protect it tomorrow.

For NPF, investing in people is inseparable from investing in places. Through this partnership, we are helping cultivate professionals who will carry forward the stewardship of Nevada’s historic buildings, landscapes, and cultural narratives, ensuring that preservation remains dynamic, thoughtful and rooted in community. Read more about this important partnership in the Las Vegas Sun, written by Nicole Cormier.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT

Kristine has lived in Las Vegas since 1993 and has witnessed the city’s remarkable growth over the past three decades. During that time, she has also seen many historic places demolished and replaced with new development, which deepened her appreciation for preservation.

As a business student at UNLV, Kristine discovered a student assistant position at the soon-to-open Architecture Library. She remained there through graduation and later transitioned to a role with the Las Vegas–Clark County Library District. Encouraged by colleagues, she pursued her Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

Over the years, Kristine has attended programs at the Nevada State Museum, Clark County Museum, and UNLV, and has explored historic sites across Nevada with her family, including Rhyolite, Goldfield, the Ely train depot, and Lehman Caves. She hopes to visit Northern Nevada soon.

After a medical episode in 2020 limited her mobility, Kristine retired in 2022 following a 20-year career with the library district. With more time available, she began attending Nevada Preservation Foundation programs and later volunteered to assist with tour research. Her background in research and lifelong interest in history make her a strong addition to the team, and she looks forward to supporting future tours while continuing to learn about the rich history of Las Vegas and Nevada.

A LOOK AHEAD  

Preservation 101: What Does Historic Designation Mean?

Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 12:30 PM

Curious about what historic designation really means? 

Join us at NPF headquarters for Preservation 101, an afternoon of lunch and learning where our panel of preservationists and historians will break down national, state, and local designation, explain the application process, and clarify what can and cannot be changed on a historic property. 

Come ready with your toughest questions for our Q&A and test your knowledge with our pop quiz: Does having an NPF plaque mean your house is officially designated as historic? 

Tickets at nevadapreservation.org