Since 1997, the Historical Resources Commission has recognized property owners and preservationists through the annual awards program. At today’s Reno City Council meeting, four awards were presented to the following deserving individuals:

Alicia Baldrica, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer – Distinguished Service Award
The Distinguished Service Award recognizes an individual or group that have shown through their work a career in preservation that has resulted in the preservation of structures, education and other related preservation activities.

Ed Bath – Advocate Award
The Advocate Award recognizes an individual or group that has through education, deeds or specific historic restoration(s) increased the public awareness of historic preservation with the community.

Chism Residence – Residential Award
The Residential Award recognizes an outstanding renovation, restoration or preservation of a single family home or multi-family residential building.

Humphrey House – Historical Landmark Award
The Historical Landmark Award recognizes structures, landscapes, objects, etc. that are considered to be of citywide, state or regional significance.

Historic preservation is an effective tool for managing growth and sustainable development, revitalizing neighborhoods, fostering local pride, and maintaining community character while enhancing livability.

“Old is the New Green” is the theme for National Preservation Month 2010 which is co-sponsored by the Historical Resources Commission in Reno and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

The Historical Resources Commission is the official advisor to the City of Reno on matters relating to the historic preservation of cultural resources and buildings. To learn more visit www.reno.gov, click “Government,” then select “Community Development,” and “Historical Resources.”

I want to reassure everyone that no matter what direction the RSCVA takes in their marketing campaign, the City of Reno is committed to protecting and promoting its 80 year-old slogan. In fact, part of the action plan for this year’s Communications Priority includes updating intellectual property policies and procedures and making sure we’ve got appropriate copyright protection.

First adopted in 1929, the line was the winning entry in a contest. The $100 prize went to G.A. Burns of Sacramento, who probably based his suggestion on a tagline that had been used as early as 1910. Along the same lines, the Reno Commercial Club had used “the Biggest Little City on the Map” in 1912.

The City officially adopted the slogan in 1929 and put it on one of the early versions of the Reno arch. Another version of the arch, built in 1935, stayed on Virginia Street for about 28 years. It now resides on Lake Street, right next to the National Automobile Museum.

When the arch was updated, on New Year’s Eve 1963 and in August 1987, the City’s slogan was prominently featured.

The Reno arch is a piece of true Americana and no matter what form the arch takes in the future, I believe it will include that line.

For me, since the RSCVA’s thorough research shows that there is a new audience that can be persuaded to come and visit, we should support their efforts to convince people to come to Reno, Sparks and North Lake Tahoe. We’ve had eleven straight years of declining visitor numbers, so what we’ve been doing so far hasn’t been enough to turn that around.

RSCVA’s mission is to fill hotel rooms in the region and their new marketing plan is aimed at the people who either haven’t been before or who haven’t been here for a long time. To learn more about their goals and strategy, I’d suggest reading their blog at http://update.visitrenotahoe.com/.

But whatever RSCVA ends up doing to attract visitors, Reno will remain “The Biggest Little City.” It’s a big part of our identity, it’s written on our DNA. I can’t imagine that changing.

My bet is that marketing taglines for the region will come and go, but Reno will always be “The Biggest Little City in the World.”

The award winners:
• Nancy “Nan” Spina – Distinguished Service Award
• Kelly Rae and Pamela Haberman from HabeRae Investments, Inc. – Advocate Award
• Ginsberg/Cassity Home (Mr. and Mrs. Cassity) – Residential Award
• Lane Building at 401 West 2nd Street (University of Nevada Reno) – Non-residential Award
• St. Thomas Aquinas Cathedral at 310 West 2nd Street (Catholic Diocese of Reno) – Non-Residential Award
• Lake Mansion at 250 Court Street (VSA Arts of Nevada) – Historic Landmark Award
• Linda P. Newman, Map Librarian from the University of Nevada, Reno – Historical Resources Award