Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today announced the designation of a new national historic landmark in Nevada for its exceptional value and quality in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the United States.
The site is among 26 new national historic landmarks and one national natural landmark designations announced by Salazar today. Currently there are only 2,527 designated national historic landmarks and 592 national natural landmark sites across the country that bear this national distinction.
"Each of these landmarks represents another thread in the great tapestry that tells the story of our beautiful land, our diverse culture and our nation's rich heritage," said Salazar. "By designating these sites as national landmarks, we help meet the goals of President Obama's America's Great Outdoors Initiative to establish a conservation ethic for the 21st century and reconnect people, especially young people, to our nation's historic, cultural, and natural heritage."
The new landmark in Nevada is McKeen Motor Car #70 (Virginia & Truckee Railway Motor Car #22), in Carson City.
McKeen Motor Car # 70 is the best surviving example of the first commercially viable application of internal combustion power in a self-propelled railroad car. The success of this design allowed railroad passenger, mail and express service to be provided and maintained in thousands of lightly-populated communities across the country, signifying a shift in the railroad industry in the early part of the 20th century.
Fewer than 200 McKeen Motor cars were built between 1905 and 1920 and this is the only existing operating example of its type and model.
The National Historic Landmarks Program, established in 1935, is administered by the National Park Service on behalf of the Secretary of the Interior. The agency works with preservation officials and other partners interested in nominating a landmark. Completed applications are reviewed by the National Park System Advisory Board, which makes recommendations for designation to the Secretary of the Interior. If selected, property ownership remains intact but each site receives a designation letter, a plaque, and technical preservation advice.
Additional information regarding the 27 landmarks announced today can be found here.
Additional information on the designations can be found at: http://www.nps.gov/nhl.
From the U.S. Department of the Interior
Courtesy: Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs
