Trail of the 49er's Interpretive Center
Much in life depends upon reacting quickly to opportunity.
Opportunity to procure a piece of history came unexpectedly in February of 2001, when Chuck and Ginger Barrett, of Battle Mountain, put out the word that their privately owned Forty-niner Interpretive Center needed a new home.
Movers and shakers within the Chamber of Commerce and the City quickly caught the vision. A Forty-niner Interpretive Center in Wells? Yes! But where to put it? How to move it to Wells? How to finance and maintain it?
Speed was of the essence. The Barretts were anxious to retire and move to their new home in Arizona. Several other entities in the state expressed interest in acquiring the Forty-niner Interpretive Center for their communities.
Thad Ballard put together a proposal for the Wells Chamber of Commerce. When completed, the proposal filled a two and a half-inch binder.
“Now there is a proposal!” Chuck Barrett said.
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“After reading Thad’s proposal, the Barretts visited Wells, and made their decision.
“We know the history we have gathered is safe here in Wells,” Barrett told Wells Chamber of Commerce President Pax Kelly.
Once the Interpretive Center was securely within reach, the Chamber acted quickly to set up a site selection committee. The committee looked at twelve sites within the city. Since a perfect site was not available, the committee created the next best thing.
The newly created Society for the Preservation of Western Heritage leased a large portion of the Kelly Kreations Building in the heart of downtown Wells.
The Next Dollar Foundation donated $4,000 for roofing, paint, and sub-flooring. Kelly Kreations donated labor to repair the roof and put down the sub-flooring. In addition, Pax and Tim Kelly donated the tile and the labor to install the tile flooring in the new home of the Forty-niner Interpretive Center.
City Manager Jolene Supp and her daughters, Gail and Veronica, painted the large room.
In late May of 2001, the new home of the Forty-niner Interpretive Center was ready for occupancy.
Deveron Eriksen drove the Wells Propane’s moving van to Battle Mountain. Kerry Robinson drove a truck and trailer; Thad Ballard and Smokey Koelsch brought a van, to transport the Interpretive Center’s many artifacts to Wells.
In early August, the community gathered to celebrate the Grand Opening of the Wells’ Trail of the Forty-niner’s Interpretive Center.
In the first six months following the grand opening, the Interpretive Center hosted 1000 visitors, according to Pax Kelly.
Within six months of the opening date, the Interpretive Center garnered statewide recognition. The Wells Chamber of Commerce received the 2001 Tourism Award.
Nevada Magazine solicited nominations for the 2001 Tourism Award. The nomination query asked how many jobs were generated, and how capital was invested in the project.
“No jobs and no capital,” Kelly wrote. “This project was a coming together of a community. We proved that limited resources needn’t prevent a project from happening, and a door from opening.”
The Wells Chamber also received a $3500 Nevada Commission of Tourism Grant because of its work with the Interpretive Center. The money will be used to design and maintain a web site which will cover the Interpretive Center, as well as the downtown historic district, the Society for Preservation of Western Heritage, and the Chamber and member businesses. The web site will provide links to the city office, and the State of Nevada, Elko County, and the Elko County Economic Development Authority.
“It is one thing for us, here in Wells, to be impressed with our efforts to procure and maintain the Forty-niner Interpretive Center, but it is something else entirely, for the other museums in the state to notice our efforts. The Nevada State Museum, and the Northeastern Nevada Museum in Elko, have offered to loan the Forty-niner Interpretive Center artifacts relating to the period of the Forty-niners,” Thad Ballard said.
The future includes an optimistic vision for Forty-niner Interpretive Center. “We look at the Interpretive Center as an anchor, a tourist draw, and an economic stimulus for business development for this town,” Ballard said.
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