Painting Party Coming to Museum

CARSON CITY, Nevada – It’s party time at the East Ely Railroad Depot Museum.

Make that a painting party.

The east end of the museum’s historic Freight Building will be getting a new paint job courtesy of volunteers and museum staff on Saturday, May 19, and the public is invited to bring a paintbrush or a wire brush, if possible, and join in the fun.

Refreshments will be served.

Built in 1906, the State of Nevada-owned Freight Building is the oldest structure on the Nevada Northern Railway Complex and is a community gathering place for weddings, funerals and myriad other special events, said Museum Director Sean Pitts. Until it closed in 1983, the building was the gateway for the majority of materials that were freighted to Ely by train.

“This 112-year-old building is in remarkable condition thanks to the state of Nevada’s preservation efforts,” Pitts said. “A fresh coat of paint will ensure it remains usable for our community. We will only be painting the parts that need it, not the whole building.”

The Painting Party is scheduled to run from 8 to 11 a.m.

The East Ely Railroad Depot Museum focuses on the historical industrial development of Nevada as evidenced by the massive copper production in the area which began in 1900. Located in the historic Nevada Northern Railway Depot building, the museum interprets mining and transportation heritage.

The museum is located at 1100 Avenue A in Ely. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. For more information, call 775-289-1663.