Nevada State Library and Archives

Administrative History

On July 23, 1969, Governor Paul Laxalt assigned the State Archivist, Frederick C. Gale, to institute an organization for the planning of Nevada's participation in the Bicentennial Celebration of the American Revolution. By Executive Order, Governor Mike O'Callaghan created a Bicentennial Commission on December 3, 1971, designating the Deputy State Archivist as Chairman. On January 11, 1973 the Governor issued another order that rescinded the appointment, and the State Archivist was designated as Chairman, instead. The Legislature that convened immediately thereafter passed the act that created the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission, providing for the composition, powers, and duties of the commission, and providing for other matters relating thereto. "The year 1976 being the 200th anniversary of the independence of this nation, it is desirable that such anniversary be fittingly observed and commemorated throughout the State of Nevada in cooperation with the national bicentennial observance."

The Commission functioned along the lines of the national American Revolution Bicentennial Administration, which embraced three thematic elements: Heritage '76, Festival USA, and Horizons '76. Nevada State and local programs contained all three elements. Heritage '76 covered activities which primarily recalled the nation's heritage, and gave an historical perspective as related to the community. Its concerns include what could be seen, touched, and felt of the historic past: houses, churches, bridges, and parks that form a heritage of the man-made environment. Festival USA related to efforts to share the traditional celebrations, culture, hospitality and character of the nation's people and communities: a 200th Birthday party with purpose and meaning. Horizons '76 were those activities planned to be ready for implementation in or before 1976 to improve the quality to life in a bicentennial community. The same Assembly Bill designated the termination of the Commission as June 30, 1977.

Records  1969-1979   36 cubic feet

Correspondence  1969-1979  29 c.f. 
The bulk of the record group is correspondence to and from the national American Revolution Bicentennial Administration (ARBA), the Nevada American Revolution Bicentennial Commission (NARBC), Region 9 chapter of the ARBA to which Nevada belonged, local communities and units in the State, and other states. Project proposals and applications for grants-in-aid to both ARBA and NARBC constitute the majority of correspondence. Included also are the financial reports related to these projects. These are generally arranged according to county, city or institution and agency. Correspondence related to the medallion project of the NARBC is also part of the collection and includes inquiries, orders and complaints.
 
Minutes   1972-1977    1 cu. ft. 
Records of the minutes of the Nevada American Revolution Bicentennial Commission meetings from the first session in 1972 through the final session in 1977. These are filed in binders and in chronological order.
 
Financial Records   1972-1977    2 cu. ft. 
Records of the Commission's budget, and expenses and income from the Bicentennial medallion. The financial reports related to projects and grants are included with the project files in the Correspondence series. 
 
Newspaper Clippings    1971-1977    4 cu. ft. 
Filed newspaper clippings that are mounted in scrapbooks constitute four (4) archives boxes. There are, however, a number of clippings inserted among the correspondence.
 
Published Materials   1975-1977    1 cu. ft. 
This series contains the publications of ARBA, Bicentennial News, and information guides and manuals, the NARBC's Opus '76, as well as various publications received from other states. These are not located in one container, but can be found in several places in the collection.