Virginia Kersey Papers

The Virginia Kersey Papers provides an overview of the philosophies and development of Nevada parks and recreational facilities during the 1980s and early 1990s, on both the regional and statewide level. The bulk of the first series consists of records of the Nevada State Parks Advisory Commission, including minutes of Commission meetings and memorandums from the administrator of the Division of State Parks. Planning for statewide programs is well documented, especially those files affiliated with "Question 5" which appeared on the November, 1990 general election ballot. This parks and wildlife bond issue passed with 66% of the statewide vote, and specified the use of funds for property acquisition, facilities development, and feasibility/master plan studies. The Commission also oversaw the administration of grant selection for Nevada's recreational trails program with funding from federal legislation (the Symms National Recreational Trails Act). Applications from all over the state were received, including one for a Steamboat Ditch model trail.

The State Multiple Use Advisory Committee on Federal Lands considered various uses of federal lands in Nevada, including mining, forestry, nuclear waste dumping, federal land exchanges, recreation, grazing, and wilderness designation. The series includes a list of Advisory Committee recommendations for 1987-1992, minutes, memos, and studies of special issues such as the Florida/Nevada Aerojet land exchange and the proposed Spring Mountain National Recreation Area.

Material in the series representing Citizens for Parks and Trails 2000 is fairly complete and includes working records documenting goals, objectives and methodology of the committee. According to Kersey, a few items were given to those people who were later instrumental in passage of the State Parks and Wildlife Bond issue. Draft copies and final plans as approved by the County Commissioners are included.

The files related to Rancho San Rafael (RSR) Park include minutes of the Citizens for RSR [Committee], planning documents, and master plan materials. Some records of the original RSR Masterplan Steering Committee, of which Kersey was chair, were given to the Washoe County Parks Department to be retained by the Parks Department (as have Kersey's records of her service on the Washoe County Parks Commission).