Historic commission outlines yearlong walking-tour plan and nominates Levine couple for Grass Valley Star Award

The Grass Valley Historic Commission presented a multi-part plan for a citywide historic walking tour and voted to advance a Star Award nomination for Peggy and Howard Levine to the City Council, the commission said during its monthly meeting.

Commission leadership summarized a concept that includes a bronzed “Golden Pasty” public art piece on Mill Street as a centerpiece, a three-track walking tour (murals, homes and a downtown hub), smartphone StoryMaps for navigation, physical markers or building-mounted plaques, QR-code access in participating business windows and a printed walking-tour pamphlet. The commission also proposed reprinting the Heritage Homes booklet; staff estimated an upfront cost of $500 to reproduce 200 booklets.

A commission report outlined several delivery options for physical markers, including replacing a section of newly installed metal street grates with custom fabricated historic panels, affixing small plaques to building exteriors with owner permission, QR codes in business windows for deeper historical narratives, and a brochure available at City Hall, the library, the Chamber and local bookstores.

Commissioners asked staff to take the concept to the City Council and return with a line-item budget and timeline. The commission said it will present a more detailed plan to the council and requested direction on priorities for implementation.

The commission also described related items it is pursuing: landmark plaque submittals for the Walsh Mill and Main Street Firehouse to the Nevada County Landmarks Commission, new interpretative signage for the local Jewish cemetery on Eureka Street (circa 1856) and the Catholic cemetery on South Church (circa 1853), and formation of a subcommittee to gather facts and stakeholder intent about the railroad property. Chair-level comments noted volunteers and outside partners have expressed interest in the railroad parcel and that the owner is not currently seeking to develop the property.

Public comment and the Chamber supplemented the report. Robin Galvin Davies, executive director of the Greater Grass Valley Chamber, offered the Chamber's existing downtown walking-tour materials and said they can supply an editable version for the commission to adapt. “We would be delighted to give you what we do have for review,” she said, and encouraged coordination to avoid duplicative work. The chamber also supported the commission’s nomination of Peggy and Howard Levine for the Star Award and offered to supply a letter of support.

On the Star Award, commissioners said they are gathering supporting letters to meet the City’s nomination requirements; the commission needs 10 letters and had several already in hand from local officials and organizations. The commission intends to forward the nomination packet and supporting letters to the City Council through the established committee process and will host a celebration once the plaque is produced.

Commissioners discussed outreach tactics, including monthly docent-led walks (April through October), a StoryMaps implementation that requires no app download, and combining physical markers with digital content to reach diverse audiences. The commission recommended that non-walkable but historically important sites such as St. Joseph’s, the North Star House and the North Star Mine be included on a drivability map or an optional page of the brochure so visitors can reach locations that are not part of a downtown walking loop.

Staff will prepare a final draft report and proposed budget to submit to City Council; the commission asked members to provide additional candidate names and letters for the Star Award nomination before the next meeting.