Douglas County approves $75,900 state grant and 40-year covenant for Dangberg Home Ranch study

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to accept a $75,900 grant from the Nevada Commission for Cultural Centers and Historic Preservation (CCCHP) and to sign a covenant attaching preservation conditions to the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park.

The grant will pay an architectural team to prepare an historic-structures report and an estimate of future restoration costs for the bunkhouse at Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park. County staff and trustees of the Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch told the board the study is intended to position the site to compete for future restoration funding.

Deputy Community Services Director Ryan Stanton told the commission the Dangberg Home Ranch site has been operated by the Friends of Dangberg under contract with the county since July 2011 after the Nevada Division of State Parks announced it could no longer operate the park. Stanton said the CCCHP grant covers only the study; it does not pay for restoration work itself.

Mark Jensen, executive director of Friends of Dangberg Home Ranch, described the nonprofit’s contribution to the park’s operations and fundraising. “Since its founding in 2011, Friends of Dangberg’s annual budget has grown to a hundred and $32,000. It employs 2 professional staff,” Jensen said, and noted the nonprofit has raised an endowment and secured other grants to support the park.

Brook Ady, Douglas County community services director, told commissioners the covenant obligates the county to ongoing maintenance and repair during the covenant period but does not require the county to fund restoration work identified by the study. “The grant fund is to engage with an architect to see what it would take to refurbish the bunkhouse. It is not an obligation that the county will then fund the repairs,” Ady said.

Commissioners asked about public access and about which party would manage outreach and programming tied to the property. Jensen said Friends of Dangberg would continue to publicize programming and manage open days; the park itself is day-use, open to visitors even when buildings are not staffed.

During public comment, resident Jim Jackson criticized the study as an unnecessary expense and urged reliance on private donors. Jensen and county staff said the grant funds would go directly to Friends of Dangberg to pay an architect the group had already scheduled.

Commissioner Gardner moved to approve the covenant agreement and accept the CCCHP grant; Commissioner Tolbert seconded. The motion carried unanimously.

The covenant extends the existing preservation covenant by 10 years because the CCCHP requires a longer covenant for cumulative award amounts; county staff said the new term would extend protections through 12/31/2065 if the grant is accepted. County staff and Friends of Dangberg said accepting the grant will strengthen future grant applications, for example for climate control or restoration projects, by showing state-level commitment and documented project plans.

The board’s action is a planning step: the study will document condition and estimated costs that could be used in future grant applications or private fundraising, but no restoration work was authorized or funded as part of this vote.