Lyon County approves deed transfer of historic Silver City volunteer fire station to local fire district

The Lyon County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a motion June 18 to transfer deed and title for the historic Silver City Volunteer Fire Department building at 140 Main Street (APN 08-012-01) to the Central Lyon County Fire Protection District.

Assistant Fire Chief Ryan McIntosh told the board the building, constructed in 1901 and associated with a volunteer department founded in 1863, is in poor condition and that the fire district and the Silver City Volunteer Fire Department’s 501(c)(3) want the deed to pursue grants and fundraising to stabilize and restore the structure. McIntosh said a title search and survey were completed in 2019 and the district plans to rely on grants, donors and volunteer labor rather than tax revenues to fund restoration.

Commissioners asked about previous work on the property and whether restoration would draw on tax revenue. County Manager Andrew Haskin said staff supports the transfer and that the county had not been maintaining the building as an active facility. Commissioner Cassinelli and others described the property as an important local historic resource and urged a prompt move to protect it.

The board’s motion authorized transfer of the deed and title and authorized the county manager to sign the necessary documents. The motion passed 5-0 (mover: Commissioner Castanelli; second: Commissioner Hendricks). The district indicated it will seek grants such as Community Development Block Grant funding and work with its 501(c)(3) to raise private funds. The applicants also said they plan to seek listing on the National Register of Historic Places after stabilization work.

Next steps include completion of the legal conveyance paperwork and county manager signature, after which the district and volunteer fire department said they will pursue fundraising, grant applications and stabilization work.