Miners Foundry to be headquarters for 2010 state history conference

 The California Preservation Foundation has already booked 181 rooms for its four-day conference next May in Nevada City and Grass Valley, according to its executive director.

Cindy Heitzman said many more visitors will be making plans to come to the non-profit organization's next annual convention. Around 600 people attended this year's conference in Palm Springs, where they studied the “Culture of Leisure” for nearly a week.

Now, the organization has its sights set on its first trip to the Sierra Foothills to examine “the marvelous inventory of historic sites in the area,” Heitzman said.

Miners Foundry in Nevada City will host conference center for the event, which is scheduled to run from May 12-15.

“This is the biggest event that I've ever brought to the Foundry,” Executive Director Gretchen Bond said.

Bond crafted the proposal that persuaded the CPF to bring the conference center here along with two full days of workshops at the Methodist Church, Nevada Theatre, Odd Fellows Lodge, Nevada City Masonic Lodge and the Nevada County Vets Hall.

Bond said she emphasized Nevada City's heritage, its pedestrian-friendly streets and the fact that all workshops could be held within one-tenth of a mile of Miners Foundry, which is nestled along Spring Street in the historic downtown district.

“The Foundry is the largest venue within easy walking distance of so many historic buildings,” said Bond, adding that the community's experience at managing large events like the SYRCL Film Festival may have helped sway the CPF as well.

Heitzman said that in addition to the hundreds of people who will attend the convention, the CPF will invite around 100 speakers from around the country to help with the workshops in Nevada City. She added that the group has never held a conference in such a rural area.

“This will be a bit of a challenge for us,” Heitzman said. “It's different than we typically do.”

In past years, the foundation has held its conventions in cities like Hollywood, Santa Barbara, San Diego and Monterey.

Bond says she is working on a plan to help the conventioneers feel comfortable while going to workshops or just walking around Nevada City.

“We're going to need a pretty large group of volunteers to provide information to the visitors,” she said. “We're also going to try and wireless the town for the event.”

Heitzman said Grass Valley may host a daylong pre-conference session, a plenary session on the first day of the conference and other events. Those attending the convention, which is open to anyone, also will have opportunities to examine historic sites throughout the county on the final day of the conference, she said.

For more information, about the the CPF, go to californiapreservation.org or minersfoundry.org.

Here's where the California Preservation Foundation has held its last 10 conventions.

2009: Palm Springs

2008: Napa

2007: Hollywood

2006: Sacramento

2005: Riverside

2004: Presidio in San Francisco

2003: Santa Barabara

2002: Santa Rosa

2001: San Diego

2000: Monterey