The historic Hillside Cemetery near the University of Nevada, Reno was falling into disrepair over a decade ago, when one woman - passionate about preserving history - decided to roll up her sleeves.
Retired music teacher and history buff Frances Tryon rallied the community to clean up the gravesites, removing weeds and trash, and restoring headstones that had been broken or stolen from the grounds.
"It's kind of the way I've been since I was little," she told 2 News Nevada. "I always went with my grandmother to the family gravesites, and it's just - the history speaks to me."
Today, with the cemetery in much better shape, she's passionate about sharing the history of the people buried in Hillside.
"These are amazing families and amazing individuals that put their blood, their sweat - they put everything into this community to make sure that this community was huge," she said. "Our city streets are named for them. The Mayberrys. The Peckhams. The Browns. The Goulds. The Plumbs."
She and the Hillside Cemetery Preservation Foundation are inviting community members to support the cemetery and learn more about the people buried there.
On Saturday, June 21st from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., community members can visit the gravesites and hear the stories of Reno's founders directly from family members and volunteers in a self-guided walking tour. Tickets are $10 a person, with lunch provided at the Knights of Pythias Lodge next to the cemetery at 11:30 a.m.
Visit the Hillside Cemetery Preservation Foundation's Facebook Page for the event details. The Hillside Cemetery is located on 900 Nevada St, Reno, NV 89503.
