The Nevada Northern Railway Museum is perhaps best known among railfans for its collection of three restored steam locomotives and a shop-and-yard complex right out of the steam era. But it is also home to something perhaps even more important: 3,600 cubic feet of historic records and paperwork that tell the entire story of the railroad’s 120-year history as a copper hauler in eastern Nevada.

The museum’s efforts to preserve those records were recently recognized by the American Association for State and Local History with the prestigious Award of Excellence. The awards program was initiated in 1945 to establish and encourage standards of excellence in the collection, preservation and interpretation of state and local history throughout the United States.

The railroad’s record vault was constructed in 1914, and it contained all of its vital records, an invaluable resource for museum staff, genealogists, historians and railroad enthusiasts. A few years ago, the museum emptied the entire vault room so that it could be brought up to modern standards with new shelving, HVAC control, lighting and access. The records were indexed, placed in archival-quality storage materials, and returned to the vault, where ongoing cataloging and digitization efforts are underway. Concurrently, the new Archive Research Room was opened to the public, providing a place to access this important historical collection.

—Justin Franz