Nevada Historical Society launching gaming lecture series

CARSON CITY, Nevada – The Nevada Historical Society in Reno is launching a new lecture series that celebrates one of the state’s most important industries: gaming. The American Gaming Archives Lecture Series debuts Oct. 13 with a wine-and-cheese reception at 5:30 p.m. preceding the inaugural lecture by Bill Watson, chief executive and curator of the Thunderbird Lodge Preservation Society at Lake Tahoe. Watson spent more than 30 years in the gaming business, including serving as the senior vice president and general manager of Bally Gaming & Systems, which manufactures slot machines and other industry equipment. Watson will share his memories of early gaming, establishments and the people behind them, including his recollections of Si Redd, founder of multinational gaming giant International Game Technology. “Bill Watson’s amazing career and passion for historic preservation make him a perfect choice to kick off this lecture series,” said Catherine Magee, director of the Nevada Historical Society. The NHS American Gaming Archives collections were created in 2006 as a home for gambling history in both manuscript and artifact form. The archive’s collection includes manufacturer’s records and artifacts from the major gambling manufacturing companies that sold gaming paraphernalia throughout the United States and the Caribbean. The Nevada Historical Society is located at 1650 N. Virginia St., just north of Lawlor Events Center on the University of Nevada, Reno campus. Admission to the lecture is $5 for adults; free for members and children 17 and younger. For more information, call (775) 688-1190.