NHS Artown Talks – On The GO! at Nevada Sunset Winery, Sat. July 4

NHS Artown Talks – On The GO!

Program Schedule
Saturday, July 4, 2026

Discover this year’s NHS Artown – On the GO! talks.

The Nevada Historical Society’s building may be closed for an exciting remodel, but you can still enjoy these fascinating lectures at the Nevada Sunset Winery during the closure.

NHS Artown Talks – On The GO! Series is their Artown summer program that delves into Nevada and Reno history. Make sure to visit Nevada Sunset Winery every Saturday in July to spark your interest in the captivating past of Reno and Nevada with eight engaging programs geared for audiences of all ages. A FREE Artown event!

Make sure to check out today’s NHS Artown Talks, come celebrate American’s birthday with two great Nevada history talks!

Governor Sparks with his cabinet staff, Labor Day, 1906

1-2 PM: 
Lexington, Concord and Nevada: The Militia Tradition and its evolution in the Silver State

An America 250 Nevada Program 

Presented by Emerson Marcus, PAO Nevada National Guard and Historian

Captain Emerson Marcus, historian

Learn about Nevada’s Role in National Defense with guest speaker, Emerson Marcus, Nevada Historian and Public Affairs Officer for the Nevada National Guard.

The State of Nevada’s military force, known as the National Guard, has been shaped by centuries-old military tradition, the needs of the federal government and the demands of Nevadans and our nation. Throughout its history, the Nevada National Guard has evolved to meet these traditions, needs and demands.

Emerson Marcus is the state public affairs officer for the Nevada National Guard and a captain in the Nevada Air National Guard. Marcus, a former Reno Gazette Journal breaking news reporter, is also the associate editor of the Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, “The Q,” and has a Master of Arts in history from the University of Nevada, Reno. He has previously written articles in The Q about Nevada’s 1915 pari-mutuel betting law for horse racing and the Nevada National Guard’s disbandment following worker strikes in Goldfield.

Caleb S. Cage, auxiliary officer

2:30 – 3:30 PM:

Nevada in literary fiction of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars

An America 250 Nevada Program 

Presented by Caleb S. Cage, Historian and Author

Learn about Nevada in literary fiction of Iraq & Afghanistan with guest speaker, Caleb S. Cage, Historian and Author.

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in a significant contribution to literary fiction in the United States. There have been dozens of novels, short stories, and short story collections since that time. Interestingly, the state of Nevada has been included in a substantial number of these works. This presentation will discuss how Nevada has been mentioned in these works, what its inclusion means, and what we can learn about our state from fiction on these wars.

Caleb S Cage, speaker

Caleb S. Cage is a native of Sparks, Nevada, and served as an artillery officer in the U.S. Army from 2002 to 2007, which included two deployments to Iraq. Following his military service, he has written three books on the Iraq war: a personal memoir, a study of how narratives shape beliefs regarding the wars, and a collection of short stories entitled Desert Mementos: Stories of Iraq and Nevada. In 2019, he received the Silver Pen Award from the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame for his contribution to literature in Nevada.

We would like to thank our community partner, Nevada Sunset Winery for hosting our lecture series. Nevada Sunset Winery is located at 415 East 4th Street, Unit B, Reno, NV 89512.