In the Spirit of Mark Twain
Territorial Enterprise Historical & Educational Foundation
The Territorial Enterprise, a prominent newspaper in the 1860s, ran articles by notable authors such as Dan DeQuille, Bret Hart, and the world-renowned Mark Twain. Later. Changing hands several times over the decades, the paper was revived in the 1950s by syndicate author and tycoon, Lucius Beebe. Arising from the Nevada newspaper in the 1980s, the Territorial Enterprise Foundation (TEF) remains close to its predecessor’s spirit, its central mission being the promotion of education and the arts, particularly as they concern the Comstock region in Nevada. In response to the scarcity of English instructional material in many countries of the world, the TEF provides teachers worldwide with video, audio, and internet resources in American English, featuring the writings of Mark Twain and other authors of the Territorial Enterprise. As the literary personas of the above authors were largely born out of their writings about the Comstock, the TEF seeks to promote their unique perspectives by adapting their work to contemporary instruction via educational mediums of the 21st Century.
Our Mission Statement
The Territorial Enterprise Foundation 501(c)(3) is dedicated to the preservation of the historical and literary legacy of the Comstock and the Eastern and Central Sierra Nevada. Within these broad purposes, the foundation supports a range of endeavors including:
Higher Education
- Literacy: promoting advancement of reading and creative writing programs.
- ESL: promoting the learning of English
- Educational Materials: producing English teaching and English learning materials as well as online tutorials.
- Communications: encouraging the study of journalism and the production of educational materials, using all available new media technologies.
Literature and the Arts
The maintenance of a facility to inform and encourage the appreciation of the region’s literary and journalistic legacy; a facility to display art of the historic West, and a gallery featuring contemporary works by known and emerging artists of Nevada and California.
Board of Directors
- Directors
- Tom Muzzio, Rodney Sumpter, Gene Romaine, D. Mark DeSautel, Danis Garcia, Steven Lloyd
- Associates
- Catherine Woodward, Tim Purdy, Joe Curtis, Chic De Francia