Carson City's Lone Mountain Cemetery

Most people don't usually think of a cemetery as a place for history, but some of Nevada’s most prominent historical figures can be found at the Lone Mountain Cemetery in Carson City.

Lone Mountain can trace its beginnings to the early 1860s and the earliest days of Carson City. Many pioneering Carsonites—as well as several governors and other 19th century state leaders—were laid to rest at Lone Mountain.

According to historian Cindy Southerland, who several years ago compiled an inventory of the cemetery, the 40-acre burial ground consists of seven separate cemeteries including sections for Masons, Oddfellows, Catholics, and children.

While it might sound odd, Lone Mountain is an interesting place to explore, particularly if you have Southerland's inventory as a guide. For instance, the Catholic section, located at the southeast end of the cemetery is home of several prominent Nevadans such as Mathias and Marcella Rinckel.

Mathias Rinckel, who was born in Germany in 1833, was an early resident of Carson City, having established a successful cattle ranch in the area in 1863. In 1876, Rinckel built a grand home for his wife, the Rinckel Mansion at 102 North Curry Street, which is still standing.

Mathias Rinckel, who died in 1879, also helped finance Carson City's first two opera houses as well as construction of St. Teresa de Avila Church. Marcella Rinckel, who died in 1933, was active in the women's suffrage movement in the state.

The former Oddfellows section, found in the northeastern portion of Lone Mountain, contains other familiar names including Abraham Curry, who is considered the father of Carson City.

Curry, who was born in New York in 1815, arrived in Carson City in 1858. With partners John J. Musser, Benjamin Green, and Frank Proctor, he purchased about 1,000 acres in Eagle Valley and laid out the community of Carson City.

Additionally, Curry built the Warm Springs Hotel (located near the site of the present Nevada State Prison) as well as the prison, the Carson City Mint building and the Virginia and Truckee Railroad shops.

His political accomplishments included stints as a Territorial Assemblyman from 1862-63, a Territorial Senator from 1863-64, warden of the state prison and superintendent of the mint.

Curry died in 1873 and, despite his achievements, was buried in a modest grave with a wooden marker because his family did not have the financial means to do otherwise. The original marker disintegrated over the years and it wasn't until 1964 that a more suitable one was erected.

Other prominent early Nevadans that can be found at Lone Mountain include:

• Henry Marvin Yerington, superintendent of the Virginia and Truckee Railroad and namesake for a western Nevada community. Yerington, who died in 1910, also constructed the first flume to send timber from Lake Tahoe to the Comstock mines.

• Denver S. Dickerson, who served as Nevada's 11th governor from 1908 to 1910. Dickerson was elected Lieutenant Governor in 1906, then assumed the top job upon the death of Governor John Sparks in 1908. He was defeated when he sought a full term but later served as superintendent of the state police and warden of the state prison. He died in 1925 and is one of five governors buried at Lone Mountain.

• Abe Cohn, a Carson City businessman known primarily for his commercial association with legendary Washoe basketmaker Dat so la lee. Cohn, who died in 1934, sold Dat so la lee's magnificent woven baskets for 40 years.

• Hank Monk, a stage driver who was immortalized by writer Mark Twain for a white-knuckle ride from Carson City to Placerville that he provided to Horace Greeley, editor of the New York Tribune. Monk supposedly traveled the 109-mile distance in less than ten hours.

• Jennie Clemens, daughter of Orion Clemens, who served as Nevada's Territorial Secretary in 1863, and niece of writer Mark Twain. Jennie Clemens died of spotted fever in 1864 at the age of nine.

• Anne Hudnall Martin, a remarkable woman who served Carson City as a school teacher for 13 years, then as owner and editor of the Carson Daily Morning News.

A copy of Cindy Southerland's excellent publication is available at the Carson City Library. A condensed version that describes the history of Lone Mountain Cemetery and selected burial sites was also produced.

Unusual Nevada Newspaper Names

Eureka Sentinel Building

More than 800 newspapers have been published in Nevada since the mid-19th century. Most have sported traditional names—like Lahontan Valley News or Las Vegas Review-Journal—but a few have had decidedly more colorful monikers.

The following, taken from the classic book, “The Newspapers of Nevada,” by Richard E. Lingenfelter and Karen Rix Gash, are perhaps the most bizarre newspaper names ever to grace the printed page. Perhaps with good reason, none are still published.

1. Spark of Genius: The modestly named Spark was a monthly, eight-column newspaper published in Austin in 1879. It was the brainchild of Vienna Dollarhide, a local schoolteacher, and its stated goal was to inspire the "literary genius of the youthful climbers of the ladder of learning." The ladder may have been too steep for her readers, however, since the paper folded after only a few issues.

2. Measure For Measure: This Battle Mountain weekly, started on November 23, 1874, derived its nomenclature from a Shakespearean play of the same name. Erudite publisher-editor William J. Forbes attempted to be original when naming his publications; his previous papers were the New Endowment (in Salt Lake City) and the Trespass (in Virginia City). Measure For Measure tried to measure up to its readers’ expectations until Forbes' death in 1875.

3. True Fissure: With a name reflecting its mining-town roots, Candelaria's True Fissure started on June 5, 1880, as a Republican weekly. It served the role well, helping owner-editor John Dormer get elected Nevada's secretary of state in 1882 and reelected four years later. By then, Candelaria was in decline, and the paper folded on December 4, 1886.

4. The Cupel: The Cupel took its name from the cup used by an assayer. This daily was published for four months in 1874. Unlike most of the state's defunct papers, which died for economic reasons, the Cupel's demise was due to an act of nature. On July 24, a flash flood swept through Eureka, destroying or wrecking 30 buildings, including The Cupel's offices. While Editor William Taylor survived the disaster, reporter Roger Robinette drowned, as did 15 others. The rival Eureka Sentinel (offices pictured above), however, survived and lasted for another century.

5. Co-operative Colonist: This newspaper was founded to promote a socialist utopian colony being developed at Nevada City, four miles east of Fallon. Published sporadically from March 1916 to September 1918, the Co-operative Colonist was first edited by C.V. Eggleston, one of the colony's boosters, and later by R.E. Bray after Eggleston was ejected from the colony for being more interested in personal profit than communalism. The paper folded when the colony disintegrated in 1918.

6. Las Vegas Hangover: A case where the name says it all. The Hangover was a Las Vegas-based weekly entertainment magazine published from January 1946 to February 1946. Publisher Harriet Merry claimed circulation in 11 Western states, but that was apparently not enough to prevent the Hangover from "passing out" of existence.

7. Potosi Nix Cum Rouscht: Nevada's strangest named newspaper, the Nix Cum Rouscht, was a handwritten manuscript sheet, published in February 1861 in the Southern Nevada mining camp of Potosi by the town's founder, J.E. Stevens. The paper lasted only one issue—possibly due to writer's cramp or because no one could pronounce its name or knew what it meant.

8. Rochester Paycrack: Another newspaper named for a mining term (a "paycrack" is a rich vein of ore), the Paycrack was published for less than a year in the mining camp of Rochester (100 miles east of Reno). The paper was owned and edited by Joe T. Camp, described as "one of the last of Nevada true tramp printers" by Lingenfelter and Gash. Camp, who carried his press with him from town to town, started no less than seven newspapers in Nevada between 1910 and 1920. None lasted longer than two years.

9. Betty O'Neal Concentrator: The Concentrator commenced publishing on February 9, 1924, to serve the citizens of the mining camp of Betty O'Neal, located 14 miles south of Battle Mountain. Financially wobbly from the start, the Concentrator was first published by N.W. Cockrell and then was taken over by the paper's creditors. In its final days it boasted it was "the only newspaper edited and published by the citizens of any mining camp in the state." But even that didn't help it stay afloat; the Concentrator folded in mid-1925.

10. Aurora Borealis: The cleverly named Aurora Borealis, first appeared in the mining camp of Aurora on November 18, 1905. Published by the owners of the nearby Bodie Miner, the weekly Borealis was published for seven months, and then faded with the town's fortunes. The press used to print the Borealis ended up in Mina, where it was used until 1930 to produce the Western Nevada Miner.

Legend of the Lost Breyfogle Mine

One of Nevada’s most enduring legends involves a miner named Charles Breyfogle and a lost gold mine.

While there are several variations of the Breyfogle story, most begin with him prospecting near Austin in the early 1860s (although some claim he was selling real estate or working as a blacksmith or toiling in a quartz mill).

Apparently, in about 1863 he either set out alone on a prospecting trip or headed out with one to three companions (again, each story seems to tell it differently). The group headed south of Austin to the Amargosa River Valley.

One night while they were sleeping, hostile Indians attacked the camp but overlooked Breyfogle, who had decided to sleep a little bit away from the others (maybe they snored). He awoke to see his companions being killed and managed to slip away unnoticed.

Because of his hasty escape, Breyfogle was only able to grab his bedroll and boots but had no water or food. He wandered around the desert for several days without any supplies before stumbling onto a small spring.

While drinking the water, he noticed a deposit of quartz laced with shiny, golden strands and recognized it as gold. He chipped off a handful of samples, made mental notes of the location and set off to find civilization. His plan was to return to make a formal mining claim.

Breyfogle headed south and arrived at another watering hole, Stump Spring, where he decided to wait, hoping to catch a ride with the next wagon party that might pass through.

Unfortunately, a group of Shoshones showed up and took him prisoner. According to one account, he was treated as a slave, made to gather wood with the women and perform other menial tasks. After several months, a Mormon wagon train stopped by the village, took pity on Breyfogle and bargained for his release.

Here, once again, the stories vary. In bad health, Breyfogle, who had somehow was able to hang on to his gold samples, was taken to a ranch at Manse Spring, near modern day Pahrump, where he regained his strength and shared the news of his discovery.

Interestingly, several web sites claim Breyfogle was taken to Helen Stewart’s ranch in Las Vegas, which would not have been possible since Stewart didn’t own the ranch until after 1880.

After he had recovered, Breyfogle returned to Austin, shared the news of his discovery, and organized the first of several fruitless expeditions back into the wilds of southwestern Nevada to find his gold strike. Reportedly, for the next 26 years he searched the area roughly northeast of Death Valley and in the vicinity of Beatty, trying to rediscover his mine.

It is believed that he died sometime in the late 1880s or early 1890s, still insisting that his gold discovery was real.

Among those who apparently believed that Breyfogle had stumbled onto something was George Montgomery. In January 1891, he discovered gold in the hills (now called the Johnnie Hills) north of Pahrump while allegedly looking for Breyfogle’s lost mine.

Montgomery developed a small mining operation at the site, which became known as Johnnie (also spelled Johny or Johney). Within a few months, about 100 miners labored at the site and, in 1895, a small stamp mill had been erected.

The town quickly declined after that but was revived in about 1905, when new investors reopened the mines. According to a story in the Pahrump Valley Times, Johnnie grew to several hundred people before the mines stopped producing. By about 1914, Johnnie had essentially become a ghost town.

Today, not much remains of the old mining camp besides a few rock foundations, abandoned mine shafts and an old structure or two on private property.

While many believe the Johnnie mining district includes the site of Charlie Breyfogle’s discovery, others still believe it is out there waiting to be rediscovered.

Hiking the Spectacular Santa Rosas

I had long heard that the Santa Rosa Mountains north of Winnemucca were stunningly beautiful and seldom visited. I’d heard that the range had some great hikes through lush wilderness areas where you don't trip over other people while you're there.

After finally getting there a few years ago, I found that it was true.

The Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness area encompasses about 31,000 acres along the crest of the Santa Rosa Range, which is only about 30 miles north of Winnemucca.

The range has been described as a “forgotten island of wilderness” by nature writer Michael C. White. It boasts one of the largest waterfalls in Nevada at Falls Canyon as well as several majestic peaks that are more than 9,000 feet high (Santa Rosa Peak, 9,701-feet; Paradise Peak, 9,443-feet; and Singas Peak, 9,415-feet).

While there are about a half dozen major trails leading into the wilderness area, one of the most accessible routes is the Singas Creek Trail on the eastern side of the range (Paradise Valley side).

To reach the Singas Creek trailhead, drive about 22 miles north of Winnemucca on U.S. 95, then turn right on State Route 290 (the road to Paradise Valley). Continue for about 17 miles to the signed turnoff for Singas Creek Road.

Turn left on Singas Creek Road (the Ranch 3C owned by Dave and Tom Cassinelli is adjacent) and follow the dirt road for about six miles and park at a wide turnaround. A high clearance vehicle is required.

You start by climbing a small hill and winding through the sagebrush on a narrow trail. About 100 feet or so from your starting point, you’ll pass a wilderness area sign.

The trail follows an old roadbed and passes through shady groves of aspens and clumps of sagebrush and wildflowers.

The path grows steeper as you climb higher into the range. Soon, you reach a small, seasonal stream that gurgles from the hillside and spills across the trail. The sound is relaxing and the setting is quite peaceful.

You continue through the often-dense vegetation. If you look behind, you can catch views of Paradise Valley, named, according to local stories, when a prospector named W.B. Huff arrived there in the 1860s and, impressed by the region’s beauty, exclaimed, “What a paradise!”

The Santa Rosas were apparently among the earliest mountains in Northern Nevada to be explored. Trapper Peter Skene Odgen led an expedition into the range in 1829 while searching for any rivers that might contain beaver colonies.

If you continue climbing on the trail to higher elevations, you pass out of the aspen forests and traverse less vegetated slopes. The trail drops down into a depression created by Moray Creek, crosses several more small season streams before beginning the up and down climb to the Summit Trail (about a half-mile from the starting point) that runs along the crest of the range.

The nice thing about the Singas Creek Trail is that you can hike as much as you want. If you continue on the Summit Trail, you can cross over the range and exit at a trailhead on the west side at Buffalo Canyon, although that’s an all-day or even overnight hike.

Other fairly easy hiking trails found in the Santa Rosa range include:

• North Hanson Creek – This is the only other major trail accessed from the east side of the range. The trail head can be found by following the same directions as those to Singas Creek Road, except instead of turning onto that road continue north into Paradise Valley. Take a left at the main intersection in town and continue 1.5 miles to the end of the road. Turn left on a dirt road and go a half-mile, then turn right on a dirt road and follow the fence line. Continue into the foothills until you reach a fork in the road. Cross a creek to the west and drive to a parking area. Then, starting hiking.

• Falls Canyon – This trail, like a handful of others that are much longer and/or more difficult (such as Rebel Creek, McConnell Creek, Horse Canyon, and Buffalo Canyon) is found along the western side of the Range, off U.S. 95. To reach the trail, drive 38 miles north of Winnemucca on U.S. 95, then turn right at the sign for Horse Canyon Road. Continue 3.5 miles to a parking area. The waterfall here is pretty impressive and located only about a half-mile from the parking area via a fairly easy trail that parallels a creek.

Good sources of information about the Santa Rosa-Paradise Peak Wilderness are “Nevada Wilderness Areas and Great Basin National Park, A Hiking and Backpacking Guide,” by Michael C. White and “The Hiker’s Guide to Nevada,” by Bruce Grubbs.

What Really Is Nevada's Loneliest Road?

Years ago, Life Magazine made U.S. 50 in Nevada famous. In the late 1980s, Life called U.S. 50 in Nevada the “loneliest road in America” and indicated that travelers needed survival skills to make the trip.

The towns along the route quickly capitalized on the description and, working with the Nevada Commission on Tourism, developed a tongue-in-cheek “Highway 50 Survival Kit” (still available from the Commission on Tourism) as well as t-shirts, bumper-stickers, highway signage and other souvenirs.

The promotion was an immediate success. At last count, more than 60,000 survival kits have been distributed. Additionally, there have been travel books and numerous magazine and newspaper articles about taking a trip on the loneliest road in America.

But is U.S. 50 really the loneliest road in America? According to a recent Nevada Department of Transportation’s road count book, U.S. 50 is far from the loneliest road. In fact, at its loneliest spot, near Austin, the road is traveled by an average of 640 vehicles per day.

The following are ten paved state highways in Nevada that experience far less wear and tear than U.S. 50:

1. State Route 121 from U.S. 50 to Dixie Valley: This is the real thing—the loneliest road in the state. According to NDOT’s records, a mere 10 cars travel this 27-mile stretch of road on a daily basis.

And you have to wonder—where the heck are they all going?

2. State Route 320, the Caselton Loop: This 12-mile section of pavement is driven by 45 cars per day—all catching a glimpse of the ruins of the early 20th century mining town of Caselton, located seven miles east of Pioche.

3. State Route 722 from Eastgate to Austin: This lightly-traversed 58-mile long highway, which used to be part of U.S. 50, also sees about 45 vehicles per day, which is too bad because the ride over Carroll Summit is quite lovely.

4. State Route 844 from Gabbs to Ione: This 16-mile ribbon of asphalt, which turns to dirt for the last third, sees about 50 vehicles per day. Despite the fact that this is the main road to Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park there just aren’t too many traffic jams out here.

5. State Route 379 from U.S. 6 to Duckwater: This 20-mile road leading to the Duckwater Indian Reservation, noted for its geothermal catfish farm, handles 75 cars daily, or about one vehicle every 19.2 minutes.

6. State Route 317 from Caliente to Elgin: This drive through magnificent Rainbow Canyon is scenic but uncrowded. NDOT finds only about 100 cars take this beautiful journey each day.

7. State Route 140 from Denio to the Oregon Border: This remote, 44-mile road accommodates 120 autos per day and lots of cattle. Along the way it skirts Virgin Valley, home of the exotic black fire opal—the official state precious stone—and passes the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge.

8. State Route 377 from State Route 376 to Manhattan: No surprise here since State Route 376, the road between Tonopah and Austin, is one of the state’s most remote highways and Manhattan is a faded mining town that has more ghosts than people. Only 120 vehicles travel this road each day. The trip, however, is worth it because Manhattan boasts a handful of picturesque buildings including a quaint wooden church on the hill above the town.

9. State Route 375 from Warm Springs to Rachel: Since Rachel is the self-proclaimed UFO capital of the world, it’s clear from the traffic counts that extraterrestrials far outnumber earthlings. Daily traffic on this 62-mile stretch includes only 125 human vehicles—and an unknown number of alien crafts.

10. State Route 264 from Coaldale to Oasis, California: A paltry 190 vehicles travel each day on the 40-mile, two-lane byway that passes through Dyer and Fish Lake Valley. A highlight is the view of Boundary Peak, to the west, which at 13,140 feet is the tallest point in Nevada.

Go check out some of these roads—you can make them less lonely.

The Belittled and Beloved Sagebrush

Anyone who has wandered much in Nevada easy recognizes the state’s official flower—a shrub known as Artemisia tridentata, or sagebrush.

The scruffy green-gray bush thrives just about everywhere in the Silver State—one web site claims it covers as much as 40 percent of the state. It is so prevalent that one of Nevada’s nicknames is the Sagebrush State and two sprigs of this aromatic plant appear on the state flag.

But that doesn’t mean it’s always been loved. The Donner Party and other pioneering travelers were forced to hack through miles of sagebrush and greasewood terrain on their ourneys across the state and writer Mark Twain wrote disparaging remarks about the noble plant on several occasions.

In 1861, he wrote to his mother, Jane, that upon arriving in Carson City he observed that “in (this) infernal soil nothing but that fag-end of vegetable creation, "sage-brush," ventures to grow...When crushed, sage-brush emits an odor which isn't exactly magnolia and equally isn't exactly polecat--but it is a sort of compromise between the two.”

Twain, who lived in Nevada from 1861 to 1865, also wrote, “Sage-brush is a very fair fuel, but as a vegetable it is a distinguished failure. Nothing can abide the taste of it but the jackass and his illegitimate child the mule.”

Other writers have looked more fondly on the plant. Marjorie Moore Brown, who arrived in Tonopah in 1904 after her husband opened a law firm in the community, wrote upon arriving that she “stood for awhile looking at the landscape—line upon life of running color, tan, henna, lavendar, brown. But no green. Not a tree. Not a shrub. A faint odor floated by me reminiscent of Christmas, a spicy something I afterward recognized as sage.”

And famed Nevada author Robert Laxalt wrote that he once received a letter from his daughter that contained a surprise: “Hidden between the pages was a single sprig of Nevada sagebrush. Before I could protect myself, the memories were summoned up and washed over me in a flood.”

According to the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, there are at least a dozen different species of sagebrush found in the state including the Basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata). This particular shrub is silvery-gray in color with yellow flowers and can grow as tall as 10 feet, although most are in the 1-to-3 foot range.

The plant, a member of the wormwood family, is notable for its strong pungent odor, which is particularly acute when wet or when the dried plant is crushed. Some scientists believe the sagebrush’s distinctive fragrance is a natural defense to keep animals from wanting to graze on its branches and leaves.

In fact, most livestock don’t care for sagebrush; pronghorn antelope seem to be the only larger animal that doesn’t mind nibbling on its leaves.

None of this is to suggest that the bush doesn’t have its uses. Native Americans reportedly used sagebrush to halt internal bleeding (usually following childbirth or injury or trauma as a result of fights) and it had value as a topical dressing to treat infections. The plant was also used by Native Nevada tribes to weave mats.

Additionally, Twain noted that “sage-tea made from it tastes like the sage-tea which all boys are so well acquainted with.”

The humorist added that a sagebrush fire “will keep all night, with very little replenishing; and it makes a very sociable camp-fire, and one around which the most impossible reminiscences sound plausible, instructive, and profoundly entertaining.”

Faint praise but praise nonetheless.

Cowtown of Elko Began as a Railroad Stop

When most people think of Elko, they usually associate it with either ranching or mining because it is the home of the annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering and near some of the world’s largest gold mines.

But if you look closely at the town’s history, you find that its roots had more to do with transportation than with ranching or mining.

The first non-Native American to visit the Elko area was explorer Peter Skene Ogden, who traveled through the region during a beaver-hunting expedition in 1828.

About a decade and a half later, wagon trains began passing through and camping near the future town site on the route that would become known as the Emigrant Trail.

The actual community of Elko wasn’t established until late 1868, when the Central Pacific Railroad was building its transcontinental rail line through Nevada.

The railroad selected the site as a railhead and freight terminus because of its proximity to several mining camps, including Lone Mountain and Tuscarora.

Additionally, Central Pacific Railroad officials named the settlement “Elko” by Central Pacific, allegedly because Charles Crocker, the railroad’s superintendent, had a penchant for taking animal names and adding an “o.” The story, however, may be apocryphal.

By early 1869, tents had been erected on lots sold by the railroad and the town began to blossom. In March of that year, the Nevada State Legislature designated Elko as the seat for a new county of the same name, which virtually assured the town’s success.

The town’s first courthouse, a fine two-story red brick structure in the Greek Revival style, was erected on the main street (called Idaho Street) in December 1869.

By 1870, Elko had grown to 2,000 people and boasted a newspaper (the Elko Independent) as well as more substantial homes of wood and brick.

In 1874, Elko was designated the site of the first University of Nevada and a substantial brick college was built later that year. The town’s remoteness, however, limited its appeal and the university was moved to Reno in 1885.

The town continued to prosper as a transportation center during the late 19th and early 20th century. Additionally, during this time ranching became an integral part of the local economy with the development of large cattle and sheep outfits.

By the 1890s, the latter had attracted a large number of Basque sheepherders. To cater to these newcomers, Basque boarding houses cropped up in the town.

Later, these establishments opened their dining rooms to the public and today Elko has several fine Basque restaurants.

During the early part of the 20th century, Elko remained an important railroad stop for Western Pacific and Southern Pacific trains. Additionally, in 1920, Elko was selected as one of the stops for the first transcontinental airmail service.

Another first occurred in Elko in 1941 when Newton Crumley, owner of the Commercial Hotel, booked entertainer Ted Lewis and his orchestra for eight days. It was the first time a Nevada hotel-casino offered entertainment and foreshadowed the popularity of today’s casino headliners.

In more recent years, Elko has gained fame as the site of the annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering, sponsored by the Elko-based Western Folklife Center. In late January, the event attracts more than 8,000 people.

In the past decade, substantial gold discoveries in the region have doubled Elko’s size (an estimated 20,000 people live there today) and transformed the former cowtown into a mining boomtown.

The recent changes, however, haven’t wiped out the town’s historic beginnings. Wandering the streets, it’s still possible to find plenty of reminders of the past.

For example, several homes on Court Street (one block from Idaho) date back to the town’s earliest days. The Dewar House at 745 Court was built in late 1869, soon after the town was established.

Down the street are other interesting historic buildings, including: the Bradley House (643 Court), built in 1904 by John R. Bradley, son of Lewis Bradley, Nevada’s second governor; the Map House (4th and Court) built in 1869 and the oldest home in Elko; and the imposing Pythian Castle Hall (421 Court), built in 1927 for a fraternal order.

Additionally, the Elko County offices (6th and Court) are located in former Elko County High School building, constructed in 1895, which is said to have been the first public high school in the state.

The Elko County Courthouse on Idaho Street was built in 1911 to replace the original, which had grown too small. With its Neo-classic style design, including four prominent Tuscan-style columns supporting a large portico, it is one of the most impressive halls of justice in the state.

Elko’s business district still has several historic commercial structures including the venerable Commercial Hotel, which dates back to 1899, the Pioneer Hotel building (now home of the Western Folklife Center), built in 1912 and the Henderson Bank (4th and Railroad), built in 1929.

Of special note is the J.M. Capriola’s western shop (Commercial and 5th), which houses one of the state’s oldest and most famous saddle shops, the G.S. Garcia shop.

An excellent source of historical information about Elko is the Northeastern Nevada Museum, 1515 Idaho Street, Elko. The museum is open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. For information call 775-738-3418.