Elko in Elko County, Nevada — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Early Inhabitants
Photographed By Theresa Hilton Small, November 14, 2019
1. Early Inhabitants Marker
Inscription.
Early Inhabitants. . Northern Nevada has been inhabited for nearly 10,000 years. The Newe or Western Bands of the Western Shoshone Nation called this area home. The Newe had seasonal campsites throughout northern Nevada. During the spring, they dispersed from the winter villages to gather plants and hunt. During late summer, they gathered again to hunt bigger animals and fish and stockpile food for the long winter months. The winter villages would be located in the pinion/juniper forests because fuel for fires was readily available. In the 1870's self governing reservations and colonies were established with traditional schools. The Te-moak Tribe was established in 1918. The Western Shoshone Nation retains the traditions, pride, and culture and diligently passes it on to the next generations.
Travel along the Humboldt corridor began with the fur trappers in the late 1820s followed by the gold rush in 1849. Upwards of 250,000 people traveled the California Trial between 1841 and 1869.
Elko was established on December 28, 1869 as the Central Pacific Railroad was building eastbound during construction of the transcontinental railroad. The name of Elko was chosen by CPRR vice president, Charles Crocker. He saw antlered animals in the area and chose ELK with O for emphasis. The Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads joined together north of the Great Salt Lake, May 10, 1869.
Chinese immigrants were the laborers during the construction of the Central Pacific Railroad. After the railroad was completed, many Chinese returned to Elko, as it was quickly becoming a mining and ranching center. Two joss houses (Chinese temples) and homes were built in the area of Fifth and Silver Streets. These ambitious men worked the mine tailings, owned stores, ran restaurants, and worked as cooks on the area ranches. In Elko, some pooled their money and bought a large tract of land. They dug a 10-mile water ditch from the Humboldt River, near Osino, to Elko and built a reservoir where the Bicentennial Flag is today. Vegetables were grown at the “China Ranch” which were sold through the county. (This area is now the location of the Elko County Fairgrounds and Elko City Park.
Carly mining was based in Tuscarora, north of Elko, in the early 1870s as part of mining's boom and bust cycles. In the early 1960s, the Carlin Trend was discovered with rich microscopic gold ore. New methods of extraction were developed. Today, northeastern Nevada is a leading gold mining area in the United States and throughout the world.
Northern Nevada has been inhabited
for nearly 10,000 years. The Newe or
Western Bands of the Western Shoshone
Nation called this area home. The Newe
had seasonal campsites throughout
northern Nevada. During the spring,
they dispersed from the winter villages
to gather plants and hunt. During late
summer, they gathered again to hunt
bigger animals and fish and stockpile
food for the long winter months. The
winter villages would be located in the
pinion/juniper forests because fuel for
fires was readily available. In the 1870's
self governing reservations and colonies
were established with traditional schools.
The Te-moak Tribe was established in
1918. The Western Shoshone Nation
retains the traditions, pride, and culture
and diligently passes it on to the next
generations.
Travel along the Humboldt corridor
began with the fur trappers in the late
1820s followed by the gold rush in 1849.
Upwards of 250,000 people traveled the
California Trial between 1841 and 1869.
Elko was established on December 28,
1869 as the Central Pacific Railroad was
building eastbound during construction
of the transcontinental railroad. The
name of Elko was chosen by CPRR vice
president, Charles Crocker. He saw
antlered animals in the area and chose
ELK with O for emphasis. The Union
Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads
joined
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together north of the Great Salt
Lake, May 10, 1869.
Chinese immigrants were the laborers
during the construction of the Central
Pacific Railroad. After the railroad was
completed, many Chinese returned to
Elko, as it was quickly becoming a mining
and ranching center. Two joss houses
(Chinese temples) and homes were built
in the area of Fifth and Silver Streets.
These ambitious men worked the mine
tailings, owned stores, ran restaurants,
and worked as cooks on the area ranches.
In Elko, some pooled their money and
bought a large tract of land. They dug a
10-mile water ditch from the Humboldt
River, near Osino, to Elko and built a
reservoir where the Bicentennial Flag
is today. Vegetables were grown at the
“China Ranch” which were sold through
the county. (This area is now the location
of the Elko County Fairgrounds and Elko
City Park.
Carly mining was based in Tuscarora,
north of Elko, in the early 1870s as
part of mining's boom and bust cycles.
In the early 1960s, the Carlin Trend was
discovered with rich microscopic gold
ore. New methods of extraction were
developed. Today, northeastern Nevada is
a leading gold mining area in the United
States and throughout the world.
Erected 2017 by the City of Elko.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native Americans
Photographed By Theresa Hilton Small, November 14, 2019
2. Early Inhabitants Marker on left at Railroad Park.
Location. 40° 50.011′ N, 115° 45.636′ W. Marker is in Elko, Nevada, in Elko County. Marker is at the intersection of Railroad Street and 7th Street, on the right when traveling north on Railroad Street. Located in Elko Railroad Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: Railroad Street, Elko NV 89801, United States of America. Touch for directions.
More about this marker. 7th Street, between Commercial & Railroad Streets, was closed off to combine the two portions of the park.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 10, 2021. It was originally submitted on November 14, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 220 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on November 14, 2019, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
