Life-giving Nectar

Life-giving Nectar. . Look up at the mountains in front of you – note the various canyons. How do you think they factored into Mormon Station’s location?, The most prominent ridge to your left is Genoa Canyon. The creek that flowed out of this canyon served as the water source for the Mormon Station settlement. Proximity to this water source and the protection offered by the mountains to the south made this site an attractive location to the John Reese party. By 1854 settlers had built a sawmill and a gristmill at the mouth of the canyon, both powered by the creek. Today, Genoa Canyon still provides water to historic Genoa via a system of channels and ditches dating back to 1880., ”A Glorious Paradise” , Most California-bound emigrants crossed the Great Basin Desert in mid-to-late summer. This meant they traveled hundreds of miles drinking the often stagnant, silty, and saline water of the Humboldt River. Upon reaching Carson Valley, many emigrants were delighted by the cool, clear streams that flowed from mountain canyons., Every mile or so along our road a stream of pure crystal-like water runs down across our road on its course to the river. At every one of these small streams each traveler lays himself down on his stomach full-length and drinks and drinks this life-giving nectar…to the tired bodies and weary spirits of men who had come some 2,000 miles over sandy wastes and barren, alkali plains with muddy and brackish or sometimes no water at all to drink, this is a glorious paradise.” , - Lemual McKeeby describing Carson Valley streams like Genoa Canyon Creek. July 30, 1850.