A little history of Fernley
It has been conceded that the greatest factor in the development of our mighty west, was the railroad, since there followed in its wake, the prospector, the miner, the agriculturist, and hundreds of others bent upon creating and building up business enterprises of the sections in which they located. So, Reno and Sparks were developed, so likewise, the towns immediately west of them along the railroad, of which Fernley is one, located three miles distant from Wadsworth.
Fernley was a direct result of the laying of the rails of the Central Pacific railroad, and was made a way station of that road about 1863. The town of Wadsworth was already a youngster of some four or five years existence, and had become a valuable supply point along the advancing rails, and promised to be an important shipping station in the stock and agricultural development of the country. Fernley, being situated so nearby, shared in this prosperity and it was not long after a settlement was made there that the possibilities of the surrounding country became apparent, and the most promising land was taken up by those interested in stock and agricultural development.
Much of the farmland in the Fernley area was developed through the Newlands Irrigation Project which was a result of the Newlands Reclamation Act of 1902. The project established an irrigation system that delivers water to an area stretching from Derby Dam, along the Truckee River, to the Lahonton Reservior near Fallon, NV. Construction and expansion of the system took place from the inception through the 1960s. In 1965, the Nevada Cement Company started operation in a new plant built on the north side of the city between Fernley and Wadsworth. This was the first significant non-agricultural/ranching business to come to Fernley, aside from the railroad. In 1999, Amazon.com opened a 750,000sq ft order fulfillment center in the industrial park located in the northeast side of the city. The population of Fernley is 15,000.
Being members of the Moose we were happy to discover that they have a lodge in Fernley and as always you feel welcome. They serve breakfast on Sunday mornings, have food for Monday night football, serve dinner on Saturday night and have bingo every other Sunday. What more could you want plus they have their very own Bud Light Girl.
We were told of Lahontan State Receration Area in Silver Springs, which is 15 miles away. The reservoir is almost 17 miles long with 69 miles of shoreline making it a popular place in the summer months for swimming, boating/kayaking, camping and fishing. As we left Fernley headed to Silver Springs this sign was on the side of the road
Wild Horses Ahead
Now that's a new one! Unfornately we didn't see any.
It just amazes me how the mountains are constantly changing.
The picture doesn't do justice but these were the first we had seen with black in them.
It's actually black rocks and they really stand out against the tan vegation.
Sandy Beaches
We might need to bring the kayaks here if the weather holds out.
The beginning of the first week that we were here the weather was nice with temps in the 80's and night time in the 40-50's. On about the 4th day we were taking a nap and were woke up by the sound of our outside tables being blow over. Upon inspection the wind had picked up some thing terrible shaking the Caravan, dust flying, tree limbs breaking...what the heck is going on! Mark called the office to find out if we should move to the clubhouse for shelter and they told us they were unsure of what was happening, we went to the clubhouse. After 20 minutes it settled down leaving a mess of debris in it's path, it seemed like a tropical storm minus the rain plus the dust. In talking with some folks the have lived here for 8 years they said they have never experienced winds like that before. We checked out the weather channel that evening and it must have come from the artic front that brought snow to the nearby mountains along with cooler temps to our area. I didn't get any pictures of the CG as they were quick to clean up but the next morning during my walk through the neighborhood that is directly behind us this is what I found.
On another note being an advid gardener I thought this was funny.
If this isn't a maintaince free yard I don't know what is!
A few days later we drove to Carson City which is the capital of NV, can't say we were to impressed. Of course they have more shopping and resturants then Fernley but that was about it. Speaking of shopping I was distaught to discover that Fernley didn't have a Big Lots, Dollar Tree or Dollar General, what I am to do! Luckly the town of Fallon has a Dollar Tree and a JoAnns, I will survive.
On the way back from Carson City we we went to
Virginia City.
As Nevada State Road 341 winds its way northward to Virgina City, it passes through two more mining camps. Though Virginia City got all the glory, Silver City and Gold Hill played an important part in the history of the area.
The first gold nugget in what would become known as Gold Canyon was actually discovered at Devil’s Gate, just north of Silver City, in 1850.
By 1861, Silver City boasted several boarding houses, a number of saloons, four hotels and a population of about 1,200 people. As Virginia City boomed, Silver City became an important freighting center with extensive stables and corrals to serve the many people traveling between the Comstock Lode mines of Virginia City and the processing mills located near Dayton and along the Carson River. Devil’s Gate, just north of Silver City, is two large walls of rock on either side of the road to Virginia City Formed from lava rock, the rock was blasted and widened for a toll road. At the same time; however, another type of "toll” was often extracted from travelers through Devil’s Gate – robbery. In the late 1850s and early 1860s, the narrow opening was a popular hideout for highwaymen. Relieving travelers of their watches, wallets, gold and silver, Devil’s Gate earned a reputation for trouble and most came armed while passing through.
From Silver City just another mile brings you to Gold Hill. This mining camp got its start at about the same time as Virgina City in the late 1850s, when both silver and gold were found in the area. Initially, the camp was little more than a few miners living in tents and crude shacks. However, by the early 1860s it rivaled Virginia City in size and population. For the next two decades the city thrived, at one point reaching some 8,000 residents.
Mines such as the Yellow Jacket, Crown Point, and Belcher brought in over $10 million each. When the mines began to play out in the late 1870s, the town began to decline. Efforts to revive the mines were made sporadically over the years, including the Yellow Jacket Mine that operated from 1927 until 1942. When it too became unprofitable the people left in droves and by the following year, the post office closed. Though Gold Hill is a shell of its former self and is called home to less than 200 people, a number of historic buildings continue to stand, most notably the Gold Hill Hotel, built in 1859 and the state’s oldest operating hotel.
Gold Hill Hotel
Virginia City could be considered the "birthplace" of Mark Twain, as it was here in February 1863 that writer Samuel Clemens (age 26), then a reporter on the local Territorial Enterprise newspaper, first used his famous pen name.Virginia City historical documents state that Clemens was mugged on November 10, 1863, as he walked over the hill from the south while returning to Virginia City. The muggers relieved Clemens of his watch and his money. The robbery turns out to have been a practical joke played on Clemens by his friends, to give him material to write about. He did not appreciate the joke, but did retrieve his belongings - especially his gold watch (worth $300) and which had great sentimental value as well. Clemens mentioned the incident in his book
Roughing It, (published Feb 1872) – and was still sore about it. In the summer of 1863 he began signing the name "Mark Twain" to his columns.
During its peak, Virginia City had a population of over 30,000 residents and was called the richest city in America. During the 20 years following the Comstock success "about $400 million was taken out of the ground," with mines being excavated to 3,200 feet.
All the new wealth caught the eye of President Lincoln who needed gold and silver to pay Civil War expenses and on March 2, 1861, Neveda became a territory. Statehood came just three years later on October 31, 1864 even though it did not contain enough people to constitutionally authorize statehood.
But like other mining boom towns, Virginia City would eventually begin to decline, beginning in 1877. From the time it was first established through its decline, itsuffered five widespread fires, the worst of which was dubbed the "Great Fire of 1875,” which burned nearly 75% of the town and caused some 12 million dollars in damages. But the residents persevered and the town was rebuilt in about 18 months. The Comstock Lode was fully mined by 1898, and the city once again took a sharp decline. By 1920, there were just a few small operations in business and by 1930, only about 500 people lived in the community.
Today, the historic community is a National Historic Landmark, designated as such in 1961. It now boasts about 1,000 residents, and though a shadow of its former self, it draws more than two million visitors per year.
You will find signs for the famous Suicide Table at the Delta Saloon
This is a very cool place to visit.
Wandering down the streets we passed a couple of places that Sistah Martha would enjoy.
Antiques & old timey candy
Now when was the last time you seen this kind candy for sale, it's just shameful I tell you!
Instead to driving back the same way we were told of 6 Mile Cayon Rd that will take you back to 50. It was a beautiful drive! This is a must see place when you are in the area.
