Aunt Delores and Uncle Pete's & Panaca Scenery

Everyone has those special places that hold cherished memories. Panaca is certainly one of those places for me. I have nothing,absolutely nothing but fond memories of my time spent there. That is why I so enjoy visiting Panaca and being flooded with memories of wonderful childhood experiences. When I visited recently I took a walk around town snapping a few pictures of Panaca today. 

We went to the old house to wish Uncle Leo a Happy 90th Birthday and as I was leaving I spotted this on the way out. I had completely forgotten about this. Brinton would have been 7 when he did this. Further down in this post  the picture with my Dad,Mom and our dog Trouble's prints is posted.

  Obviously This picture is a classic! My Dad and Craig will be waiting a long time for any In-N-Out burgers in Panaca!

This is the old house or "Castle" where my mom was living  when she was born. When I was young and I'm sure when my mom was young there were large cottonwood trees around the home. In fact many of the large cottonwood trees that were so prevalent in Panaca had to be removed. Cottonwood trees hold a lot of water and as a result the trees had become dangerous as they were beginning to rot from the inside out. I miss the trees,everything looks a little barren without them.  My Uncle Leo is presently living in the old house. I was fascinated with this house when I was younger. Many of us as children thought this house might have been haunted! I had a huge scare here one night as a teen when I was spending the night there with my cousin Lisa. In the middle of the night Lisa was sleepwalking and actually left the house! I followed her out and I wasn't sure what to do because they say you shouldn't wake up a sleepwalker. Eventually she woke up by herself outside in her PJs a little confused.

 When Granny and Granddad were older and Uncle Pete and Aunt Delores moved from Las Vegas to Panaca we had many family reunions at their home.  We would literally camp on their lawn.It was always a good time at Uncle Pete's and Aunt Dee's. They always welcomed us. Many summers I spent a week or two with them in their  Las Vegas home. This picture is next door to their Panaca home. I have a thing for Palominos and I love the old farm equipment in the picture.  

 

Muggles had a great time in Panaca. She is such a great little traveler and she loves everyone!  She is happiest if she is with my mom and dad.   Uncle Pete has always loved dogs, he usually had a german shepherd so it is no surprise that Muggles loves Uncle Pete.

Children love Uncle Pete and Aunt Dee. Who wouldn't love someone with a tire swing,tractors and a zipline in their backyard? Ethan enjoyed it all! Uncle Justin was pushing him on the tire swing.  How awesome to have Uncle Justin as your playmate, he can push,pull,lift and save you when you need help. Steve and I had a smaller zipline  at our home for our grandkids for awhile inspired by this one.

Ethan wasn't sure he wanted to ride the zipline. All it took was the neighbor who happened to be a girl to ride it and Uncle Justin to be there to change Ethan's mind. Not only did he ride the zipline but he did it with a big old smile.

I posted this picture  with the little pond because at my grandparent's when I was young we would walk out the back of their home through their very large garden to the corrals,barn,horses and chickens. Just before the corral where a large bull was kept, there was a little pond just like this. The hours we spent at that pond catching tadpoles,frogs,minnows, and getting muddy were some of the best hours ever!

Uncle Pete took me on a little ride to see some horses. Along came Nephi Wadsworth in his truck with goats in the back. You see the white rump on the one goat. He fell head first and was still trying to right himself after Nephi slammed on his brakes to talk to Uncle Pete and I. It struck me funny!

Uncle Pete has a few cows and this one loves to be loved on.

This building is on the back of Uncle Pete's  property.

Uncle Pete has a collection of old tractors.

I believe this is a cottonwood tree that used to line the streets of Panaca and many of the homes.

My horses wouldn't know what to do with pasture like this! 

Fun coloring on this mule.

When Muggles is at home this would be her and Dad. In Panaca it was Uncle Pete!

Pioche,Nevada May 2012

I remember visiting Pioche,Nevada several times as a child and in my youth. My father actually lived in Pioche when he was young,my mom in Panaca. My father would travel to Panaca for school. We would occasionally visit the movie theater in Pioche and my younger brother Craig remembers swimming at the pool in Pioche. I always knew Pioche had been a mining town. My Uncle Pete Horlacher's family owned and operated the general store in Pioche. Pete is married to my mom's younger sister Delores. We didn't spend a lot of time in Pioche as my father's family no longer lived there. My grandfather, George Paul Wimsatt Sr, died before I was born. I enjoy taking pictures and it was fun to visit Pioche with Craig and Tracy. We explored some of the old mine buildings and ate dinner at the Silver Cafe which served up some good food!

The Town of Pioche

In 1864,William Hamblin,a Latter Day Saint missionary,was led to silver deposits in the vicinity of Pioche by a Native American Paiute. In 1868,San Francisco financier Francois L.A. Pioche purchased claims and constructed a smelter in the area, forming the Meadow Valley Mining Company. The mining camp was called "Pioche's City" and later became known as Pioche.

Pioche rapidly became the largest mining town in southeastern Nevada in the early 1870's. By 1871 estimated population was 10,000. A large contrast from today's population of 900.Pioche was famous for being the "toughest town". Quite a reputation! The reputation was due in the most part over confusion about the exact location of mining claims. Mining owners resorted to "hired guns" who were imported, about 20 a day! The gunmen were paid 20 dollars a day. This was better than trying to settle in court because bribery usually determined the outcome!

Guns were the only law and Pioche made towns like Tombstone,Bodie and other better known towns pale in comparison. It states that 75 men were buried in the cemetery (Boot Hill) before anyone could die of a natural death.

Pioche is the county seat and the courthouse plans were initiated in 1871. The final cost of the Lincoln County Courthouse was nearly 1,000,000.  The initial contract was that it should be built for 26,000. There was corruption in the building of the courthouse.The final payment was made in 1937 four years after the building was condemned.

Sadly, the fortunes of Pioche faded in the 1880'sdue to the shutdown of the principle mines in 1876. During World War II an economic boon occurred when Pioche was the second largest lead and zinc producer in the nation. Present day Pioche has little mining activity,being the county seat its main focus is government.

Craig and I were throwing rocks into this fenced off shaft. We could hear them bounce a few times but we never heard them hit bottom.

Inside this building we found the pulley pictured below. Massive!

Those spools (don't know what to call them) are made of wood.

Can you read the date? May 10,04. I don't think that was 2004.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures. We had fun taking them!