The Panaca Spring to me was always just "The Spring". When we would visit our grandparents, James and Lois Wadsworth in Panaca during the summers,family reunions or 24th of July celebrations, a highlight for all of the children would be to pile into pickups and station wagons, ride out to the Spring and swim. This was indeed a favorite pastime for all except perhaps my niece Jeni! She wasn't a big fan of the moss,lily pads,reeds and bugs.
For my mother, Ina Mae Wadsworth Wimsatt and others living and growing up in Panaca, the Spring was also a Saturday night bath!
The Nevada Historical Marker #160 is located at the Panaca Park. The marker was moved to the park from the Spring to protect it from vandalism. Although the Spring is only 1 mile outside of Panaca it is remote enough that vandals could deface the sign.
State Historical Marker #160 reads:
The large constant flow of warm water from this spring created the desert oasis of Meadow Valley. First noted by Manley's ill fated Death Valley Party in 1849, the site was cultivated in 1858 by Brigham Young's White Mountain Mission Men, who sought a desert refuge should federal invasion of Utah occur. The site was abandoned that same year,when the federal government quelled the Mormon resistance.
Dependent on these spring waters,Mormons bolt the first permanent settlement in southern Nevada at Panaca in 1864. For 80 years,all domestic needs depended on this water.
The Meadow Valley Mining District,including the Pioche area, was organized in 1864 with its center at Panaca Spring.
Here I have learned that the Spring, which to me was a source of such fun and joy,was an integral part of the settlement of Panaca and Pioche. The water at its origin is 88 degrees but once it settles into the somewhat shallow pond known as the Spring it is cooler.
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| Where my mom,Ethan and Justin are now standing by the red railing and steps there used to be a large tree and rope swing. |
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| The Spring was exceptionally clean at the time of our visit. You could see the bottom. the town cleans it every spring so it was very recently done. |
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| The view of pasture land from the Spring. |
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| I really do love this place! |
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| Too bad Tracy didn't get a chance to actually swim in the Spring. Maybe next time! |
1 comment:
Thanks for this post, Rhonda. It brings back so many memories of so many hours of fun from my earliest memories, probanly around age 3. So many memories of my children, grasndchildren, and now great grandchildren swimming and playing in The Spring. These are really beautiful pictures of a beautiful little oasis in the high desert country of Meadow Valley. randchildren
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