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!

Panaca Spring

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. 

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.

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.

The view of pasture land from the Spring. 

I really do love this place!

Too bad Tracy didn't get a chance to actually swim in the Spring. Maybe next time!

Cathedral Gorge State Park,Nevada

My knowledge of Cathedral Gorge is based on my childhood memories. I know that for me as a child it was as good as going to the beach or Knott's Berry Farm. When we would visit Panaca each summer a highlight of my trip would be for brothers,sisters,cousins,aunts,uncles,parents and grandparents to pile into cars and pickup trucks and head out to Cathedral Gorge where we would picnic,climb and explore the many caves. In some of the caves you had to be a good climber,in some you had to crawl through tight spaces and some were very dark and scary with bats!

Heres what I found out about Cathedral Gorge when I Googled it! Close to 2,000 acres of land that was once home to the Fremont,Anasazi and Southern Paiutes is now a state park. In 1924, Governor James Scrugham set aside the area for preservation. Cathedral Gorge became one of Nevada's first four state parks in 1935.

This all began with explosive volcanic activity,with each eruption layers of ash hundreds of feet thick were deposited.The ash came from Caliente Caldera Complex south of Cathedral Gorge. Faulting formed a depression that is now known as Meadow Valley. After time the meadow filled with water creating a freshwater lake. continual rains eroded the ash and pumice and the stream carried the eroded sediment into the new lake. As the landscaped changed over time the water drained from the lake exposing the volcanic ash sediments to the wind and rain,causing erosion of the soft material called bentonite clay. This all happened over millions of years. 

My mom doesn't like to have her picture taken but this picture is so good it will change her mind!

Justin,Ethan and Paul. Three generations of Paul's family enjoying Cathedral Gorge.

Not quite like the old days but still fun!

Ethan loved exploring the caves. He would grab my hand and say "Come back here and see this". He would take me back in the cave until we couldn't proceed any farther and then he was off checking out a new passage. Kids love it today just as we did at their age. Some things don't change.

This was Tracy's first time to Cathedral Gorge,she found it fascinating.

Uncle Justin has had some experience at the Gorge and he had no problem sharing this with Ethan.

Amazing!

Fun photo opportunities at Cathedral Gorge.

The party truly started when Justin,Ethan and Paul busted out their Traxxas cars and we all had a try at racing them.

Ethan had an equipment malfunction but did he put on a show racing his car! This kid is good! He ran circles around me thats for sure.

I think Tracy had the most fun of all. I wouldn't be surprised if she has already bought herself one. Craig said they were driving through Zion National Park, one of the most gorgeous parks around, after they left Panaca. Craig was pointing out the beauty of Zion and Tracy was looking up Traxxas vehicles online to see where they could get one when they got home! Luv it!

I love this picture of my Dad with Cathedral Gorge in the background.  His expression says volumes.  We all felt the same way as we explored some of our childhood memories while making new ones to be cherished!

Celebrating Panaca and Uncle Leo's 93rd Birthday

My mother's oldest sibling and my Uncle, James Leo Wadsworth, celebrated his 90th birthday on May 22,2012 in Panaca,Nevada. On a side note May 22nd is my younger brother Craig Wimsatt's birthday. My parents were driving to Panaca for the celebration on May 19th and I decided to tag along.

I love Panaca,Nevada. My mother was born there and it was the home of my grandfather James Allen Wadsworth from birth. One of the first settlers of Panaca was my great great grandfather George A. Wadsworth. After listening to the missionaries he was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in 1852 at 23 or 24 years of age. In 1856 he came to America from Pillery,Yorkshire,England with his wife Elizabeth Broadbent and their eight week old son,Nephi John Wadsworth my great grandfather.  A more detailed account of how they eventually ended up in Panaca is on my mother's blog. Right now the population of Panaca is about 1,000,yes I have the correct number of zeros. My posts will not give a lot of the history of Panaca because my mother has done so on her blog and believe me she is a much better writer than I am.

I spent time every summer of my childhood and youth in Panaca and enjoyed every minute of it. Panaca was a child's dream. You had freedom in Panaca that you weren't allowed in the city. Springs,ponds,horses,chickens,barns,my grandparent's gardens-vegetable and flower,the general store,malt shop,granny's cooking,Cathedral Gorge, Court Rock,sleeping outside with granny on a double bed under the stars but what truly made Panaca special was family and our heritage.

This building is now the Panaca Heritage Center. It began as The Wadsworth Store started by James Allen Wadsworth my grandfather Jame's Uncle and namesake. I don't know the exact date it was established but sometime in the late 1800's. After Jame's death the store was run by my great grandfather Nephi John brother of James and eventually my grandfather James Allen. The store was then named N.J. Wadsworth & Sons General Mercantile. 

This is a replica of the sign (not exact). The original sign was damaged in a flood at my parents home. How my mother obtained possession of the sign is another story found on her blog. Its a good read for sure! 

My grandparents James Allen and Lois Wadsworth are a huge part of Panaca's Heritage and the store. Until we made our recent trip there was only one photo of my grandparents in the Heritage Center. My mother made this fabulous collage with pictures of my grandparents and a brief  timeline of some of the important events and service of my grandparents. We were able to deliver this collage to the Heritage Center with the promise that it would be displayed for the 24th of July celebration.  I am proud of my heritage and even though it was a rather large task for my Mom I am very proud that this commemorative collage will be hanging in the Panaca Heritage Center. I could actually feel that my grandparents were pleased.

While we were touring the Heritage Center my brother Paul pointed out this cabinet and said that it reminded him of granny's kitchen. At that moment my Uncle Pete said that it was indeed granny's cabinet. Right then I was flooded with fond memories of time spent in my grannies kitchen.

In the top picture from left to right Ethan Monrreal (my niece Jeni's son)Justin Wimsatt, my nephew and my mom and dad. The bottom picture from left to right my brother Paul Wimsatt, Tracy Wimsatt (Craig's wife), my brother Craig Wimsatt,Uncle Pete Horlacher locking the door,Ethan,Justin,Ina and George Wimsatt. Four generations are in this photo. I will have a few more posts on this trip to Panaca so stay tuned..........

Bowl-A-Rama Time!

Thunder Steve! Of course Steve couldn't just go bowling,he needed to make a statement and this is what we made! 

These boys were rocking the pins tonight!

Brannon let me take this right before a very important frame!

Amanda and Trey in between rolls.

Trey is currently in the police academy as you can see by the shaved head. Montana didn't want much to do with him tonight at first. 

Our little Princess didn't want to bowl but she loves hanging out with her Daddy!

Gracie and Averley had the best time!

I was helping Miller and Cash bowl so unfortunately I didn't get any pictures of them . I wish I had  because they were too cute. They loved it!

Enjoy It While You Can!

You know it is a beautiful day in Arizona when you can ride for a couple of hours and Psynna only sweat a little under her saddle pad. I wasn't sweating either! Unfortunately I think this will be the last day like this for many months. We enjoyed it! We rode with Teri and her mare Jetta in Usery Park. We worked them up hills and down hills and on flat open spaces in between. I ride year round but it isn't always this pleasant.

I'm still breaking in my new saddle. It has a higher back designed to give a little more  back support. So far  so good, its a comfy ride. The creaks and squeaks that come with a new saddle are diminishing. I still ride my old saddle on Santannah and that feels like coming home!

I think Psynna is a beautiful girl. I can't believe she just turned 7 and I have had her since she was a yearling. She is  my safest ride (I can ride her out alone) but she certainly isn't perfect. She is a typical mare or as they say in horse lingo "mareish". She can be a WITCH, she can be STUBBORN, she is a KICKER when she feels threatened (horses,not people) and I have to patiently(I try to be patient) remind her of who is BOSS (thats me) occasionally. To some that might not sound so good but she is my girl and a keeper!