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Lincoln County
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Unlike Shakespeare's, Much ado about nothing, there is Much ado about everything, when it comes to Lincoln County! State parks, historical markers, ET's and UFO's. Yes, on my way to finding its historical markers, I realized there is much more here than meets the eye in this very unassuming piece of Nevada.
The area what would later become Pioche, named in honor of F. L. A. Pioche, a San Francisco banker/mine promoter, was first settled in 1864 with the opening of a silver mine. Reorganized in 1868, it had grown to become one of the most important silver-mining towns in Nevada by the mid 1870's. Most interesting about Pioche was the town's reputation for being one of the roughest towns in the Old West. Local lore says 75 men were killed in gunfights before the first natural death occurred in the camp! This legend is immortalized by the creation of Boot Hill, now a landmark in the city. A visit to Pioche is a trip back in time, to this rowdy Old West. It's "Million Dollar Courthouse," built in 1871, outfathomed everybody, with its original cost of $88,000 far exceeding initial estimates. Final financing reinstated bonds totalling nearly $1 million! Today's Pioche, like most mining camps, is a mere shadow of what it was, but no less interesting of a place. It currently contains the county administrative offices and has one of the oldest grade schools in the state. It's well-developed downtown area, complete with a park, beckons a stroll down memory lane.
The county is unique because of its wide variety of desert landscapes. In fact, US 93, the county's backbone and ultimate lifeline, is designated as a "Scenic Route" for much its length through Lincoln County. A drive down US 93 will take you from the cold, sage choked desert of the Great Basin from the north, curving its way through picturesque Southwest desert, more characteristic of Utah than Nevada and finally fill its trip with Mojave Desert to Las Vegas. In one day, you won't even realize you're still in the same county. However, Lincoln is most known for its abundance of state parks, 5 of them all together, within a 30 mile distance! A trip to Kershaw-Ryan or Beaver Dam will make you think twice if you're really in Nevada or staring at the ramparts typical of Zion or Capitol Reef National Parks in Utah.
As for the historic markers, Lincoln is a blast! The scenery alone makes the trip enough to finding these markers. Lincoln's markers concentrate on two things, typical mining lore of old Nevada towns and its strong Mormon past. Panaca alone, a really strong Mormon town, has three markers, while Caliente to the south has two. The rest are widely scattered across the county, so prepare to spend most of your time on US 93. Lincoln has 4 towns of major importance, but only Caliente provides enough services to warrant it as a marker base. Caliente is the county's largest town and although big on scenery, it comes complete only with the basic services of a typical Nevada town. It has 4 motels and a few eateries. Other than that, use this town of 1,100 people as a quiet base camp for your marker hunting. Conquering them in one day is tiresome, so allow at least 2 days, even more if you plan to visit some of the state parks. Either way, good driving and good times await you! Just don't forget about us in Carson City...
Lincoln has strong historical roots. Once part of New Mexico territory, this county was established in 1866 after Nevada moved its state line eastward, then southward, at the expense of Utah and Arizona territories. It was then named in honor after none other than Abraham Lincoln himself, the very man responsible for making admitting Nevada as a state. It was originally going to be called "Stewart County", after Nevada Senator William Stewart, but dubbed it unfitting after Douglas County had been created. Even Lincoln's seats were unsettled. Crystal Springs was the county's first seat in 1866, followed by Hiko and then finally Pioche in 1871 where it sits today.
Cathedral Gorge perplexes its visitors with its sculpted sandstone spires and slot canyons. In Lincoln, you won't find the typical Nevada style gaming and even the 'bar & tavern' scene is hard to find. Instead, this county dedicates itself to its older way of life and outdoor activities. In fact, the atmosphere is more reflective of Utah, because of strong Mormon influence and proximity to the Beehive State. For this reason alone, prepare to be the only one on the road if you come on a Sunday Morning!
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