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Pershing County
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Founded on March 18, 1919, Pershing County was named in honor of Gen. John J. Pershing, Commander in Chief of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I. Out here though, France doesn't even come to mind. Known mostly for its vast open deserts & seemingtly empty mountain ranges, Pershing County is a hidden gem that has much to offer in the way of exploration... that is, if you force yourself off the Interstate.
For this reason alone, Pershing is a truly lonely land. I only say this because as a society, we have clung on the aspect of having a paved road to get us to and fro and a stoplight to tell us when to go. A trip out here will remind you just what our ancestors learned to love and learned to survive against. To most people, this stretch of Interstate 80 is the worst in terms of travel, even with the slight blue sliver of Rye Patch Reservoir, many would say that there is little to break the relentless monotony of barren mountains and vast emptyness. For us, it was a reminder of what the true Nevada really is and even then it's difficult because that darned Interstate always brings you back to the thoughts of civilization. Fortunately, there are 3 markers that get you off the Interstate and put you right into the heart of rural Nevada. Pershing's largest community is Lovelock, also the county seat of Hawthorne with a little over 2,000 people. Although it is 'the city' in terms of Pershing language and everything in terms of services can be found here, my recommendation would be to do what we did and use either Winnemucca or Mill City as a base for your marker hunting. We chose Mill City because all but one of Pershing's markers is located around Mill City. In fact, the only one that is out of the way is right in downtown Lovelock, a long 50 mile diversion from Mill City. From Winnemucca, these markers are only 30 miles away and Winnemucca has much more services than Lovelock. Mill City is little more than a large travel station for trucks, but does come complete with gas, two restaurants and a motel. In terms of sheer convenience, these two places act as a better base than the seat for a change. Whichever decision you make, hunting for Pershing's markers can be one of either adventure or monotony. Just be prepared for lots of Interstate driving...
Historical Markers of Pershing County
Unfortunately, Pershing County is fastened to this concrete monster, depending on it day and night for its financial aspect and way of getting around. In fact, without the Interstate, there would be no way to get around the county except on lonely dirt roads.
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