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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. In fact, little else but desert, staring at the road, and... did I mention desert floats on the mind. That is, for most people. 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. Like it's neighbor Humboldt to the east, it's Interstate 80 is the county's lifeline, a concrete monster that bisects Nevada east to west, rightly connecting the Pershing to the outside world. Often to its residents, the Interstate is first, second and last, both a blessing and a curse. However, unlike Humboldt County, Pershing has another source of income besides depending on 80's constant flow of traffic. Agriculture. Make your visit to Lovelock and it's hard to ignore the long patches of green against starkness. The Humboldt River makes it happen, supplying most of Nevada's alfalfa and cattle feed here in Lovelock Valley. A desert?
In days before modern man, the county soon to become Pershing was a true outback in the Great Basin. No doubt, those days still linger on that is, if you get away from the Interstate. If you want a whole perspective on this county, broader than a blank slate, head outward into the vastness, ply its long dirt roads, enjoy the isolation! Find your own secret niche! Trust me folks, we aren't the only ones to have the same idea. Scattered throughout Pershing's limits are tiny specks of population, locals who just wanted to get the hell away from 80 by occupying former places of habitation, often at the foot of a canyon or small mountain range. Without such dirt roads to lead direction, such places would likely remain isolated forever from the rest of the outside world. Take for example, Scossa or Jungo, former railroad sidings sitting right on the edge of the Black Rock Desert. Though the railroad is long gone now, don't be surprised if you find a few rebel locals, locals who enjoy the thought of having a complete desert to themselves. Can you blame them?
The Markers
Historical Markers of Pershing County (6)
No doubt, most of 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. But then again, who cares?! See what secrets lie among Pershing's long vistas, such as Pershing's excellent mining ruins. Some of Nevada's best ghost towns lie within the county's borders, places such as Rochester, a town of three sister districts... Star City with its steep and rugged terrain that challenged a miner's axe day in and day out. Then of course, there's Unionville, a beautiful oasis in the shadow of the mountains. In 1861, a young Sam Clemens began his career at mining here, quickly quitting the job to move onward to Aurora, Candelaria, then Virginia City. In fact, it's in Unionville where you can still visit the cabin he occupied! Northward from the Interstate, you'll find Pershing's famous Seven Troughs district, home to a dozen old mining camps, some of which are still occupied by a few die-hard locals. See the ruins of Mazuma, where a flash flood completely destroyed the town around 1872. Vernon, a place where the veins were there, but the fortune proved elusive for a decade. Eventually, gold and silver were eked out of the mountain wall, but at a huge price. Let the ruins tell the story! Seven Troughs, the largest city in the district prospered for close to 20 years, before finally succumbing to bust, leaving behind some gorgeous ruins, a cemetery and true energy to tell the true story. Discover your own secret vista in Sulphur on Pershing's northern border, where excellent views of the Black Rock provide a grand perspective on everything and nothing at the same time. The next time you ply Interstate 80 through Pershing, think twice before saying 'there's nothing here'. Unless you get off that concrete and see it for yourself, you have no right to say it all.
Look any map of Pershing and see it for yourself: Pershing is truly lonely land. I only say this because as a society, we have clung onto the aspect of having a paved road to get us to and from a place and time... a stoplight to tell us when to stop and go. A trip out here will remind you just what our ancestors learned to love and hate, that sometimes nothing at all is a beautiful thing. Ask any Nevadan and most will tell you that this stretch of Interstate 80 (through Pershing County) 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 some like me, it's a nice reminder of what the TRUE Nevada really is. Still, even then it's difficult to take it in because that darned Interstate always brings you back to the thoughts of civilization. Fortunately, there are 3 markers that force you off of that dreaded Interstate, putting you right into the heart of rural Nevada! Pershing's largest community is Lovelock, also the county seat with a little over 2,000 people. Although it is 'the city' in terms of Pershing language and everything in terms of services that 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 in the way of services than Lovelock. Mill City is little more than a large travel station for truckers, but it does come complete with gas, two restaurants, a casino, auto repair garage and a motel. If you like old fashioned tradition, you can also book a stay in Unionville's only B&B, a lovely experience that's world away from the Interstate. In terms of sheer convenience, these two places will act as a better bases than Lovelock. Whichever decision you make, hunting for Pershing's markers can be one of either adventure or monotony. Like its desert, the perspective is yours alone.
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