Historical Markers of Washoe County & Reno
- HM 4 - Junction House (First Settlement)
- HM 18 - Pyramid Lake
- HM 24 - Olinghouse
- HM 29 - Chinese in Nevada
- HM 30 - Reno
- HM 43 - Derby Diversion Dam
- HM 62 - Truckee River -- West
- HM 63 - Truckee River -- East
- HM 68 - Wadsworth
- HM 79 - Civil War Plot
- HM 81 - Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Tree
- HM 88 - Sparks
- HM 94 - The Winters Ranch (Rancho Del Sierra)
- HM 114 - Franktown
- HM 128 - The Great Train Robbery
- HM 148 - The Two Battles of Pyramid Lake
- HM 149 - High Rock Canyon
- HM 152 - Gerlach
- HM 166 - Bowers Mansion
- HM 169 - Glendale School
- HM 189 - Southern Pacific Railroad Yards
- HM 191 - Verdi
- HM 198 - Steamboat Springs
- HM 210 - Nevada-California-Oregon Railroad Depot
- HM 211 - Old Geiger Grade (In Canyon Below)
- HM 212 - Galena
- HM 218 - Geiger Station (Magnolia House)
- HM 220 - The Fight of the Century
- HM 221 - Sand Harbor
- HM 227 - Lake Mansion
- HM 230 - Mount Rose Weather Observatory
- HM 234 - Moana Springs
- HM 238 - Huffaker's
- HM 240 - Coney Island
- HM 245 - Frederick Joseph DeLongchamps (June 2, 1882 - February 11, 1969)
- HM 246 - The Great Incline of the Sierra Nevada
- HM 247 - Site of Nevada's First Public Library
- HM 248 - Virginia & Truckee Railroad Right of Way
- HM 253 - Emigrant-Donner Camp
- HM 256 - Historic Transportation...
- HM 265 - Governor Emmet Derby Boyle
- HM 267 - Galena Creek Fish Hatchery
Nevada Landmarks Home Page
*HM 18*
-- Pyramid Lake --
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Location: Central Washoe County, Pyramid Lake
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Date Conquered: 7/14/07
Nearest intersection: Sutcliffe Hwy (SR 446)
Quick Description: A fine marker honoring Pyramid Lake and the Indian Reservation.
Signed: Yes -- Signed on both lanes of SR 445.
Marker History: You might notice that this low number series is NOT a Stone-type marker. #18 was originally erected in 1965 AS a stone marker, but the marker didn't take long to suffer from Pyramid Lake's fierce winter winds and biting cold. Within five years, the Stone face was in poor condition and its lettering barely legible. By orders of the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation, #18 was removed to re-face and re-erect the marker using a new turnout (seen below) provided by NDOT. In 1984, #18 was re-erected, redone using th Standard (L) issue type. MANY, MANY KUDOS go to the Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation in cooperation with NDOT for re-erecting this important piece of Nevada history. Again, kudos to a job well done!
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Full Description:
Exact description as reads:
America's most beautiful desert lake is a remnant of ancient Lake Lahontan, which during the Ice Age covered over 8,000 square miles. Caves along its shores have revealed a prehistoric people with a well-developed community life.
John C. Frémont discovered the lake on January 10, 1844, and named it for the pyramid-shaped island it contains. From 1844 to the 1860's, the lake's history is an account of native people in contention with the white invasion of northwestern Nevada. With the Indian victory in the first battle of Pyramid Lake, May 12, 1860, more white men died than in any prior White-Indian engagement in the far west. The Pyramid Lake Reservation was set aside for the Indians in 1859.
The unusual calcium carbonate Tufa formations along the lake shore are formed by algae, by precipitation from hot springs, from concentration during drier periods, and from wave-action shoreline deposits.
The 41-pound world record size cutthroat trout was taken from Pyramid Lake, in 1925, by Johnny Skimmerhorn, a Paiute Indian. The lake is the home of the Cui-ui, a peculiar lakesucker now found nowhere else in the world.
Anaho Island, a national wildlife refuge, is probably the largest white pelican nesting colony in North America.
