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Washoe County & Reno
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People have always underestimated the Nevada desert and its 'attainable' fortunes that lie buried deep in the earth's surface. Nevada's relentless 'boom to bust' heritage led many men by a string, some to their dooms and some to their prosperity. Maybe Reno and Washoe County puts that concept to the test. Washoe County is comprised of what I like to call, "faces and places", attributes of the land that make it uniquely different from another place; Washoe consists of three proud faces and places (four by including Lake Tahoe.)
First Face of Washoe: Timeless Places
Second Face of Washoe: The Glitz
Third Face of Washoe: Tranquil Pastures
"Which Washoe are you?"
The Markers
The first face is a place back in time when the term 'Nevadan' solely meant native. Native Nevadans were the men and women of ancient times who left their ancient messages for us modern man to comprehend. The ancient people in Washoe County lived off the land, fished for giant trout and wandered about its mountains and deserts; much later native Nevadans met the white man, including an intrepid explorer who named a giant body of water after a rock formation. Next, a river was named; meaning "great place", the river was given the name "Truckee"; later, a few mountain ranges were found and conquered, followed by the establishment of a few settlements. Then as the quote says, the rest was history... or was it? Nevada's only Indian War took place here among the arid lands of Washoe County, a time and place where emigrant trails and their graffiti still exist in the remote canyons and range country known as High Rock. Inscriptions in High Rock's walls read things like "Lloyd R, November 1846", reminding man traversing this lonely country that he is tiny against the land. This is but one face of Washoe County, the extreme northern half known thoughtfully as, 'the forgotten northwest corner'. The only outposts in this remote and unpopulated sector of Nevada are places like Wadsworth, Nixon and Gerlach, a grimacing region that will seem to forever escape Reno's hungry metropolis. Today, there are still only a few reasons why the average person would drive up SR 447. One is to see Pyramid Lake, described as 'America's most beautiful desert lake' and savor in the experience of catching a unique and world-class endangered trout. The other is to see the desert or to see 'the Desert' known as the Black Rock Desert. Here on the Blackrock, even the most basic of rules shouldn't be ignored; things like common sense stand important in this very remote region of the Silver State. Here among this face of Washoe County, a single man is his only company, companion and savior.
Nothing quite says "urban Nevada" like the good ol' Reno Arch.
The second face of Washoe County seems to ignore Nevada's lifestyle of being "Nevada's city". This sector of Washoe seems to be its own, a place of progression, pride and power, literally having the final word in Washoe County night and day with no in-between. This face is none other than Reno and the Truckee Meadows. "Reno-ites", as they like to be called, take pride in their city; Reno is dubbed the "biggest little city in the world", not for the sake of having a spunky catch phrase, but because Reno also enjoys its ruralty. Locals enjoy their proximity to the mountains, the comfort and shelter that Mt. Rose provides. When a person can ski, fish, hike, camp, 4x4 and backpack within minutes from home, who needs anything else? For starters, gambling exists for both high-rollers and 'low-graders', as well as a busy night time scene, a walk along the Truckee River and everything else that a person might expect from a big city. Reno is a clean city with character, sass, reservation and excitement all rolled into one. But, Reno does have problems. The realization that California is only a few miles away does not help the city's identity. As more and more 'spillovers' decide to make Reno home, their 'ruralty' is put to the test. Life in the city may not be exciting as people might think. Throughout history, Reno has always been a problem-solver; when other states prohibited divorce, Reno became the "cure", stepping right in and allowed divorce via a six month residence rule. When prohibition loomed over the heads of America, Reno was the answer with its speakeasies and basement casinos. Even during the Comstock, Reno would not be a city if it weren't for a man named Byron Lake, who built a small bridge over the impassable Truckee River. The bridge would be known as "Lake's Crossing", allowing horse traffic to the Truckee Meadows and wagons up the grade to Virginia City. No doubt, Reno has earned its spot as an important community in Nevada. Just don't forget: there is much more to Washoe County than just Reno.
Finally, Washoe County's third face is a meeting of the mixes. Most "Reno-ites" have strong ties to Incline Village and the Tahoe Basin. Gerlach, Wadsworth and Pyramid Lake stand alone as bystanders in the rapid growth throughout Washoe County. Then, there is Washoe Valley, needing no introduction, no overplay of words to describe the valley that life either passes through or passes by. In Nevada, Washoe Valley is simply Washoe Valley. Residents of 'Washoe' relate more to Carson City than the rest of Reno and its namesake county; Washoe is an outright oddball. Washoe residents fight for what's right, yet carefully keep to themselves. 'Washoe is known by most Nevadans as a sleepy place in between Reno and the Capitol. In the words of one local, "Not a whole lot happens here." Perhaps that's Washoe gets a gold silver for greatness. Historically, Washoe has earned its name in the history books, yet like its persona, most people often forget or simply don't care about its impact on Nevada. "The Valley" earned its reputation in Nevada history as a shipping locale for the Comstock Lode in the late 1870's; Washoe City, the first ever seat of Washoe County grew into an important freighting community with a unique shipping system on the shore of Washoe Lake. Lumber was shipped by log flume from Lake Tahoe and the adjacent mountainsides; the lumber was then loaded and freighted across the lake, then sent up by rail or mule up the Virginia Range to the Comstock mines. This brief era was about the most excitement the Valley ever received. After Virginia City's prosperity came to a halt, Washoe City shriveled up and the seat of Washoe County was moved to Reno. Ever since, Washoe City has become nothing more than a bottleneck for commuters on the busy US 395 highway. Most commuters in between Reno and Carson have no idea, or no care in the world, that Washoe Valley contributed greatly to Virginia City's place in history. Little do they care that Washoe Valley could be the last remnant of Reno's ruralty, a place where mountains meet desert and the population's hearts still beat with the land. There are no busy city lights, the jaws of crime or traffic jams in Washoe Valley. Perhaps those fast-paced city folk and such feeble-minded commuters will think about what they pass before them in life. In any case, at least Washoe Valley makes a nice demarcation line between Carson City and the Reno metropolis. Washoe Valley is proud to be a part of neither.
Photo taken, 0.4 mile north of WA/CC line, Lake Tahoe-Nevada S.P.
When you think about it, Washoe County is one strange duck... an elongated piece of Nevada ground that stands alone; Washoe is a place both untouched by modern-day hands, yet also a place that prides itself as a bustling metropolis; the county is a fascinating place, one that will trap its residents behind the "spaghetti bowl" at rush hour or crawling past the Reno Arch and in only a few hours, will leave them speechless among the vast emptyness of its remote northern deserts.
Southern Washoe also has real estate within the Tahoe Basin, mixing its residents into unique piece mountain bowl of pine trees and a sky blue water. In one day, I dare anybody to begin his day by standing along the shores of Lake Tahoe or amongst the alpine tundra atop Mt. Rose; he can record the differences he sees all day, by then driving through Reno, a glowing neon city, then northward to blankly stare at an austere Pyramid that seems to float above the waters of Pyramid Lake. At the end of the day, he can stand alone on the Black Rock or walk in awe beneath the walls of High Rock Canyon. Several unique worlds, all in one county! For this reason, the people of Washoe are also just as varied. City slickers from Reno are stared down upon when asking for a mocha in Bruno's "Country Club", or a young snowboarder from Incline Village dares to butt heads about life and liberty with an old timer from Wadsworth or a rancher in Washoe Valley. All of these unique 'faces and places' insure the preservation of Washoe County's identity, preventing everything from from molding into Reno and Sparks. Of course, a Washoe Valley resident will always see heavy traffic through his valley while a Gerlach native will see only a few cars from the people he knows. Nevertheless, Nevada's second largest city is always a thought away.
With that in mind, my ramblings above should at least hint at what you're in for as a marker hunter. Washoe County is home to the most historical markers in Nevada, with tons of possible experiences and a little something for everyone! With a new marker addition in 2007, Washoe County now has a total of 42 markers! To acquire all 42 of these landmarks, you will need one thing: patience! About eighty percent of all the markers found within Washoe County are located within the limits of Reno and Sparks. To aid in your conquering, I have provided a mini-map of the city. (A little extra intel never hurt anybody) The rest of Washoe's markers lie quietly awaiting your discovery in the other aforementioned 'faces and places'. There are a few markers that lie so far off the beaten path, you may need to plan in advance on how to tackle them. #149 (High Rock Canyon) can only be reached via a two hour's drive on well-maintained dirt roads, extremely far away from "civilization". Keep in mind that once you leave Reno and the Truckee Meadows, typical Nevada awaits your arrival. Needless to say, finding all 42 of Washoe's markers is an experience, even though you will spend most of your time cruising the streets of Reno. With a little patience, the conquering of Reno is still enjoyable. Look for Washoe County's markers on cemetery grounds, one way streets, beneath high-rise buildings, city parks, riversides, desert floors, amidst pine trees, alpine landscapes, old ghost towns and railroad sidings. And that's only a few, my friends. Again, which "Washoe are you?"
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