70 Years Ago – An iron lung was purchased for Mineral County Hospital with funds raised through the March of Dimes.

10 Years Ago

(From the MCIN Files July 12, 2007)

• A 100th birthday celebration took place at Lefa Seran Extended Care Facility at Mount Grant General Hospital. Resident Gertrude Hurley received many congratulatory messages including from the White House and the Governor of Nevada. Several members of the community came by to offer their best wishes as well as most of Mount Grant General Hospital staff.

• Hawthorne Trap Club opened the trap range for the Nevada State Fireman’s Convention for the week of June 20. Nine fireman, from all over Nevada, participated in the competition, a 100 round shoot. Each fireman shot 50 rounds from the 16-yard line and the 23-yard line.

20 Years Ago

• Over the 4th of July weekend, the Sierra Photo store in Hawthorne was burglarized and approximately $7,000 in merchandise was stolen. Through the expert training and special efforts of the investigating team of Ed Smith, Carl Snarr and Patty Thyne of the Mineral County Sherriff’s Department, they were able to arrest the first suspect within five hours of initiating the investigation. That arrest resulted in the discovery of the stolen merchandise and the arrest of seven local juveniles ranging in age from 9 to 13 years of age. Sheriff Rocky McKellip offered his praise for the professional manner in which the investigation team made the timely arrests.

30 Years Ago

• A record of 64 kids showed up for the juvenile probation office’s water ski program. The PO buses traveled to Tonopah, Gabbs, Mina and Schurz to transport the youth who came to join those from Hawthorne and Walker Lake in the summer program that was headed by District Judge William Beko.

• Winners in the “Yard of the Month” awards at the Army Depot were: Mr. and Mrs. Frank Sannicolas of Schweer Drive, Mr. and Mrs. William Buck of Connelly Drive and Mr. and Mrs. Guy Mullinex of Quarters N in the Industrial Area of the base. The awards were presented by Capitan Susan Carlson, Executive Officer of the Army Depot.

40 Years Ago

• Capitan C. J. Tetrick, USN Commanding Officer of the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot for the last two years, retired from active duty after more than 30 years of service in the Navy.

• Queen candidates for the “Walker 100” Marathon Boat Races at Walker Lake were Debby Lee, Christine Luna, Debbie Thurber and Jamie Wallis.

• Mineral County allocated $40,000 for road and street projects and an additional $120,000 came from the county’s share of the off-systems road fund budgeted by the Congress. Projects include realignment and paving of Armory Road, asphalt surfacing of the Mina Cemetery road and asphalt surfacing of the dirt road west from State Route 31 (Highway 359) to the Hawthorne Dump Site.

50 Years Ago

• Formal organization of the Mineral County Park and Recreation Commission was completed. Commissioner Don Anderson was named chairman, Gene Mosher of Mina, secretary and other members of the commission were Catherine Davis, Floyd Justus, Jr., Deloss Weyant and Leroy Baker.

• Less than half of the landlords subject to the new room tax ordinance in the county applied for the necessary licenses.

• Hawthorne television viewers reported good reception of programs from Channel 2 in Reno. Negotiations were being made to raise another $7,000 to bring reception to Babbitt/NAD and the Luning/Mina areas.

60 Years Ago

• Soroptomist International of Hawthorne was organized with Sally Hammond elected as president; Mildred Graham, vice-president; Melba Dickinson, recording secretary; Roberta Williams, corresponding secretary; Laura Merlino, treasurer; Rita Bishop and Vernita Beall, directors.

• The big Tom Pack’s Shrine Circus was in Hawthorne for a one-day performance held at the high school football field. The circus was sponsored by the Walker Lake Shrine Club.

• Ralph Bishop was named as a new deputy sheriff to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of William Coffey.

• Copper ore was shipped from the Champion Mine near Luning to Kaysville, Utah. A minimum of 100 tons to a maximum of 500 tons was being shipped each week.

70 Years Ago

• Over 3,000 spectators attended the First Annual Walker Lake Regatta held here and many noted boat racers from around the country were here to take part in the races.

• A charge against W. W. Brander for allegedly using loud obscene language in front of the City Hall was dismissed by Judge R. E. Blaylock. The charge was filed by Acting Mayor Thomas Whitworth after the latter had fired Brander as acting City Clerk.

• The Hawthorne Merchants baseball team dropped a tough 12-11 game to the Turf Club from Reno after ten innings of play.

• General Jay H. White, formerly of Hawthorne, retired as Adjutant General of the State of Nevada after serving 20 years in that position.

80 Years Ago

• Commissioners directed that the Hawthorne siren be sounded daily at noon, serving as mid-day timepiece and also to insure the siren was in good working condition.

• Mrs. W. H. Westlake, 43-year old Hawthorne resident, died at the Schurz hospital after suffering multiple injuries in a one-car accident 19 miles north of Schurz. Mrs. Westlake, who was driving the family coupe when it over turned, sustained painful but not serious injuries. The Westlake’s owned and operated a restaurant and bar in Hawthorne.

• Mineral County voters approved two separate bond issues at a special election, one for $5,000 to help finance a building in Mina to include justice court room, jail and utility offices and a $10,000 issue to finance the purchase of road equipment. Total cost of the Mina building was to be $12,000 with Works Progress Administration (WPA) assuming $7,000 of the total cost. Road equipment issue was approved 100 to 62 by taxpayers and 125 to 46 by non-taxpayers. Only precinct to vote against the road bonds was Schurz where taxpayers voted 14 to 2 against, and non taxpayers, 4-0. Vote for the Mina building was closer as the property owners vote in Hawthorne was 23 for, 21 against, in Schurz, 14 against, 3 for; and Montgomery 3-2 against. Non-property owners voted 56 to 39 against in Hawthorne, at Schurz 4-0 against and Montgomery 2-1 against.

• Secretary of the Navy Swanson joined Nevada’s Congressman, Jim Schrugham, in urging the government to retain CCC M-1 in Hawthorne.