70 Years Ago – A man who gave his name as Al Sedillo and his place of residence as New Orleans, La., gambled in Hawthorne, but according to local officers his gambling was not on the up-and-up and thus he lost $300 in the form of a fine assessed by Police Judge John Andrews after Chief of Police Joe Collins had arrested the man on a charge of cheating. Sedillo, according to officers, was spotted as a “fast operator” soon after he started to buck a 21 game in a Hawthorne establishment. The management summoned Collins and a change of dealers, a change of deck (brand new) and a few marked cards later, Sedillo found that even in whistle-less stops like Hawthorne, the games of chance do not mean taking a chance on the cheating side.

10 Years Ago

  • The ninth annual 4th of July celebration was held in Hawthorne, “America’s Patriotic Home”. Sunday activities started with an 18-hole scramble golf tournament, joined with free swimming at the Lions Park Swimming Pool.
  • The first annual 4th of July celebration held at the Hawthorne Care and Share Center was deemed as a big success to those who attended. Following the barbecue, several people joined in for the wheelchair races, Wii bowling tournament and a lot more activities.

20 Years Ago

  • The Fourth of July weekend was a great day to spend time on the shores and even on Walker Lake and taking in all the festivities at the Cliff House Marina and related beach front areas. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, visiting with friends and making new ones, participating in the games and activities until the wind came up and started taking down all the concession booths and personal shade structures, some ending up in the lake. The jet ski race was not held because of the wind.
  • An issue of the Independent-News was 35 cents.

30 Years Ago

  • A balloon survived the elements and climbed high mountains, making its way from California to the backyard of Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Baldry in Hawthorne. The balloon, found last week by little Tara Baldry, had a note attached that read: “This paper was attached to a helium balloon. Call us and let us know where you found it. Justin, Andy and Stevie – Citrus Heights, Calif.” The Baldry’s made the call and were informed that the balloon had been up approximately one week. All were surprised the balloon had traveled so far.

40 Years Ago

  • The largest group of contestants to vie for the title of “Walker 100 Queen,” ten lovely young ladies were judged at the Cliff House, before the race. When it was over, with only four points separating them, vivacious Lisa Agnew of Pittsburgh, Pa. sponsored by EBC Coin Repair, was chosen queen to reign over the “Walker 100” weekend.
  • An issue of the Independent-News was 20 cents.

50 Years Ago

  • Mineral County Commissioners had approved a plan to construct the first phase of a new courthouse complex to be built south of First Street and west of Mt. Grant Hospital on county owned property. The one-story jumbo face brick structure was designed to house the district court, with jury room and the offices of clerk and treasurer, auditor and recorder and assessor.
  • Melvin Lee Rowland, one of two men convicted in Hawthorne district court in 1958 of a charge of murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, had filed a petition seeking “post conviction relief.” In an order handed down, Judge Kenneth Mann outlined requirements under which the petition would be considered by the court.

60 Years Ago

  • Two youths were being held in connection with the burglary of two Hawthorne buildings. It was expected that during the session of district court this week a determination would be made whether proceedings would be conducted in juvenile court or whether the boys would be prosecuted as adults. The youths were arrested in California following an extensive investigation of the burglaries by Sheriff E.T. Sanderson. He and Undersheriff Frank Souza returned the boys to Hawthorne from Monterey, Calif. in a charge of first degree burglary.
  • Frank and Pete Rosaschi, operators of the Hawthorne Mercantile, remolded the interior of the large store building. Improvements included a new tile floor, new fixtures and equipment, all designed to provide more aisle space and greater shopping convenience for customers.

70 Years Ago

  • Expansion of Newmont Mining Corp. activities to the old camps of Candelaria and Rawhide may be the next major step taken by the company which has been interested in developing a mining revival at the famous old camp of Goldfield as reported by the Goldfield News.
  • The Hawthorne Fire Department is conducting a campaign to enforce the ordinance regulating traffic during time of fire. The department is distributing handbills with instructions to stay off the center of the street; not to use the telephone for five minutes and not to follow the fire equipment when the sire blows. The handbill also says, “We can rebuild the town – we can’t return a lost life.”

80 Years Ago

  • An important advancement in highway road classifications of communities in Mineral County had been made State Highway Engineer Robert A. Allen informed the Independent-News. Schurz, Hawthorne and Mina in this county hereafter would be listed on U.S. Route 95, this being the first time that intermediate points between Fallon, Tonopah and Las Vegas had received such rating.
  • Jack Bretthauer, local cement contractor, was one who believed in advertising – and in practicing what he preached. In recent months, Bretthauer had done considerable concrete and stucco work locally on remodeling of homes and construction of new buildings. Aware of the serious shortage of accommodations in Hawthorne at the time, Bretthauer had started construction on a new five room residence at the corner of Sixth and F Streets. The home was to be modern in every respect, with hardwood floors and tile bathroom, it would have a stucco finish which Bretthauer would apply, while the general building contract had been placed with L.A. Ramie, well known local builder.

90 Years Ago

  • “A broadgauge railroad line between the Hawthorne base and the San Pedro base of the navy department [was] a part of the plan which the government had in view in placing the munitions depot at Hawthorne,” declared Senator Tasker Oddie in a talk before the Fallon Rotary Club, says the Fallon Standard.
  • “Keep your eyes peeled for bogus money”, was the warning given out in Gardnerville, said the Record-Courier of that town. Following a successful cleanup of several slot machines in Gardnerville with slugs came the report that quite a few bogus quarters and half dollars had been placed in circulation and it may be the work of the same slickers. The counterfeit money is crude and made of lead. The coins are lighter than silver, have a greasy feel and are dead as Moses when they hit the counter.