10 Years Ago

  • Conjunctivitis, an eye infection more commonly known as pink eye, struck Mineral County.
  • Congressman Steve Hartford presented an American flag to the Mineral County Fire Department April 18 to honor our first responders of Mineral County for their deeds after an explosion which killed seven Marines on March 18 just outside of Hawthorne.

20 Years Ago

  • The annual Loon Festival held at Walker Lake was successful. Mike Savon of the Nevada Department of Wildlife stated that the amount of loons taken during the early part of the week was nearly 500.
  • The second annual chili cook off was planned. Proceeds from this Armed Forces Day event will be given to the Children’s Fire Prevention Program.
  • Thocmetony visits the Schurz school. Thocmetony is the original pirate name for shellflower or Sarah Winnemucca. Played by Rosalinda Guevin, in Native American storyteller. Her presentation explained many historical events such as the Pyramid War. Captain Fremont’s and Mr. Ormsby’s relationship with the Pirates .
  • Opening day of Little League was held on Saturday, April 26.

30 Years Ago

  • The 45th Annual Convention of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and DAV Auxiliary was held in Hawthorne from April 30 through May 3. Representatives from all parts of the state were in attendance..
  • The MCHS Serpents baseball team traveled to Lovelock to play an important doubleheader with the Lovelock Mustangs. The young Serpents nine defeated the Mustangs 15-1 in the opener and held on to win the nightcap 6-4.
  • With only four days remaining in the 1992-93 annual El Capitan Walker Lake Trout Derby, Robert Goelitz of Jean Court, Ca. Was in first place with his 6.1lb. catch. He won the Derby and $1,000 on the following weekend. Jim Scott of Hawthorne won 2nd place with his nice 5.8 lb. catch.

40 Years Ago

  • Terri Everett, the first patrol woman for Mineral County Sheriff’s Department started her assignment after completing the Peace Officer Standard Training course In Carson City.
  • Priscilla Martin was named chairman of the annual Armed Forces Day Committee.
  • The Serpent baseball team scored four more wins defeating the Mammoth Huskies and Battle Mountain Longhorn teams in doubleheaders.

50 Years Ago

  • Mary Gartrell (Koscinski) was named “Miss Mineral County” at the annual pageant held in Hawthorne.
  • An employee on the railroad crew Hawthorne Naval Depot suffered a severe leg injury when he fell from a moving train and was run over.
  • Bids were being sought by the Navy to put new roofs on family units at the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot.

60 Years Ago

  • The local Elks Lodge Youth Leadership contest winners were Leslie Ann Gracey, Linda Smalley, Milton Graham and Michael Gray.
  • Members of the Mineral County Area Redevelopment Committee, accompanied by County Commissioner Don Moody and Richard Kuntze, superintendent of the Hawthorne Utilities, made a survey of the watershed at Bodie and Rough Creeks.
  • The Mineral County High School baseball team won a league game against Gardnerville, 11-12 and the Serpents track team placed second in a meet held In Yerington.
  • Uncle Vane Day told about the day in JP Count about the irate lawyer who was trying to establish a point in cross examination when he demanded of the defendant: “Madam, while you were taking your dog for a walk did you stop anywhere?” “Sir,” the witness said quickly, “have you ever taken a dog for a walk?”

70 Years Ago

  • Mrs. Mary LaVonne Hines of Hawthorne won the grand prize of $500 cash in the Walker Lake Cutthroat Trout Fishing Derby sponsored by the El Capitan Lodge and Casino. Her prize winning cash was a beautiful 19 pound trout and she caught on March 24 that year she aged out Al Pearce, also if Hawthorne, who had been leading a derby with his nice 18 pound trout, won second place. ( There were many fish cars in those days ranging in weight from 6 pounds to the ones caught by Mrs. Haynes that were entered in the El Capitan fishing derby, 50 years ago and before. The El Capitan still sponsors the fishing derby each year that begins the first of October and ends the last of April.)
  • Chief of police Joe Collins was named president of the Hawthorne chamber of commerce. Others who were serving with Collins were D. Edward Culbertson, Florence Scott and Mabel Andrews.
  • Mineral County High School girls Chorus won first division rating among the many schools participating in the Zone Choral Festival in Reno.
  • Ammunition-laden semi-trucks could no longer park in Hawthorne while the drivers were taking Meals, ICC inspectors issued a directive, after complaints were filed that unattended trucks presented a danger to the community.

80 Years Ago

  • Evelyn Wathen won the Veterans of Foreign Wars essay contest.
  • Trouts measuring more than 20 inches in length were being caught at Walker Lake.
  • Discussions continued on a proposed ordinance to limit the number of liquor licenses in Hawthorne.

90 Years Ago

  • Commander, H.S. Babbitt was promoted by the Navy to the rank of Captain, and he would continue his current duty as Commanding Officer at the Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot. Babbitt graduated with the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1907.
  • Former County Commissioner John Wichman filed a mandamus action in the Supreme Court seeking reinstatement as a member of the Mineral County Board. He lost his seat when his area of residence was annexed to Lyon County. Oscar Gerbig of Hawthorne was appointed to fill the vacancy.
  • Members of the Mineral County School faculty,Principal A. L. Carman, Mrs. J. W. Phillips, English teacher Miss Loye Devore, commercial teacher, and E. G. Holman, science teacher and coach, all accepted contracts for the next school year that provided for a 10 percent reduction in salary because of “depressed conditions.”
  • Mineral County officials and civil leaders were joined by residents of Tonopah, Goldfield, and Inyo County, Calif. communities in protesting the proposed abandonment of the narrow gauge railroad line between Mina and Keeler, California.