10 Years Ago

  • No civilian employees were furloughed because of the shutdown at the Hawthorne Army Depot, said Linda Loebach, public affairs specialist for Joint Munitions Command, the arm of the Department of Defense that oversees the Hawthorne Army Depot.
  • Hawthorne Utilities is reminding its Hawthorne residential water users of the annual time period for calculating the sewer usage and sewer cap on the utility bill.
  • A pickup truck owned by G-Dub’s Construction was destroyed Oct. 3 when it caught fire.

20 Years Ago

  • Fay Williams was treated to a memorable 80th birthday bash at the Elk’s Lodge on Oct. 11, where all her friends were invited to attend.
  • Royce Smiley is the first millionaire at the Schurz School. Smiley was the first student to read 1,000,000 words. He enjoys reading science books and participates in Academic Olympics and is the science anchor.

30 Years Ago

  • Granvill Gage was elected by the Mineral County School Board of Trustees as the new Superintendent of schools. Granvill first joined the Mineral County administrative staff in 1974 when he was appointed Principal of the Hawthorne Elementary/Junior High School.
  • Howard E. Vanderclut Jr. adjutant general of Foreign wars, was in Hawthorne to attend the Veterans of Foreign Wars, state commander Herb Tellkamp’s homecoming festivities, Don Swanson, also of Hawthorne, was serving as national special aide to camp in the commander in chief of the VFW at that time.

40 Years Ago

  • The first job of the Western Area Demilitarization Facility located at Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant was completed with successful breakdown of 2 million rounds of .30 caliber ammunition.
  • The “official” re-opening of one of the nation’s largest open pit silver mines, located between the historic ghost camps of Candelaria and Metallic City, the latter located in Pickhandle Gulch in Mineral County took place at Candelaria when officials of NERCO and its mining subsidiaries joined state and county officials to enjoy an “open house” program conducted at the mine-mill site.
  • The Serpents lost to the Whittell Warriors in their homecoming game with the final score the Warriors 16, Serpents 12. The Junior Class built the Winn float in the homecoming parade. The Senior girls won the power puff game.

50 Years Ago

  • The Mineral County Planning Commission outlined the Master Plan goals at their meeting. The tentative plan called for cleanup and beautification of the community through self-help programs and zoning codes revision and enforcement. Sewage treatment with recycling of waste water for industrial or agricultural use and housing primarily for the elderly and multiple units were also on the list.
  • Following a public meeting held in Hawthorne to outline the state’s alternative plan plans and water resources use in the Walker River Basin prepared by the state engineer’s office,  a report entitled “ What is the Future of Walker Lake? Death of a Lake? Not by a Dam Dam site!” by Charles Waterman was published in the paper. The first paragraph of his report stated: “ While the clamor goes on in the north to save Pyramid Lake the State Engineer’s office has sounded the death knell for Walker Lake.”

60 Years Ago

  • The new method of mathematics was the topic of discussion at the October meeting of the Parent-Teacher Association. Guest speakers for the program were members of the State Department of Education and a mathematics specialist from the U. S. Department of Education from Washington, D. C.
  • Celebrating their 20 Anniversary of high school football completion, Mineral County High School was to meet their old rival, the Fallon Green Wave, for the annual homecoming game. Nominated for homecoming queen were Janice Monk, Candy Hamm, Shirley Geisinger, Gloria Trujillo, Theresa Martinez andSusan Randall.
  • An “open house” was held at the U. S. Air Force’s Bomb Scoring Detachment located in Babbitt.

70 Years Ago

  • The Serpents were dumped 33-7 by Fallon Green Wave.
  • A contract was awarded to the Silver State Construction Co. of Fallon for$388,637 ( above $34 million in 2013 dollars) to rebuild Highway 95 from one mile north of the NAD main gate, through Hawthorne, to a point 10 miles east.
  • Special Chinese dinners at the Home Cafe in Hawthorne were offered. A dinner for three persons was just $5 ( $43.80 in 2013).
  • Fred A. Nelson was named by Mayor Maurice Adams as the city attorney with a salary of $50 ($438 in 2013) per month. Nelson had recently passed the Nevada Bar Exam and moved to Hawthorne to open a law office.

80 Years Ago

  • A deposit of quartz crystals, apparently of high quality, was being developed by Hy Werener, G. A. Peterson and Joe Malatesta. The deposit was located 2 miles east of the old LaPlanta gold mine, 12 miles southeast of Hawthorne.
  • Joseph D. Gruwell was elected Commander of Mineral Post 19, American Legion. June Phillips was elected.Legion Auxiliary President.
  • James O. Parker, son of Mr. Mrs. Fred F Parker of Hawthorne, was nominated for appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point. Jim was valedictorian of the MCHS Class of 1943, and was attending the University of Nevada at the time of his appointment.
  • The first ever Hawthorne High Serpents football team was organized and played their first game where they defeated the Tigers of Douglas County 18-3 in a football game played at Gardnerville. High school principal Donald Robertson took on the duties of coaching the first football team. Players of that famous team were: Robert Bandoni, Cloud, Howard Eckley, Edmonson, Bob Gifford. Don Gruwell, Melvin Gruwell, Richard Harrington, Leonard Harrison, Carl Johnson, Keith Karstjens, Karry McGowan, Roger McGowan, Clark Mitchell, Fred Nelson, Bruce Olsen, Fred Parker, Elwin Perry, Ken Picotte, Don Shrider, Tex Stocking, and Edward Tom.

90 Years Ago

  • Mineral County’s three young men serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps, Al Connelly, and Al Thompson of Hawthorne and Buford Perry of Mina were home from Camp Lamoille in northern Nevada. All indicated they hoped to enroll in set as “tree toppers” at some camp for another six months. Hawthorne businessman and other citizens signed a “community letter” asking the Nevada congressional delegation and Governor Fred Belzar to exert more efforts to have a CCC Camp located on My. Grant.
  • First NRA (National Recovery Act) project designated for Mineral County was a contract to oil Highway 95 from Hawthorne to Dutch Creek. Firms holding the contract under a joint venture were J. C. Comption or Oregon and Basalt Rock of California, agreed to pay skilled workers 75 cents an hour and unskilled workers 60 cents an hour, working 30- hour shifts, five hours a day Monday through Friday.