10 Years Ago

  • Those who venture out into the heat of the desert to take the off road trails just might find themselves facing history. In the late 1800’s to the early 1900’s, a plethora of towns sprang up in the present day Mineral County seeking to profit from the state’s silver and gold rushes.
  • PILT funding was left off of the omnibus appropriations bill that funds the government through September, and has many leaders in rural counties wondering what’s next.

20 Years Ago

  • $1,000,000 was awarded to Mineral County for the cleanup of the Brownfields project. Don Orndorff, county Brownfields coordinator for the project stated that fencing and survey of the property would soon begin. The area was once part of the old Hawthorne dump site.
  • The Red Hatters welcomed ShoeBees into the Hawthorne community. The store would offer shoes of all sizes and styles.
  • Gerald and Lois Kichenmaster were featured in the Independent-News for celebrating 64 years of marriage on Jan. 31, 2004.
  • MCHS Serpents boys basketball would lose to Incline Village 60-46. Leading scorers were Bud Gazaway with 17 including 5 threes and Marty Waggoner with six. The Lady Serpents would also fall to Incline, 27-62. Jamie Convis had 12 points with Shasta Brown adding six points. Schuyler Bowles had six rebounds.

30 Years Ago

  • Pete Summerbell of Hawthorne, was elected to serve as a member of the National Board of Directors of the For Kid’s Sake Inc. Bob Weaver of Hawthorne was the local area coordinator of the organization.
  • The Lady Serpents basketball team defeated the Yerington Lions 72-29 in a game played in Hawthorne.
  • Another victim of the strong winds that often hit this area was Theodore Taylor, and his wife Phyllis, of Norwalk, Calif. The incident occurred about 6 miles north of Hawthorne, near the gravel pits. Neither Theodore nor his wife was injured.

40 Years Ago

  • Nevada’s congressional delegation asked the Department of the Army to give every consideration to the Hawthorne Army Ammunition Plant as a location for a proposed $800 million facility involving explosives and propellers known as RDX/HMX.
  • Gary Richardson of Yerington took the lead in the El Capitan fishing derby when he caught a 7 pound, 14 ounce cutthroat trout at the north end of Walker Lake.
  • Mineral County High School was broken into and school officials said offices and drink machines were vandalized.
  • The debate team of MCHS competed in the Fallon tournament. Members of the team were Brain Nugent, Troy Dillard, Rezalia Watson, Gina Carlson, Kelley Richardson and Matthew Chase.

50 Years Ago

  • Following extended surveillance, a search warrant was obtained and a facility searched in Mina. The search resulted in the arrest of five persons. Officers said that undercover agents had purchased 10,000 amphetamine tablets, one half ounce of cocaine, and 200 doses of LSD.
  • Three members of the MCHS band were chosen to perform in the All-State band concert in Reno. The students were Dee Johnson, Joan Gartrell, and Tony Beverly.
  • The Hawthorne Naval Ammunition Depot started a trail bus service for employees and announced the morning pick-up and evening departure points for the program. Route A started at 10th and B Street at 6:45 a.m. and returned to Base Building No. 47 through Babbit on Lexington Avenue.
  • Solar Units at Schweer Drive were unveiled in a ribbon cutting ceremony.
  • Mrs. Catherine Barlow retired after 27 years as a school teacher.

60 Years Ago

  • Aerojet-General Corporation announced it would continue to use the test site at Garfield Flats, however plans for expansions and continued research and development had been deferred.
  • Marc Connelly was the second place winner in the state contest sponsored by the VFW “Voice of Democracy” program. He received a cash award of $150 .
  • The Schurz Elementary School basketball team lost to Tonopah Jackhammers 33-45 and then played Gabbs Tarantulas in another fast moving and exciting game.
  • Uncle Vane Day said: “I was amused by the ravings of a good friend here who unloaded his feelings to me about a couple of his neighbors. It seems they had been whispering too much in the rumor bracket bordering close to the scandal stage. His parting remark, and some truth brought forth in it, aroused a smile of understanding and sympathy, “Uncle Day”, he said “ I like to live in a small town because l don’t have to keep an eye on my wife. The neighbors do it for me.”

70 Years Ago

  • Plans to organize a new bank in Reno and open a branch of that bank in Hawthorne were announced. The facility was to be named Citizens Bank of Nevada.
  • A new “progressive plan” was planned for Babbit by Louis B. Peradott, the new Babbitt Community Manager. The plan included using all Babbit community organizations and resources and required the cooperation of each citizen. The focus would be on cultural and recreational programs.
  • County Commissioners and city council members held a joint meeting to iron out problems of purchasing a new fire truck for Hawthorne.
  • The Serpents drowned the Manogue Miners 57-46, but took a thumping from Reno Huskies 71-36.

80 Years Ago

  • A local man was arrested by sheriff’s deputies and charged with drunkenness. He was fined $100 by Justice of the Peace John Andrews.
  • Tickets for the movie “Thank Your Lucky Stars That l Live In The USA” were being given to individuals when they purchased a war bond. Each purchase entitled buyer to dedicate a seat in the theater to their favorite hero.
  • MCHS Serpents took Douglas Tigers 31-15, but lost to the Lovelock Mustangs 25-17.

90 Years Ago

  • The famous old mining camp of Aurora was “electrified “ for the first time since 1920 when power service to the town was abandoned by Southern Sierra Power Co. The return of power was a result of a contract that was sighted with Mineral County Power System by O. O. Thomas who was operating the Langry property. J.T. Mills and McColdie, financiers, made a trip from Los Angeles to witness the power “cut-in”.
  • The Civil Works Administration issued a new ruling that a 15 hour week work schedule would go into effect immediately. Sixty-four men and ten women were employed by CWA in Mineral County.
  • The Hawthorne/Thorne stage reduced its schedule to one trip a day, to meet the 1 p.m. mail and freight train at Thorne. The southbound train arrived at Thorne at 3 a.m. and the returning northbound run reached Thorne after noon, following a seven hour layover for the crew in Mina.