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Beowawe
Beowawe, Eureka
County, Nevada
Elevation: 4695 feet Beowawe is a place where
many have passed through but few have remained. It has seen the likes of
Indians, trappers,
traders, emigrants, miners, ranchers, railroaders, ministers and school marms.
But the town hasn't been able to provide a lasting home for them.
They have come, stayed for a while, and gone. The school has
closed, the church is closed and now up for sale ($11,000 - includes building,
well and land), the post office, grocery store and even the bar have
closed down. A few residents, the library, a gift shop (Dee's), the
highway maintenance station, a liquefied petroleum gas tank farm and a few
outlying ranches are what now remain. Beowawe
may soon come back into the news. It is one of several planned
alternative routes to ship spent nuclear waste to Nevada's Yucca Mountain in
southern Nevada. Here the nuclear waste would be unloaded from the
Western Pacific railroad. Then shipped by a yet to be constructed
320-mile railroad spur from here to Yucca Mountain.
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Beowawe is
pronounced Bay-o-wah'-wee and is an Indian word meaning
"gate" - so named for the peculiar shape of the hills close
to town which gives the effect of a gateway opening to the valley
beyond. |
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Some of
the older residents of Beowawe have related a much more flamboyant
origin of the town's name. |
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The following paragraph is copied directly from:
NVGHOSTTOWNS.COM
EUREKA COUNTY
GHOST TOWNS
BEOWAWE Photos
"A small camp formed here during the 1840s and
1850s when a trading post was set up along the California Trail. An
actual town didn't materialize until the arrival of the Central
Pacific Railroad in 1868. A post office opened in 1870 and the town
became the center of a spread out ranching community. By 1881, the
town had a population of 60 and had a hotel and store. When the boom
at Buckhorn began in 1909, a large power plant was constructed at
Beowawe. However, the boom died in 1916 and the plant was abandoned.
Today, the town continues to survive and maintains a sleepy existence.
Trains still rumble through but no longer stop. The old depot was torn
down in the 1980s. Many old buildings still remain and the huge
foundations of the power plant are interesting. The Beowawe
geysers, a great natural attraction, are located nearby." |
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The Donner
Party camped near the present site of Beowawe on Wednesday,
September 29, 1846. |
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| My
grandfather, Grant Pyle Sr. was involved in an accident
at Beowawe, Nevada in 1903. He was stored with the dead until a
National Guardsman heard him moaning.This could easily have severed my
branch of the family tree. |
USGS
Topographic Map of Beowawe
(1986) USGS
Aerial Photograph of Beowawe (1994)
Click on photos to see original high clarity digital
photographs
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At I-80 freeway looking southwest toward Malpais
Mountains and Whirlwind Valley.
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Horseshoe Ranch, just northeast of Beowawe, Nevada
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Cow feeding lot on Horseshoe Ranch |
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Humboldt River, looking south. Beowawe is
located at the base of the mountain on the right (Malpais Point)
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Entering Beowawe, Nevada
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| Propane Tank Farm, on east outskirts
of Beowawe, Nevada |
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Old Barite Stockpile area. In the late '70's
and early '80's this was the stockpile area for the Clipper Barite
Mine originally operated by Mr. Tom Norris, then IMCO Services.
The mine was located in Crescent Valley. The jig ore was shipped
at this location by railroad to the gulf coast grinding plants.
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Railroad loading ramp. |
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Abandoned RV park
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Donny Burke Memorial Cross along road in Beowawe.
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Residence across from new school
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Road to Crescent Valley, Beowawe road maintenance
buildings on right.
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Eureka County Road Department Beowawe Nevada |
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The Beowawe library is now located in the old
courthouse building. |
Beowawe Courthouse Beowawe Nevada - July 1959
- original school house is on left of photo (now gone)
NENM Photo 9-40 |
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Original School House at Beowawe, Nevada, July, 1959
NENM Photo 9-42
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Beowawe Old School - February 7, 1992 Now torn
down
Photo courtesy of Joe Bell |
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Beowawe Old School - February 7, 1992
Mr. Joe Bell is in front of school
Photo courtesy of Joe Bell |
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Current location of Old School and Beowawe library |
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Abandoned Church |
Catholic Church Beowawe Nevada
July 1959 Note mud swallows nests under roof
NENM Photo 9-36 |
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New School (south of old school) - now closed
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| On main road just south
of new school - I was told the owner recently passed away (not
verified) |
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| Pioneer Pass Parcels in Beowawe,
Nevada |
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| Residences on west of town |
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| Addendum: I took
these photos on February 17, 2002. It is now August 22,
2002. At the time I knew nothing about these
residences. Recently while reading an excellent article about Shoshone
Indian willow basket making (see references below) I was shocked to
see the following cabin and shed (following two photos) in an article
by Edna B. Patterson about Mary Hall. Edna Patterson's photos
were taken in July, 1953. At the time it was the home of Jenny
Snooks, daughter of Mary Hall (her photo at the end of this
page). Jenny Snooks was Shoshone and made beautiful traditional
baskets and deer skin articles. Edna's photos were captioned:
"The shed at Beowawe in July, 1953 where author Edna Patterson
saw Jennie Snooks peeling and splitting willows for basketry
material. The basketmaker's lips were bloody and her fingers raw
from working with the willows." (Click
Here to see photos of Jennie Snooks' work) |
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| Abandoned residence just south of
above houses |
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| Abandoned mine camp from nearby old cinnabar
mine (?) |
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Some old photos of Beowawe |
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Post Office Beowawe, Nevada July
1963
NENM Photo 9-41 |
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Beowawe c 1922
NENM Photo 9-48 |
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Aunt Kates Hotel in Beowawe
Nevada about 1888. Burned down - foundation still there in 1977.
NENM Photo 9-114 |
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Interior of Beowawe Hotel -
Beowawe, Nevada, circa late 1890's or early 1900's
Owned and operated by
Martha Nyberg. Hotel burned down in 1977
NENM Photo 9-116 |
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Mary Hall, Beowawe, Nevada and her
basket. Date not known
NENM Photo 9-71 |
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NVGHOSTTOWNS.COM
for more B&W
BEOWAWE
PHOTOS |
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References:
Northeastern Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, Fall 1985
"MARY HALL", Western Shoshone Basketmaker, by Edna B. Patterson,
available in limited quantities from the Northeastern
Nevada Museum.
Northeastern Nevada Historical Society Quarterly, Spring
1995 "BASKETRY OF THE WESTERN SHOSHONE AND NORTHERN PAIUTE INDIANS",
by Larry Dalrymple, available in limited quantities from the Northeastern
Nevada Museum.
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Links
Beowawe
Geysers, Eureka County, Nv
Maiden's
Grave, Beowawe, Eureka County, Nv
Donny
Burke, Northeastern, Nv
Jennie
Snooks, Northeastern, Nv
Cortez
Miners at Beewawe, Nevada, 1889
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Additional Information: Northeastern
Nevada Museum
NENM Photos are courtesy of the Northeastern Nevada Museum
© 2002 - Elko Rose Garden Association
Recent Photos by Dan Turner , 1/20/02 and 2/17/02
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