Shootin', Huntin', Ridin', Saddle-makin', Eatin' Human Flesh and Giant Basque Steaks in Elko, NV

This entry will be short because we have to get up at 4:30 to get to the Mormon Tabernacle, but today was a day full of museums!  We drove from Eureka to Elko, spotting herds of antelope along the way, singing "Home on the Range" through an ever-changing vista.

It was like one long field trip here in Elko, NV:  First, the Northern Nevada Museum.  This had three sections: one was old timey artifacts from Elko (the most interesting was a HUGE collection of firearms from the collection of Bob Chow, a former NRA board member and Olympic Champion pistol shooter.  I had never heard of him, but I guess firearms fanatics are obsessed with him and his collection); the second was a giant collection of really disturbing taxidermy animals (I skipped it once I spotted the polar bears) donated to the museum by some rich big game hunter named Wanamaker; finally, a very lovely collection of drawings by the western author and artist, Will James (not to be confused with William James).
The story of Will James
Will James was actually a French Canadian from Quebec, but most "authentic" cowboys who tell and retell the myths of the American West aren't from here.  They love to invent and re-invent themselves, and Will James was a great storyteller for young people, sort of a Frederic Remington of childrens' books.

Next, we visited the California Trail Interpretive Center.  It was a great interpretive site for learning about westward expansion, and the route that settlers had to take to "see the elephant," as they called it.  Across the Ruby Mountains, down through the Humboldt river basin, across the desert and finally the Sierra Nevada range.  It was a gruesome and grueling journey, and we especially enjoyed learning more details about the Donner Party and how they (mostly) survived the harsh winter in the mountains by resorting to cannibalism.

I love these historical re-creations of old pioneer stuff.  Would I eat human flesh if I were starving?  I don't know.  I had some Cheezits on the way to our next stop, the Western Folklife Center, which hosts the annual Cowboy Poetry Gathering every year. I first heard about this from "The Cowboy Prof," Richard Slatta, when I was in Michigan a couple of years ago, but never thought I'd visit the site.  The Center is a wonderful resource, not just for the poetry, but for all the Cowboy traditional arts, from music to silversmithing to saddlemaking.  They had a wonderful exhibit of these arts, and we were amazed at the skill and craftsmanship that these artisans had; most of them worked full time as cowboys and ranch hands, and then in their "spare time" made beautiful saddles, rawhide braids and silver jewelry.  Read about the Western Folklife Center Here

beautiful hand embossed saddle

lots a spurs

Across the street was the store where they sold some of the amazing saddles, spurs and chaps, at the JM Capriola company, which was like a museum in itself!

Finally, we had to have some Basque food.  Did you know there was a huge Basque community here in Elko?  I first learned about it from one of my students, who attends a Basque summer camp here every year.  At first, there were two Basque families outside of Elko; both became very wealthy ranchers, and other Basques were encouraged to settle here.  They still have a huge festival every summer, and a restaurant that serves steaks like this:

 

 After that ribeye, and a little time at the Dean Martin Wild Party slot machine at the Stockmen's Casino, it's time to hit the hay at the Esquire Motel, with my alarm set for 4:30 on the "Love Boat Theme" ringtone.   Utah and the Mormons await!