Elko history

In 1867 Tuscarora was founded and the first permanent settlers established ranches in Starr Valley and South Fork Valley.

In 1868, all of northeastern Nevada comprised one county, Lander County.

The Star Hotel on Silver Street is one of Elko's famous Basque restaurants Founded as a railroad-promoted townsite and railhead for the White Pine mines in 1869, Elko has served for generations now as the provincial capital of an enormous cattle ranching empire embracing parts of four states.

Elko’s first school (1870)

Taylor later became an owner but he in turn left for Pioche to start the Republican Pioche Review in 1872.

University of Nevada (1874)

By 1875, Elko County had fallen to fourth, having been surpassed by the other fast-growing railroad town, Reno, and its surrounding Washoe County.

But Elko could not sustain its growth or meet the demands of the federal land-grant legislation that required the establishment of a school of mines, and so in 1885 the university was moved from Elko to Reno, Washoe County paying Elko County the $20,000 it had expended in construction of buildings.

President Rutherford B. Hayes, established the Duck Valley Indian Reservation in 1887.

Convicted of a murder in Carlin, Nevada, she was hanged in 1890 at the original county courthouse—the only woman ever executed in the state, and the last person executed in Elko County.

Many of the historic buildings would still be there—like the A.W. Hesson & Company building at 6th Street and Commercial Street built in 1909—but horse-drawn wagons would be kicking up dust as they prattled down the old roads.

Jarbidge was officially founded in 1910.

December 5, 1916 became infamous as the date of the world’s last stagecoach robbery and murder, which took place in Jarbidge Canyon.

William Smith founded Wendover in 1917 and the legislature authorized the incorporation of the City of Elko.

In 1918 President Woodrow Wilson established the Elko Indian Colony by executive order.

1927 saw the first completely automatic hydroelectric system in Nevada planned and organized by H.H. Cazier at Wells.

In 1934 construction began on Wildhorse Dam and Reservoir on the Oywhee River.

Elko served as the provincial capital of an enormous cattle ranching empire, which, in the 1940’s, attracted Hollywood “ranchers” like Bing Crosby, Joel McCrea, and Jimmy Stewart.

In 1956, Jackpot, the community near the Idaho border, was founded.

The National Basque Festival began in 1963 in Elko which celebrates the Basque heritage every July.

Newmont Mining Company opened its extensive gold mining operation near Carlin in 1965 and still operates today along with Barrick Goldstrike, Anglo Gold, Queenstake and several other mining companies.

Great Basin College was established there in 1967.

Elko County gained a treasure in 1968 with the establishment of the Northeastern Nevada Museum.

The world famous Cowboy Poetry Gathering started in Elko in 1985 and continues to draw cowboys and spectators from all over the world each January.

In one hectic 12-month period beginning in July, 1986, Elko's population increased by 21 percent.