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Alvin
&
Lorraine
Sims
Great
Basin
Indian
Archive
GBIA
023
Oral
History
Interview
by
Norm
Cavanaugh
November
30,
2009
Owyhee,
NV
Great
Basin
College
•
Great
Basin
Indian
Archives
1500
College
Parkway
Elko,
Nevada
89801
hDp://www.gbcnv.edu/gbia/
775.738.8493
Produced
in
partnership
with
Barrick
Gold
of
North
America
�GBIA 023
Interviewee: Alvin and Lorraine Sims
Interviewer: Norm Cavanaugh
Date: November 30, 2009
C:
Today we have Alvin and Lorraine Sims. And Alvin, can you give us your full name and
tell us about where your family came from?
AS:
Yeah. My family came from in Paradise Valley. Came this way from there. And then, my
dad and my mom, they all came—no, my mom came in from Ruby Valley. And then, my
dad came from Paradise. My grandfather came this way, saikkih [1:16] Owyhee. And
then they stayed in Owyhee, and that’s where I grow up. Pu’unkh’a [1:21] But I grow
over here. That’s where I’m living right now. Hok’ patanke [1:26]. Right there, on this
side of my house, in the sagebrush, that’s where I was born. I was born the Indian way,
not in the hospital, huh? Sokkuh nemmen tsoo’pa naha nap’an [1:40]. Yeah. [Shoshone
from 1:44-1:48] Yeah. [Shoshone from 1:50-1:51] my parents. Yeah.
C:
Who was your parents? Hagan nanihande?
AS:
Edna Charles and Jack Sims. They’re my parents, my dad and my mom.
C:
Uh-huh. What tribe were they from?
AS:
My mother’s from Shoshone. From Te-Moak side. And then, my dad came in from
Paradise. Paiute. Yeah. Soteweh newene [2:25], I’m kind of half and half. Put me half and
half. [Shoshone at 2:31] Sikkih mia ______ kimmake. They came this way. And then,
found a place where to build their home. And that’s where I was raised from.
C:
So what kind of house did they—did they build a house, or did they live in a tent, or…?
AS:
Well, they live in a tent from the beginning. Tent huup’a. Then, later on, they build a
house. And then, that’s when my dad was working with the CC. CC crew, they call them
that. I’d come and I’d put up the boundary fence. All the way around the reservation.
That’s who we worked with. Down from us. That’s our place. And then we stayed in
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Owyhee. Yeah. [Shoshone at 3:20] Yeah. All my grandparents [__inaudible at 3:26__].
And then on Te-Moak side, [Shoshone at 3:30], they came in from that side.
C:
So, are you related to Frank Temoke?
AS:
No, not really. I’m related to Captain Sam. The main guy. That was my great-great-greatgrandfather, tsoo. He was there with ones [Shoshone at 3:55]. Came down here, and
checked this over [Shoshone at 3:59]. Checked this land to see which one you like. You
want this one? Or you want Wild Horse? [Shoshone at 4:07]. My old man didn’t go for
that! So, he don’t like that. They’re too small. So, [Shoshone at 4:18] sopai wahatte,
taibo na sembe niikwen, “Go ahead and check this one out. [Shoshone? at 4:22]
Owyhee. See how you like it.” So he checked everything. Went up in the mountain, up
there. They got deer up there. They got groundhog up there. Then he checked all the
river. And then, it’s got squirrels, it’s got fish, it’s got everything here. So that old man,
he’s choose this one, so that’s why the people came in. Later on, a bunch of them came
in. The first five families that came down was, that Captain Sam, and then Captain
George, Big Dick family, and then Washington. That’s the only four I know. But there
was five, they said. I don’t know who was the other one. So they came down and they
stayed over here. And that, on the place they chose is right there by Sam Curtis’s place.
Down here? There’s a rock building that was sitting there, that was sitting down toward
the west. It’s all fallen down now. That’s where Washington used to live. And then that
Big Dick, he used to go way down, down below. [Shoshone at 5:46]. First one that came
down. Yeah. That’s how the old man checked it. He said, it’s got everything here. And
that’s the reservation he had. [Shoshone at 6:05]. And put him over here. Yeah. That’s
how it went.
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C:
So are there any relatives of Washington left on the reservation?
S:
Uh, no, I don’t really know them. But that’s what my grandfather—and he used to tell me
about that. But I don’t really know. The only one I really know was that Big Dick.
Taskey. That’s only one I know. But the rest… I know where they live, he showed me
the places where they live. But… That’s just about all I know on that.
C:
So, was there like a Indian agent that lived here with them, or…?
S:
Huh?
C:
[Shoshone at 6:54]?
AS:
I think so. I think that something like that way. [Shoshone at 7:00]. Because that—he
was the superintendant, we had that long time ago. He goes around in through here. Visit
them places on horseback. And then, that’s when them—I guess, he went down, he was
looking for Dick Caskey. So he went down out [Shoshone at 7:23], and he went down to
my grandmother’s place over there. Asked her—he asked her, “Where does Mr. Big Dick
live?” And then the old lady, right, she can’t hardly talk English too good. So, she said,
“Way down there,” her pointing that way. And he lives way down there. [Laughter] So
you can understand [Shoshone at 7:55] semme yekwite. Yeah, that’s only thing. That’s
the only thing she said! She says, “He lives way down there.” [Laughter] Yeah.
[Shoshone at 8:07]
C:
So, did the other Shoshones move up here later, then?
AS:
Yeah, lately. [Shoshone at 8:18] Then them coming in, keep coming in. That’s when the
Captain Sam was here already. So he invited them in. And then, later on, Captain Sam,
well, he said that—he was talking about Paddy Cap. He’s fighting, fighting the soldiers
all the time. That’s Paddy Cap bunch. And then, Captain Sam, well, he told them two
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runners of his, he said, “I want to really talk with that Captain Paddy.” So, he sent a
couple guys down that way. I don’t know where they got ahold of that moonshine, long
time ago, but I guess they had all kind of liquor long time ago, it sound like. So, he gave
them some. “Take this along. And then, give him two drinks. And when you get done,
you bring him this way.” So, they went down, looking for him. They finally found him,
where he’s at. They talked with him, and then they keep pouring him the drink. And the
old man, he liked that drink, boy! [Laughter] Keep on drinking and drinking, and then
pretty soon he got so drunk where he can’t hardly stand up there. Really, he about ready
to pass out. So, he really got drunk, and then them guys said, “Let’s go for a ride.” They
put him on horse some way, and brought him up. And then they had brought him right to
Captain Sam, over to his house. So—and then Captain, in next morning, I guess Captain
talk with him, with Paddy Cap. And then told him that he better quit this fighting. “I
don’t want you be doing that” [Shoshone? at 10:29] “I don’t want you to fight no more.
Your people going to be gone pretty soon, you keep on fighting.” I guess he understood
what he meant. “I want you to bring—go down back home, and bring the whole tribe,
your tribe. Bring ‘em up. And then we’ll give you a place over here to stay.” [Shoshone
at 10:58]. Right up here by Meadow Creek. You know, from Eleanor’s house. That fence
line that goes west. He’ll give you that piece right there. Six mile this way, and then 22
mile this way. “You could raise your people, your kids, right there on [__inaudible at
11:23__].” So, he settled down. He settled down right there, raised his families. There
used to be lot of people right there in Meadow Creek. There was families clear from—
you know where Lena Black used to live? Yeah, from on all over this way, clear up in
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here, and then, on the side hill, on this side. And then down here, there’s some more.
There’s, I don’t know how many families. There were quite a few families there.
LS:
Yakama-ne.
AS:
Yeah, Yakamas…
LS:
Damons.
AS:
Damon, Littles. Yeah, there was bunch of them. Yeah, finally, they all went. They’re all
gone.
LS:
[Shoshone at 12:11]
AS:
Huh?
LS:
Oh, shoot, now I can’t remember.
C:
So where did Paddy Cap’s, where was he before? Where did he roam?
AS:
Well, he was right in Umatilla there someplace. That way.
LS:
Thataway.
AS:
Yeah, Oregon. Oregon. Yeah. So anyway, that’s where he was raising problems. So, they
finally got him over here. They had a picture of him over there at the tribal office.
Captain Paddy Cap. He had a big war bonnet on. He was sitting this way. Yeah, this way.
Picture up on the wall of him facing this way. That’s where he was from. He just want to
fight all the time. Yeah, that’s the story about that one, there.
C:
So, how did—was the Boneys, was there a family here named Boneys at one time?
LS:
Yeah, Boney.
AS:
Yeah.
C:
Were they Paddy Cap’s band, or were they Shoshone, or…?
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AS:
No, they Shoshone. Bonny, Boney, Barney… They call themselves “Barney” now. They
used to call him “Boney.”
LS:
[Shoshone at 13:36]
AS:
Yeah, right there, you know, where that bridge—
LS:
Boney Bridge.
AS:
—by this side of the Rock Gym, the house over there? Right there. Right in that corner
there. This side the bridge right there. They used to live right there. The only one that’s
left out of them, the Barney—no, not—what’s his name? Kenneth. Kenneth Boney. He’s
only one that’s around. That’s left, probably. The only one. I don’t know if there’s any
girls or anything. That’s only one I know.
C:
How about the Priddy? Was there a family named—
AS:
Priddy?
LS:
Priddy, yeah.
AS:
Yeah, they used to live way down there by Pleasant Valley. Up that way.
C:
Where did his family come from?
AS:
From the Paddy Cap side.
C:
Oh, he was a Paddy Cap.
AS:
Yeah. Must have moved to them up there in Pleasant Valley, that came in from Paddy
Cap side.
LS:
The Dodges, too. The Thomas.
AS:
Yeah, Dodge, Thomas.
LS:
Roy Thomas. And then… What was Tupa and them’s name?
AS:
Adam.
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LS:
Adam. Tom Adams.
AS:
Tom Adams.
LS:
And his wife.
AS:
Yeah, all them people that used to live down there. Pleasant Valley.
LS:
But I don’t know that lady’s taibo name. Just Tupa. [Shoshone? at 15:05]
C:
[Shoshone at 15:07]? What ever happened to them?
AS:
They all died.
LS:
They all passed on, yeah.
AS:
They all passed away.
LS:
Had a lot of people here, no’himpaishen [15:16].
AS:
Mmhm. Lot of people over there. There’s not very much left. Nobody in Pleasant Valley
now.
LS:
Not good, but, you know, if it wasn’t for the liquors, there’d be lot of people. Lot of
elders would be still here.
AS:
Yeah, that Priddy—
LS:
Alcohol got them all.
AS:
That, what’s his name, that… Priddy, what their dad’s name?
LS:
Willie? Willie Priddy?
AS:
Yeah, Willie. He used to be a big family, that one. Lot of boys. No girls, innit?
LS:
No, mm-mm. No.
AS:
Nothing but boys. They used to get drunk, get sick, and then most of them got died with
alcohol.
LS:
Everyone.
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AS:
Drinking too much.
LS:
We’d have lots of elders. Now, right today, but…
AS:
Yeah.
C:
How about tuberculosis? Was tuberculosis, did people die from that, too?
AS:
Well, long time ago, people don’t know about the disease. They don’t know what they
have.
LS:
Because they never go to hospital, never.
AS:
Never have no hospital.
LS:
[Shoshone at 16:24]. I don’t know how they treats theirself. They cured with herbs.
AS:
Yeah, tuberculosis—well, all this sickness that they, they don’t know what they have.
LS:
[Shoshone at 16:40]
AS:
Yeah, the taibo forgot.
C:
So what did they use for medicine? [Shoshone at 16:48] Hawaki newe nattahsua’na?
AS:
I don’t know what kind. I don’t know what kind of Indian medicine—they used nothing
but Indian medicine then. The only one I know is sagebrush. I don’t know what’s that
others.
LS:
Uteweh daha newe tea, Indian tea, that antapittseh kwana. You probably—
C:
Yeah.
AS:
Yeah, I don’t know, I don’t know what the name of that one. [Shoshone at 17:15]
LS:
And then they used to have a lot of—
C:
[Shoshone at 17:17] Yeah. Osen kwa’i sembanai newe nanihan. Yeah.
LS:
Lot of cabbage, and then wild carrots they eat. [Shoshone at 17:24] Not really that much,
though, huh?
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AS:
No, unh-uh.
LS:
No. Not like today.
C:
So, when did the Native American Church—[Shoshone at 17:39] sick?
AS:
In the [19]50s, I think.
LS:
No. Then, they just [Shoshone at 17:48] ondat newe nanishundahai. Himpaishe.
AS:
I know. That’s when Raymond Warren came down. He’s the one that brought them down
this way.
LS:
Long time ago, though. Not in the [19]50s. Before. [Shoshone at 18:02]
C:
So who was Raymond Warren? Was he—
AS:
He’s from Fort Hall. Yeah, he came down there, and then they started with that. Start
healing people with that. That’s one thing, only thing I know about that, Indian American
Church.
LS:
And then the sagebrush, I still sagebrush for cough.
AS:
I don’t know—I know antapittseh kwana, but I don’t know the name of it.
LS:
The taibo name.
AS:
Yeah. That’s a white name for it, someplace. [Laughter] Because I don’t know.
LS:
Totsa.
AS:
Yeah. [Shoshone at 18:57] Sekke nanihante, I don’t know how you would pronounce it.
[Laughter]
LS:
[Shoshone at 19:00] taibo nanihade. But there is lots—herbs. Mmhm.
C:
So, when did the—when was the old hospital built? Or, do you guys remember when that
was built?
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AS:
[Shoshone at 19:17]. When I was going to school, it was already up. See, when I was in
school. I was, I don’t know, about seventeen?
LS:
Before.
AS:
Yeah. And it was up already. So, it must be around about, when I was around about
thirteen, fourteen? That’s when the hospital—this old hospital down here.
C:
Yeah.
LS:
[Shoshone at 19:48]
AS:
Yeah, long time ago.
C:
So was this the first hospital that was built, or was there one before?
AS:
Yeah, that was the first one.
C:
First one.
AS:
Yeah. And then this one here, not too long ago.
LS:
There was a, [Shoshone at 20:09], a church over here on this side.
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
No, [Shoshone at 20:16]. I know there was a—the Pursleys used to live over here, too.
Himbaishe.
C:
Uh-huh. So, when you guys were growing up, [Shoshone at 20:29], your grandparents,
[Shoshone at 20:32] hakainuhi teniwaa? What did they teach you, or what did they say
to—what were some of their teachings?
AS:
Yeah. [Shoshone 20:38] She’d been taught a lot, about Indian ways and what.
C:
Can you share some of that with us today?
LS:
[Shoshone(?) at 20:49]
C:
Yeah.
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LS:
Okay. [Shoshone at 20:52] Himbaishen ______ newe napuiten ne. Tsoon newe teniwate,
you know? [Shoshone at 20:58]. You know, the bad things, all the bad things. Itsappe
[Shoshone at 21:08]. The scary! Mmhm.
C:
So they taught you to watch out for things, and not to do certain things. Did they give you
a reason as to why not to do those things?
LS:
But, you know, when you [Shoshone at 21:30] Itsanai, like, you go to jail for that. And
then, [Shoshone at 21:34]. That’s some ones, there’s lot of things. Good things, but I
can’t remember them. Tsaante newe teniwaken.
C:
So, it was the facts of life.
LS:
Mmhm. [Shoshone at 21:54] Don’t be laughing at people. Don’t be laughing when
you—they might put a curse on you with this. [Shoshone at 22:05] Mmhm. There’s lot
of things, lot of—go the good way. That’s how come I don’t really care about this booze
business. This liquor? I don’t really care for it. [Shoshone at 22:20].
C:
Oh, you had a house above the hospital up there?
LS:
Mmhm. Yeah.
C:
What kind of house did you have?
LS:
I think there was a log cabin.
C:
Oh, log cabin house?
LS:
Yeah, and then [Shoshone at 22:32]. It’s a building. That’s how I, you know, [Shoshone
at 22:36]. We used to eat in cans of whatever, you know? No spoons, we have to use our
fingers. Mmhm. Then, in the springtime, when they real itto—you know this little ditch
right here? The water [Shoshone at 22:55]. Then we carry water, run over there, and
rinse our, you know, whatever we eat in. Yeah. It’s a hard, hard life, yeah, what I came
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through. [Shoshone at 23:11], you know, the people drink tease [more]. And then you
see a lot of it, and you don’t want to do that. Himpaishe.
C:
Osen suwain hakate hinna hipi [23:21], what did they drink?
LS:
I don’t know! That’s what I used to think, you know? Where did they get their liquor to
get—because I know I used to hear them say that, you know, somebody gets it for them.
Then I used to hear them—
AS:
Bootlegger ko’i.
LS:
Bootleggers like Boocher Jess, hagan tease? And Tiptoe George.
AS:
Tiptoe George. [Laughter]
LS:
Charlie the Barber. [Shoshone at 23:48]. But anyhow, a long time ago, [Shoshone
23:50].
AS:
Yeah. [Laughter] They’re the Mountain City bootleggers.
LS:
I guess so, I don’t know.
AS:
That’s where they get their drinks.
LS:
That’s what I always wonder about: where did they get their liquor—like, them folk?
[Shoshone at 23:59]. Yeah. [Shoshone at 24:05]
C:
So, when did Mountain City—do you guys remember how Mountain City came to be?
AS:
That’s long time ago. That was before my day. It was built before my day. It was long
time ago.
LS:
Did they used to have carnival, huh, way up there?
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
Or whatevers. Rodeos.
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AS:
I must been around about, maybe 14, 15 years old? But it was already up, Mountain City.
So, I…
LS:
We never go anywhere, you know. We don’t go anyplace. In 1971 was the first time I
was ever been on the highway.
AS:
And that’s when, your, the grandparents—Old man Cavanaugh? That’s when they were
kids, were riding them ponies up there to Mountain City, for that carnival. [Laughter] Old
man was drunk, he got on one of them ponies and riding around with them kids, ride!
[Laughter]
LS:
They were silly, though, them old people.
AS:
So many people laughing! [Laughter] Only big guy in a bunch of them little kids!
LS:
They were funny, though. Silly guys, himbaishe, older people. They make you laugh. It
wasn’t like this, you know. They don’t fight or anything. Not that I know of, you know?
But now when, there’s just, when they drink, there’s fighting. Long time ago, I never see
those things. Yeah.
C:
So, what did everybody do? Were they all ranchers then, or how did they survive?
Hakane [Shoshone at 26:07] or what kind of work did they do?
AS:
Well, they used to work with the CC. They call them “CC.” They built this whole
reservation. The fence line, up through north, east, south, west. That’s their job to do.
Took them quite a while to do that, finish that fencing. This, real big. Go a long ways. I
don’t know how many miles, it go from big dam on over, clear back there. And from
there, across. This way, and this way. That’s how they—they used to work for only a
dollar and a half a day. Yeah, that’s how my dad used to work, for the CC. Dollar and a
half a day.
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LS:
And some people have a wheat farm. Yeah, himpaishe. They trade with the—well, we
had to couple trade over here at Williams’ store. William [Shoshone at 27:18].
Maybe—who had it first time?
AS:
Sherman’s.
LS:
Sherman.
AS:
That old lady.
LS:
They trade with her wheat—you know, their flour. They had flour mill here, too. Yeah. I
know my grandpa and my grandma used to bring their flour here and trade for food.
Mmhm. [Shoshone at 27:36]. Yeah. And they kept garden. Now, we don’t even have
gardens. Because we have canned food. [Laughter] Yeah, that’s how I remember. They
get along real good, too. They help one another. Now come they don’t. It’s real strange.
Yeah. Sometimes, when I wake up in the nighttime, I always say, “I wonder why people
don’t get along,” you know? They should all get along. Then we used to have horse—you
know, wagon, [Shoshone at 28:14]. Then we’ll, somebody’s walking, and we’ll pick
them up. [Shoshone at 28:22] Some people have cattle. Not real lots, though, huh?
AS:
Mm-mm.
LS:
They used to have returned heifers, tsu ha. Remember?
AS:
Mmhm.
LS:
[Shoshone at 28:34] They sell their thing, and then they pay that back. [Shoshone? at
28:40]. And then they used to have a sheep in here, long time ago. [Shoshone at 28:47],
they use that money for something, I don’t know what. Mmhm, yeah. [Shoshone at
28:54] I don’t know. Everything’s really changed. And then I always think that, you
know, our elders, when they were in the council, [Shoshone at 29:07]. And then they,
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[Shoshone at 29:12]. They all get along. And so, pass it on. [Shoshone at 29:18]. They
ask the tribe. And then they used to gather over here at the resource center. Sukkuna
gather, and then they tell the people what they went for—to Washington, D.C., or
whatever. Wherever they go. And they tell the people. [Shoshone at 29:34]
AS:
Well, they had them—they had maybe two, maybe three guys go for them outside. And
then, when they come back, that one guy will get up and tell the people what they went
for. [Shoshone at 29:49]. “That’s what we went for.” And then he’ll talk English, taibo
taikwanna. Tell them in English. Pretty soon, he’ll want to tell you in Shoshone.
[Shoshone at 30:05] Tell them in Shoshone. “I’m going to tell you guys in Paiute
[Paiute? at 30:11].” So, and then he’d tell them where they’d been to in Paiute, there.
And explain everything to them—to the people, to the tribe. They used to do that, long
time ago. But now, you can’t hear nothing about that. [Laughter] They won’t tell, no
matter where they’ve been to, they wouldn’t tell you. Nobody want tell you.
LS:
[Shoshone at 30:40]
AS:
Yeah, they tell you.
LS:
[Shoshone at 30:44]
C:
So, that’s when they had their moon houses?
LS:
Yeah. [Shoshone at 31:15].
C:
The women stayed away from the family when they were—during their period?
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
Mmhm. Then, they have to take a bath in a tub before they come to the house. That’s—
had to starve. [Laughter] They wash you. Then you feel clean when you come in the
house. But I never get to do that, but when I had my baby, [Shoshone 31:39]. I had to
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stay out. For whole month. Mmhm. That’s what they’re supposed to do. [Shoshone at
31:50] They live in the houses. That’s a good way, though, you know? To keep that up.
Then you don’t [Shoshone at 32:01].
AS:
[Shoshone at 32:09], like people, they [Shoshone at 32:12]. Some of them are strong.
They can take what’s coming, and they can take it. But some others don’t. They get sick
with it, [Shoshone at 32:23].
LS:
[Shoshone at 32:25]
AS:
Yeah. [Shoshone at 32:26]. Yeah, and hurt them so bad that—
LS:
[Shoshone at 32:32]
C:
So, who were the spiritual healers? [Shoshone 32:51]?
AS:
There was, that [Shoshone at 32:56]. John Damon.
LS:
John Damon.
AS:
John Damon… What’s the other guy?
LS:
Willie Dorsey.
AS:
Willie Dorsey. Yeah, Willie Dorsey.
LS:
Hugh Thomas.
AS:
Hugh Thomas.
LS:
And Alex Cleveland.
AS:
Alex Cleveland. And then that, Nat Paddy.
LS:
Yeah, Nat. [Shoshone at 33:18]
AS:
Yeah, and those were five of them. There used to be five Indian healers here.
LS:
Mmhm. Spiritual healers.
AS:
Yeah.
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LS:
Not going, there’s nobody.
AS:
Nobody. Nobody here.
LS:
Mmhm.
AS:
Well, there—
LS:
We went to [Shoshone at 33:34].
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
[Shoshone at 33:43], nothing.
AS:
Yeah, no place. I don’t think there’s any Indian doctors. Something, maybe in the Navajo
tribes, there might be some there. But not over here. That guy from, there’s one over
there in Fort Hall that I know. But he comes down through here. And then, every time he
comes down through here, he says—it don’t look too good up this way, he said. One
time, he came around this way, he said. He came through Elko—to Wells, Elko, down
this other way. Soon as he came up here by Wild Horse, he said, been getting darker and
darker this way. The way he looked at it. Coming along by the canyon, got over here.
This whole thing was dark, he said. This whole valley. Real dark. “Don’t look to good to
me,” he said. He’s a faith healer, sort of. He’s called Indian doctor. But he try to get rid of
it some way, he said. Also, he doctored a lot of people over here [Shoshone at 34:54].
Comes around. He’s a Shoshone. Talks Shoshone with you. [Laughter] Yeah. Talk real
good.
C:
Hagan nanihante? What’s his name?
AS:
[Shoshone at 35:08] that guy that came down on the pickup?
LS:
I don’t know. Can’t remember.
AS:
Hii no naniha—I used to know his name. Can’t remember now.
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LS:
Some kind of Sweeney.
AS:
Sweeney. Yeah, Sweeney something. Yeah, he comes down. He’s got his own truck
when he comes down this way. Said, “Every time I come here, everything don’t look to
good up this way.”
LS:
[Shoshone at 35:36]?
AS:
Yeah.
C:
Did he say why it didn’t look good, or how—
LS:
Black clouds going on.
AS:
Yeah, black clouds, he said, covering this valley.
C:
What’s it from? Did he ever say?
AS:
No. I don’t know, I don’t know.
LS:
He just didn’t say. He should have at least cleared it up for us. [Shoshone at 35:56]
AS:
That other one, too, that other Indian doctor that was here before, before him. They used
to—stays over there with us guys here. [Shoshone at 36:16], you know, the one that runs
that—that [Shoshone at 36:21].
LS:
Eagleheart, huh?
AS:
Eagleheart! Yeah. He said, he was telling me the same thing. He said it’s, don’t look
right.
LS:
I always wondered why they couldn’t do anything about it.
AS:
“I don’t know why it’s like that,” he said, “but it don’t look right to me.”
LS:
[Shoshone at 36:40]
AS:
Yeah, everything dark. He said everything’s not running right, he was telling me.
LS:
[Shoshone at 36:49]
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AS:
He could see a person.
C:
[Shoshone at 36:53]
AS:
He had a black handkerchief about, like that. Just like a x-ray machine. He’ll just hold it
loosely, like that. Look at you, and he’ll tell you. See what’s wrong with you. [Laughter]
That’s how good he was! His handkerchief was x-ray! [Laughter] Yep. And then after,
when he get done there, he’ll run a sweat bath. ‘Course, he gets it real hot. I was in there
with him, once, in that sweat bath? He put too much water on that rock. I can’t hardly
breathe! [Laughter] I let him a holler, “I can’t stand this heat, so I’m going to stick my
head out!” He let me out then. Then them other guys, they took it. “Yeah. I don’t know
how you guys could stand that heat,” I said. It’s real tough in there! [Laughter]
LS:
[Shoshone at 37:57]
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
But now, go in and they’re mixed, I think. [Shoshone at 38:05].
AS:
Yeah, you’re not supposed to mix it with ladies. Just nothing but men. And if the ladies
want to do it, they can do it on their own, they said. Nothing but ladies.
LS:
But everything’s changed. Those’ll change it, yeah. It’s hard nowadays.
AS:
They’re still doing it with ladies, now. These young generation, they’re still doing it with
them girls and that. But they’re not supposed to do. But… I guess never been taught or
something.
C:
So when they did the sweats long time ago, it was just one for women and one for men,
huh?
AS:
Yeah.
C:
And was there a leader? Somebody that was in charge?
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AS:
Yeah. This one person in there prays for you in there. He’s a main man. And the ladies
do the same thing. They get one lady to be praying, do the praying for them in there. But
no man is in there with them, just ladies.
C:
So they don’t—now, they do them both together, huh?
AS:
Yeah. Yeah, it’s this young generation. They—no matter what you tell them, they won’t
believe you. [Laughter] That’s the way we view the young kids, now.
LS:
[Shoshone at 39:37] No matter how you tell, you know, them not to be doing this and
that? They won’t listen to you. This long time ago, [Shoshone at 39:48]. I said, “It isn’t.
You’re supposed to carry it on to your kids” [Shoshone? at 39:55]. But, they don’t listen.
So I tell them, don’t be, don’t go out drinking, you know/ There’s a bad disease out there
nowadays, I told them. Better watch out. Be careful. Take care of your life. Mmhm. I
said, “I’m trying my best to take care of my life. I’m an older person now. I’m still
talking!” But they don’t listen to me. Mmhm. I don’t know about my grandson, I don’t
know if he’s listening to me or what. And I will tell him, “Don’t abuse girls. That’s not
nice.” Don’t abuse one another. [Shoshone 40:41] It’s hard, nowadays. Very hard. The
kids don’t listen to you. It’s upsetting.
AS:
Now, if you do tell them something, they said, “This is 1909!” That’s what—
LS:
[19]90?
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
[Shoshone at 41:04]
AS:
Yeah, that’s what they going to say. When you talking about it, it’s past already.
[Laughter]
LS:
They will say, “This isn’t the [19]50s, or”—
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AS:
This is [20]09, they say! Not in the [19]50s, they going to say. I heard three, a few, kids
say that to me. Try to tell them something, yeah. “Well, you know, it’s [20]09, now. The
one you talking about is way past,” he said. [Laughter]
LS:
You know, if the parents, they have to stand together to raise kids. If one says no, the
other one let them have the cars. And if I say no, he’ll let them use the car. And that’s not
right at all. I told them, “You got to be together to raise kids nowadays.” Right? Mmhm.
That’s what I been saying, but they don’t listen to me at all. Of course, some of these
days, they’ll—they’ll learn I hope. Because I told my boy before he passed on, I said,
“You’re the leader. And the kids are going to follow your footsteps someday.” See, now,
doing—they’re drinking now.
C:
Okay, in summary, Alvin and Lorraine, if you were to give your words of wisdom—I
guess is, that’s what we could call it—to the young people of today, what would you like
to say to them?
AS:
[Shoshone at 42:40] like I was saying, about that drinking. First thing I would say, about
drinking. Them kids, don’t want them—I want them kids not to be doing that. And then
mixing it up with that dope. Smoking. Want them kids to stay away from that. I mean,
there’s lot of it going on around here now. Main thing—that’s the main thing I would say.
Stay away from it. Try to stay away from it. Because they might not live long doing that,
too. But they got to think about their life—ahead. If they don’t think about their life, they
might just pass on. That’s what I would say, is quit that stuff. They could quit, in their
own willpower, they’ll quit. That’s what I would say. Just like in smoking. See, if you
want to quit, you could quit. Like I did, I just quit. Been lot of offers, lot of drinks offered
to me, but I just, I told them no. I quit this stuff already. That’s passed on. Smoking, too. I
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don’t smoke. That’s what them kids got to learn. Yeah, they got to quit that on their own.
Lot of that stuff. I don’t know what kind of pills they take, too. That’s another thing.
They mix it some way. Smoke that, and they they still gets into drugs. So that’s what I
would say to the kids. They’ll be all right. If they quit, they’ll be okay. The best thing is
to quit. Might be, some of it might be going in the school, too, I don’t know. Lot of them
kids there.
C:
Is there anything you’d like to add to that, Lorraine?
LS:
[Shoshone at 44:55] Aishen kwa’i, himpa’ha ______ some of these days, they might be
sitting in the leader place. That’s the way I look at it. [Shoshone at 45:07].
C:
So they should learn to work together as a team.
LS:
Yeah, mmhm. [Shoshone at 45:13] and don’t abuse one another. [Shoshone at 45:19].
But there’s more. [Shoshone at 45:26].
C:
And then how about education?
LS:
Yeah, [Shoshone at 45:32]. They need to [Shoshone at 45:34], I had to quit for my
younger ones, when I [Shoshone at 45:40]. And then I, in seventh grade, I went to school
in seventh grade, because I had to quit school for my younger kid, younger sisters.
[Shoshone at 45:56]. Yeah, Leah Manning used to tell me to come back to school.
[Shoshone at 46:03] Because, you know, [Shoshone at 46:10]. That’s the way I grew
up. Drinking. And I sure don’t care for that. [Shoshone at 46:17] You know? Come
home, and [Shoshone at 46:24]. I lived in fear the rest of my years. Yeah. [Shoshone at
46:34]. And then Ray Allen and Dawena over there were small, [Shoshone at 46:41]. I
was just afraid, [Shoshone at 46:46], for him to come in. You know, “Come in!” [46:51]
And I was real happy. [Shoshone at 47:15]
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C:
So cedar is used for, a medicine, and praying, huh?
LS:
Mmhm.
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
[Shoshone at 47:28] That’s what I did, on my own. Yeah. [Shoshone at 47:33]. You
know? When life is, when you have no kids, it’s real lonesome. [Shoshone at 47:53].
That’s the way I got my girl. Cutting school [Shoshone at 47:59].
C:
So you guys adopted a girl, huh?
LS:
Yeah. We adopted a girl. [Shoshone at 48:24] Just kept on working and working.
[Shoshone at 48:28]. You know, go hay. Cut hay and whatever with him. [Shoshone at
48:40]. It’s just, you know—[Shoshone at 48:44] so you have to be careful. [Shoshone
at 48:49]. You got to be careful, take care of your life. Their lives. [Shoshone at 48:55]
You got to trust one another, when you’re married. You trust your woman, right? Mmhm.
[Shoshone at 49:08]. You supposed to trust one another. Don’t say you want to go see
this one, [Shoshone at 49:15]. Life was tough for us, himpaishe. [Shoshone at 49:36]
ration clothes hannikai. Ration shoes, ration, everything’s rationed. Your sugar,
whatever. You know? When it comes here, it got the [Shoshone at 49:47]. Long time
ago. Yeah.
AS:
Now, over here at Sherman’s store, there. [__inaudible at 49:57__]
LS:
You know where the courthouse is? [Shoshone at 50:01]
C:
So who was, who gave up the rations?
LS:
I don’t know. [Shoshone at 50:14] from somewhere.
AS:
Yeah, brought them in [Shoshone(?) at 50:18]. They brought it in a truck sometime.
They give us so much sugar, coffee, all of that stuff.
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LS:
You get stamps for sugar, and you get pound, maybe a pound of it.
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
Pound of sugar. Have little cards for that. Mmhm. [Shoshone at 50:39]. It was for his
shoes, he had little stamp, and then, [Shoshone at 50:47]. [Laughter] Yeah. So he’d have
to wear boots.
AS:
What you’re not supposed to do, [Shoshone at 50:53]. [Laughter]
LS:
[Shoshone at 50:55]. Then later on, I’ll tell him, “[Shoshone at 50:59].” Mmhm, yeah.
Them grandparents so nice. You just [Shoshone at 51:07].
C:
So your grandparents were nice people, then.
LS:
Mmhm. Yeah, they were kind people. Then they always say, “You feed people, whoever
come visit you. Then, if you don’t have no food, if you have coffee, give them a coffee!”
[Shoshone at 51:38]. So I’m still like that, mmhm. [Shoshone at 51:43] Yeah.
[Laughter] [Shoshone at 51:50]. [Laughter] Yeah. [Shoshone at 52:01]. Mmhm, yep.
C:
Okay, well, I guess this concludes our interview for today, and I want to thank you, and
Lorraine, thank you, and Alvin, I want to thank you, for taking the time to share these
stories and your words of wisdom with us. So…
AS:
Yeah.
LS:
That’s what I really want, is the kids to, you know, be nice to one another, don’t abuse
one another. Leave this alcohol and leave the drugs out! Yeah. Just keep it out!
[Shoshone at 52:40]. Don’t let the enne’tsi [ghost; dangerous spirit] get ‘em, let the
Devil get ‘em. [Shoshone at 52:48].
C:
Yeah, aishen tsaa. [Shoshone at 52:55]
AS:
[Shoshone at 53:00] Told about everything.
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LS:
[Shoshone at 53:08] I just know the Itsappe. No, the Bear and the Deer [Shoshone at
53:18].
C:
Oh. Okay, [Shoshone at 53:23].
AS:
Yeah. [Laughter]
LS:
[Shoshone at 53:25]
AS:
Yeah, that’s what they say.
LS:
[Shoshone at 53:29]
C:
[Shoshone at 53:33]
AS:
[Laughter]
[End of recording]
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Western Shoshone Oral Histories
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral histories of Western Shoshone elders collected by the Great Basin Indian Archive.
Description
An account of the resource
Oral histories compiled
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Basin Indian Archive, in partnership with Barrick Gold of North America
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GBIA Oral History Collections
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Great Basin Indian Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
2006-2015
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Norm Cavanaugh
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Lorraine and Alvin Sims
Location
The location of the interview
Duck Valley Reservation (Owyhee, NV)
Original Format
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DVD and VOB format
Duration
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00:55:48
Transcription
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http://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/admin/files/show/563
Dublin Core
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Title
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Lorraine & Alvin Sims - Oral history (11/30/2009)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history interview with Lorraine and Alvin Sims, members of the Duck Valley (Sho-Pai) tribe on 11/30/2009
Description
An account of the resource
<p>Lorrain and Alvin Sims are both members of the Duck Valley Sho-Pai tribe. Alvin speaks first about his parents Edna Charles and Jack Sims and where they came from before moving to the Duck Valley reservation. He also spoke about how his father worked for the Conservation Corps. Moreover he speaks about his relative Captain Sam and how Duck Valley became a reservation. Both Alvin and Lorrain talk about the usage of traditional medicines, and the medicine/spiritual leaders who were traditional doctors within the tribe. Lorrain also speaks about the traditions surrounding right-of-passage and pregnancy. They both recall the traditional way that sweat lodges were also used. They also tell us about how items such as sugar, clothes, and food were rationed when they were younger. They end by cautioning the youth to keep away from drugs and alcohol.</p>
Video pending <br /> <a title="Lorraine and Alvin Sims Oral History Transcript" href="/omeka/files/original/cc71cefaafddeea7b0dfcb83d2bc679c.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Read Lorrain and Alvin Sims Oral History Transcript [pdf file]</a>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Basin Indian Archives
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Great Basin Indian Archives - GBIA 023
Publisher
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Great Basin Indian Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
11/30/2009 [11 November 2009]; 2009 November 11
Contributor
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Norm Cavanaugh [interviewer]; James Hedrick [GBIA/VHC]; University of Utah SYLAP [streaming video]; Great Basin College; BARRICK Gold of North America
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Non-commercial scholarly and educational use only. Not to be reproduced or published without express permission. All rights reserved. Great Basin Indian Archives © 2017.
Consent form on file (administrator access only): http://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/admin/items/show/id/371
Language
A language of the resource
English; Shoshoni
CCC
Community
Conservation Corps
Crossroads
Duck Valley Reservation
GBIA
medicine man
ranching
Shoshone
Story
traditional ceremony
traditional medicines
-
https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/936a902a073be326afdc466f53b7261a.jpg
2bfea5f92feb4f1db488e58f5b0b6ee4
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Western Shoshone Oral Histories
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral histories of Western Shoshone elders collected by the Great Basin Indian Archive.
Description
An account of the resource
Oral histories compiled
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Basin Indian Archive, in partnership with Barrick Gold of North America
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
GBIA Oral History Collections
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Great Basin Indian Archive
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
2006-2015
Oral History
A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge.
Interviewer
The person(s) performing the interview
Norm Cavanaugh
Interviewee
The person(s) being interviewed
Toby Hilman
Location
The location of the interview
Reno, NV (Reno-Sparks Indian Colony, Senior Center)
Transcription
Any written text transcribed from a sound
Transcription in progress
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
DVD and VOB format
Duration
Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.)
00:56:51
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Toby Hilman - Oral history (08/11/2008)
Subject
The topic of the resource
Oral history interview with Toby Hilman, Northern Paiute from Pyramid Lake Reservation, NV on 08/11/2008
Description
An account of the resource
Toby Hilman is a Northern Paiute from the Pyramid Lake Reservation where he grew up until he attended Stewart Indian School. He speaks about being at Stewart and the discipline that was practiced there. Although one thing that he did receive from Stewart was education in carpentry which he now uses to make traditional pipes. He relays the importance of the pipes and how they are used in traditional ceremonies such as sweat lodge and sun dance. He also speaks about having Tuberculosis (TB) and being sent to Fort Bidwell in California and afterwards sent to an Indian sanatorium in Winslow, AZ. Later in life he recalls working for the Civilian Conservation Corp and surveying parts of Wadsworth, Pyramid Lake, and Walker River reservation. He also advices the youth to stay away from drugs and alcohol as well as to partake in outdoor activities and eating healthy.
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Great Basin Indian Archives
Source
A related resource from which the described resource is derived
Great Basin Indian Archives - GBIA 020
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Great Basin Indian Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
08/11/2008 [11 August 2008]; 2008 August 11
Contributor
An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource
Norm Cavanaugh [interviewer]; James Hedrick [GBIA/VHC]; University of Utah SYLAP [streaming video]; Great Basin College; BARRICK Gold of North America
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
Non-commercial scholarly and educational use only. Not to be reproduced or published without express permission. All rights reserved. Great Basin Indian Archives © 2017.
Consent form on file (administrator access only):
Language
A language of the resource
English; some Paiute
carpentry
CCC
Community
Conservation Corps
Crossroads
GBIA
Paiute
Pyramid Lake
Stewart Indian School
Story
TB
traditional ceremony
Tuberculosis
-
https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/e86d1991a745914887a0fc04c8182284.pdf
8e04ffd6aee998cef50003ac1cc6fb80
PDF Text
Text
�16
Tents served as temporary housing for the CCC men until permanent wooden barracks were erected at the Lamoille Canyon camp.
CCC
Barracks at the Lamoille Canyon CCC camp. The installation was started in 1934 and
was closed in 1937. The CCC men built the road up the canyon.
program in Cong•ess.
members should ...
the regimentation o·
transportation, tra n
Despite the unfa _
introduced on Nia er
March 31. 4
The program haa and most states haa
1ocated in their sta e
Nevada, like other
Com mittee, in conJu~
d elegation to Congres_
camps."
Nevada Senators Ke--. :
prepared a proposa ·
unemployment. The prreforesting burned-Over
reforesting other parts c
extensive. 5
No specific locatior ·
Russell, Jr. suggested
Chamber of Commerce·
in the Ruby Mountains r
Mountains near Las Vega:.
�17
.,
.~
~
4.:t~~
CIVILIAN CONSERVATION CORPS
ELKO COUNTY: 1933-1942
BY DIANA L. NEEF
~
!
I
~
c 1n 1934 and
J
i
"'
~
~
Today's state of the economy is often compared with that of the Great Depression. There
is a constant search for a method to employ the millions looking for jobs. One method
being considered is to revive Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Civilian Conservation Corps of the
1930's and 1940's. The National Association of Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni is
dedicated to making the " CCC II" a reality. 1
In his New Deal plans the CCC was one of Roosevelt's many experiments to put the
country back to work and get it on its feet economically. Roosevelt's scheme to develop a
" tree army" w as not a unique idea. Many other countries had already employed such a
concept; by 1932 the governments of Bulgaria, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden,
Denmark, Austria and Germany had established conservation camps for their unemployed.
The German Labor Service w as to become the best known of these and the one most easily
compared to the CCC. 2
On March 9, 1933 Roosevelt called an emergency session of Congress to hear and
authorize his program. He asked the law makers to grant him emergency powers and in
return he w ould have 250,000 men in work camps by the end of July, 1933. 3
There w as much opposition to the president's proposal. The similarity to the German
Labor Service threatened the approach of socialism and delayed the passage of the
program in Congress. Also, organized labor felt the corps w ould take jobs that union
members should hold. But, above all, organized labor feared that the CCC would lead to
the regimentation of labor because Roosevelt wanted to enlist the aid of the U.S. Army for
transportation, training and administrative purposes.
Despite the unfavorable reaction to the project by the opposition, Senate Bill S598 was
introduced on March 27, 1933, passed both houses and was signed by the president on
March 31 .4
The program had great public support. Young men across the country flocked to enroll
and most states had delegatic.,, 1s in Washington to increase their chances of having a camp
located in their state.
Nevada, like other states, hoped to participate. On March 30, 1933, the State Relief
Committee, in conjunction with the Reno Chamber of Commerce, met with the Nevada
delegation to Congress about the possibility of securing one of the " labor concentration
camps."
Nevada Senators Key Pittman and Patrick McCarran, w ith Congressman James Scrugham,
prepared a proposal to present to Congress outlining Nevada's need for relief from
unemployment. The proposal outlined some of the work needed to be done in the state:
reforesting burned-over and cut-over areas on the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada and
reforesting other parts of the state where lumbering and forest fire destruction had been
extensive. 5
No specific location for the CCC camps had been discussed, so Elko's Mayor George
Russell, Jr. suggested that Elko County seek aid from the reforestation bill. He urged the Elko
Chamber of Commerce to convince representatives of the advantages of including a camp
in the Ruby Mountains in their proposal. This and other campsites, one in the Charleston
Mountains near Las Vegas and one in the Schell Creek Range near Ely, were added to the
�18
Lined up for inoculations at the CCC camp in Lamoille Canyon.
proposal. Later, camps at Dixie National Forest, Nevada National Forest and another Elko
County installation at Gold Creek were added.
Included with the Nevada proposal w as a letter by Scrugham recommending organization of a " prospecting army." This group would be sent over the hills of Nevada and other
mining states under the same terms of employment as the reforestation army except that the
recruits would be placed on a fifty .fifty grubstake basis. The federal government, the
grubstaker, was to receive fifty percent of the net returns from any paying prospects
developed and the locator would get the remaining half. 6
Congress approved Nevada 's request for its numerous camps but Scrugham 's proposition for a "prospecting army" was ignored. The lawmakers appointed Cecil W. Creel,
secretary of the Nevada Relief Committee, as director of the reforestation work in the state.
He would later be instrumental in establishing the many CCC camps in Elko County. Through
his appointment, Creel was to select men for the reforestation and flood control work
camps. Creel stated, on April 13, 1933, " .. .men, ages 18 to 25 will be enrolled starting April
24. The first men will come from Reno and Las Vegas and other points receiving relief." 1
Meanwhile, Elko Chamber of Commerce officials decided that funding to build a road
up Lamoille Canyon and another road through Owyhee Canyon leading to Mountain City
was worth going after. The Lamoille Canyon road was greatly desired by the people of Elko
County who hoped to make the canyon into a w eekend recreation area. Likewise, the
Mountain City road was pursued by people involved w ith a booming copper producer,
the Rio Tinto Mine, who hoped to gain an all-weather highway. The Mountain City project
was later abandoned because of rumors that a railroad was to be built on the same
proposed roadbed.
Harry Bartlett, president of the Elko Chamber of Commerce, telegraphed Creel affirming
that Elko County was indeed interested in getting a CCC camp. On April 17, the county
received confirmation that there would be camps located in the area. They were also told
that over four hundred men would be stationed at the camps. This meant, to the local
people, that over $220,000 would be spent in the coming months. It w as announced in the
Elko Daily Free Press that "the men will come from the crowded cities of the East; Elko
Lieutenants C
County will only b e a
these men will perf()IT""
road and trail building
workers had started a
Elko County had sever
Canyon, Gold Creek, A
Cherry Creek in White P
Jim Meeks of Elko _
graduated from high sc
entire summer for the •
managed to earn only •
didn't have enough mO<'
find a job in the lumre
Herecalled : "lwas wa ·
me why I wasn't in schoo.
O regon to try and earn
because his uncle, the 1oc
only had to stay six man
those days. I went up a
could even read or write
he told me that he cou 1c :
scared me off. But I deciae
later I found myself in E •
"First they sent me to a
There they taught us how •
our shoes and if they d id" •
through the pipeline to 0v·
camps - like the mi lita
"I arrived in Elko in Jan
�19
i
I
!"
I
another Elko
~ i ng organizaada and other
except that the
;1ernment, the
rig prospects
m's proposiecil W. Creel,
in the state.
rity. Through
control work
~ starting April
ing rel ief." 7
ouild a road
_~ewise, the
er producer,
City project
the same
eel affirmi ng
:he county
ealso told
,o the local
i
;
-
i
Q;
a:i
!
Lieutenants Charvez and Rycroft at the Lamoille Canyon CCC camp.
County will only be allowed to contribute ten percent of the men to be enrolled. The work
these men will perform under this plan in Nevada will not mean the planting of trees but of
road and trail building in the national forests. " 8 By May 19 the preparation of the camps for
workers had started and, within a month, actual work had begun.
Elko County had several CCC camps, included were encampments at Tuscarora, Lamoille
Canyon, Gold Creek, Angel Lake and the Hubbard Ranch. Another nearby camp was at
Cherry Creek in White Pine County.
Jim Meeks of Elko was 19 at the time he joined the CCC. He recalled that he had just
graduated from high school and was hoping to continue on to college. After working the
entire summer for the Tennessee Valley Authority on a rural electrification program he
managed to earn only $152. Summer was over and so was his job with the TVA and he
didn't have enough money to start college. He decided to buy a bus ticket to Oregon and
find a job in the lumber mills. 9
He recalled : "I was waiting to get on the bus and a school friend happened by and asked
me why I wasn't in school and I told him I didn't have enough money. But that I was going to
Oregon to try and earn some. He told me that I didn't need to waste money on a ticket
because his uncle, the local CCC registration officer, could get me out west free. He said I
only had to stay six months and I could get out. Six months didn't mean anything to me in
those days. I went up and visited this old wart-healer, was about all he was, I doubt if he
could even read or write. Well, I asked this boy's uncle if he could send me to Portland and
he told me that he could send me anywhere in the world I wanted to go. That just about
scared me off. But I decided that joining the 'Cs' was a smart thing to do and three months
later I found myself in Elko, of all places. 10
" First they sent me to a Louisiana army camp, what they called a conditioning camp.
There they taught us how to make our beds and line up for inspection and told us to shine
our shoes and if they didn't like it we had to do it again. After two weeks there they sent us
through the pipeline to our station. They had asked me to give them my three choices of
camps - like the military they sent me somewhere else. 11
" I arrived in Elko in January, 1940 and the next day they sent me to a place 26 miles south
�· .....--
4429th Company, Civilian Conservation Corps, at Tuscarora on June 12, 1938. First
Lieutenant Robert J. Moore commanded with Robert F. Jameson as project superintendent, Dr. Everill W. Fowlks, camp surgeon, and Aland Forgeon was the camp's
educational adviser.
Tents of the 4429th Company, Civilian Conservation Corps, Camp DG-83 at Tuscarora
in June, 1939.
�22
'
IDAHO
-lr-·-·-·-·-+·-· . ·-·-·-·tmi·-·-·-·-·r-·-·-·~-··u
iT
!
I
Owyhee
Columbial;\-
•Rowland
t.City
fj Jarbidge
eTennessee Gulch
Patsv~ie
Gold.Creek
Wild Horse
•Charleston
; Jackpot
I
Contact
Delano•
1
•
Edgemont•
Cornucopia•
IA
•
Cherry Creek
WHITE PINE
i
•
•
I
CCC CAMPS IN NORTHEASTERN NEVADA
NORTHEASTERN
oe1ng scarec ~
Meeks to1
c
'e5UNey the a·
" In past days
they counted •
corners. It was c
hard as in the s
NEVADA
only three out o
promotions. His
pay added up·::
lived on a farm a
was a first sergea
He recalled,
and learning to '_
standpoint. 15
After discharge
laundry. Eventua
Meeks said, "T"
around; there are s_
there are a lot o When World
He said, "You c
make beds, shines~
CCC and the army
The CCC decl ine:::
agencies, the CCC 'e
then, ironically, Pres to balance the budg
Pearl Harbor was bcr
com pete w ith the rr
months .
Many people wi ~
nation and its young
FOOTNOTES:
1 John A. Salmond, The C .
Press, 1967), p.5
2 Fred E. Leake, R
oosevelt's •
National Association OI' :=
3 Leake, p.1
4 Ibid.
s Nevada Labor Camp 1 S.
s
• Reforestation Aid for ~
1 ·creel in Charge of Refores
• Elko County Allotted 40C
• Jim Meeks, owner of Vog •
�23
; w'ells. It was cold. Being a southern boy I had never seen 13 degrees above zero, much
ess the 13 below temperature on the day I got to the Warm Springs CCC camp. Other than
·-·-·-·-,.-·!U
Jackpot
Contact
Delano•
I
iJ
iA
•
.
I
DA
oe1ng scared half to death, I managed to survive. 12
Meeks told of his experiences at Warm Springs. His major field work was helping
•esurvey the area.
In past days they just tied something around a wagon wheel and each time it went over
ey counted it. The CCC actually chained and measured exact distances and tried to find
corners. It was quite a chore but they sti II use that survey today. Out west the work wasn't as
ard as in the southern camps. Nevada had a lot of camps but many were summer camps.
In some places they would set up a few tents and a kitchen and go to work." 13
After a short time in field work, Meeks was promoted into office work. He was one of
only three out of 300 men who had finished high school so they were the first to receive
promotions. His job included holding inspections and handing out pay every month pay added up to $30 a month and $25 of that was sent home. Meeks said his parents, who
lived on a farm, always sent his $25 back to him. During his last eight months in the CCC he
w as a first sergeant. 14
He recalled, " You were really in the army, the only thing was that instead of out marching
and learning to fight wars, you were trying to improve the country from a conservation
standpoint. 1 s
After discharge from the CCC, Meeks moved to Wells to marry a local girl and start a
laundry. Eventually he moved his business to Elko where it is still thriving today.
Meeks said, " Thirty of us CCC boys married girls from Wells. Many of the CCC guys are still
around; there are some in Elko and Wells today, there's a casino owner in Carson City and
there are a lot of the old boys at Hawthorne." 16
When World War II started Meeks went into the U.S. Army.
He said, "You could always tell who had been in the CCC - they already knew how to
make beds, shine shoes and stand inspection. There wasn't a lot of difference being in the
CCC and the army." 17
The CCC declined in the years of 1940 to 1942. Like so many worthwhile government
agencies, the CCC fell victim to Capitol Hill power struggles. First, Congress cut the funding,
then, ironically, President Roosevelt pared down the number of men and camps in an effort
to balance the budget and gain votes in the upcoming election. The final blow came when
Pearl Harbor was bombed and the nati on was plunged into war. The CCC simply could not
compete with the military for manpower and all the camps were gone within a period of six
months .
Many people will never forget what the Civilian Conservation Corps did for a troubled
nation and its young men and that is all the justification the CCC needs.
FOOTNOTES :
1 John A. Salmond, The Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1942. (Durham, North Carolina: Duke University
Press, 1967), p.5
2 Fred E. Leake, Roosevelt's Tree Army: A Brief History of the Civilian Conservation Corps. (Manassa, Virginia:
National Association on Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni, 1980), p.1
3 Leake, p.1
4
Ibid.
s "Nevada Labor Camp is Sought Under New Sill," Elko Daily Free Press, March 30, 1933, p.1
a "Reforestation Aid for Nevada Sought by Representatives," Elko Daily Free Press, April 6, 1933, p.1
"Creel in Charge of Reforestation," Elko Daily Free Press, April 14, 1933, p.1
• " Elko County Allotted 400 Men Under Reforestation Aid Plan," Elko Daily Free Press, April 17, 1933, p.1
s Jim Meeks, owner of Vogue Laundry, Elko, Nevada; interview on April 14, 1983
1
�24
Ibid.
Ibid.
12 Ibid.
13 Ibid.
14 Ibid.
1s Ibid.
16 Ibid.
17 Ibid.
10
11
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Elko Daily Free Press: "Creel in Charge of Reforestation," April 14, 1933; " Elko County Allotted 400 Men Under
Reforestation Aid Plan," April 17, 1933; " Nevada Labor Camp is Sought Under New Bil l," March 30, 1933;
"Reforestation Aid for Nevada Sought by Representatives," April 6, 1933
Leake, Fred E., Roosevelt's Tree Army: A Brief History of the Civilian Conservation Corps. (Manassa, Virginia:
National Association on Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni, 1980)
Meeks, Jim. Owner of Vogue Laundry, Elko, Nevada. Interview on April 14, 1983.
McClusky, Jack. Editor, publisher, Mineral County Independent News, Hawthorne, Nevada. Interview.
Salmond, John A., The Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-1942, ( Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press,
1967)
This index of suo
terly in 1983 was co
where mention w as
pages 45-76 are ir :are in the Su mmer s
Eager, Sheepman; 8-
After publi catior
indexed w ith the rras·
the present. The mas
A
airmail station (Elko): • 2 •
Amador County (Ca ,,fcr>
America, 91, 95
American Association cl
American Associati on '-:,
American Legion , 121, • 3·
Antioch (California): 1 4 V
Apache (Indian): 54
Arana Saddle Shop, 79
Arctic Circle: 87
Argentina: 79
iii
j
~
Arizona: 54
Arabian (horse·s name) 6C
Army: 91
Arrascada, Benny, 95
Ashby (family), 56
Katy, 57
_§
§
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: DIANA L. NEEF
Diana L. Neef's article about the Civilian Conservation Corps was an assignment in her
English Composition class at Northern Nevada Community College in Elko. It is her first
published work.
She was born March 5, 1965 in Las Vegas but was raised in Elko. She is a 1983 graduate of
Elko High School. Her parents are Nancy and Jerry Neef. Diana is a freshman at Utah State
University, Logan, where she is majoring in landscape architecture. While in school she
earned a band scholarship and the Knapp Scholarship. She likes sewing, band, traveling,
photography and golf.
The staff of the quarterly and the society board of directors thank the author for the
opportunity to publish and showcase work performed in the field of original research at the
local college.
Lulu: 57
Viola, 57
Virginia: 57
AuAg Company (TuscarO'a
audrtorism (Elko High Scro
Austrn ( Nevada), 3
Australia: 79
B
Da 'Tlril tank: 12
3a zar, Fred: 122
Banks, /ws . George, 149
:ia<mocks (Indian): 54
3.Ynard , Louis, 6 7
5.Ynard , LR. : 7
::d'en, Fred, 51
t>Ys (gold): 11
=oall: 151-155
oasoue, 91 , 93, 95, 103
3.!::e R
ube: 62
'3'"S 103
6t:.Y" 'arnily
Alir e, 87
Beny, 85, 87
�
https://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/files/original/55ef50f2d7e7ec9c66adb8d6dfe43962.jpg
66d21f2f11840be4671af7f6e7b09436
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Northeastern Nevada Museum Quarterly
Subject
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Collection of the Northeastern Nevada Museum Quarterly journal.
Description
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Quarterly journal of the Northeastern Nevada Museum, located in Elko, Nevada.
Creator
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
Date
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1978-2015
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Scott A. Gavorsky
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
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.pdf files
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Title
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"Civilian Conservation Corps, Elko County: 1933-1942"
Description
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<p>An history of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) operations in Elko County during the Great Depression. Diana L. Neff, a Northeastern Nevada Community College student at the time, tracked the development of CCC camps from the original reforestation camp at Lamoille in the Ruby Mountains to the later camps at Tuscarora, Gold Creek, Angel Lake, and the Hubbard Ranch, and the related camp at Cherry Creek in White Pine County.</p>
<p><a title="Elko County CCC article" href="/omeka/files/original/e86d1991a745914887a0fc04c8182284.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">View article as pdf</a></p>
Creator
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Diana L. Neff
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<em>Northeastern Nevada Historical Society Quarterly</em>, 84.1 (Winter 1984): 16-24
Publisher
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Northeastern Nevada Museum
Date
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Winter 1984
Contributor
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Scott A. Gavorsky [VHC]
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VHC Deposit Agreement on file:
http://humanities.gbcnv.edu/omeka/items/show/185
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pdf/a1-b; 9 pages
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1933-1942
CCC
Community
Crossroads
Elko County
GBC50
Lamoille
NNM
Story
Student
Tuscarora