My husband and I moved to Winnemucca, Nevada in 1984 as newlyweds for a one-month drilling contract at a developing gold mine. We ended up staying for 32 years…as one does. I had my kids there and taught school in the area for 29 years. I still think of it fondly, nine years after leaving.
Winnemucca is located in Northern Nevada on the Humboldt River. Because of its location, the area has been continuously inhabited since the 1830s when beaver trappers, such as Peter Ogden, built camps there. One of the first settlers, a fur trader named Joseph Gianacca, built a ferry allowing travelers to cross the river, and the settlement then became known at French Ford.
In 1948 Northern California was given to the USA by Mexico, and French Ford developed into a popular stopping point for emigrants traveling along the Humboldt Trail to California.
Silver was discovered in the Humboldt Range in 1860, bringing in miners. Ranches also began developing in the area in the mid-1860s, and some of those ranches are still in operation today.
Basque shepherds came to Nevada in the mid-1800s (bringing with them their dogs, called Australian Shepherds), and Winnemucca remains one of the hubs of Basque culture in the United States. Basque hotels are famous for their family style dinners and unique cuisine. Winnemucca had two such hotels, one of which is still in operation as a dining facility.
The Central Pacific Railroad reached Winnemucca in 1868 and in 1869 Winnemucca became a stop on the Transcontinental Railroad. The Chinese working on the Transcontinental Railroad created a China Town in the city.
After the Transcontinental Railroad was completed, French Ford was renamed Winnemucca in honor of a famous Paiute Chief.

Because of the railroad, Winnemucca became a shipping hub and a center of commerce in the 1970s. Cattle from ranches in northern Nevada, southern Oregon and southwest Idaho were drive to Winnemucca to be shipped by rail to Sacramento and San Francisco.
In September of 1900, Butch Cassidy and his gang is alleged to have robbed the First National Bank, riding away with more than $32,000 dollars. Some of the money is said to still be buried along the muddy banks of the Humboldt River.
Today Winnemucca boasts a population of close to 8,000 people. It’s still a cowboy town, so it’s not unusual to see buckaroos in full regalia shopping in the local grocery store. There are numerous ranches, large and small, in the outlying areas, some dating back to the 1860s and 1870s. It’s also a mining town. Nevada is the third largest gold producer in the world and several of the gold mines are located nearby.
There’s a thriving Basque community in the area, one of the largest in the US, and a yearly Basque festival is held in June. Winnemucca is also home to the Buckaroo Hall of Fame, which honors legendary cowboys and individuals of the Great Basin.
Lastly, if you’ve heard Johnny Cash (or anyone else) sing I’ve Been Everywhere, you’ll hear mention of a little town called Winnemucca in the preamble. Also, Rod McKuen, who spent years in Nevada, wrote a poem called Winnemucca, Nevada. He says he learned his first cuss word there.
So, if you’re ever driving on Interstate 80 between Reno and Salt Lake City, you’ll pass through Winnemucca. And when you do, I hope you’ll remember it’s rich history.
Go Lowry Bucks!