A New Perspective Through Art: The 2024 California National Historic Trail Poster

A New Perspective Through Art: 

The BLM and the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) are pleased to celebrate their partnership with the unveiling of a new California National Historic Trail Poster.  This breathtaking artwork is by Cassandra Garback, an Indigenous artist born and raised in Nevada, near Pyramid Lake in the Great Basin Desert. 

My goal is to transport viewers on a journey through Nevada’s diverse heritage, just as the California Trail has done for generations. My hope is that this artwork will encourage viewers to visit the California Trail and its beauty for themselves.

Cassandra Garback

This first of its kind project is the result of an assistance agreement aimed at supporting the NATIVE Act (Public Law No: 114-221) and tribal tourism along the California Trail in Nevada. 

The BLM, AIANTA and other partners plan to promote the featured poster online for outreach and education to tell a more inclusive story of the ancestral lands along the California Trail and the impact it had on the Native people in Nevada. 

About the Artist: 

Cassandra’s artwork reflects the intricate relationship between the land and its people, paying homage to the land itself, ancient traditions, and wisdom passed down through generations. Through her paintings and jewelry, she hopes to convey the deep connection we have with our environment and culture, inspiring others to appreciate and protect the natural world that sustains us all. 

The breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage of this region have had a profound impact on her artistic expression. As she immerses herself in the vibrant colors, textures, and stories of this land, she aims to capture its essence through her art. The Great Basin Desert holds a unique beauty, one that is both harsh and delicate, resilient and powerful. 

Cassandra was awarded a commission and paid travel to the American Indigenous Tourism Conference in October 2024.  She was also celebrated at a local reception in Reno at the Nevada Museum of Art. The poster was unveiled, displayed, and celebrated by partners, tribes, and the public on December 19th.  The new poster will be available to the public at all BLM offices in Nevada later this month.  

Excerpt from the Poster 

The story of the California Trail is usually told from the perspective of westward migrants who traveled more than 5,000 miles from Missouri to California. However, the land they crossed was far from empty. The greatest migration in U.S. history is a story of more than 250,000 diverse travelers crossing the ancestral lands of hundreds of Indigenous groups. In Nevada, Indigenous Peoples present during the historic period of the trail, and still connected to the land today, include the Washoe (Waší.šiw), Northern Paiute (Numu), Western Shoshone (Newe), Southern Paiute (Nuwuvi), and Goshute (Kutsipiuti) people.

Indigenous Peoples sometimes guided emigrants across the landscape, one famous example being Captain Truckee, a Numu leader for whom one of the trail routes is named. They also faced and fought against violence from the newcomers. Following forced displacements off their lands, many adapted to foreign lifestyles while preserving as much of their culture as possible. The westward journey along the California Trail has significantly and permanently impacted Indigenous Peoples and the lands they have relied upon for generations. Ideas, goods, foods, nonnative plants and animals, and diseases were among the many things exchanged across deserts, valleys, and mountains. To this day, the impact of the California Trail colors the landscape you see before you, and the ways present-day Indigenous communities manage and experience the land.

Read more here: 2024 California National Historic Trail Poster.

More about this partnership:  

The BLM, in partnership with AIANTA, is working with tribes adjacent to the California NHT in Nevada to develop cultural heritage content and itineraries for AIANTA’s Experience Native America website. The project brings together businesses, attractions, landmarks, and other points of interest on and around the trail to help promote sustainable tourism. For more information about the partnership visit: California Trail in Nevada - AIANTA.  

For more information on the BLM Nevada National Historic Trails program, contact Alicia Jensen (Associate State Archaeologist and National Historic Trails Lead of BLM Nevada) at aejensen@blm.gov