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ELKO, Nev. – Learn about the Applegate Trail, lye soap, Basque history, and much more at the California Trail Interpretive Center.

The Trail Center is presenting a variety of family friendly programs throughout September. The following programs are free and open to everyone:

Sept. 2, 2:00 p.m.:  The Applegate Trail: A Better Way to Oregon?

The Applegate Trail departs from the California Trail in western Nevada. Compared to the California and Oregon Trails, the Applegate Trail was used by very few emigrants. Still, the Applegate made a lasting impact on the history of the American West. This presentation will discuss why emigrants took the Southern Road to Oregon, and the controversies that the Applegate Trail caused.

Sept. 3, 2:00 p.m.:  Junior Ranger Program: Why do Owls Hoot?

Attention all kids:  So, you've seen Harry Potter and you think you know all about owls. Learn about Nevada's owls, and make your own owl pellets, too!

Sept. 9, 2:00 p.m.:  How to Make Lye Soap

Lye soap has been used to wash clothes for hundreds of years. Learn both traditional and modern techniques for making lye soap.

Sept. 10, 2:00 p.m.:  Junior Ranger Program:  Mountain Man Show and Tell

Attention all kids:  The bold explorers known as mountain men were away from civilization for months or years at a time. In the wild, they often had to make their own gear. See what a mountain man kept in his “possibles bag,” and other tools he used as he explored the rugged West.

Sept. 16, 2:00 p.m.:  Rigging a Prairie Schooner:  The Anatomy of a Wagon

The iconic covered wagon was an indispensable means of transport along the California Trail. Learn the parts and features of the common covered wagon, and appreciate why this humble wagon has become an enduring symbol of American history and the pioneer spirit.

Sept. 17, 2:00 p.m.:  Junior Ranger Program: How To Start a Fire with a Hand Drill

Attention all kids:  Learn how to start a fire like the traditional Shoshone, with two pieces of wood. Also, learn how to smoke trout over a campfire.

Sept. 23, 2:00 p.m.:  Sheep Herding The End of an Era

Join Kent McAdoo as he gives an illustrated program that describes the lifestyles and experiences of a Basque sheepherder in northern Nevada. He will discuss the influences of the Basque on Elko’s culture and landscape, and explain the reasons behind their decline as workers in sheep ranching.

Sept. 24, 2:00 p.m.:  Junior Ranger Program:  Nevada Skins and Skulls

Attention all kids: Learn about Nevada animals. Touch and feel their skulls and skins, and learn about predators and prey.

Sept. 30, 2:00 p.m.:  All That Glitters is Not Gold:  The California Gold Rush and Genocide

Driven by the desire for gold, some California emigrants and settlers sacrificed their sense of moral dignity for something they perceived far more valuable. As a result, they came to commit one of the worst atrocities in American history: the California Indian Genocide.

Winter hours for the California Trail Interpretative Center will begin on October 2, 2017. We will be open on Sunday, Oct. 1, and then closed on Oct. 2 and 3. Winter hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday.

The California Trail Interpretive Center is located eight miles west of Elko on I-80, Hunter exit 292. The Center is open daily, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information about the California Trail Interpretive Center, call (775) 738-1849. Visit the Trail Center online at www.californiatrailcenter.org or https://www.facebook.com/californiatrailinterpretivecenter/.