Cave of Mystery and Pioneer Games: California Trail Interpretive Center Announces April Programs
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ELKO, Nev. – Learn about a mysterious Nevada cave and enjoy pioneer games at the California Trail Interpretive Center.
The Trail Center is presenting a variety of family friendly programs throughout April. The following programs are free and open to everyone:
April 7, 10:00 a.m.: Cave of Mystery: Cave Valley Cave
Cave Valley Cave, located near Ely, has a long history in connection with several important expeditions, as well as close ties to local Native American groups. The cave was first explored by Euro-Americans in 1858 by the Mormon White Mountain Expedition. Later expeditions continued to investigate the cave, and documented the cave’s importance in local Native American mythology.
What emerges from the history of Cave Valley Cave is a story filled with mystery, intrigue, and a never-ending array of questions. The program is by BLM Elko District archaeologist Dayna Reale.
April 8, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: Map Mapping: Filling in the Blanks
To find their way to California, emigrants needed reliable maps. The first explorers of the West, like the mountain men and John C. Fremont, made these maps. Join Nevada Outdoor School Interpreter Tim Burns and enjoy a map-making activity and game.
April 14, 10:00 a.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. The program is by Great Basin Institute Research Associate Jens Camp.
April 15, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: Fire Starting with a Hand Drill
Can you start a fire with nothing more than your bare hands, a stick, and a plank of wood? Great Basin Indians could, and they did it thousands of years before any pioneers traveled through their lands. Join Jens Camp and learn how to use this ancient fire-starting technique.
April 22, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: Pioneer Games: Marbles and Horseshoes
With no TV, internet, or video games, how did pioneers have fun on the California Trail? Games of course! Ranger Greg will provide lessons on how to play two popular pioneer games: Marbles and horseshoes.
April 29, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: Tahwani: Western Shoshone Life in the Springtime
Spring is a time of change, it is a transition between the harsh cold of winter and the blazing heat of summer. Join Jens Camp, and learn how Western Shoshone people lived through this time of the year. Topics include foods, shelter, and other traditional lifeways.
The California Trail Interpretive Center is located eight miles west of Elko on I-80, Hunter exit 292. The Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 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/.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.