Time has helped shape the consciousness of the modern Nevadan. Once you get through the facade of the vast wilderness, high desert ecosystems, long-buried towns, rough summers, and even rougher winters; you see the beauty of delicate ecosystems, Jurassic-aged lake beds, 10,000-year-old civilizations, and modern cities filled with forgotten ghosts.
The question surrounding Nevada always revolves around the Old West. The real question is, the real Old West or the romanticized version you see in books and movies? The romanticized version is easier to tell, John Wayne-style heroes, murderous savages, and expansion pave the way. The real history no one wants to talk about is the history of the natives, Ormsby, Kit Carson, Reno, murder, displacement, the Stewart school, and that damn racist bell that rings in Gardnerville. Real history is much harder to comprehend.
How could a modern Nevada have been molded from this? Were the casinos, brothels, gangsters, and outdoor activities, on your bingo card for “ways to change a state?” As far as Nevada is concerned, it should be.
From Mark Twain to “Bugsy” Siegel, Nevada has always been filled with characters. It’s a place where luminaries make names for themselves, a fantasy destination. Today, more than ever, Nevada is a part of that mindset.
Nevada has been built by generations of grit, determination, and pain. You can see this on the faces of Nevadans every day and ghosts of their past. Collectively, our modern eyes don’t see the infinite layers of the past. Our brains don’t allow for it. The untrained eye might only see a barren wasteland filled with sagebrush and grouse.
For some of us though, something as simple as understanding the Cryptobiotic layer and how it can help the high desert and fragile ecosystem of the low desert. This is a great place to put yourself on the path of understanding in Nevada.
With these short stories, we’ll lay claim to Nevada’s past and present as we look through the Doors of Nevada.
Contact us for comments, questions, or new doors.
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