Herds like these grazed ‘Nevada's rangelands even during the winter. Ranching Neotie © cattle ranches began in the ¢, arles ch grasslands made it an idea o i to raise cattle. Most of was ail ee Who weres their way to California. Ranchers in the valley made a goog living, Things got even betrer when the Comstock silver rush locked to the region, the demand, or y, other newcomers also needed gra, in Early Some of Nevada's ¢ Valley, Plenty of water began. ‘As more miners fl for food grew. Miners and ‘As the needs of the people changeq and hay for their so did area ranches. smaller ones got bigger. Linking the Past to the Present animals. Many new ranches were created, and Do you think ranches in Nevada today are as important as they were in the 1800s? Do they still help our growing stat meet its demand for food like they did during Nevada's if mining days? See if you and your class can learn more ab how important ranching is for our state. aeRanching Families Fred Dangberg, “Hock” Mason, a Smith were a few of the first cattle ranchers in Nevada. D; angberg’s ranching and farming operation was just outside of Genoa. Tt spread across more than 50,000 acres. Later, the Dangberg family started the town of Minden, Nevada, . “Hock” Mason came from California to start what is known as Mason Valle and T.B. Smith raised their herds Vall Ranches spread across many other parts of the state too. | White Pine and Nye counties, r. id two men by the name of a large ranch in Just west of Mason Valley, R.B. The area became known as Smith 1826-1908 In ranches provided food for miners and nearby townspeople. Near the Reese River, ranchers helped feed the Reena earliest ranchers miners in and around the town of Austin. Other large cattle herds [RGneS ead tana were spread throughout Humboldt and Elko counties. fee ee ey the first black settlers to the Carson One man, named “Honest John” Sparks, built a huge ranch in Mlle Moe Mache ENeWnlabaae ee Elko County. For a while, he had more than 70,000 cattle and carly years of his life. One woman who nearly 500 horses. Sparks became Nevada's tenth governor. He ‘wrote about him said that he and his was also the first rancher to bring Durham and Hereford cattle to sister bought their way out of sels Nevada. Soon other ranchers began raising Herefords when they phen Salar he was not yet 30 years old, He settled on 320 acres of grassland along the Carson River. Later his sister ‘Charlotte settled next to him on 400 acres. Palmer was a hard-working cattle rancher and horseman. He drove °AYBE 1,500 head of cattle from the state of © 4 Washington to Nevada's Carson Valley. “The trip took him nearly three months. Virginia City’s Territorial Enterprise, claimed Palmer was one of amed Herefords provided more meat than longhorns. County. His property and livestock were described as some of the most valuable in the region Even though Palmer couldn't read Mor write, early Mousville records show BD he served his community in a nuinber of ways, He was political commir:ce member. He else sceved on at least one jury. Palme: lived in Dougles County for over $0 years. Whea he died, he was buried in the Morsvitle cemetery.A Cowboy’s Life Some of the first settlers who came to Nevada from Californ, brought with them Mexican vaqueros, Vaquero is the Spanig, word for cowboy. Vaqueros were excellent horseman who pas on their unique skills and traditions to others in the region, Oye time, vaqueros in the West became known as buckaroos, Few small ranchers could afford to hire these skilled riders ap first. Most families helped each other with common farming anj ranching labors. As ranching in the area grew, big companies began buying out some of the smaller ranches. By then, buckaroos were becoming a more permanent part of the landscape. They worked long hours driving the herds and breeding new stock. Nevada even had a few Native American and African American buckaroos. Branding cattle was another job buckaroos had to do, A brand is a special mark that is burned into the hide of a cow with a hot iron. Only a skilled buckaroo could brand a cow’s hide without burning clear through it. Even today, ranches have their own brands or special designs that help others know which animals belongs to them. Once the cattle are branded, buckaroos drive them out to the range to graze. Sometimes, they move the cattle around so they'll get plenty of grass and water to eat. Ranchers want their cattle to grow fat, so they'll be worth more when they sell them for beef, There are still many working cattle ranches in Nevada today, These buckaroos Worked on ranches in Nevada's Railroad Valley,