http://www.nevadaheritage.com/timeline/timelinemainpage.htm
Nevada Heritage.com

The following Timelines focus primarily on Nevada's Native Americans.

1855
August 7, 1855 - Treaty of Friendship between U. S. and Western Shoshone Indians signed at Haws' Ranch (EIko) on Humboldt River by Indian Agent Garland Hurt and ten principal men of the Western Shoshone tribes. The treaty was not ratified by Congress.

Treaty of Friendship between settlers of Carson Valley and the Northern Paiute tribe of Indians, represented by Chief Winnemucca. The terms of the treaty provided that Paiute tribal justice would punish Paiute Indians accused of killing or robbing whites, where the criminals could be identified, and likewise whites who killed or stole from Paiutes would be punished by the settler's government. The treaty expressly disapproved of indiscriminate revenge or reprisal; it was not ratified by Congress, but settled relations between the whites and Northern Paiutes until the Pyramid Lake War of 1860.

1859
December 8, 1859 - Pyramid Lake and Walker Lake Reservations set aside by U. S. Government for Northern Paiute Indians; reservations formally established by executive order of President U. S. Grant on March 23, 1874.

William 'Uncle Billy' Rogers, Indian sub-agent, settled in Ruby Valley (Elko). He was the first rancher there and established a farm for the Shoshone Indians.

1860
May 1860 - Pyramid Lake Paiute War. Started when Indians killed several whites at Williams Station (Lyon) on big bend of Carson River May 7-8; punitive force of whites led by Major William M. Ormsby and others were defeated by Northern Paiute Indians under Numaga ('Young Winnemucca') at first Battle of Pyramid Lake (Washoe) May 12; Ormsby and many others were killed. Second Battle of Pyramid Lake June 2 resulted in defeat of Indians by California militia and U. S. Army troops; Fort Churchill (Lyon) established on Carson River near Bucklands Station to protect travelers on the overland routes and to watch the Northern Paiutes; abandoned March 1870.

1861
July 1861 - Special Nevada Territorial census, 16,374 inhabitants.

Nevada Territory. March 2, Congress created Nevada out of what had been western Utah Territory; James W. Nye of New York commissioned Governor March 22; Nevada Territory organized by proclamation of Governor Nye and officials appointed July 11; judicial organization completed July 17; first territorial election held August 31; Territorial Legislature met at Carson City October 1 - November 29; Territory divided into nine counties (Churchill, Douglas, Esmeralda, Humboldt, Lyon, Ormsby, Storey, Washoe, and Lake) and the capital established at Carson City by Territorial Legislature November 25. Territorial government ended when Nevada became a state on October 31, 1864.

1862
May 23, 1862 - Meeting of Governor James W. Nye with the principal chiefs of the Northern Paiute Indians, including Winnemucca and Numaga, at the big bend of the Truckee River, near Wadsworth (Washoe). As a sign of peace and friendship the Indians and whites exchanged presents. This meeting allied many of the Paiute chiefs to a peace policy.

1863
January 29, 1863 - Battle of Bear River in Cache Valley, Idaho, between Shoshone Indians and California volunteer militia under General Patrick E. Connor; Indian defeat broke Shoshone power in northern Nevada.

Election for statehood with 6,600 for, and 1,562 against after passage of the Enabling Act to make Statehood possible.

March 22: Goshute War (Elko, White Pine). Goshute Indians, led by Chief White Horse, attacked Eight Mile Station and the overland mail stagecoach, starting the Goshute War with white settlers of eastern Nevada; fighting on Duck Creek between May 1-5, and battle at Spring Valley May 6 resulted in defeat of Goshutes by Captain S. P. Smith's command of California volunteer cavalry; Indians attacked Canon Station in early July; campaign by soldiers in Steptoe Valley in August; Goshutes asked for peace in October. Seven stagecoach stations were attacked and burned during the war.

October 1: Treaty between Governor James W. Nye and 12 principal men of the Shoshone Indians at Ruby Valley (Elko); later ratified by Congress. (...by President U.S.Grant...)+(The only time this treaty has ever been ratified.)

October: Indian war scare at Como when Paiutes protested against woodcutters destroying the Indians' pine nut groves (Lyon).

October-December: Carson Sink Indian war scare over the murder of Walker Lake Paiute Chief E-zed-wa October 25 near Fort Churchill (Lyon, Churchill).

Failed attempt at statehood. Territorial elections September 2 picked delegates for Constitutional Convention held at Carson City November 2-December 11; proposed state constitution drafted but rejected by voters in election January 19, 1864.

1864
State Constitution ratified with 10,375 votes out of 11,659. Nevada admitted to the Union

October 31. Nevada was admitted to the Union as the 36th state. President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation declaring this fact.

1865
February 16. The state legislature ratified the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Abraham Lincoln died April 15, 1865.

U. S. Population at 35 million.

March-July: Paradise Valley Indian War (Humboldt). Fighting began with attacks along National Wagon Road; Captain A. B. Wells attacked and destroyed Paiute camp near Mud (Winnemucca) Lake March 14; raids began in Paradise Valley on white settlers by Paiute, Bannock, and Shoshone Indians led by 'Black Rock Tom' April 5; battle with Nevada volunteer troops April 6; battle with settlers near Kane Springs April 15; settlers formed paramilitary colonies in May; battle with Nevada volunteers July 26; fighting continued with Quinn River Indian War; 'Black Rock Tom' surrendered himself and was shot August 11 in Spring Canyon, near Unionville (Pershing).

August-December: Quinn River Indian War (Humboldt), Colonel Charles McDermit ambushed and killed at Quinn River by Indians August 7; soldiers killed 35 Indians in battle September 12; 120 Indians of Black Rock Tom's Band killed November 17 by soldiers and Paiute Indians of Captain Soo's Band; army established Fort McDermitt on Quinn River, became Indian reservation 1889.

1866
January: Indians massacred company of Chinese travelers along Idaho Road in the Quinn River Valley - 95 Chinese killed, five escaped (Humboldt).

1867
January 18: Nevada Legislature accepted a congressional cession of land from Arizona Territory of about 18,000 square miles near the Colorado River.

January 22. The state legislature ratified the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Southern tip of Nevada added from Territory of Arizona. Industrial Revolution in U. S.

1869
March 1: The state legislature ratified the 15th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

March 5: Elko County, with Elko as its seat, was established. It was named for the Indian word for "first white woman."

1870
First train holdup in Nevada occurred near Verdi with $40,000 stolen from CPRR Co. Same train robbed as it neared Wells of $300 in registered mail receipts. 7 robbers at Verdi caught.

1870's - Sarah Winnemucca was lecturing in Calif. and writing. In 1883 "Life Among the Paiutes" and in 1885 her solution to the Indian Problem.

Start of Ghost Dances, inspired by Paiute prophet Wodziwob ('Fish Lake Joe') at Walker Lake Paiute Reservation; Washo tribe converted by Wodziwob's disciple Weneyuga 1871, movement later spread to California, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, and Washington; movement ended 1872. Wodziwob's disciple Tavivo was the father of Wovoka ('Jack Wilson'), who revived the Ghost Dance movement in 1889.

1871
Congress made Camp McGarry an Indian reservation; land set aside for Summit Lake Paiute Reservation January 14, 1913 (Humboldt).

1872
March 12: President U. S. Grant established Moapa Indian Reservation by executive order; cancelled and re-established in another spot by executive order February 12, 1874, original reservation included about 3,900 square miles; reduced by Congress 1875 to 1,000 acres; increased by executive orders in 1912; land allocated to Indians 1914.

1875
Establishment of Indian reservations by executive order.

1876
Invention of telephone by Alexander Graham Bell.

1877
Dawes Allotment Act gave each Native American family 40 to 160 acres with balance of land surplus for whites.

March: Congress passed Desert Land Act and Water Act of 1877, allowing sale of up to 640 acres of surveyed semi-arid public land to each settler who irrigated and improved the property.

April 16: Executive order established U. S. Indian reservation at Duck Valley and Carlin Farms; Carlin Farms Reservation discontinued 1879.

1878 Bannock Indian Wars.

March 1: Day school for Indians opened by Indian agent at Pyramid Lake Paiute Reservation; enlarged to boarding school 1882.

May 30: War began between whites and Bannock and Paiute Indians led by Bannock Chief Buffalo Horn; Indians were defeated after several pitched battles. Buffalo Horn was killed by U. S. Army troops commanded by General 0. 0. Howard. Nevada militia participated in the warfare which took place in the northern part of the state and southern Idaho.

1880
Supreme Court judged Native Americans "non-persons".

Old Chief Winnemucca died in Oct. Young 3rd wife stoned.

1882
(Probably) less than 1,000 Nat. Amer. living on 'trust lands.

Indian agent at Walker Lake Paiute Reservation opened day school for Indians (Mineral).

1883
Nevada Indian Agency established Indian police force.

1886
Three judge Court of Indian Offenses established for Nevada Indian Agency to adjudicate crimes committed by Indians.

1887
February 8: Dawes or Indian Allotment Act passed by Congress, provided for allotment of reservation lands to individual tribal members; was intended to encourage Indians to give up wandering and instead to individually cultivate their own land. Of the approximately 138 million acres in Indian possession 1887, about 2/3 had passed to white ownership by 1934.

1889
Ft. McDermitt Indian Reservation established.

Wovoka (Jack Wilson, Paiute) revived the 'Ghost Dance' which spread through Midwest and frightened whites.

Congress established Paiute and Shoshone Indian Reservation at Fort McDermitt; dispersed in allotments in Indians 1892; re-allotted 1903; enlarged 1936, 1940, 1941, 1943, 1944, 1956; allotments given up 1959 and 1957.

Paiute prophet Wovoka ('Jack Wilson') revived 1870 Ghost Dance movement at Walker Lake Paiute Reservation; Indian war scares in Lander and Lyon counties; Wovoka's teachings influenced the Plains Indians and precipitated a battle between the U. S. Army and the Sioux Indians at Wounded Knee Reservation in South Dakota on December 29, 1890. Last major Indian battle in U. S.; movement died out after 1891.

1890
Indian lands allotted at Stillwater (Churchill); additional allocations 1893-94; cancelled August 15, 1906.

1891
Stewart Indian School opened outside Carson City.

1893
Congress began giving land allotments in Pine Nut Mountains (Douglas) to Washo Indians; ended 1910.

1897
Spanish-American War.

1906
Paiutes lost land taken over by white squatters early 1900's.

August 15: Fallon Indian Reservation established by Congress; enlarged November 21, 1917; March 14, 1958.

1909
Walker River Indian Agency created.

1910
Colonies set up to provide urban housing for Native Americans.

Congress established the Bureau of Mines to supervise mine safety and undertake mining research for the Department of the Interior.

1911
January 31: The state legislature ratified the 16th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

Discovery of evidence of prehistoric Indian settlement in a cave 22 miles south of Fallon (Churchill); one of the richest finds of artifacts in North America, the site was continuously occupied for 2000 years, from about 700 B.C. to about 1300 A.D.

Last Indian uprising in the U. S. A band of renegade Indians led by 'Shoshone Mike' killed four stockmen in northern Washoe County in January. State police officers and a sheriff's posse broke up the band and killed 'Shoshone Mike' west of Paradise Valley on February 26, 1911 (Humboldt).

Helen J. Stewart started Las Vegas Indian Colony (Clark) in conjunction with U. S. Government.

Guano miners discovered a rich collection of prehistoric Indian artifacts at Lovelock Cave above the southeastern shore of Humboldt Sink. The cave had been occupied from about 1500 B.C. until it was abandoned a few hundred years before whites appeared in the area (Pershing) according to archaeologists from the Nevada Historical Society and the University of California.

1913
February 6: The state legislature ratified the 17th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

1917
Guano miners discovered prehistoric Indian artifacts, dating from at least 7000 B.C., at a rock shelter near Granite Point (Pershing). William Smith founded Wendover (Elko).

President Woodrow Wilson established Battle Mountain Indian Colony by executive order (Lander).

Congress began purchasing land for Washo Indians; January-February, Carson Indian Colony acquired.

Bureau of Indian Affairs created Yerington Reservation for Paiute Indians (Lyon).

Bureau of Indian Affairs established Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (Washoe); enlarged 1926.

1918
March 15: Executive order of President Woodrow Wilson added 34,000 acres to Walker Lake Indian Agency (Mineral).

November 16: Truckee-Carson Irrigation District formed by water users around Fallon (Churchill); took over much of the Newlands reclamation project by contract with the U. S. in 1926.

December 17: State prohibition against alcoholic beverages went into effect after vote by Legislature; repealed 1923.

President Woodrow Wilson established Elko Indian Colony (Elko) by executive order; relocated 1931.

1919
January 21: The state legislature ratified the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

1922
Nevada only 3% privately owned; less than 1% irrigated.

1924
June 2: Congress passed law making all native-born American Indians U. S. citizens.

Archaeological expedition of Mark Harrington began work at site of Lost City (Pueblo Grande de Nevada) on Muddy River (Clark). The large number of pueblo ruins and pit houses constituted richest culture in prehistoric Nevada, dating from 600 to 1100 AD. Agriculture was economic foundation of these prehistoric Indians, who raised corn, beans, squash, and cotton. The city was mysteriously abandoned in 12th century, along with other Pueblo Indian villages in Moapa and Virgin River Valleys. Today Lake Mead covers part of Lost City.

First execution by lethal gas in the world, at the Nevada State Prison, Carson City; the condemned was a Chinese, Gee Jon, convicted of a tong-related contract murder at Mina.

1925
Archaeologists discovered prehistoric Pueblo Indian salt mine at Salt Cave, in Virgin River Valley (Clark); site now covered by Lake Mead.

1926
Oregon Short Line (Idaho Central) Railroad completed between Wells (Elko) and Twin Falls, Idaho; construction originally began in 1907 to link the ranching communities of southern Idaho with the transcontinental railroad at Wells.

Congress abolished Bishop (California) Indian Agency and merged it with Walker River Indian Agency and Fallon Indian Colony and Reservations.

1927
First completely automatic hydroelectric system in Nevada planned and organized by H. H. Cazier at Wells; first rural electrification system.

Estimated 2,500 Nat. Amer. on reservations, 2,000 in colony, 500 on own. Other estimates 4,362 of 5,700 on 'trust lands.'

1928
Congress added 69,000 acres of grazing land to Walker Lake Indian Agency.

1929
Peyotism introduced to Pyramid Lake Paiutes by 'outside' Indian Lee Okio.

1930
Archaeological expedition from the Southwest Museum excavated Indian ruins at Mesa House, a large Pueblo structure with 84 rooms in western Moapa Valley (Clark) dating from 500 AD.; believed to be one of the last Pueblo Indian strongholds against encroachments of Southern Paiute Indians, it was abandoned after 1150 AD.

Archaeological expedition to Gypsum Cave on the eastern slope of Las Vegas Valley discovered traces of ancient Indians who occupied site between about 3000 B.C. and I AD. (Clark).

1931
State got Valley of Fire & Beaver Dam lands from Fed. Govt. 1932

Federal Government established Fly Indian Colony (White Pine).

1932
June 28: Indians made subject by congressional act to local laws for major crimes.

1933
Archaeologists excavated a rich prehistoric Indian site at Tule Springs (Clark); artifacts indicated that it had been occupied as early as 11,000 B.C. by a hunting and gathering people.

1934
June: Congress passed Wheeler-Howard or Indian Reorganization Act which provided for tribal self-government under congressionally-approved constitutions; it stopped allotment system and enabled tribes to purchase additional land.

Congress passed and President Franklin Roosevelt signed Taylor Grazing Act, which established Grazing Service, later Bureau of Land Management; authorized withdrawal of millions of acres of grazing land from public domain and for all practical purposes ended Congressional policy of land sales and homesteading in the West.

Archaeologists excavated Etna Cave (Lincoln) where they discovered a prehistoric Indian site dating from about 3000 B.C.

Land in Wassuk Mountain Range set aside by executive order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt for Walker River Indian Irrigation District.

Construction began on Wildhorse Dam and Reservoir on the Owyhee River (Elko).

1935
CCC built the Lost City Museum at Overton to preserve relics of Pueblo Grande de Nevada, the Anasazi civilization.

Walker River Agency abolished and consolidated as sub-agency of Carson Indian Agency, within Bureau of Indian Affairs of the U. S. Department of Interior.

1936
April 20: Congress approved constitution and by-laws of Shoshone-Paiute tribes of Duck Valley Indian Reservation.

December 10: Bureau of Indian Affairs authorized approval to purchase Campbell Ranch near Yerington as Paiute Indian Colony; enlarged 1941 (Lyon).

Peyotism introduced to Washo Indians by Ben Lancaster.

University of California archaeologists excavated prehistoric Indian site at Humboldt Cave, near southern end of west Humboldt Range (Churchill). Rich cultural deposits indicate that the cave was occupied from about 1000 B.C. to 1000 A.D., and that Indians living there traded with other peoples in California and the southwestern US.

1937
Taylor Grazing Act in effect.

Nevada Central Railroad abandoned.

February 27: Washo Indians issued corporate charter and became formally organized; Tribal Council organized 1966.

May 8: Walker River Paiute Tribe voted for corporate federal charter; Tribal Council sworn in May 25.

1938
Dewey Sampson, full-blooded Paiute, elected to State Assembly from Washoe Co.

Pyramid Lake Paiutes sued to remove squatters, get their share of Truckee River water and preserve the lake. Supreme Court in 1944 gave squatters 7 more years to vacate lands.

1939
Congress created Fish and Wildlife Services of the Department of the Interior.

1940
November 13: Department of Interior approved purchase of land for Duckwater Indian Reservation (Nye).

1941
Spring: Nellis Air Force Base opened as Las Vegas Army Airfield (Clark); deactivated 1947; reopened as Nellis Air Force Base 1950 to train pilots for the Korean conflict.

1944
National Congress of American Indians established.

1946
U. S. Congress established Bureau of Land Management within the Department of the Interior by combining the Grazing Service and the General Land Office. This agency now manages about 457 million acres of public land in the U. S. Over 47 million acres of these lands under BLM management are in Nevada, where the federal government owns about 87% of all land.
(Note: This is not true. Most of Nevada lands are held by the Western Shoshone under the 1863 Ruby Valley Treaty.)

1950
University of California archaeologists discovered prehistoric Indian artifacts at Leonard Rock shelter on the west side of the West Humboldt Range of mountains (Pershing). This important site had been continuously occupied since 9000 B.C.

Nevada Proving Ground established by the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission in southern Nevada (Clark, Lincoln, Nye) for the testing of nuclear weapons.

1951
February 26: The state legislature ratified the 22nd Amendment to the United States Constitution.

The United States government began testing atomic weapons on the Yucca Flats range northwest of Las Vegas.

Atomic Energy Nevada Proving Grounds established May 15 with Camp Mercury started as a town of few hundred to 10,000 scientists and engineers at various times.

Atomic testing began at the Nevada Test Site, 60 miles northwest of Las Vegas (Nye, Lincoln, Clark); area designated as proving ground in December 1950. U. S. Government shifted to underground testing at the site in 1962.

Archaeologists partially excavated Hidden Cave near Carson Lake (Churchill); they found evidence that prehistoric Indians had lived there as early as 6000 B.C.

Nevada State Museum archaeologists excavated a group of nine caves over a four year period around Lake Winnemucca's northeastern shore (Pershing). Evidence indicated that prehistoric Indians occupied the sites in at least B.C. 2000-3000.

1953
May 25: The United States government fired the first atomic artillery shell at its proving grounds in Nevada.

End of federal prohibition on sale of liquor to Native Americans.

Transfer of control of Indian affairs to the states.

1955
February 18: The United States government began a new series of atomic tests at its Nevada proving grounds. Tests were continued on February 22 and March 1.

Nevada State Museum and U. S. National Park Service archaeologists discovered prehistoric Indian artifacts at Stuart Rockshelter in Meadow Valley Wash (Clark); site was used as a camp by Indians from about 2000 B.C. until modern times.

1957
May 28: The United States government began a new series of atomic weapons tests.

Construction of Nuclear Rocket Development Station at Jackass Flats by U. S. government; town of Mercury founded (Nye).

1958
University of California archaeologists excavated prehistoric Indian sites at Wagon Jack Shelter and Eastgate Cave (Churchill) showing occupation between about 500 A.D. and 1600 AD.

University of California archaeologists excavated South Fork Rockshelter on the south fork of the Humboldt River (Elko). Radiocarbon dating of prehistoric Indian artifacts found there indicated the area was first occupied about 1000 B.C.

1960
Estimated 4,200 of 6,700 Nat. Americans on 'trust lands.'

1961
February 2: The state legislature ratified the 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution.

1962
Nevada State Museum archaeologists discovered a number of prehistoric Indian sites in Paradise Valley (Humboldt), which were occupied between about 2000 B.C. and modern times.

1963
February 8: The United States government resumed underground tests of nuclear weapons at its proving grounds in the state.

Intertribal Council of Nevada organized.

Nuclear Test Ban. Tests moved underground.

Discovery of gold in northeastern Eureka County resulted in opening of Carlin Gold Mine; additional discoveries made in 1980 at Maggie Creek and God Quarry.

President John F. Kennedy is assasinated in Dallas, Texas.

1964
September 19: President Lyndon Johnson signed two bills passed by Congress; the Multiple Use Act and the Public Sales Act. Multiple Use Act of 1964 gave the Secretary of the Interior the power to withdraw land from the public domain 'for multiple use.' The Act empowers the Secretary, if he sees fit, to prohibit sale, lease, or entry on the land. Public Sales Act gave the Secretary of the Interior the discretion to sell or withhold from sale any public lands. Prior to this time, sale, use, or entry on the public lands was not a matter of discretion but was regulated by law. Settlement on the public lands of Nevada has been almost nonexistent since these acts were passed.

1965
Newmont Mining Company opened its extensive gold mining operation near Carlin (Elko).

1966
University of Nevada archaeologists surveyed prehistoric Indian sites at Dixie Flats and Cedar Ridge (Elko), which had been occupied since at least 1000 B.C. Another survey in the Jarbidge area (Elko) revealed sites that had been occupied by prehistoric Indians from about 8000 B.C. as open camps or chipping sites.

1967
February 10: The state legislature ratified the 25th Amendment to the United States Constitution.

1968
Northeastern Nevada Museum established in Elko (Elko).

1969
January 15: The United States government held two underground nuclear tests at its Nevada test site.

January 30: The United States government held an underground nuclear test at its Nevada test site.

February 12: The United States government tested another atomic weapon in Nevada. It conducted many other nuclear tests during 1969.

Mining geologist Gale Peer discovered the rockshelter Indian archaeological site at Gatecliff, in Monitor Valley east of Austin (Lander). A seven year archaeological investigation began in 1970; scientists concluded that prehistoric men had occupied the site continuously over 8000 years.

Cortez Gold Mine opened south of Carlin (Elko).

1971
November 16: The United States government resumed its atomic tests at the Nevada proving grounds.

1973
April 20: Governor Mike O'Callaghan signed a bill which legalized acupuncture.

Legislature designated Indian Affairs Commission changed to Nevada Indians Commission; Nevada Indian Advisory Committee for Indian Education.

1976
Congress passed Federal Land Policy and Management or Organic Act, changing status of public lands from lands held in trust under the Admissions Acts pending disposal to a permanent retention by the U. S. Department of the Interior. This act resulted in the 'Sagebrush Rebellion' which began in 1979; Nevada Assembly passed Bill 413 which declared that public domain lands in Nevada (some 87% of the total area) were property of the State.

1979
September: President James Carter announced his decision to locate the 'MX' missile system in western Utah and east central Nevada (White Pine, Lincoln, and Nye). The proposed MX system comprised 200 intercontinental ballistic missile launch sites, encompassing about 25 thousand square miles. The unique feature of the MX system was its 'basing mode,' whereby each launch site contained 23 separate missile shelters, only one of which held a missile. An automated 'Transporter-Erector-Launcher' travelling along a linear grid could move and place the missile in any of the 23 shelters, in a manner devised to foil detection of the missile's location by Soviet surveillance satellites. In the event of a nuclear war, the MX system was purported to ensure the capacity of the U. S. to retaliate against a Soviet 'first strike.' The MX plan sparked widespread controversy in the State; critics claimed the MX would place insuperable burdens on the desert ecology, on water supply, on mining and ranching, on local economies in general, and on state and local government services. Critics also cited enormous 'social costs' associated with 'boomtown' economies.

'Sagebrush Rebellion' began when Legislature initiated lawsuit to gain control of federally-managed public domain lands in Nevada, amounting to about 50 million acres.

1980
Stewart Indian School closed, reopened as Museum in 1982.

In opposition to the federal government, the State Board of Health attempted to shut down the low-level nuclear waste dump site at Beatty (Nye).

1983
State Legislature passed law changing means of execution in the State from lethal gas to lethal injection; execution by lethal gas had been in effect since 1924.

1985
Elko Mining Expo started.

Cowboy Poetry Gatherings started in Elko.

State and local governments battled the federal government over disposal of low level nuclear wastes at Beatty (Nye).

Controversy developed over possible selection of Yucca Mountain (Nye) as site for a high-level nuclear dump.

1993
Gaming approved in other states and on Indian reservations.

Award to Dann Sisters of 1993 Right Livelihood Award (alternative Nobel Prize) in Sweden for their work for the Shoshone people's access to their traditional lands.

2005
Mary Dann dies as a result of an ATV accident at her home/ranch.

Western Shoshone National Council files suite against the U.S.Govt., BLM, DOI, DOE and the mining industry for treaty violations and destruction of Native Lands.

2006
March 10, 2006
U.S. found guilty of violating human rights of Native Americans.
U.N. Panel Backs Shoshone Claim.
United Nations backs the Shoshone vs. the US Government regarding land rights.
Western Shoshone Victorious at United Nations.

U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton Resigns.