A ranch house at Alamo (Lincoln County Chamber of
Commerce).
SMALL GEMS
Alamo
Settled at the turn of the twentieth century, Alamo is
located just north of the Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most
important stops on the Great Pacific Migratory Route. The Northern Prairie
Wildlife Research Center notes that the refuge, established in 1964, contains
5,380 acres of marshes, open water, native grass meadows and cultivated
croplands.
The diversity of the area provides habitat for a variety of
birds, according to the research center. Waterfowl and shorebirds are most
numerous during the spring and fall migrations. Great blue herons, egrets and
other shorebirds can be found in the shallow areas of the marshes and lakes.
Raptors are most abundant in the summer. Warblers, orioles and finches are
abundant in the cottonwood trees that border the shorelines of the North Marsh
and Upper Lake. The cultivated and open fields attract meadowlarks, blackbirds
and mourning doves.
Over 240 different species of birds have been recorded on
the refuge. Species diversity and density are highest in the spring and fall,
the research center notes.
The southernmost community in Lincoln County, Alamo also
provides a stop for human aviators -- it boasts a landing strip for private
planes. Some of those pilots arrive to enjoy a nearby retreat which allows
corporate executives to really get away from it all.
Amargosa Valley
Agriculture is the key industry in this fast-growing
section of Pioneer Territory. Unique and innovative methods of irrigation have
allowed the desert to spring to life with crops ranging from alfalfa to fig
trees.
The valley also boasts the largest dairy in Nevada -- the
Ponderosa -- which provides steady employment for a population of more than
6,000 bovines.
Geology and history buffs also will find much to attract
them to the Amargosa Valley, and all visitors -- including those arriving at
the nearby Jackass Aeropark Airport -- are certain to find a hearty welcome at
the Longstreet Inn and Casino and other friendly inns and saloons.
"Champagne Air and Million-Dollar Sunsets" are
advertised -- and delivered.
Gabbs
Discovery of magnesium-bearing ore in the 1920s gave birth
to a town called Brucite, which be-came Gabbs in 1943, taking its name from
paleontologist William More Gabb, who catalogued rich fossil finds from the
area.
The need for magnesium in both World War II and the Korean
conflict kept area mines humming, and Gabbs became a city in 1955. Its fortunes
ebbed and flowed with mineral demand, but Gabbs remained the only incorporated
city in Nye County for more than 45 years. The expense of sustaining a
municipal government eventually became too much for this close-knit community
of just a little more than 300 residents, however, and Gabbs returned to
unincorporated status on May 8, 2001.
Which doesn't mean the place ceased to exist. Far from it.
Gabbs still survives, welcoming thousands of visitors annually to nearby
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park, and awaiting the next boom -- which should be
along any time soon.
Panaca
Quaint, agricultural Panaca is a graceful and historic
community dating back to the 1860s, when it was founded by Mormon settlers,
attracted to the area by its relative abundance of water.
Some of the descendants of
those pioneers still live in the Panaca area today.
Long a popular stop for tourists en route to Cathedral
Gorge State Park, Panaca boasts a visitors center where the traveler can view
interpretive displays and be outfitted with other information on this
fascinating natural wonder. The State Parks Division explains that, "Cathedral
Gorge is located in a long, narrow valley where erosion has carved dramatic and
unique patterns in the soft bentonite clay. Trails abound for exploring the
cave-like formations and cathedral-like spires. Miller Point, a scenic overlook
just north of the park entrance on U.S. 93, offers excellent views of the
scenic canyon. Shaded picnic areas and a tree-shaded campground area are open
all year. Hiking, picnicking, camping, nature study and photography are the
most common activities at the park."
With an uncrowded population of 800, and some of Nevada's most unique scenery -- ranging from graceful to dramatic -- Panaca and its environs remain a small and unspoiled reminder of the way things used to be, back when Pioneer Territory was earning its name.