Dresslerville

"#131 conquered and with it, another gripe about placement. I can see why it was placed alongside 395, but it somewhat takes away the bucolic nature of Dresslerville. It's hard to think about the native Washo and their "peaceful" lands when the whizzing of cars are grinding past you at 55mph. Just saying. Why not place this one at the Carson River bridge near Ruhenstroth Dam? Much quieter; much more symbolic of the Washo. It makes too much sense." -- August 2007

Along US 395, 3.6 miles south of Gardnerville

Douglas
38.903116, -119.705341

Original Date Visited: 8/27/07
Revisited: 11/19/22
Signed: Both lanes of US 395. Dual signed with - 125 -

Street View

Here's what you'll see!

Here is Marker 131 before it was revamped for Nevada's 150th celebration Marker 131 stands alone just south of Gardnerville Here's another marker-with-a-view! This one honors the Washoe people of western Nevada itself rather than a community

Exact Description:
In 1917 State Senator William F. Dressler gave this 40-acre tract to Washo Indians, then living on ranches in Carson Valley. After a school was opened in 1924, it became a nucleus of settlement.

Before the intrusion of Caucasians in 1848, Washo lived in winter in the Pinenut Hills where they stored autumn harvested pinenuts. In summer, they lived in the Lake Tahoe Basin fishing the tributary streams and gathering roots and berries. In fall, they hunted jackrabbits and gathered seeds in Carson Valley.

Their only form of organization was that of kinship.

These stone age people lived in daily communion with giants, monsters, animals whose characteristics were interchangeable with those of people, and with water babies, "having the bodies of old men and the long hair of girls," who lived in the lakes of the High Sierra.

Next Marker

MACKAY MANSION

Related Links & Markers:

- 126 - Double Springs - 181 - The Washo Indians - 183 - Walker River Reservation - 207 - Carson Valley Nevada Towns: Dresslerville

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