150 Years Ago
Empire City: Empire is a lively city, where wholesome business is transacted. It is a depot for wood, lumber and quartz; the mills are in constant, increasing operation, and businesses doing well. The citizens of Empire will soon erect a schoolhouse. There is no church edifice in Empire, but the people secure services of a minister to preach there every Sabbath.
130 Years Ago
Greener pastures: John Ely, the painter, left for East two years ago. He writes that he is coming back where he can get Nevada climate and everything that goes with it. Every man who leaves Nevada for other pastures is certain to come back.
110 Years Ago
Suicide: Well known resident of Reno and pioneer of this state, M. T. Curtis, committed suicide on the grave of his wife at a Reno cemetery. He went to the home of his sister and asked for flowers to place on the grave and went to the cemetery, arranged the flowers, removed his shoes and fired a shot. He left a note to his son saying he was tired of life and he was “going home to ‘ma.’”
100 Years Ago
Calico Camp in California: Calico, a bonanza silver camp, is showing signs of life since silver took an upward trend. It was one of the famous camps in the early 1880s and reached its zenith in 1885 when silver sold at $1.13. Calico was named because of a peculiar rock formation that gave a spotted effect to the slopes.
70 Years Ago
Photo caption: The shrinking dollar — The American dollar is the same size and color it was in 1939, but the amount of goods that can be purchased with it has decreased considerably. In 1939, a grocer took your dollar, and handed you soap flakes, bread, butter, milk and eggs. Today’s she is fortunate to get the soap flakes and eggs for the same $1 bill.
20 Years Ago
Photo caption: Tim Heuther, publisher of the Record-Courier in Gardnerville, accepts Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year award from Judge Jeanne Stangle during an awards banquet at Carson Valley Inn in Minden. Lloyd Hiquera, owner of KGVM, accepts his award as Business Person of the Year.
Sue Ballew is the daughter of Bill Dolan, who wrote this column for the Nevada Appeal from 1947 until his death in 2006.