As residents in Northern Nevada, we seem to have distinctive ideas to pinpoint which town a local is from, such as Carson City or Gardnerville.
But when it comes to Fallon, what makes our residents true locals?
To get an inside look, we posted this fill-in-the-blank on our Facebook page in February and received a variety of great comments from followers:
Here are some of the top responses based on likes and reactions.
9. “A traffic jam is five vehicles following a tractor.” - Tammy Rena Dockery.
Fallon is a town with heavy duty farming and it’s quite common to drive on streets below the speed limit if the motorist is stuck behind a tractor. Either residents patiently wait it out or pass when it’s safe.
8. “You see cows running loose down Main Street on a Tuesday,” - Allie Mortensen.
Quails, goats, and even peacocks, apparently—that’s according to other locals who’ve responded to this post.
7. “You see at least 15 people every day that you have known for at least 20 years…just at Walmart.” - Jackie Travis.
“No matter where you go in town—bank, store, post office, kids sports, schools—you always run into someone you know.” - Michele Pratt.
As a Fallon local for 18 years, I vote a yes on this one. We’re obviously a small town but preparation is needed as bumping into former classmates and neighbors is expected.
6. “Most of your shopping was done on Maine Street, or Kent’s Grocery, Jeff’s Office Supply, Wallace’s, J.C. Penney’s, Ann’s clothing, movie theater, two jewelry shops and a shoe store as well.” - Jennifer Minner Waggoner.
Before Walmart Supercenter changed the shopping scene in Fallon, a basic Walmart used to be located where Big 5 Sports is today and J.C. Penney’s also used to be located in the Valley Plaza along Williams Avenue. With that, there were many local businesses thriving in the area.
The Kent family ran a one-of-a-kind local grocery store until it closed in 1992. Ann’s Clothes Tree on Maine Street, was operated by Anny Heying for 10 years.
As Jeff’s Copy Express is still serving Fallon, it’s also approaching its 50 year anniversary.
5. “12 noon! That’s when ya know.” - Carissa Gardner.
“You know what the noon whistle means.” - Debbie Francis.
For most Fallon locals today, the noon siren indicates lunchtime.
But the noon siren has been sounding since 1948 for the volunteer fire department; back then, volunteer firefighters had live within three miles of the station to hear the siren.
Although many small towns also have a noon siren, it’s a special tradition for Fallon.
4. “29 cent burgers at Bob’s every Tuesday.” - Kurt Henning.
Although it’s ironic, don’t get confused with the show “Bob’s Burgers;” the former Bob’s Root Beer along the Reno Highway was a treat for road travelers.
Not only burgers were offered through the drive through window; customers also got their fix of root beer floats as well.
The drive-in was built in 1960 and owned by Signore and Lambright families, which at first was an A&W Root Beer franchise before changing the name.
As years passed and as Fallon bloomed, the current owners of the drive-in closed business in 2006.
3. “You know what a Gurkha is.” - Corrine Ellis.
Churchill County High School alumnus know! The Gurkha is the mascot of the school, also known as the Greenwave.
The Greenwave Gurkha also is used in other schools, such as Tulane University in New Orleans, and at Long Branch High School in New Jersey.
So how did the Oasis of Nevada inherit the mascot? The term Greenwave is inspired by the farms in Churchill County; it represents alfalfa and high crops blowing in the wind, which creates a visual of waves flowing through fields.
But before the Greenwave Gurhka, CCHS sports teams were once the “Melon Pickers”, inspired by the Hearts-of-Gold cantaloupe melons.
2. “You know that a Heart-of-Gold has nothing to do with feelings,” - Glenda Sorensen Dockery.
The Hearts-of-Gold cantaloupe is a popular-grown melon in Fallon, and we can thank O.J. Vannoy for bringing it to Nevada, according to the Fallon Convention and Tourism Authority.
The melon was first grown by Michigan farmer Roland Morrill in 1895, however, Vannoy was the first to grow the Hearts-of-Gold type in Fallon, followed by Rick Lattin of Lattin Family Farms, who started growing the melons in the 1950s.
What makes a Hearts-of-Gold cantaloupe special is it produces a sweet, deep orange-red flesh, with an extra juicy flavor.
The melon became so popular in the area, a group of farmers organized the Churchill County Cantaloupe Growers Association and adopted the “Hearts-O-Gold” trademark for their produce and the Fallon Cantaloupe Festival was born.
1. “You park on Rattlesnake Hill looking down on our town.” - Debi Henning.
“Going up to Rattlesnake Mountain in front of the cross and finding the lights on Lahontan dam at night, smelling alfalfa on a summer night driving down the highway with windows rolled down.” - DeAnn Guerette Johnson.
This is where you could spend the afternoon or evening alone, with a significant other, or close friends. You can choose a trail to get to the top once you turn into Rattlesnake Raceway, off of Airport Road.
A Chevy Tahoe, truck, or some other sports utility car is needed to drive up the rugged hills to reach the cross at the top, but a hike may be just as enjoyable.
To watch the sun set below the Oasis of Nevada is a memory you don’t want to miss making.