Gov. Steve Sisolak on Friday commended the federal Interior Department’s efforts to address the legacy of federal Indian boarding schools, including Stewart in Carson City. He also committed to addressing that legacy at the state level. “I appreciate the care and dedication shown by the U.S. Department of Interior on this critical project,” he said. “Tribal citizens in Nevada lived the harsh realities of these boarding schools which were designed to forcefully assimilate young Native Americans by kidnapping them from their families and culture.” He also apologized for any role the state of Nevada played in the policy and committed to supporting families still experiencing impacts. There were three boarding schools in Nevada: Stewart in Carson City, Pyramid Lake Boarding and Day School in Nixon and Western Shoshone Boarding School in Owyhee. Stewart has since been turned into the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum. Sisolak said some 20,000 Indian students attended Stewart from 1890 until 1980.
