Stewart ‘S’ on Prison Hill fixed after vandalism

Updated 8:27 a.m. June 25

Carson City resident Deb Ridgeway was saddened to discover over the weekend someone apparently played a prank on the “S” on Prison Hill that has long signified the historic Stewart Indian School in the Washoe Tribe community beneath the hill.

The “S” appeared to have a line drawn through it to make it look like a dollar sign. By Monday morning, it had been fixed, though Ridgeway wasn’t sure who fixed it.

Ridgeway said four years ago students went up the hill to repaint the symbol to assure tribal elders they were being remembered. Ridgeway’s late mother, Virginia Carrillo, graduated from the Stewart Indian School in 1954.

“I don’t know if some kids got up there, and they thought they were being funny because it looked like a money sign, but it wasn’t funny,” Ridgeway said. “It was disgraceful.”

Prison Hill is managed by Carson City. Monday, Sheriff Ken Furlong checked out the “S” himself.

“Whatever has been done has been undone,” he said, noting the symbol was restored.

Cameron Gresh, Carson City public information officer, said the incident was not from any city staff performing work in the popular recreation area.

“This was unfortunately intentional, as it was completed with white plastic and tent stakes,” Gresh said. “Based on observations by our staff, the ‘S’ was intact Friday, and then the vandalism was identified on Saturday morning, so it likely happened on Friday night.”

Gresh added city staff cleaned up the plastic.

“Our maintenance workers Bob Tonseth and Joe Steele hiked up there to retrieve the plastic,” he said.

According to the Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum, the school was operated by the federal government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs from 1890 to 1980. The museum officially opened in 2020.

“Museum is overseen by Stewart Cultural Advisory Committee, made up of Stewart alumni and family members, advising on all aspects of creating and designing the new museum. This is their school, their museum, their stories,” according to the website.

For information, visit https://stewartindianschool.com/.