Gerlach, Nevada

Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement Gerlach, Nevada is a census-designated place (CDP) in Washoe County, Nevada, United States.<ref name=gnis/> The population was 130 at the 2020 census.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. Prior to 2010, Gerlach was part of the Gerlach–Empire census-designated place. The town of Empire is now a separate CDP. The next nearest town, Nixon, is Template:Convert to the south on a reservation owned by the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe. The Fly Geyser is located near Gerlach.

History

Gerlach was founded in 1906<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> during the construction<ref>Template:Cite web State Historical Marker No. 152.</ref> of the Western Pacific Railroad Feather River Route. The Gerlach Post Office opened on October 27, 1909.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gerlach was named for the Gerlach Land and Cattle Company,<ref>Template:Cite report</ref> owned by Louis Gerlach.<ref>Template:Cite thesis</ref>

In 1997, the town and its homes and bars were used by the British team of the Thrust SSC supersonic car, as they pursued their goal of being the first to go faster than the speed of sound, which was achieved on October 15, 1997. The record still stands today. The Black Rock Saloon in the town kept track of the progress, given at the same time, Craig Breedlove attempted his own pursuit of the sound barrier. In 2017, several members of the former Thrust team revisited Gerlach for a reunion to mark the 20th anniversary.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2009, the Space Chair was lofted to near space north of Gerlach.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Gerlach CDP has a total area of Template:Convert, all land.<ref name="Census">Template:Cite web</ref> Its elevation is Template:Convert.<ref name=gnis/> Gerlach is approximately Template:Convert north of Reno, Nevada.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

Gerlach has a steppe climate (Bsk). Template:Weather box

Economy

The economy of Gerlach focuses on tourism in the nearby Black Rock Desert, and hunting. Gypsum mining was the historic staple of the local economy. Nearby Empire was a company town of the United States Gypsum Corporation (USG) until the plant closed on January 31, 2011, eliminating 95 jobs.<ref name=HP062211>Huffington Post: "Empire, Nevada Completely Wiped Out By Recession", June 22, 2011.</ref><ref name="CSM_20110611">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2016, the town of Empire was purchased by the Empire Mining Company, who have re-opened gypsum mining operations, and have begun to rehabilitate the houses in town.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The other major industries are a Union Pacific switching station in Gerlach and public services of Washoe County, which includes its roads department and a K–12 public school owned by the Washoe County School District; the future of the Gerlach K–12 School is uncertain, as it is estimated after the gypsum plant closed in 2011, only around a dozen children remained in Gerlach.<ref name=HP062211/> Many of the inhabitants of Gerlach are elderly retirees. Many people in Gerlach also have small private businesses. Many businesses are Internet-based, due to the town's remote Nevada location. Hunters from all over the west travel to Gerlach to hunt a wide variety of game such as chukar, geese, deer, antelope, etc.

Since 1990, Burning Man, a week-long countercultural festival attended by 68,000<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> (Template:As of), has been held nearby. The event is responsible for around 25% of the yearly sales at the few commercial establishments in the area, which include the closest permanent fuel and grocery stops to the Burning Man event site. As of 2023, the Burning Man Project owned about half the commercial property in Gerlach.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The Black Rock Desert is also the site of many other recreational activities throughout the year.<ref>Template:Citation </ref>

Government

Gerlach previously had a volunteer fire department, but in 2015 the entire department resigned. The county had plans to establish fire services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

Primary highway access to Gerlach is provided by State Route 447. It can also be accessed via three former state highways: State Route 34, State Route 48, and State Route 49 (also known as Jungo Road).

Gerlach has an airfield, simply a graded dirt strip, which is no longer usable. It should not be used unless under emergency.

The California Zephyr inter-city rail service was routed through Gerlach from its inception in 1949 until the end of its pre-Amtrak incarnation in 1970, providing direct service from Oakland, California to Chicago.

The Gerlach Water Tower is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In popular culture

Gerlach was one of the film locations for the film Far From Home (1989). Gerlach was also the site for Gary Cooper's first (credited) film, The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Media

Gerlach has two non-profit community-based radio stations. KFBR 91.5 <ref name="Home">Template:Cite web</ref> was run by Friends of Black Rock/High Rock,.<ref name="Home"/> In 2022, KFBR was sold to the Burning Man Project for $6000.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> KLAP<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 89.5 is run by Open Sky Radio Corp and broadcast from a studio located at 395 Main Street in the old Gerlach Gas Station and Garage Building Office.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Education

Washoe County School District operates Gerlach K-12 School.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Ernest M. Johnson School, initially an elementary school in Empire, moved to the Gerlach High School site in Gerlach in 2001.<ref name=Schoolhistp81>Template:Cite web - Despite the statement about the Gerlach campus opening in 2003, it states the addition was built in 2001 and the Johnson School address changed to Gerlach, NV by 2001</ref> By 2000, the school's address was already in Gerlach.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Johnson became a K-12 school in 2011.<ref name=Schoolhistp237>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gerlach High, a school that serves grades 6-12,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> opened in 1931. In 1955, a new building was made, as the original one got destroyed by a fire in January of that same year.<ref name=Schoolhistp195>Template:Cite web - The document states the fire occurred in 1954 but this is contradicted by the newspaper article.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Gerlach has a public library, a branch of the Washoe County Library System, on the school property.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

References

External links

• Visit Gerlach/ Gerlach General Improvement District