Field Matron’s Cottage

Posted on June 4, 2022 by Native Stonework

This is the Field Matron’s Cottage, also known as the Stone Building, and which was built circa 1925  in the locally-unique Stewart Vernacular style of stonemasonry. The construction followed the protocol established at the Stewart Indian School (SIS) in Carson City, Nevada.

Field Matron’s Cottage (photo from the NRHP’s application)

According to Wikipedia: “The Field Matron’s Cottage, also known as the Stone Building, was built circa 1925 on the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony in Sparks, Nevada. The cottage was built to support a Bureau of Indian Affairs program to instruct the 20 acres (8.1 ha) colony’s Paiute and Washoe girls in sanitation and housekeeping skills.

A “field matron” was provided by the Bureau from 1919 to as late as 1938. At first, the matron lived in Reno, at some distance from the colony, but in 1926 funding was made available to build a dwelling on colony lands, allowing a closer relationship between the matron and the colony’s inhabitants. The cottage included a library and an infirmary, and served as a community meeting place.”

And didcha know that The Reno-Sparks Indian Colony was established in 1916 by an Act of Congress? And that the term “colony” for a type of Indian territory is unique to Nevada?

We believe that either the apprentices Native American stonemasons at SIS or those stonemasons at SIS created this cottage. We are basing this belief on the similarity between this building and the buildings found on the SIS campus. SIS superintendent Frederick Snyder began his stone building program in 1919 and expanded it to the neighboring communities. For a fee, the trade apprentices at SIS would build stone houses for governmental or residential use. The plumbing, electrical and carpentry apprentices also worked on these buildings.

The Matron’s Cottage is one of the earliest known examples of the Stewart Vernacular style of architecture that is not on the campus of the Stewart Indian School. The vernacular style of architecture is concerned with domestic and functional buildings rather than public or monumental buildings.

We have found some Web sites claiming that this is the only example of Native American workmanship in the Stewart Vernacular style found in the Reno area. We dispute that claim as we have found other examples this style in the Reno area, specifically on Wedekind Road in Sparks and on Plumb Lane in Reno.

In May of 2003, the Field Matron’s Cottage was listed in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and was the first Bureau of Indian Affairs property in Nevada recognized and honored in this manner. The Cottage was accorded this status on the NRHP due to its long history with the native community and its unique style of architecture (Stewart Vernacular).

Field Matron’s Cottage (photo: Reno Historical Society)

For additional information on the field matron program, please visit http://cantonasylumforinsaneindians.com/history_blog/the-bia-field-matron-program/.

For additional information on the cottage, please visit the following: https://www.theclio.com/entry/85048

https://renohistorical.org/items/show/98

https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/media/63816793/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_NV/03000416.pdf.

Chimney, Field Matron’s Cottage. The NRHP application noted the similarity between this chimney and the chimneys found at SIS (photo from the NRHP’s application)

The last Web site is the application for inclusion in the NRHP. Photographs of the cottage are included in the application and appear to have been taken by Mella Rothwell Harmon, who authored the application. We recommend that, if nothing else, this document be read as it contains much information regarding the Native American stonemasons from SIS, where they acquired the stones they used in their projects and their projects.

The application also notes the similarities between the cottages and those buildings found on the SIS campus.

Should you find yourself in the Reno-Sparks area, we urge you to drive by the Field Matron’s Cottage and take a moment to appreciate this building that’s almost 100 years old. Think of the time and effort it took to create this stone building when the equipment and roads were not as sophisticated as they are today.

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Saved!

Posted on June 4, 2022 by Native Stonework

Look at this house on Adams Street in Carson City. She was built in 1939 by staff and students participating in the programs offered at the Stewart Indian School (SIS). The trade programs include masonry, carpentry, electrical and plumbing.

The Native American stonemasons from the school used the locally-unique Stewart Vernacular style of stone masonry in the construction of the house.  They followed the protocol established at the SIS. As such, this house resembles those on the SIS campus.  Note the details in the stonework, especially the vents in the fireplace and the keystones over the door and windows.

East Adams Street House
Note the vents in the fireplace (internet photo)

Imagine – it’s a cold, wintry day and you – yes, you! – are in front of this terrific fireplace with a roaring fire, good book in one hand and a cup of hot coco in the other.  Can you think of a better way to spend a snowy day?  Us neither.

In 1948, a motel was built to the west of this house.  The motel blocked the west side of the house until May of 2022.

Before demolition was completed – note the building on the right side of the photograph (internet photo)
Demolition debris

The motel and surrounding houses have been demolished in order to construct an apartment complex.  Once demolition was completed, the west side of the house was visible from Carson Street for the first time in almost 75 years. Plus, a portion of the south side of the house also became visible as well.

West side of house without motel blocking view
South Side of house from Corbett Street

We were worried that this cutie might be demolished along with the other houses. If so, an integral part of Nevada’s history would be destroyed in the name of progress.

However, a review of the plans submitted to the city showed that two houses at this location would be spared. Fortunately, this house was not on the chopping block.  Whew!

The house is outlined in yellow – the buildings outlined in blue were demolished
Google Earth photo
Prior to demolition – all buildings outlined in blue were demolished

This house, this tribute to the hard and creative work of the SIS students and staff, remains standing for future generations to enjoy.

Clear shot of the west side of the house
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TLC to the Rescue!

Posted on May 2, 2022 by Native Stonework

This is a classic ranch-style home in South Carson City located approximately a mile from the Stewart Indian School (SIS). Over the years, it became a bit run down and needed a bit of TLC. In 2019, the house was put on the market. Due to its condition, we worried that it would be purchased for the land and the house would be demolished. If that happened a piece of Nevada history would be lost forever.

2019

If memory serves, Randall, Burton and Johnny were the stonemasons who laid the stonework for the facade which circles the entire house. The Wungnema Brothers not only attended the SIS, their father, Ernest, was a master stonemason who taught at the school. Thus, their skill, experience and talent are something to be treasured.

2019
February 2022 – new roof, ready to take on the weather!

The home was sold during the lockdown and the new owners are in the process of restoring the home. They have put quite a bit of work and sweat equity into the home’s exterior, restoring it to its former quiet charm. The stonework was left untouched and still graces the house. We can hardly wait until the project is completed.

April 2022 – This beauty is ethereal and appears to float

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Civilian Conservation Corps – Indian Division

Posted on April 26, 2022 by Native Stonework

So, we found a couple of projects that were probably created by Native American stonemasons. We give them an Ivory Soap chance of being Native American in origin – you know, 99 and 44/100%.  We base this on the appearance of the completed projects and the fact that both projects were completed by members of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). The CCC had a satellite program called the Civilian Conservation Corps – Indian Division (CCC – ID).

Logo, CCC – ID (Photo: BIA)

Let’s talk about the Civilian Conservation Corps – Indian Division (CCC – ID).  This program was part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s CCC, which began life in 1933.  Both the CCC and CCC – ID were part of the president’s New Deal Program. These programs were created to offset the high unemployment rate our country faced at the time. The CCC employed single men between the ages of 18 and 25. These men worked in programs designed to improve America’s public lands, forests, parks and tribal lands.

Records indicate that 3 million men enlisted in the CCC.  Out of those 3 million men, approximately 85,000 were Native American and many of those individuals served in the CCC – ID.  The CCC – ID program was originally called the Indian Emergency Conservation Work Program (IECW) with an initial funding amount of $5,875.200.  The program was renamed in 1937.

John Collier, Commissioner, Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) requested the formation of the CCC – ID in 1933.  Mr. Collier hoped that the CCC – ID would benefit Native Americans living on Indian reservations and tribal lands.  Both Native Americans and the BIA lobbied for a program independent from the CCC as they objected to the U.S. Military providing oversight for the CCC on tribal lands.

The program’s focus was the employment of Native Americans on federally recognized reservations to the reservations.  The program’s goal was to preserve tribal lands, while promoting sustainable ranching and farming. Projects included, but were not limited to, road construction, erosion control, reforestation, and water resource development. Generally, speaking, the members of the CCC – ID benefitted more than those men serving in the CCC as there was no age restriction for enlistment and families could join the men on the projects.

Enlistees in both the CCC and the CCC – ID were paid $30.00 a month.  They sent $25.00 of that to their families back home.  In the Great Depression, $30.00 a month was considered a decent wage.  Consider that a 1933-dollar equals a $21.28 in today’s economy.

Members of the CCC – ID usually labored on tribal lands or on projects near the tribal or reservation lands.  We found two New Deal projects with stonework, stonework that we believe the Native Americans serving in either the CCC or the CCC – ID completed.  One project is in Storey County, Nevada and the other project is in Lamoille Canyon in Elko County.

These projects are the Geiger Grade Lookout and Park and the clubhouse for the Lamoille CCC Camp  (See https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/geiger-grade-lookout-park-virginia-city-nv/ and https://livingnewdeal.org/projects/lamoille-canyon-ccc-camp-lamoille-nv/).

Construction on the Lamoille CCC Camp began in 1933 and concluded in 1937. In 1939, ownership of the camp was signed over to the Boy Scouts of America.  It is thought that the baseball field on the grounds was the work of the CCC.  Sadly, the clubhouse was destroyed by a wildfire in 2018.  All that remains are the foundation and the chimney. 

Look at the fireplace and the foundations.  They are the work of at least three different stonemasons.  The stonework on the left side of the foundation and at the bottom of the chimney resembles the stonework found at the SIS.  The stones are faced and the stonework is precise and tight.  The keystone in the fireplace resembles the fireplaces at SIS. The stonework of the other two masons resembles stonework we have seen executed by other Native American stonemasons. All of the stonework is a joy to behold and should be preserved for future generations.

Note: Lamoille is sometimes spelled Lemoille. The preferred spelling is with an “A”.

Foundation and Chimney, Lamoille CCC Clubhouse (Photo: Richard A. Walker) Note the differences in stonework in the foundation, the chimney and the steps)
Front side of CCC Clubhouse (Photo: Richard A. Walker)

We have not had the opportunity to visit the clubhouse in person.  We hope to do so this summer, along with a visit to Thunder Mountain, the Duckwater Shoshone Tribe of the Duckwater Reservation and Elko.  If you get there before us, please share your photographs and thoughts.

The Geiger Grade lookout and Park was completed in 1938 with the assistance of the CCC.  The lookout and park are on Route 341 which connects Washoe County and Storey County. We believe that Native American stonemasons were employed on the project due to the proximity of reservations in Carson City and Sparks, Nevada. 

Geiger Grade – the Early Years (Internet photo)

The stonemasons would have either been employed by the CCC – ID or by the Nevada Highway Department (Now, the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT). That agency employed day laborers on the project.

While some of the stonework in the park is not the polished, finished product of a seasoned stonemason, other stonework found in the park resembles the stonework we have seen in documented examples of Native American stonework.  As stated previously, we haven’t been able to verify the stonemasons who worked on these two projects. 

circular perfection

However, based on the stonework and the proximity to Native American tribes and reservation land to each project, we believe there is an excellent possibility that Native American stonemasons completed some, if not all, of the stonework at both Lamoille and Geiger Grade.  Take a look at the curvature of the stone trash barrel – that is the work of a master stonemason, such as one who trained at the Stewart Indian School.

Going down
Entrance
Placement for signage pole
Entrance to the restroom
Storage container?
Through the restroom window
Restroom & sign based
Restroom – other entrance

The views from the park and lookout are beyond compare.  We urge you to visit this site and enjoy the quiet beauty spread before you. We spent a spring morning there, exploring, enjoying, oohing and aahing at how nature and man came together so perfectly.  If you have an opportunity, we urge you to take the jaunt to Virginia City and explore the park and lookout. It’s well worth your time.

Looking west from the park

For proof positive of the CCC – ID’s participation in these projects, we need to review the employment records of the CCC – ID. The BIA is the custodian of the CCC – ID records, which are located at the National Archives Records Administration’s Seattle and Denver regional facilities. The CCC – ID records aren’t indexed and few are microfilmed.  Verifying CCC – ID enlistee information would be an excellent research project for a grad student.

So, until we can verify employment, we are going on the belief that Native American stonemasons (serving in either the CCC or the CCC – ID) assisted with the stonework at Geiger Lookout and Park and the Lamoille CCC Camp Clubhouse.

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Lone Mountain Cemetery

Posted on April 19, 2022 by Native Stonework
Photo: findagrave.com

Look at these gorgeous gates, guarding the eternal sleep of our nearest and dearest. These gates are the creation of Randall Wungnema. We’re not sure when the gates were erected. We think it could have been sometime in the 1960s or 1970s. Possibly in 1979, when the cemetery entrance was moved 500 feet to the east to accommodate the Roop Street expansion and realignment. Originally, Roop Street ended at the Civil War monument at the extreme northern edge of the cemetery. The street now bypasses the cemetery to the west.

These gates are a monument to function and art. The gates are a thing of beauty and are still in use today. Randall also constructed similar gateposts on the west side of Carson City.

Right inside the first set of gates is a grave site outlined in Rhyolite. Coincidence? Good question!

And get this, a mere stone’s throw from these gates lies the graves of Frederick and Charlotte Snyder. Frederick is the former superintendent of the Stewart Indian School(SIS). His efforts revolutionized the stone masonry program at SIS and brought Randall’s family to Nevada. Without his efforts, Northern Nevada would not be home to the many wonderful pink stone creations that grace our landscape!

West Gates – these lead into the original section of the cemetery
Middle Gates – these lead into the Veterans’ section of the cemetery (to the left of the entrance)
East Gates – these lead into the religious section of the cemetery

We think we should mention that the last set of gates on the east side of the cemetery are not open to the public. Why? Well, it seems that when these gates are open, most drivers charge through the gates and hit the tree on the right hand side of the photograph. We don’t know why – that tree seems like it would be easy to miss.

This entrance originally led to the Catholic section of the cemetery. The Catholic Church signed their interests in the Catholic Section over to the City of Carson in the 1970s. The Latin phrase over the gates “beati morbid qui in domino mortuntor” translates to ” Blessed are those who die in the Lord.”

One of the gates is dedicated to the memory of Charles J. “Mac” McGuigan. Who he? Many people have asked that question. Turns out he was an area undertaker who worked for Capitol City Mortuary (now FitzHenry’s Funeral Home). He must have been someone special to have one of the gates dedicated in his honor.

We think this post is the appropriate place to mention, that under Nevada Law, it is illegal to publicly display or share photographs of Native American burial sites.  The Nevada State Historic Preservation Office (NSHPO) is the agency responsible for enforcing the NRS that protects Nevada American burial sites in Nevada. 

From the NSHPO’s Web site: “PROTECTION OF NATIVE AMERICAN BURIAL SITES: In 1989, the Nevada legislature passed a law (NRS 383.150 to 383.190) to protect Native American graves on private and public land.  This law was updated with the passage of Senate Bill 244 in the 2017 Legislature.  

The Nevada legislation protecting Native American burials is included in the portion of the Nevada Revised Statutes that covers the State Historic Preservation Office (NSHPO).  The full text of this law is presented here (https://www.leg.state.nv.us/NRS/NRS-383.html), and we urge all concerned parties to read it carefully. 

Because it covers private land and county land, this legislation has more far-reaching impact in some respects than any other laws in Nevada concerning human remains.  Note that under Nevada law, it is illegal to publicly display or exhibit Native American remains except during a funeral ceremony (NRS 383.180.3(b)).  This may include television, photographs, exhibits, and lectures using human bones (Dansie et al., 1994, page 9). 

It is also illegal to find an Native American burial and not report it, even if on private property, and it is illegal to possess or sell a Native American burial or artifacts from an Native American grave.”

So, if you are exploring the wonder that is Nevada and find a Native American burial site, do the right thing. Leave the site alone and report its location to the NSHPO and the nearest tribal office.  Do not dig up the remains and treat them as those they are souvenirs of your outing. Remember the remains are your fellow human beings and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.

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