LOVELOCK
You've come a long way, baby—a long, long way--and you're almost home. But you're parched, you're famished and you're mighty sick of driving. Salt Lake City lies about 500 miles of desert scrub and sagebrush to the east and the playa another 150 miles going southwest to Fernley and then north to Black Rock City (BRC). If you want one last hot shower and one last night in a real bed before hitting the playa, take a lesson from the wagon trains that passed through Northern Nevada more than a century ago and pull over in Lovelock, Nevada.
Set on the western edge of “Cowboy Country,” Lovelock, the County Seat of Pershing County, is the last major pit stop on I-80 heading west before you veer north to the playa. There are three Interstate exits in Lovelock. Exit 107 is on the east side of town, Exit 106 goes to downtown and Exit 105 leads to the west end. Mind you, you've already come through the worst of it; Battle Mountain, 125 miles back, has been hailed by the Washington Post as the “Armpit of America.”
Lovelock is named for George Lovelock, a Welsh immigrant who, in 1867, donated eighty-five acres for a townsite, right-of-way for the soon-to-arrive transcontinental railroad and a railway depot. His descendants still live here. It is the County Seat of Pershing County and just over 2,000 people, roughly half of the county's population, call it home.
Navigating Lovelock
Lovelock is a small town, but if you are just passing through then a little background will help get your bearing's straight. Highway 80 offers two exits to Lovelock--traveling west they are numbered 107 and 106. Exit 106 will bring you downtown. Business 80 & 95 run along local Cornell Street. Sturgeon's Casino is on the east side of town; Two Stiffs Selling Gas is on the west side. Safeway is in the town's center.
For those who take the time to stop, there's a lot to notice
around here. Until the freeway bypassed the town in 1983, the stoplight dangling
over Cornell Street was the last signal light regulating traffic between New
York and San Francisco. Lovelock's historic round courthouse
(401 Main Street) is said to be the only one of its kind in the nation still
functioning as a courthouse. On the courthouse grounds is an antique
Seth-Thomas Clock made in 1911. In 2004, Burning Man pledged funds
from ice sales toward the repair of this historical timepiece. From
Highway 80 take Exit 106 toward downtown Lovelock. Turn left on Main
St., right on Cornell Ave. and left onto 14 th St. Located at 401 Main St.
Check out the Marzen House Pershing County Museum: formerly the showplace home of a wealthy rancher, now restored and chock full of nifty artifacts from Lovelock's early days. From Highway 80 take Exit 105 toward Lovelock. Veer left onto Main St., turn left onto Meadow Lane, then left on Willow Drive, left on Ash Drive, which becomes Marzen Lane. Located at 25 Marzen Lane.
Why Stop in Lovelock?
Well one reason to stop is obvious—you need gas, food or one last shower before hitting Burning Man. Another reason is that the City of Lovelock is Black Rock City's close neighbor. There is a growing relationship between these two municipalities—the kind of relationship that interested Burners might want to help foster.
The Black Rock Desert is on federal land that straddles Pershing, Washoe and Humboldt Counties. From 1990 to 1996 Black Rock City sat either in Pershing or Humboldt Counties. In 1996 the Bureau of Land Management began relying on Sheriff Skinner of Pershing County for additional law enforcement efforts. In 1997 Burning Man was held on private land in Washoe County. Black Rock City returned to federal land in 1998 and straddled both Pershing and Washoe Counties.
Sympathetic to the financial impact that Burning Man had on Pershing's municipal budget, Burning Man paid the County's expenses for the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for driving into tents at the rave camp in 1996. (Incidentally, the culprit is still in jail.) Since then Burning Man and the three Pershing County Commissioners have developed a sometimes rocky and sometimes friendly relationship that always leads to the Man burning on Labor Day weekend.
On their way to and from Black Rock City each year, most Burning Man participants travel through Reno, thereby generating millions of dollars annually for the Washoe County economy. Unfortunately, Pershing County does not reap the same economic benefits due to the realities of geography. However, each year Burning Man draws more and more participants that make the trek from the East Coast across Highway 80.
From 2003 through 2004, Burning Man and Pershing County began debating a new County festival ordinance, which would require Burning Man to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in permit fees to the County. Burning Man questions the Constitutionality of this ordinance, which could have a negative impact on the future of Burning Man. We expect resolution of this issue in 2005.
Accordingly, Burning Man is working with the County on other ways to generate local revenue. In 2003 Burning Man donated approximately $5,000 from ice-sale proceeds to local charities and service organizations. In 2004 the amount of donations doubled to $10,000. Details can be found in this press release.
Please do your part to spread Burning Man culture and love to Pershing
County. Stop in Lovelock, visit the sights, enjoy some of the local
restaurants and when you pay the bill, make sure you tell them that you're
on your way to Burning Man. Just keep in mind that Lovelock is a
conservative Mormon community. We are all Black Rock City diplomats
each time we visit the conservative town of Lovelock. So, please
be respectful of our close neighbors.
Grocery/Convenience Stores
- Safeway, 400 Dartmouth Ave., (775) 273-2418.
- Lovelock Chevron, 150 Main St., (775) 273-7272.
- Two Stiffs Selling Gas, 1090 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2911.
- Lovelock Beacon/Java Joe's Mustang Corral, 415 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2031.
Grub `n' Firewater
- La Casita, Mexican & American fare, 410 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-7773.
- Cowpoke Caf, all-beef burgers, fresh curly fries & homemade baked goods. 660 Irish American Road, (775) 273-7811.
- Henry Station, Gifts, homemade fudge, deli & ice cream parlor. In the train depot at the corner of Broadway Ave. & Main Street, (775) 273-1010.
- The Oasis at Rye Patch: Pizzeria & saloon with a tropical touch. Eat in or take out. 2210 Rye Patch Reservoir Rd., (775) 538-7499.
- Pizza Factory, pizza, deli, beverages. 750 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-3232.
- Sha-Boom offers a 1950s style menu and flair. 1525 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-1950.
- Sturgeon's Ramada Inn Restaurant, Casino & Motel, 1420 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2971.
One Last Hot Shower And Some Dust Free Zzz'z:
Indoors:
- The Cadillac Inn, 1395 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2798.
- The Lovelock Inn, 55 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2937.
- Old Pioneer Garden Bed & Breakfast, 2805 Unionville Rd., Unionville, (775) 538-7585.
- Sturgeon's Ramada Inn Restaurant, Casino & Motel Services: Motel, restaurant, casino, bar, lounge and nightclub. 1420 Cornell Ave., 273-2971.
- Super 10 Motel, 1390 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-1666.
Camping:
- Lazy K Campground: RV park, campground, swimming pool, store & fishing supplies; 1550 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-0577.
Camping Gear, Hardware and Supplies
- ACE Hardware, 1210 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2687.
- Heart of Nevada: thrift shop, pawnshop, used furniture & other items; 475 Cornell Ave. (775) 273-0771.
- The Powder House: outdoor supplies, camp stoves, tarps, etc.; 400 Irish American Rd., (775) 273-2709.
Gas Stations
- Lovelock Beacon Service: fuel, truck tire repair, road service, auto care & tire center. 415 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2032.
- Lovelock Chevron: gasoline, diesel, convenience store & gaming; 150 Main St., (775) 273-7272.
- Two Stiffs Selling Gas: mini-market/convenience store, gasoline; 1090 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2911.
- Campbell Station: gasoline, lube & oil change, car wash; 1455 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-1222.
Car Repair
- A Plus Auto: auto parts & supplies; 395 Main St., (775) 273-2221.
- City Auto Parts & Supply, Inc.: auto parts & supplies; 340 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2634.
- Jim's Tire Factory: tires, towing (24-hour road service) & mechanical; 395 West Broadway, 600 North Meridian Rd., (775) 273-7217.
- Jim's Service: auto repair; 690 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2731
Money
- Nevada State Bank, 1150 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2657.
- Wells Fargo Bank, 920 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2942.
Gift Shops
- The Crow's Nest: jewelry & gifts, home furnishings, cards & collectibles; 1475 Cornell Ave., (775) 273-2121.
- Henry Station: gifts, homemade fudge, deli & ice cream parlor; located in Lovelock's historic train depot at the Corner of Broadway Ave. & Main St., (775) 273-1010.
- Little Creek's Shoshone Bead Co.: handcrafted polymer clay focal beads strung with other, quality, materials to create original jewelry; 500 Reservoir Rd., (775) 273-2324.
Storage
- Cache Mini-Storage, 105 Upper Valley Rd., (775) 273-2733.
Explorations in the Area
- Tufa rock formations are a sight to behold. These intricately textured shapes of towers, ledges, pillars and archways were geologically formed by algae in nearby prehistoric Lake Lahontan in the same way that blue-algae forms coral reefs. From downtown Lovelock drive north on Central Ave. Turn left on to Pitt Rd. and travel two and a half miles to an unmarked gravel road and then turn right. Drive slightly over a mile until you see the Tufa formations.
- Lovelock Indian Cave, aka Bat Cave or Sunset Guano Cave is a limestone cavern, created by the waters of prehistoric Lake Lahontan. Home to indigenous peoples as far back as 2000 B.C., the oldest dated duck decoys in North America (1,250 to 1,980 years ago) were discovered here. It's 160 feet wide by 40 feet deep. From Main St. in Lovelock go south on Amherst Ave., which turns into S.R. 397. Continue south until 397 dead ends into Derby Rd. Turn left and go east on Derby Rd. Eventually the road will turn right and go south. Shortly thereafter turn right on East Rd. Continue until this road dead ends at the cave.
- A great place to stay is Rye Patch State Recreation Area: camping, picnic areas, hiking and water sports. Located 22 miles east of Lovelock off I-80, (775) 538-7321. Also in Rye Patch is the Oasis Saloon and Pizza restaurant. Burner friendly, the Saloon sports a very good selection of beers and a photo gallery on the wall. 2210 Rye Patch reservoir Road, Exit 129, 22 miles east of Lovelock, (775) 538-7499.
- Chief Rolling Mountain Thunder Memorial: Feast your eyes on another fine roadside example of radical self-expression replete with statues of naked women and concrete totems. Created by Chief Thunder over a period of twenty years beginning in 1968, it is considered Nevada's equivalent to the Watts Towers. He meant it as a tribute to Native Americans. Its main feature is a three-story house, composed of concrete, bottles, and assorted treasures retrieved from a nearby junkyard. Located across the freeway from Imlay, about halfway between Lovelock and Winnemucca. Access is free, donations accepted for a volunteer effort to save the site from crumbling away.
- Check out the Ghost town of Unionville, a mining boomtown in the 1860's with upwards of 1500 fortune seekers including reputedly, Mark Twain. Nestled in a region of mesmerizing high desert mountain ranges and remote valleys is a B&B—the Old Pioneer Garden Country Inn. 2805 Unionville Rd, Unionville, NV 89418 (775) 538-7585 or (800) 538-7556. Located on State highway 400, off I-80 about halfway between Lovelock and Winnemucca.
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