Winnemucca | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Downtown Winnemucca viewed fromWinnemucca Mountain | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: | |
 Humboldt County and City of Winnemucca, Nevada | |
  Winnemucca  Winnemucca | |
| Coordinates:40°58′6″N117°43′36″W / 40.96833°N 117.72667°W /40.96833; -117.72667 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| County | Humboldt |
| Named after | Chief Winnemucca |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Rich Stone |
| Area | |
• Total | 9.77 sq mi (25.30 km2) |
| • Land | 9.77 sq mi (25.30 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0.00 km2) |
| Elevation | 4,295 ft (1,309 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,431 |
| • Density | 863.0/sq mi (333.22/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (PDT) |
| ZIP codes | 89445, 89446 |
| Area code | 775 |
| FIPS code | 32-84800 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0844996[4] |
| Website | www.winnemuccacity.org |
Winnemucca (/ˌwɪnəˈmʌkə/ ⓘ) is the only incorporated city inHumboldt County, Nevada, United States,[5] of which it is also thecounty seat. As of the2020 census, the city had a total population of 8,431,[6] up 14% from the 2010 census figure of 7,396.Interstate 80 passes through the city, where it meetsU.S. Route 95.
The town was named for the 19th-centuryChief Winnemucca of the localNorthern Paiute tribe, who traditionally lived in this area.[7] Winnemucca, translated, means "the giver."[8] The chief's daughter,Sarah Winnemucca, was an advocate for education and fair treatment of the Paiute andShoshone tribes in the area. Their family all learned to speak English, and Sarah worked as an interpreter, scout and messenger for the United States Army during theBannock War of 1878. In 1883, Sarah Winnemucca published the first autobiography written by a Native American woman,[9] based on hundreds of lectures she'd given in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. It has been described as "one of the most enduring ethno-historical books written by an American Indian."[9]
On September 16, 1868, theCentral Pacific Railroad reached Winnemucca, and was officially opened on October 1 of that year. It was a stop on thefirst transcontinental railroad completed the following year.[10]
Basque immigrants worked as sheep-herders starting in the mid-19th century. In honor of this heritage, Winnemucca hosts an annual Basque Festival.
On September 19, 1900,Butch Cassidy's gang robbed the First National Bank of Winnemucca of $32,640.
Winnemucca'sbrothel district, while smaller now than in the 1980s, is known as "The Line" or "The Ring Circle", based on the layout of the street where the brothels are located. As of 2015, there have been no operating brothels in Humboldt County, Nevada.[citation needed] Sex workers in the town must register their vehicles with the local police.[11]
According to a billboard alongState Route 140 (the "Winnemucca to the Sea Highway"), Winnemucca styles itself "The City of Paved Streets".
Winnemucca is home to the Buckaroo Hall of Fame and Heritage Museum.
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Winnemucca had a vibrant Chinatown. The Chinese originally came to the area as workers on the transcontinentalCentral Pacific Railroad, which reached Winnemucca in 1868. Some remained or returned to settle.
During the 1890s, around 400 Chinese formed a community in the town. Among their prominent buildings was the Joss House on Baud Street, a place of worship and celebration. In 1911, the community was visited bySun Yat-Sen, later to become Chinese president. He was on a fund-raising tour of the United States to help theXinhai Revolution.[12]
The Joss House, the last structure associated with Chinatown, was demolished on March 8, 1955, by order of the Winnemucca City Council.[13][14]
Winnemucca is located at40°58′6″N117°43′36″W / 40.96833°N 117.72667°W /40.96833; -117.72667 (40.968212, −117.726662).[15]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 9.4 square miles (24.3 km2), all land.[16]
Winnemucca's climate issemi-arid (Köppen climate classificationBSk), averaging 8.28 in (210 mm) of precipitation annually. Summer days tend to be hot, but the temperature drops significantly at night. Winters are cold with generally light snow, with 22.0 in (56 cm) falling during a typical year. The highest recorded temperature in Winnemucca was 109 °F (43 °C), on July 11, 2002, and the lowest recorded temperature was −37 °F (−38 °C) on December 22, 1990. Freezing temperatures have been observed in every month of the year.[17]
| Climate data for Winnemucca, Nevada (Winnemucca Municipal Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1877–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 68 (20) | 74 (23) | 82 (28) | 90 (32) | 100 (38) | 106 (41) | 109 (43) | 108 (42) | 106 (41) | 94 (34) | 77 (25) | 70 (21) | 109 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 55.9 (13.3) | 62.8 (17.1) | 72.0 (22.2) | 80.0 (26.7) | 89.4 (31.9) | 98.1 (36.7) | 103.1 (39.5) | 100.8 (38.2) | 94.7 (34.8) | 83.8 (28.8) | 69.1 (20.6) | 58.1 (14.5) | 103.7 (39.8) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 44.0 (6.7) | 49.4 (9.7) | 57.7 (14.3) | 63.5 (17.5) | 73.7 (23.2) | 84.7 (29.3) | 95.5 (35.3) | 93.2 (34.0) | 83.3 (28.5) | 68.7 (20.4) | 53.8 (12.1) | 42.9 (6.1) | 67.5 (19.8) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 32.2 (0.1) | 36.6 (2.6) | 42.6 (5.9) | 47.6 (8.7) | 56.4 (13.6) | 65.4 (18.6) | 74.5 (23.6) | 71.6 (22.0) | 62.1 (16.7) | 49.4 (9.7) | 38.6 (3.7) | 30.7 (−0.7) | 50.6 (10.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 20.5 (−6.4) | 23.9 (−4.5) | 27.5 (−2.5) | 31.6 (−0.2) | 39.1 (3.9) | 46.1 (7.8) | 53.5 (11.9) | 50.0 (10.0) | 41.0 (5.0) | 30.1 (−1.1) | 23.4 (−4.8) | 18.5 (−7.5) | 33.8 (1.0) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 1.3 (−17.1) | 6.7 (−14.1) | 12.0 (−11.1) | 16.8 (−8.4) | 23.8 (−4.6) | 31.2 (−0.4) | 40.7 (4.8) | 37.2 (2.9) | 26.9 (−2.8) | 13.8 (−10.1) | 5.8 (−14.6) | −1.4 (−18.6) | −6.0 (−21.1) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −36 (−38) | −28 (−33) | −3 (−19) | 6 (−14) | 10 (−12) | 23 (−5) | 29 (−2) | 26 (−3) | 12 (−11) | −2 (−19) | −10 (−23) | −37 (−38) | −37 (−38) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 0.96 (24) | 0.71 (18) | 0.87 (22) | 1.00 (25) | 1.13 (29) | 0.50 (13) | 0.16 (4.1) | 0.12 (3.0) | 0.39 (9.9) | 0.66 (17) | 0.76 (19) | 1.02 (26) | 8.28 (210) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 4.4 (11) | 3.7 (9.4) | 3.0 (7.6) | 1.8 (4.6) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.5 (1.3) | 2.6 (6.6) | 5.9 (15) | 22.0 (56) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.5 | 7.5 | 8.2 | 8.0 | 7.7 | 3.7 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.8 | 4.3 | 6.4 | 8.3 | 69.6 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.6 | 1.8 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 2.2 | 4.9 | 19.7 |
| Averagerelative humidity (%) | 69.9 | 61.9 | 55.3 | 46.5 | 40.4 | 37.6 | 28.8 | 30.0 | 36.5 | 47.8 | 63.0 | 69.3 | 48.9 |
| Mean monthlysunshine hours | 161.2 | 174.5 | 228.3 | 263.3 | 331.1 | 346.6 | 398.3 | 358.5 | 306.5 | 257.5 | 153.3 | 148.9 | 3,128 |
| Percentagepossible sunshine | 54 | 59 | 62 | 66 | 74 | 77 | 87 | 84 | 82 | 75 | 51 | 52 | 70 |
| Source: NOAA (sun and relative humidity 1961–1990)[18][19][20] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 290 | — | |
| 1880 | 763 | 163.1% | |
| 1890 | 1,307 | 71.3% | |
| 1900 | 1,110 | −15.1% | |
| 1910 | 1,786 | 60.9% | |
| 1920 | 1,934 | 8.3% | |
| 1930 | 1,989 | 2.8% | |
| 1940 | 2,485 | 24.9% | |
| 1950 | 2,827 | 13.8% | |
| 1960 | 3,453 | 22.1% | |
| 1970 | 3,587 | 3.9% | |
| 1980 | 4,140 | 15.4% | |
| 1990 | 6,134 | 48.2% | |
| 2000 | 7,174 | 17.0% | |
| 2010 | 7,396 | 3.1% | |
| 2020 | 8,431 | 14.0% | |
| source:[21][22] | |||
| Largest ancestries (2000)[23] | Percent |
|---|---|
| German | 55% |
| Mexican | 23% |
| Irish | 11% |
| English | 9% |
| Basque | 4% |
As of the census[24] of 2000, there were 7,174 people, 2,736 households, and 1,824 families residing in the city. The population density was 867.5 inhabitants per square mile (334.9/km2). There were 3,280 housing units at an average density of 396.6 per square mile (153.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 83.41%White, 2.23%African American, 0.89%Native American, 0.32%Asian, 0.03%Pacific Islander, 9.60% fromother races, and 3.51% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 20.74% of the population.
Basque Americans make up 4.2% of the population of Winnemucca, the highest percentage of any city in the United States.[25]
There were 2,736 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.21.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.2% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 104.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $46,699, and the median income for a family was $53,681. Males had a median income of $47,917 versus $26,682 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,441. About 7.5% of families and 9.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.8% of those under the age of 18 and 8.1% of those 65 and older.
TheWinnemucca Indian Colony of Nevada has its headquarters in Winnemucca.[26] It is afederally recognized tribe ofWestern Shoshone andNorthern Paiute Indians in northwesternNevada.[27][28]
Amtrak, the national passenger rail system, provides service to Winnemucca. TheCalifornia Zephyr provides a daily service in both directions between San Francisco and Chicago. TheWinnemucca passenger rail station, at 209 West Railroad Street, is now unstaffed. Amtrak tickets for railway transportation in Winnemucca can be purchased online.
Historically, since 1867, Winnemucca has been a station on theTranscontinental Railroad.
Winnemucca is near the half-way point betweenSalt Lake City and San Francisco alongInterstate 80, which passes through town.US Route 95 also goes through Winnemucca.
Local aviation needs are served by theWinnemucca Municipal Airport, located about 5 miles southwest of downtown. There are no scheduled passenger services. The closest commercial airports areReno–Tahoe International Airport inReno andElko Regional Airport inElko.
TheGreat Basin Sun, the area newspaper, is published weekly.[29]
Nomadic Broadcasting operates radio stationKHYX-FM with a 50,000 watt signal on 102.7 FM and Translator K232BK on 94.3 FM, serving Winnemucca and its outlying communities. 102.7 is an adult contemporary format while 94.3 is a rock format. These two signals are HD.
Buckaroo Broadcasting operates radio stationKWNA-FM[30] with a 25,000 watt signal and a country format.
Many of Winnemucca's residents are employed by large mining companies such asNewmont andBarrick Gold and by many companies servicing the gold mining industry. Carry-On Trailers employs over 100 residents at their manufacturing facility in the Airport Industrial Park. Winnemucca also has a decent and growing Nevada tourism base. Other area employers include Winnemucca Farms, casinos, hotels, motels and restaurants located in the city.Until 2013, Winnemucca Farms operated the world's largest potato dehydration plant. The Winnemucca area is still one of the largest potato farming areas in the world.[31]
Humboldt County School District operates the area schools serving Winnemucca.[32]
Three K-4 elementary schools, Grass Valley, Sonoma Heights, and Winnemucca Grammar School serve Winnemucca. All of Winnemucca is zoned to French Ford Middle School (5–6), Winnemucca Junior High School (7–8), and Albert M. Lowry High School (9–12). Lowry High's mascot is the Buckaroos.
Winnemucca has apublic library, a branch of the Humboldt County Library.[33]
Humboldt County is in the service area ofGreat Basin College.[34] That college maintains the GBC Center in Winnemucca.[35]
Winnemucca is also a setting in twoTales of the City novels –More Tales of the City andThe Days of Anna Madrigal,[46] a series of nine novels by American authorArmistead Maupin. Over 6 million copies of the novels have been sold worldwide. A character in the series, Mother Mucca, takes her nickname from the town. The series began as a newspaper column in thePacific Sun in 1975, before moving to theSan Francisco Chronicle. It features some of the first positive portrayals of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender lives. Anna Madrigal, a transgender character, was depicted as having been born as Andy Ramsey in Winnemucca, Nevada. The series was made into a TV series with the character of Anna Madrigal played byOlympia Dukakis.[47]
In 2021, the town once again caught the attention of Armistead Maupin, after an article in theNevada Independent News wrote about Winnemucca Pride - a planned LGBTQ pride parade and festival being planned by Winnemucca residents Shawn Dixon, Kat Dixon, Christina Basso and Misty Huff.[48] The article prompted Maupin to write "This story is inspirational on so many levels! I stand in awe of these women."[49]
Rod McKuen's poem "Winnemucca, Nevada", in his bookCome to Me in Silence, describes his first desk in school.[50]
The town serves as the namesake for the alternative country bandRichmond Fontaine's 2002 album,Winnemucca; the album prominently features the town in the opening track "Winner's Casino".[51]
Winnemucca is cited in the preamble to the North American version of the song "I've Been Everywhere."
5490 Kluncy Canyon Road Winnemucca, NV 89445
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Municipalities and communities ofHumboldt County, Nevada,United States | ||
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| City |  | |
| CDPs | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Indian reservations | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has a portion in an adjacent county and state | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
| Other | |
