Do you think “Divorcee State Park” is an attractive name? How about “Feminist Freedom River Park?” Or maybe “The Best Little Divorce Ranch in Nevada?”
OK, that might be going too far.
But Nevada’s newest park acquisition isn’t just Carson River land with rich riparian habitat for fish and wildlife. It was also part of a “uniquely Nevada industry,” according to Western Rivers Conservancy, which transferred the land to Nevada State Parks last week.
The park — currently open to public name suggestions — was once a “divorce ranch.” In the 1940s, Nevada’s lenient laws only required a 6-week residency to grant visitors a divorce, which was often difficult to achieve in other states. Back then, it was called “Break-A-Heart Ranch” (also a great name possibility) for giving divorce-seeking visitors (often women) a place to comfortably relax during their 6-week stay in Nevada.
And that’s only the beginning of this nascent park’s rich history. Though public access to this area of Nevada has been highly limited for decades, this section of the lower Carson River will now become a new state park at the edge of Dayton.
An Outdoor Classroom
The 1,627 acres donated by the Western Rivers Conservancy wind along a portion of the lower Carson River. It’s south of Dayton and Reno, and hugs the California border.
The park is not open to the public yet and will need some development before it’s available. But it’s already clear that explorers and historians will have plenty to learn. This land was part of the traditional homelands of the Numu (Northern Paiute) and Wá∙šiw (Washoe) peoples.
It also became a corridor for westward migration in the mid-1800s. A canyon located in the area was used in 1844 by John C. Fremont, an important American explorer known as “The Great Pathfinder.” Years later, the land included portions of the California and Pony Express National Historic Trails.
Though long used for private ranching in the early 1900s, it became “Break-A-Heart Ranch” under owner Richard Conklin. The park’s cattle brand — shaped like a broken heart — is still visibly stamped onto some of the concrete walkways at the now-dilapidated ranch headquarters.
In the early 1970s, the ranch was even an important venue for military vehicle testing, The Nevada Independent reported. Automotive innovator Henry Hodges led the Nevada Automotive Test Center, which used areas of “Break-A-Heart Ranch” to develop the vehicles now known as “Hummers.”
After the land’s wealth of history, it’s finally available to the public and maintained for conservation. Privately owned for 155 years, the landscape is now considered a critically important ecosystem in Western Nevada.
‘A Ribbon of Green’
Though much of Nevada is desolate, parts of the lower Carson River landscape offer green pastures and upland sagebrush steppe.
The 1,600 acres of this new public land offer a “ribbon of green in an otherwise arid landscape and an oasis for a rich assemblage of fish and wildlife,” according to the Western Rivers Conservancy. Wildlife on the property includes mountain whitefish, Lahontan redside shiner, Tahoe sucker, mule deer, waterfowl, bobcat, mountain lion, wild turkey, and neotropical songbirds.
The property lies approximately 6 miles upstream from the Carson River Delta Important Bird Area.
“We are overjoyed to work with Nevada State Parks to protect this remarkable reach of the Carson River, which provides clean water and important habitat for native fish and vulnerable wildlife,” said Susanna Danner, a project manager for Western Rivers Conservancy. “Opening a new state park will provide access to water and green space for people in Reno, Carson City and Dayton, and outdoor classroom opportunities for a neighboring elementary school.”
Development and Naming
Long-term plans for the park include day-use recreation opportunities such as hiking, biking, fishing, equestrian use, and picnicking. Some of the older ranch buildings on the property will need to be renovated or removed before allowing the public to explore them.
As the state park officials develop a master plan, they’ll include public input about how to approach the design. Moreover, they’re inviting the public to suggest names via a simple online form located near the bottom of this webpage. The naming portal opened up on July 1, but it’s only available until July 15. So those interested should send their suggestions sooner rather than later.
“State Parks belong to all of us, and we wanted to give the public a meaningful role in shaping the identity of this new park,” said Nevada State Parks Administrator Jonathan Brunjes. “This is a unique opportunity for Nevadans to leave a lasting mark on the future of their State Park system.”
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