Ensuring The Legacy Of The Cowboy Legend Lives On For Future Generations
The Nevada Rancher
Elko, Nev-Paula Bear Wright had aspirations of creating a cowboy art and gear museum to preserve the cowboy and vaquero heritage for generations to come. Her son John Wright and daughter in-law Susan are helping to see that dream brought to life with the help of NV Energy, Jan Petersen, museum director who did the leg work to get the museum its 501-C status, and board members Mike and Tana Gallagher. Elko has not only a unique ranching and cowboy heritage, but also a unique gear making heritage as well. A museum that showcases these unique heritages is a must have. The Wright family has put together a team of determined individuals to ensure that the legacy of cowboys and gear makers live on for future generations to learn about and enjoy.
NV Energy knew the historic value of their Commercial Street property and wanted to see it preserved. A chance meeting with the Wright family at a branding in Tuscarora made it all happen. The building has a lot of historic potential and the Wright family with the help of Cowboy Arts and Gear Museum director Jan Petersen have some great ideas.
- 5.
- 6.
: The new G.S. Garcia Harness and Saddle Shop building on Silver Street in Elko, July of 1908. Standing on the porch, left to right is Garcias oldest daughter Margarita, G.S., and second to the oldest son Leslie. The family lived upstairs and the Harness and Saddle Shop were on the ground level.
Time To Experience The Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum
Did you know that Nevada has a museum devoted entirely to Western arts and culture? Located in historic downtown Elko, the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum is housed on Commerce Street in the G.S. Garcias Saddle and Harness Shop building, which was recently nominated to the Nevada State Register of Historic Places. The museums mission is: Guardian of the western tradition preserving the heritage and craftsmanship of the cowboy of the American West. The history, culture and craftsmanship of cowboys, past and present are showcased in this one-of-a-kind museum that opened in 2018 to highlight the rich heritage, culture, and traditions of ranching and cowboy lifestyles through exhibits and programming.
January 2022 is a busy month at the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum! After a great Christmas season, the museum is Gearing Up for the fourth annual Bit Contest and Gear Show and Sale that will be held the last week in January with bidding taking place online January 26 – 28, 2022. Visit the museums website to learn more about this annual contest .
The annual Gear Show and Sale will also take place during the Bit Contest. This show was initiated by the late Paula Wright over 20 years ago to showcase exceptional gear makers of all genres. Jewelry, rawhide braiding, leatherwork, and furniture will be on display. The Bits and Gear will be on display at the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum through the end of February.
Local Gifting Made Easy
We all want to support small businesses but shopping for someone locally can be inconvenient and confusing. Not anymore. With the Elko Local Gift Card we have rolled up the power of many gift cards into one convenient solution. You can now give anyone the ultimate local gift with options they will love!
Read Also: Leigh Yawkey Art Museum Wausau Wisconsin
About Elko Local Gift Card
The Elko Local Gift Card is designed to promote and support local businesses in Elko.
Buying a Card that can only be spent at local businesses like Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum locks dollars into the area and works to introduce people to businesses they might not have tried before. It’s a win for consumers, small businesses, and the community!
More About Richmond Hill Centre For The Performing Arts
Committed to artistic diversity, the Richmond Hill community utilizes RHCPA to enrich and entertain local and national audiences. Professional programming, community groups and student organizations all grace the stage for nightly performances showcasing Canadian talent and the regions heritage and history.
Youll find Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts on Yonge Street in Richmond Hills historic city centre near the Crosby and Mill Pond neighbourhoods. Theres a lot to do in this area of the city. You can enjoy shopping and dining along bustling Yonge Street before curtain call, or cross the way to discover Richmond Hill Heritage Centre. During the day, explore some of the nearby parks and trails, such as Crosby Park and Mill Pond Park. Mill Pond is known for its art galleries, and a self-guided art walk leads you around the city.
A 10 minute drive south from Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts will bring you to the David Dunlap Observatory, home of Canadas largest telescope.
Richmond Hill is known for its outdoor recreation, particularly in the northern parts of the city. Wilcox Lake features fishing and paddling, while numerous trail networks offer excellent cycling opportunities. Richmond Green Sports Centre and Park is the citys largest green space and a great spot to spend time with the family. Take advantage of the multiple sports complexes, a waterpark, an outdoor amphitheatre and picnic areas.
August 9, 2022
Read Also: The Museum Of Modern Art Nyc
Visiting This Cowboy Museum Today
To take a deeper dive into this fascinating thread of Nevadas story, there is no better place to begin than at Elkos Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum. Chock full of rich history, culture, and traditions of the cowboys of the American West, the cowboy art museum thoughtfully connects the past to the present in a way that not only differentiates Elko from every other western community, but refocuses the importance of this still vibrant piece of American history thriving in Elko today.
Today, Garcias leather and silver work is highly prized as collectible western memorabilia, and at the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum, count on pursuing a vast array of gift contributions and private collections placed on display. Other interpretive exhibits explain how a saddle is constructed, while others feature a buckaroo tent, bedroll, and other camp gear commonly used by the American Buckaroo.
The Culture And Heritage Of The American Buckaroo Takes Center Stage
The image of a cowboy is synonymous with the west. Of course there were cowboys around the world long before the Wild West was settled, but if you mention cowboys, its the west that springs to mind. Romantic images of hardscrabble men who lived on the land, rode majestic horses, drove cattle across landscapes covered with brush, and camped beneath endless starlit skiesthats a cowboy.
The culture of the cowboy is still alive in rural Nevada, where its not romantic fantasy but a life lived daily by many men and women. Nevada has always celebrated and honored their contributions and the new Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum in Elko is the latest venue to pay homage.
The museum is not only home to some of the finest saddles and silver work ever created, its housed in the actual shop of one of the most famous saddle makers ever, G.S. Garcia.
MUCH MORE THAN JUST A BUILDING
Garcia and his wife Sauternina moved to Elko in 1894. A saddle maker from Santa Margarita, California, Garcia knew the area was in the center of the ranching and mining booms happening in northeastern Nevada, and Elko was located on the Central Pacific Railroad line, so he set up a small shop to ply his trade.
A LONG-AWAITED DREAM
Wed always fantasized about having a museum in the Garcia building, Museum Director Jan Petersen says, referring to her friend Paula Wright. It was always her dream.
COWBOY CULTURE
We are here, sharing these stories that are too good to be lost.
SADDLE UP SOME CULTURE
Also Check: Children’s Museum Wilmington Nc
History Of The Cowboy Arts & Gear Building
Garcias old saddle shop eventually housed several businesses, including NV Energy, until 2016 when the shop was restored to its original appearance and reborn as the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum. Garcias leatherwork remains on display alongside items from private collections. Today, the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum keeps historic traditions alive, offering leather stamping classes, workshops and demonstrations showing how silver is engraved. Rawhide branding classes are also offered. Learn more at .
People Are Also Reading
We are getting ready for the Snowflake Festival and this years theme is Christmas Vacation, Petersen said. We have a station wagon with a tree on top of it
Its a DBA event and we are having a cookie crawl which is limited to 800 kids, Petersen said. Albertsons is making the cookies. You can purchase a bag for $5 and then they get a map and the go around. Its like a wine walk, only its cookies for kids.
There will be stuff outside, sidewalk-type sales, food trucks and the Parade of Lights will culminate the whole thing.
Children can make crafts in Rubies and carolers will be singing downtown.
The festival takes place noon to 6 p.m. Dec. 11.
This is something the DBA does to give back to the community, Petersen said.
This will be our fourth year for the bit contest, Petersen said. It will be the last week in January. The bits are judged on artistry and functionality. After they are all judged, they will be placed in a display case.
Online silent auction bit bidding will take place Jan 26 28.
Last year the auction had bidders as far away as Vermont.
The maker gets most of the money and we get a percentage, Petersen said. There are cash prizes. Bits will remain on display until the end of February.
Its open to anyone involved in the cowboy arts world, Petersen said. Entries are due Dec. 31.
Recommended Reading: Metropolitan Museum Of Art Nyc
Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum January 2022
January 2022 is going to be a busy month at the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum! After a great Christmas season, the museum is Gearing Up for the Fourth Annual Bit Contest and Gear Show and Sale, held the last week in January with bidding taking place on line January 26, 27 and 28. Bidders must preregister through the website www.cowboyartsandgear.com. Contest items will be available for online preview the last week in January on the website as well as in person at the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum.
Also, during the Bit Contest at the museum, the annual Gear Show and Sale will take place This show was initiated by the late Paula Wright over 20 years ago to showcase exceptional gear makers of all genres. On display and for sale are jewelry, rawhide braiding, leatherwork and furniture. A new category was added this year Youth 18 and under. This will encourage emerging young makers. A $500 scholarship will be awarded to the Peoples Choice Winner of the youth division. All items, adult and youth, will be sold on line
A reception will be held on Friday, January 28 from 6-8 p.m. as the bidding closes. Everyone is welcome to come and bid in person, remotely via telephone, or on a computer at the museum. The Bits and Gear will be on display at the Cowboy Arts & Gear Museum through the end of February.
Popular Restaurants In Elko
Denny’s McDonald’sCosta Vida Fresh Mexican GrillPizza HutPine LodgeSubwayHimiko Sushi And Steak HouseWendy’sQuiznosKFCMcDonald’sTaco BellBurger KingDreezSpoon MeCosta VidaGood BlendsLa Unica TortillaLas BrisasLittle CaesarsGuerrilla Craft EatsTaqueria La UnicaGold Dust West Casino ElkoGood Time Charlee’sStray Dog Pub and CafeAgave Mexican RestaurantFresh Fare BistroFiiz DrinksSmoothiesMudd Hut
Read Also: Nc Museum Of History Jobs
Meet Legendary Nevadan Gs Garcia
Through the years, Elko has become internationally known for its legendary saddle and leather making, thanks to J.M. Capriolas, found in the heart of downtown Elko. But, before that became the icon it is today, it all started with one mans entrepreneurial spirit: the one and only G.S. Garcia. As a young saddle maker, he and his wife arrived in Elko in 1894, and after his intricate silver work and saddle making drew instant attention and respect from the ranching community, he opened his own store, the G.S. Garcia Saddle Shop, in downtown Elko.
Within a few short years, this Elko-born establishment had earned an unwavering devotion from ranching communities near and far. Cowboys were even willing to pay a hard to imagine two years worth of wages, and commit to a two-year waiting list in order to get their hands on a Garcia saddle or pair of spurs. Best yet, his fine silver work and saddle-making outfitted all kinds of demographics, ranging from real working cowboys to hollywood stars, and he even helped create the Silver State Stampede Nevadas first, and longest-standing rodeo. After his death in 1933, his sons relocated his business back to California.
Cowboy Arts And Gear Museum
If you think cowboy and arts are two terms that dont belong together, then you havent visited the Cowboy Arts and Gear Museum in Elko yet. Its OK. Once you experience this throwback tribute to the craftsmen who produced some of the finest saddles, spurs and bits in the Old West, youll understand why this Elko attraction is such an integral part of the areas history.
The museum is at 542 Commercial St. in downtown Elko and is named after artist/craftsman/entrepreneur G. S. Garcia, who originally opened his shop in 1894 and operated it until 1935. Garcia quickly became known for his high quality work, and soon cowboys came from across the West to purchase his saddles, which featured intricate silverwork and precious gems. Today, visitors can still watch a master saddle maker at work, as he carries on a tradition nearly 100 years in the making. What else would you expect from the home of the original Garcia Bit & Spur?
Recommended Reading: Museum Of Illusions In Chicago
Richmond Hill Centre For The Performing Arts
Explore Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts , an art and cultural facility set north of Toronto in the city of Richmond Hill. With over 4,000 square metres and 631 seats in its main auditorium, the centre offers theatre, music and dance performances, plus educational workshops. Richmond Hill is an art-centric community committed to celebrating different cultures found throughout the York Region.
Designed by the internationally celebrated architect Jack Diamond, the Richmond Hill Centre for the Performing Arts was the citys largest construction endeavor in history. The $30 million project took over two years to complete. In the process, the centre combined the new building with Richmond Hills 19th -century high school and currently uses it for offices and an in-house coffee shop. RHCPA also features an auditorium, rehearsal hall, hydraulic orchestra pit, lobby galleries, lounges and an outdoor piazza.
As the largest performing arts centre in the York Region, RHCPA attracts visitors and attention from across the country and internationally. Visitors can enjoy performances in the main auditorium from either the orchestra or balcony levels. Box seats are also available if you prefer more privacy. The arenas state-of-the-art acoustics enhance opera, choral, symphonic and dance performances. The venue also hosts childrens programming, film screenings, solo performers and events.
Toronto Museums And Historical Sites
Plenty to see in Toronto. What’s your favourite? Below is a list of Toronto Museums
Royal Ontario Museum
The ROM, located at the corner of Bloor St and Queen’s Park Ave, is Canada’s largest museum. Its exhibits and galleries explore the visual arts, archaeology, the life sciences and natural history. Admission price ranges from to .The main building is open from 10am – 6pm Mon to Sat till 8pm Tues 11am-6pm on Sun. The museum is closed Dec. 25 & Jan 1. Tel: 416 586-8000 Address: 100 Queen’s Park Toronto ON M5S 2C6
Exhibits of horse-drawn vehicles, railway cars, pioneer homes are just some of the attractions which cover 25 acres. Tel: 1 905 294-4576 Fax: 1 905 294-4590 Directions: W side of Hwy 48, 2 km N of Hwy 7 Address: 9350 Hwy 48 Markham ON L3P 3J3
Hockey Hall of Fame
The hall of fame for the National Hockey League is located in BCE Place downtown Toronto. See over 100 years of hockey history. The Hockey hall of fame has lots of fun interactive games to play and is the resting place for the leagues major trophies and awards, including the Stanley Cup! Tel: 416-360-7735 , Address: 30 Yonge St. At Front St. W. Toronto, Ontario M5E 1X8 Canada
Fort York
Founded in 1793 by Lt.-Governor John Graves Simcoe to construct and guard his new capital, the fort is the birthplace of modern Toronto.Admission: Adults – ., Seniors & Students – .25, Children – .Tel: 416-392-6907, Address: 100 Garrison Road, Toronto, ON. M5V 3K9.
Spadina Colborne Lodge Mackenzie House Montgomery’s Inn
Read Also: Boston Tea Party And Museum
