Photo 1: Corrie Neuens standing next to Paiute home in dendritic tufa.
Photo 2: Group shot inside of Paiute home.
The ancient tufa formations of Pyramid Lake and Lake Winnemucca served as homes for many different groups that settled
in the Pyramid Lake area. The inhabitants used the tufa caves for protection from the harsh desert conditions and later settlers
constructed walls and doorframes. The particular site shown in photos 1 and 2 is located just off highway 447.
The first people that inhabited the Pyramid Lake basin consisted of three major groups that moved in and out of the area
between 9500 B.C. and 1400 A.D. The first was a small group of Asian explorers, who came from Siberia, over the Bering
Strait to Alaskan shores by land, water, or ice. The Asian explorers then continued to spread across the North American
continent where they passed through the Pyramid Lake area.
The second group was the Lovelock Culture, whom was extremely primitive. They lived in caves formed of tufa, wore
animal skin clothing, and made tools from rock. They are believed to be the descendants of the Asians, but it remains unknown
if this culture was abandoned, changed, or taken over by the Paiute tribe.
The third and most familiar group to inhabit Pyramid Lake was the Paiute Indians. Today the Paiutes continue to live in the
area surrounding the lake. The Pyramid Lake basin was set aside as an Indian Reservation for the Paiutes. Pyramid Lake was
first recorded by John C. Fremont who also recorded the first contacts with the Paiutes. He described them as good-natured,
and noticed as well their light drinking habits, their respect for the chastity of their women, intelligence, and culture. Fremont
and his colleagues were welcomed openly by the tribe, whom they ate fish and traded items with. The whites that decided to
settle in the area got along well with the tribe, and they made joint rules for each other in order to retain peace. This was
known as the Treaty of Friendship.
The Paiutes and white settlers continued to live in peace until the Comstock Lode, a large amount of gold and silver, was
discovered near Virginia City. Euro-Americans began to pour in from the east with no respect for the treaty set prior to their
arrival. Tensions mounted until one day four racist white men kidnapped two Indian women and abused them at William’s
Station, causing extreme disruption between the Paiutes and white settlers. In retaliation a small group of Indians killed those
men and burned William's station before discussing it with their Chief. Many whites then came back to settle the score, but
were caught in a trap by the Indians; several died. Attempts were made by Fremont and the Chief to stop the war, but due to
a few small unlawful groups from both parties war was inevitable. Fremont finally found the Chief of the tribe and proposed a
peace treaty, which was accepted. This lead to the land surrounding Pyramid Lake to be set aside as the Paiute Indian
Reservation on March 23, 1874, twelve years after the event occurred. This land continues to be inhabited and controlled by
the present Paiutes today. Problems between the Paiutes and white race continue to exist, but problems today are different
than in the past.
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