"Basque Herders: The End of an Era" at the California Trail Center

Forty years ago, 90 percent of the sheep herders in the Great Basin were of Basque heritage. In a period of six years, Basque sheep herders in the region had dropped to 14 percent. Kent McAdoo will tell the story of the Basques in the Great Basin through the contributions the Basque community has made to Elko, the marks they have left on the

landscape, and why their number as workers in the sheep ranching industry declined so steeply. "Basque Herders - the End of an Era" will be presented on Thursday, at 7 p.m., at the California Trail Center. The free talk is part of the popular History along the Humboldt series presented by the Trail Center.

The California Trail Interpretive Center, operated by the Bureau of Land Management, is located eight miles west of Elko at Hunter Exit 292. The Trail Center offers a meeting room and tours of the Center are available to school groups and other organizations on a prearranged basis. Contact Center Director David Jamiel at (775) 482-4718 or Park Ranger Gary Koy at (775) 934-2467 or e-mail gary_koy@blm.gov and to find out more about the California Trail Center and the History along the Humboldt series.