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A New Perspective Through Art: The 2024 California National Historic Trail Poster

Dec 20, 2024

A New Perspective Through Art:

The BLM and the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA) are pleased to celebrate their partnership with the unveiling of a new California National Historic Trail Poster. This breathtaking artwork is by Cassandra Garback, an Indigenous artist born and raised in Nevada, near Pyramid Lake in the Great Basin Desert.

Vividly painted art showing two long haired figures sitting in wildflowers looking out at a layered distance with wagons disappearing into mountains. — Cassandra Garback's unique artwork was thoughtfully researched and detailed to communicate multiple layers of Nevada's rich landscape and history for the BLM and AIANTA partnership.

My goal is to transport viewers on a journey through Nevada’s diverse heritage, just as the California Trail has done for generations. My hope is that this artwork will encourage viewers to visit the California Trail and its beauty for themselves.

Cassandra Garback

This first of its kind project is the result of an assistance agreement aimed at supporting the NATIVE Act (Public Law No: 114-221) and tribal tourism along the California Trail in Nevada.

The BLM, AIANTA and other partners plan to promote the featured poster online for outreach and education to tell a more inclusive story of the ancestral lands along the California Trail and the impact it had on the Native people in Nevada.

About the Artist:

Cassandra’s artwork reflects the intricate relationship between the land and its people, paying homage to the land itself, ancient traditions, and wisdom passed down through generations. Through her paintings and jewelry, she hopes to convey the deep connection we have with our environment and culture, inspiring others to appreciate and protect the natural world that sustains us all.

The breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural heritage of this region have had a profound impact on her artistic expression. As she immerses herself in the vibrant colors, textures, and stories of this land, she aims to capture its essence through her art. The Great Basin Desert holds a unique beauty, one that is both harsh and delicate, resilient and powerful.

A woman with brown eyes, olive skin-tone, and long straight dark hair smiles while looking at the camera. — Cassandra Garback, the selected artist. After a long hiatus from professional artwork, Cassandra (Cassie) is proud to share her gift of storytelling through this unique and celebrated piece.

Cassandra was awarded a commission and paid travel to the American Indigenous Tourism Conference in October 2024. She was also celebrated at a local reception in Reno at the Nevada Museum of Art. The poster was unveiled, displayed, and celebrated by partners, tribes, and the public on December 19th. The new poster will be available to the public at all BLM offices in Nevada later this month.

A woman with long dark hair gesturing towards art while facing a man in a suit — The artist, Cassandra Garback, shares the meaning behind each element in her stunning portrayal of the California National Historic Trail with BLM Nevada State Director Jon Raby at the celebratory reception in December, 2024.

A woman with long dark hair stands signing an art poster. — Cassandra (Cassie) signing a framed print. Two copies were raffled to attendees of the Nevada Native Art Recognition California National Historic Trail Poster reception at the Nevada Museum of Art hosted by AIANTA.

A girl with long black hair and colorful dress smiles holding a framed colorful piece of artwork — A prize winner: one of the performing youth displays her newly received signed print of the celebrated artwork.

Excerpt from the Poster

The story of the California Trail is usually told from the perspective of westward migrants who traveled more than 5,000 miles from Missouri to California. However, the land they crossed was far from empty. The greatest migration in U.S. history is a story of more than 250,000 diverse travelers crossing the ancestral lands of hundreds of Indigenous groups. In Nevada, Indigenous Peoples present during the historic period of the trail, and still connected to the land today, include the Washoe (Waší.šiw), Northern Paiute (Numu), Western Shoshone (Newe), Southern Paiute (Nuwuvi), and Goshute (Kutsipiuti) people.

Indigenous Peoples sometimes guided emigrants across the landscape, one famous example being Captain Truckee, a Numu leader for whom one of the trail routes is named. They also faced and fought against violence from the newcomers. Following forced displacements off their lands, many adapted to foreign lifestyles while preserving as much of their culture as possible. The westward journey along the California Trail has significantly and permanently impacted Indigenous Peoples and the lands they have relied upon for generations. Ideas, goods, foods, nonnative plants and animals, and diseases were among the many things exchanged across deserts, valleys, and mountains. To this day, the impact of the California Trail colors the landscape you see before you, and the ways present-day Indigenous communities manage and experience the land.

Colorful artwork displayed on the front of a poster with multiple logos. — The California National Historic Trail's new poster revitalizes the tradition of storytelling by bringing together several organizations to feature the artwork of a Nevada Native Artist.

More about this partnership:

The BLM, in partnership with AIANTA, is working with tribes adjacent to the California NHT in Nevada to develop cultural heritage content and itineraries for AIANTA’s Experience Native America website. The project brings together businesses, attractions, landmarks, and other points of interest on and around the trail to help promote sustainable tourism. For more information about the partnership visit: California Trail in Nevada - AIANTA.

For more information on the BLM Nevada National Historic Trails program, contact Alicia Jensen (Associate State Archaeologist and National Historic Trails Lead of BLM Nevada) at [email protected]

Story by:

Jessica Jia, Public Affairs Specialist

Blog Topic:

National Conservation Lands

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