Old Fashioned Valentines and a Virtual Tour of the Trail: The California Trail Interpretive Center Announces February Programs
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ELKO, Nev. – Create valentines, take a virtual tour of the Trail, and discover what owls eat. Visit the California Trail Center during February for a variety of family friendly programs.
The following programs are free and open to everyone:
Feb. 3, 10:00 a.m.: Asa Kenyon, California Trail Emigrant
Lynne Kistler will dress as her great grandfather, Asa Kenyon, and present a talk about the Forty Mile Desert. Learn how he settled in Nevada after traveling the California Trail. Following the talk, the Elko County Art Club will present an art activity with soft chalk pastels.
Feb. 4, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: Mountain Man Show and Tell
Attention all kids: The bold explorers known as mountain men were away from civilization for months or years at a time. In the wild, they often had to make their own gear. Join Education Program Technician Tim Burns and discover what a mountain man kept in his “possibles bag,” and other tools he used as he explored the rugged West.
Feb. 11, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: Old Fashioned Valentines
Did you know the oldest Valentine discovered dates back to the 1400s? Join Ranger Erika and create hand-made valentines. Make a quilted pioneer themed card, and write a personalized calligraphy note. These cards make wonderful gifts for friends or family.
Feb. 17, 10:00 a.m.: Virtual Tour of the California Trail
Do you know what it was like to travel 2,000 miles in a covered wagon? Mariett Foster Cummings does, and virtually through her journal entries she will share her experience of traveling the California Trail in 1852. See the sights, hear the sounds, and feel the emotions that a typical emigrant would have felt on the five-month trip. Ranger Greg will be joining Mariett to give some modern context to her experience.
Feb. 18, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: A High Desert Winter
Traditional Great Basin Native Americans carefully planned and adapted to the harsh climate of the high desert. Join Tim Burns and learn about their winter survival strategies.
Feb. 25, 2:00 p.m.: Junior Ranger Program: What do Owls Eat?
Unlike humans, owls do not chew their food. Instead, they swallow their food whole. Some owl pellets can have up to six separate animals! Join Ranger Erika to dissect owl pellets, and learn what owls eat. Can you piece together an entire skeleton?
The California Trail Interpretive Center is located eight miles west of Elko on I-80, Hunter exit 292. The Center is open Wednesday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is free.
For more information about the California Trail Interpretive Center, call (775) 738-1849. Visit the Trail Center online at www.californiatrailcenter.org or https://www.facebook.com/californiatrailinterpretivecenter/.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.