Elko was named county seat when Elko
County was formed March 5, 1869.
The creation of a new county, carved out
of neighboring counties, was necessary
to handle the fast-growing mining
communities in northeastern Nevada. A
brick courthouse was completed in late
December 1869 at Sixth and Idaho (on
the site of the present courthouse). Later,
a jail was added next to the building. In
1910, the old courthouse was replaced
with a more modern facility and is now
listed on the National Register of Historic
Places. Additional buildings were added
to the courthouse complex in 1994 and
2010.
By late 1916, Elko had grown to the
point of wanting self governance instead
of being under the leadership of Elko
County Commissioners. The City of
Elko was incorporated in 1917. A mayor,
J.A. McBride, and city council were
elected and took office May 1, 1917. To
this day, a city council and mayor form
of government operates the city and
establishes city laws and policies.
Leather craftsman G.S. Garcia came
to Elko in 1896 and established a
world-class saddle shop. He won a gold
medal at the St. Louis World's Fair for
his craftsmanship in 1904 and again in
1905 in Portland, Oregon. Garcia became
internationally
famous for his
leather goods as
well as his silver
bits and spurs
in his shop at
542 Commercial
Street.
Many of
his apprentices
became well
known for
their own work, including Joe Capriola
who opened his own shop in 1929. J.M.
Caprioloa Co. is recognized worldwide
for their high quality craftsmanship,
making saddles for local cowboys as well
as Ronald Raegan, Sylvester Stallone and
Harrison Ford. They have been making
these quality products since 1929 at Fifth
and Commercial.
Ranching has been an important part
of Elko since the town's beginning.
Since Gold Rush times, cattlemen knew
of the thick grasses in the mountain
pastures. A drought in California in ,
the early 1870s forced many ranchers
eastward over the Sierras and into the
Great Basin and Elko County. Successful
cattlemen such as Dan Murphy, John
Sparks, Pedro and Bernardo Altube,
George Russell, "Broadhorns" Bradley, Bill
Moffat and others bought or homesteaded
large tracts of land and established the
cattle industry in Elko County. Elko,
centrally located on the railroad, became
the center for all a cattleman's needs
as well as a shipping point to markets.
Today, the ranching industry contributes
great economic value to the region.
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