Audio
Elko Hot Hole - Truck Stop Exhibit Audio Description
Transcript
Truck Stop Ahead (1850s Style). 549 words.
On the far side of this graphic panel is a pool of water with steam rising from the surface. The pool sits at the bottom of a shallow bowl of earth, with a gradual slope downward from your location and a steep bank on the far side. On the far bank are outcroppings of pale, vertical-faced rock. A tall fence surrounds the area.
On the right side of the graphic is a photograph looking down a small river along the left side of the image. Along the right side are several flat, pale-colored rocks. One in the foreground is stained bright orange. In the middle of the stone slabs is a small pool of water with steam rising. The caption reads, “Three unnamed hot springs are located along the Humboldt River northeast of this sign. Above, on the right, is one of these springs under a cloud of steam. Photo Courtesy Kevin Lee.”
Below the large photograph is a small black and white photograph showing the pool in front of you. A dirt road winds along the left side and small figures of two men and a horse stand on the right. The caption reads, “Photo of Elko Hot Hole in 1920. Unknown Photographer.” Text on either side of the small photo reads, “This black-and-white photo shows the Hot Hole in 1920. Note that people aren't in the spring- it can be scalding hot! William Pritchard wrote the following about his August 1850 Hot Hole visit: “We caught a snake and threw it in, also a frog. They gave one kick and all was over and as soon as we could get them out they were cooked for the flesh all came off the bone.””
Text down the left side of the graphic panel reads, “Fertile valleys, grasslands, hot springs (oh my!). This is how miners and emigrants described the surrounding area when they passed through it on the California Trail. They were on their way to California in hopes of striking it rich as gold miners or as farmers and ranchers. Most often noted in their writings about this area were its numerous hot springs.”
“While on the Trail, travelers could see several hot springs in the nearby vicinity. However, in the Elko area, the California Trail was located on the north side of the Humboldt River. And all of the hot springs are located on its south side. Visiting them required crossing the Humboldt River, twice! If you were a worn-down traveler on a months-long, over 2000-mile journey, would you do this? Yet, many miners and emigrants did. For them, hot springs were one of the “truck stops” of the emigration era, one with a scenic view. Crossing the Humboldt was merely exiting and returning to the highway.”
“If you were a traveler walking the dusty path of the California Trail, what would you use hot springs for? Emigrant and miners used the springs for washing clothes, cooking, a nice place to camp, and possibly even for shaving! Just like today’s truck stops, one location contained laundry, eating, bathing, and sleeping amenities. Trail travelers greatly appreciated the hot springs and often recorded their experiences in their journals. This allowed others to discover them, just as you have done so today.”
End of Description.
Description
Listen to the audio description of the Elko Hot Hole - Truck Stop exhibit.
Date Created
08/26/2021
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