Nevada Economic Assessment Project (NEAP) - Pershing County

Pershing County

Pershing County was founded in 1919 and was the last county established in Nevada, not counting Carson City. Within the 6,000 square miles that make up Pershing, there is a wide range of geographical features, including mountains, lakes, rivers and beautiful flatlands. The county is home to 6,661 (DETR, 2017), with a large portion of those folks residing in the largest city and county seat of Lovelock. As the county is located about an hour and a half northeast of Reno, Interstate 80 will take you directly through the middle of Pershing running southwest to northeast. The 2018 book, Pershing County: 100 Years describes Pershing County as “rich in history, scenic wonders, close-knit communities, a diverse economy, and an even more diverse population.”

Pershing’s territory was formed from Humboldt County, and much of Pershing’s early history is intertwined with Humboldt’s. For example, anyone interested in genealogical tracing through Pershing is recommended to visit Humboldt’s archives (see Genealogy Trails). The longstanding rivalry with Humboldt in Pershing’s early days inspired the County Commission to the 1921 construction of the Pershing County Courthouse. This building, with its Roman Pantheon design, aimed to outdo its neighbor’s buildings, and to this day remains in its original construction. It is the place point of Nevada Historical Marker 17.

Before Pershing’s founding and the construction of the courthouse, Lovelock was a favored resting place for settlers and miners on their way through Nevada. In 1868, well after mining had become integral to the surrounding area, the Central Pacific Railroad was built running through Lovelock. By 1900, there was a school, churches and a business district. By 1919, with an increasing community, Pershing was formed. To this day, Lovelock remains a small, residential, agricultural and mining town.