Nevada's heritage came to life Thursday at Bordewich-Bray as students panned for gold, fingered authentic Indian artifacts, saw Basque dancing and watched a farrier shape horse shoes and nail them to a horse's hooves.
Six-year-old Isaac Tucker liked watching the farrier.
"I like how it's nature and it's cool and it's pretty," Isaac said.
With Nevada Day being celebrated over the weekend, teaching assistant Gene Brown said it made it possible to separate it from Halloween.
"Usually Nevada Day and Halloween are together," said Brown, who organized the event. "This year, we had the opportunity to emphasize our state's birthday."
Nevada became a state Oct. 31,1864, three years after the Pony Express first carried mail through the state as part of a nearly 2,000-mile trail from California to Missouri.
"Horses are a big part of our history, especially with the Pony Express," said Romona Rotter, a second-grade teacher who brought two of her horses in to be shod as part of the demonstration.
Farrier Jason Carlile said it was a good opportunity to show students what life was like years ago.
"Living in town, I don't think these kids get much of a chance to see things like this," he said.
It was his first demonstration in front of a group of children.
"So far, so good," he said. "They're not yelling and throwing things."
Jake Williamson, 7, liked the Native American exhibit the most.
"There's a lot of stuff that I didn't know about Indians," Jake said. "I learned that they had to get coyote skins to make blankets for their babies."
Rose Painter, director of the Indian Education Program, organized the display.
"Native American history is Nevada history," she said. "We've been here since the beginning of time - that's how our legend goes."
Painter displayed drums, necklaces, bead work and other Native American handicrafts.
"It's wonderful to let these kids touch things that they'll probably only ever be able to see behind glass," she said.
Erick Martinson, 7, learned the basics of panning for gold.
"It's pretty amazing," he said. "You take a bucket of water then you take a black thing and then you shake it up and there's gold inside."
First-grade teacher Martha Keating, was pleased with the outcome of the celebration.
"I think it's great," she said. "There's a lot of opportunity for the kids to see things that are important to our state."
The children also visited booths featuring native minerals and miscellaneous Nevada history.
