Gayle and I paid a visit to the Steward Indian School today and their very impressive Cultural Center & Museum that was initially opened in January 2020. As we approached the multi-building campus (with many boarded up buildings), we remarked that we had no idea that this place even existed. My guess is that a lot of our fellow Nevada residents are equally in the dark about the Stewart Indian School and what history transpired here. And it's just minutes away from most anywhere in the Carson Valley.
The Stewart Indian School Cultural Center and Museum is located in the former Administration Building and next door is their gift shop which is the former Post Office. The main floor consists of a Research Room, a Storytelling Room, a Reflection Room, the Wa-Pai-Shone Art Gallery and the Permanent Exhibit. Gayle and I were very impressed as we explored the rich 90-year history (1890-1980) of this place as illustrated by its well curated, exhibits, pictures, art, and architecture. We also appreciated how complicated it was to put all this together considering the difference of opinion within the Tribe on how to illustrate some very difficult topics.
We also strolled outside and followed the Cell Phone Audio Tour which featured voices of those who had lived here. We were warned ahead of time that these testimonials were on the positive side, which was not a universal opinion. After all (and in the early years), if your ancestors were kidnapped from your families and sent off to a government run Indian school to be assimilated away from your culture, there might be some hard feelings over the generations. Yet, we were informed that by the time the school was closed, many saw the Stewart School as an asset to the First Nations' community and fought to keep it open. In any event, the audio was well presented and it certainly made this now under utilized campus come to life.
Before we left, we also drove around the campus to take a look at it from another perspective. It's a huge piece of land (including adjacent Tribal property), and several Nevada State Agencies (e.g., Law Enforcement, Fire, etc.) are occupying what used to be classrooms and dorms. I'd love to know what some of the interiors look like inside those beautiful stone exteriors.
We'll be back as this is a fascinating and complicated place of which 1 visit doesn't really do this historical campus justice. And we'll bring friends and family to help them and us learn more. read more