Where the West Remains

I spent the day at Bartley Ranch, a regional park on the south side of Reno where open ranch land, sagebrush hills and big mountain views meet the city.

Rusted tractors, old trucks and antique farm equipment rested among the brush, alongside weathered wooden cabins and a little white schoolhouse with a red door. From the hills, the whole valley spread out below, with downtown’s towers small against snowcapped peaks. Horses grazed in a nearby field, a magpie strutted through the grass, and someone had left a tiny toy car perched on a fence post.

At Bartley Ranch, the Old West still feels close. Seeing the remnants of ranch life against the backdrop of a modern city reminded me how much history my new home holds just beyond downtown.