CARSON CITY, NEVADA—When the Stewart Indian School opened in 1890 on traditional Washoe Tribal lands, Native American children were forcibly taken from their families to be assimilated into Anglo culture. The school closed in 1980, but several of its buildings are still in use, including the original superintendent’s house, which now houses the Nevada Indian Commission. Nails, buttons, and toys have been unearthed at the site, and ground-penetrating radar is being used to look for architectural remains. A cultural center and a museum could soon be established at the site. “It is a really important place of national significance, and it needs to be preserved and interpreted for the public so people know the story of this place. It’s like a national treasure, but a lot of people don’t know it’s here,” said Sarah Cowie of the University of Nevada, Reno.
