ModernRenaissance

OnSeptember2,1990,approximately90peoplegatheredintheBlackRockDeserttoburnaneffigyofaman.ThiseventrepresentedamodernresurgenceofactivityintheGreatBasin,revitalizingmanylong‐standingtraditionsoftheregion.

LarryHarvey,picturedatleft,isgenerallycreditedasthefounderofthemodernBlackRockCity.ThestorybeginswhenheandJerryJamesburnedaneffigyofamanatBakerBeachinSanFranciscoin1986.Theeventimmediatelysparkedinterest.Oneaccount:

TheencampmentintheBlackRockdesertgrewquickly.Acoherentculturedevelopedaroundself‐expressionandcreativity.Theuseofmoneyinthecityisprohibited,apartfromthenotableexceptionsofcoffeeandicesales.Residentsareencouragedtotakepartinagifteconomy,wheregoodsandservicesareofferedfreelywithoutexpectationofrenumerationorexplicitexchange.Displayofcorporatebrandsisalsodiscouraged.Duringthe1990stheDepartmentofPublicWorksandtheDepartmentofMutantVehiclesemerged,aswellasnewspapers,anairport,andafullcomplementofemergencyservices.

Founders and Foundations

From Baker to Black RockBetween1986and1989anascentcommunitydevelopedaroundtheannualeventonBakerBeach.In1990theeventoutgrewtheSanFranciscobeach.Aparticipantreported:

"Intheinstantthatthe8­foottallfigurewasignited,peoplescatteredallacrossthebeachcamerunning.Withinmoments,acircleoffire­litfaceshadformed,strangerswhohadgatheredtowitnessthisimageofamanonfire.ThefirstrecordeddoublingofBurningMan'scommunityhadoccurred.”

"Onthetripdowntothebeachin1990,individualsbearingBurningMan'sarmsandheadandthebulkywoodenfootingsthatwereusedtoanchorhimsecurelyinthesandencounteredauniformedmotorcyclepoliceman....Adealwasstruckandcementedwithahandshake.Participantsmighterectthegiantstatue,heinformedtheorganizers,butitcouldnotbeburned."

Black Rock City

The40‐footmanwasdismantledandstored.TheSanFranciscoCacophonySocietyhadbeenholdingsmalleventsintheBlackRockDesert,anditwasdecidedthatthedrylakebed’swide‐openexpansewouldbeanideallocationtoburntheman.

Stone AgeBeginnings

Twelvethousandyearsago,duringthelatePaleolithicera,theregionthatisnowtheBlackRockDesertwaspartiallycoveredbyLakeLahontan,withlushvegetationatitsshores.Thefirstevidenceofatemporaryannualhumanpresenceintheregioncomesfromayearlyhuntofthepheaux,alargeherbivorethatisnowextinct.

ThemigratorypatternsoftheShastapheaux(Nothrotheriopsshastensis)resultedinthepresenceofvastherdsnearLakeLahontanattheendofthesummer,whichwasthetimeoftheirshortmatingseason.ArchaeologicalevidencesuggeststhatbythelatePaleolithicperiod,humanhuntersgatheredontheseshoresduringthatseason,slaughteringpheauxfortheirfurandmeat.Largefireswerebuilttosmokethemeatfortheleanwinterseason.Thewarm,durable,andbrilliantlymulti‐coloredpheauxfurwasusedforclothing,blankets,andevenshelter.

Themostdistinctivefeatureofthepheauxisthebrightandvariedcolorationoftheirdensefur.Theskeletalstructureofpheauxindicatesthattheanimalsweremassiveherbivores,spanningnearlyninefeetinlength.Thepheauxhadenormousclawsusedfordefenseagainstpredatorsanddiggingroots.Thelargetailhelpedthembalanceontheirhindlegswhiletheypulleddowntree‐topbranches.Theyoungwerecarriedontheirheavilyfurredbacks.Pheauxhadanunusualgait,walkingonthesidesoftheirhindfeetandthebacksoftheirforefeet,reflectingtheirancestralrootsastreedwellers.

The Annual Hunt

Pheaux Morphology

ThelastoftheShastapheaux(Nothrotheriops)inNorthAmericadiedsorecentlythatcompletepheauxskeletonswithhair,skin,claws,andtendonsstillattachedtotheboneshavebeenfoundincaves,whichmummifyandpreservethesesofttissues.SeveralsitesintheLakeLahontanregioncontainedhumanremainswearingclothingmadefrompheauxfurandwearnecklacesofpheauxclaws.

Somecryptozoologistsquestiontheconventionalwisdomthatthepheauxareextinct.Cryptozoologyisthesearchforknownanimalswhicharebelievedtobeextinct,orforanimalshypothesizedtoexist.One19thcenturyexplorerinPatagonianotedaverylargehairybeastresemblinga"giantarmadillo"intheundergrowth.TwocontemporaryCalifornianresearchersreportanecdotalevidencesuggestingthatthesesolitarycreaturesmayyetsurvive.Theydescribetracksallegedlysimilartothedistinctivetreadoftheprehistoricpheaux.Thehypothesisisgenerallydismissedbymainstreamzoology.

The ExtinctionSignificantevidencesuggeststhatthemassextinctionoftheNorthAmericanmegafauna,includingthepheaux,woolymammoth,andsabertoothtiger,resultedfromhumanactivity.Thefossilrecordshowsthat80%oftheanimalpopulationdisappearedwithinonethousandyearsofthearrivalofhumansinNorthAmericainthelatePleistocene.Spearpointswithacarbon‐datedageof13,600yearsagohavebeenfoundalongsidetheboneremainsofpheauxandotherlargegameanimals.However,acompetingtheoryisthattheextinctionwascausedbyclimatechange.

ThisLaurillard'sPheaux(Eremotherium)skeletonwasexcavatedin1997

First Contact

Inlate1843,anexpeditionledbyJohnC.FrémontandguidedbynotedexplorerKitCarsonexploredtheGreatBasin,includingtheBlackRockDesert,PyramidLakeandtheareathatcametobeknownasGerlach.Thisgroupoftwenty‐sevenmenwerethefirstEuropeanAmericanstoseetheplayaandtoencounterwhatwouldbecomeknownasBlackRockCity.

"Wecameoutofthissingularplace,freeingourselvesfromtheearth.Wecameoutofthechasmandintothevoid.Whereweencampedonthebleaksandyplain,theIndianshadmadehutsorcircularenclosuresaboutfourfeethighandtwelvefeetbroad,ofartemisiabushes.Whetherthesehadbeenfortsorhouses,orwhattheyhadbeendoinginsuchadesertplace,wecouldnotascertain.Wherewehadhalted,appearedtobeafavoritecampingplaceforIndians.”

‐

The Paiute Gathering

Theexplorersweretoldthatiftheyhadcomeatanothertimeoftheyear,nobodywouldbethere,andthatthetraditionofayearlygatheringatthisplacestretched"beyondmemory".MostofthecelebrantswerePaiutesoftheSnaketribe,whileotherswerefromtheWashoeandShoshoni.Allarrivedeitheronfootorhorseback,anddispersedafterthegatheringended.

TheExploringExpeditiontotheRockyMountains,OregonandCaliforniaToWhichIsAddedaDescriptionofthePhysicalGeographyofCalifornia,withRecentNoticesoftheGoldRegionfromtheLatestandMostAuthenticSources.BrevetCol.J.C.Fremont.1852

AsthepartycamebackdownintotheGreatBasinfromthenorthwesttheyfoundagatheringofroughly200people,agreatsurpriseinsuchadesolateplace:

Duringtheexpedition'sstayontheplayatheyexperiencedacommonBlackRockDesertevent:

The Dust

"Thewind...increasedtoaheavygale,andIshallneverforgetitswitheringeffect....Everythingbothanimateandinanimategavewaybeforeit;thehorsesstoodwiththeirbackstothewindandtheirnosestotheground,withoutthemuscularstrengthtoraisetheirheads.AtnoonItookathermometergradedto127deg.,outofmybox,andobservedthatthemercurywasupto125.Aftertheeffectsofashowerofrainhavepassedawaythesurfaceofthegroundcrumblesintoathicklayerofdust,andoccasionally,whenthewindisinaparticularquarter,itisliftedbodilyfromthegroundinonelongopaquecloud.Inthemidstofsuchastormnothingcanbeseenafewyardsahead,andtheunluckypersonwhohappenstobeoutatthetimeiscompelledtoseekthenearestretreatathand."

“...Idirectedthehowitzertobefired.Itwasthefirsttimethatmanyofthenativescampedonthedustyplainhadseenitdischarged;andtheburstingoftheshellatadistance,whichwassomethinglikethesecondfireofthegun,amazedandbewilderedthemwithdelight.Itinspiredthemwithtriumphantfeelings..."

First ExplosivesDespitetheoutrageofsomecivilianmembersoftheparty,Frémonthadinsistedonbringingahowitzer,ahorse‐drawnartillerypiece,forshootingbuffaloanddissuadingraiders.

Fire and GiftingExpeditionmembersobservedthatfirewasusedforcelebrationandritualduringthegathering,atamuchlargerscalethantheusualcookingfiresexpectedatanyencampment.Theexplorerswereparticularlyamazedbyonedancewherethedancerwascladinaburningcostume,yetemergedunsingedafterwards.Towardstheendoftheweek,anenormousbonfirewasthecentralfocusofritualdancingformostofanentirenight.

Severalofthevisitorsnotedhowoftenfood,drink,furs,andotheritemsweregivenawayatthisgathering,withoutanyapparentbargaining.Westernersofthiseraoftenrecordedsurprisewhenconfrontedwithapotlatch/giftculture,inwhichstatusaccruestothegiverofadesirablegift,ratherthantosomebodywhohasaccumulatedunspentwealth.

AfterFrémontobservedtheenthusiasmofthecelebrantsforfire‐relateddisplays,headdedtothespectaclewithapeaceabledischargeofgunpowder:

Feast of theKindle-Man

Atthecloseofthe1870s,followingthemilitaryexpulsionofthePaiutesandincreasingtourismviathenewtranscontinentalrailroad,AmericansofEuropeandescentbegantodominatetheannualgatheringsintheBlackRockDesert.InitiallydrawnbythespectacleofthePaiutefestival,thenewarrivalsdrasticallychangedthecharacteroftheevent.

Transcontinental Railroad

Thistravelposterwascreatedin1872by"LyingJim"Townsend,aprominentpublisherintheGreatBasin,wellknownforhistendencytoexaggerateintheserviceofhispocketbook.ItwasinspiredbyaPaiutegatheringaboutwhichhehadheardonlythevaguestofrumors.HisrealgoalwastospurtravelthroughandinvestmentinOlinghouse,thenatinyminingtownontheroutebetweenWadsworthandtheBlackRockDesert.Hisluridpublicityledmanyofthenewarrivalstotheexpectationthattheycouldindulgeinbehaviorfrowneduponinthemoreconstrainedenvironmentsoftheirhomes.

The1872adventofthetranscontinentalrailroaddrasticallychangedtheaccessibilityoftheGreatBasindeserttopeoplefromurbancenters.ThejourneythatrequiredamajorexpeditionjustthirtyyearsbeforebecameashortjauntfromtheWestCoastcities,andwaswithinthereachofmotivatedtravellersfromasfarastheEastCoast.

Publicity

ManytravelledbyrailtoWadsworth,thenhiredhorsesandwagonsfortheremainderofthejourney

Mechanical Marvels

"Thefigurewasabouttwelvefeethighfromthebottomofthehugefeettothetopoftheplughatwhichadornedthesteamman'shead.Anenormousbellywasrequiredtoaccommodatetheboilerandsteamchest,andthiscorpulencyagreedwellwiththeheightofthemetallicsteamchap.Togivefullworkingroomtotheverydelicatemachineryinhisinterior,thegiantwasmadetoconveyasortofknapsackuponhisshoulders.Themachinehelditsarmsinthepositiontakenbyamanwhenheisdrawingacarriage."

BicyclesBicyclesbeganappearingintheBlackRockDesertintheearly1870sandsteadilygrewinpopularity.By1888,highwheelerbicyclesovertookhorsesasthefavoritemodeofpersonaltravelwithinthecity,butin1892werethemselvesoutnumberedbymodernsafetybicycles.TheCapitalBicycleClub,basedinWashingtonD.C.,hadastrongpresenceontheplayathroughoutthe1880s,organizinggrouprides,repairingbicycles,demonstratingproperfallingtechniques,andperformingtheircostume‐oriented"ProcessionoftheSacredCat".

Anastonishingvarietyofmechanicalandstream‐drivencontrivanceswerebroughttotheplaya.FrankReadecreatedsteam‐poweredmachinesintheshapeofbothahorse(shownbelowinfront)andahuman(shownbelowbehind),whichmovedonarticulatedlegs.Eachofthempulledawheeledcartbehindit,andaracebetweenthetwocontraptionswasoneofthehighlightsofthe1882Feast.Thehorsewon!

JournalistHarryEntonregardingtheSteamManMarkII

In1884,ArizonaengineerLuciusDayCopelandcombinedahighwheeledbicycledrivenbyleverswithasmallsteamengine.Themachinewouldattainabout15mph,andcarriedenoughfuelandwaterforanhourofoperation.Hebroughtittotheplayain1885,andlaterpatentedasteam‐driventricyclein1887.

FireOneaspectofthePaiuteGatheringthatwasheartilyembracedbythenewarrivalswastheemphasisonfire,andthetraditionofan enormousbonfireattheendofthegatheringcontinued.Theconflagrationbecameevenlargerovertheyears,andbecameoneofthemost‐documentedaspectsoftheevent.JamesAbbottMcNeillWhistler'srenditionofthe1883 burnbecameaverywell‐knownpainting.

IntoxicantsDespitethebesteffortsofthegrowingProhibitionmovement,alcoholflowedfreelyintheGreatBasinthroughoutthe1880s.Morphine,laudanum,opiumandvariouspatentmedicineswerealsopopular.ThenewestmiracleelixirwasCoca‐Cola,withthreeglassescontainingasmuchcocaineasone"line"ofthenow‐illegaldrug.

MusicMusicontheplayachangedforeverin1888,whenHaroldJohnsonbroughtanearlygramophone.Pre‐recordedmusicwasconsideredbysometobeatravesty,andcontroversyragedwheneventorganizersbannedsoundreproductiondevicesfrom1889to1901.

Althoughtheearliestpre‐recordedmusicheardontheplayahasbeenlost,twolaterpieceshavebeenremasteredfromtheoriginalphonographcylinders.Putontheheadphonestohearthem!

MilitaryOccupation

TheBlackRockDesertwasundermilitarycontrolfrom1942to1945duringWorldWarII,andagaininthepostwarperiodfrom1949to1963.Thelandwasusedasabombingandgunneryrange,sotheannualgatheringofcivilianscouldnotoccur.

First Occupation: 1942-1945In1942,awithdrawalordergrantedtheArmyAirCorps623,000acresinPershingandHumboldtcountiesforuseinbombingandgunneryexercises,includingmostoftheBlackRockDesert.

In1949,theUSNavyappliedtothenewly‐formedBureauofLandManagement(BLM)forpermissiontore‐activatetheBlackRockRangeasaregionof272,000acres.Theyproposedbothair‐to‐air(gunnery)andair‐to‐ground(bombing)operations,insupportofactivitiesbasedattheFallonNavalAirStation.AftercontrolreturnedtotheNavy,theysecuredtheplayaagainstallpublicaccess.TheNavyre‐establishedtheirbaseintheBlackRockDesert,manningitonlyduringthelatesummerbutwithincreasingnumbersoftroopseachyear.Althoughnobombingorgunneryappearedtobetakingplaceatthattime,intensiveactivityintheareawasnotedbythelocals.

Second Occupation: 1949-1963

In1942,theArmyAirCorpsestablishedatemporarytentcityinsupportofoperationsintheBlackRockDesert

Thewithdrawalordersspecifiedthatmining,grazingandotherlanduseswerenowprohibitedandthelandswereclosedtopublicaccess.TheresidentsofthenearbytownsofGerlach,Sulphur,andJungowereallowedtoremainintheirhomes,butanybodycaughtontherestrictedareasoftheBlackRockDesertwouldfaceprosecution.In1944,overonemillionacresoflandintheareamovedintothepurviewoftheUSNavy,including700,000acresoftheBlackRockDesert.Whenthewarendedin1945,thelandsrevertedbacktopublicuse.

Expansion AttemptsIn1953,withincreasinglevelsofactivityinthedesert,theNavyappliedtore‐activatetheSahwaveRange,a541,000acreregionsouthoftheBlackRockDesert.In1955,theNavyappliedforover2millionadditionalacresnexttotheserangesinordertoprovidereadiness,capacity,andsafety.

TheNavyclaimedthattherequirementsofnewhigh‐performanceaircraftandundisclosedexperimentalactivitiesrequiredgreatlyexpandedrangesize.Thenewaircraftoperatedatmuchhigherspeedsandthushadmuchlargerturningradii.Moreover,newordinanceposedamuchgreaterrisktolifeandpropertyinthevicinity.Inanewformofair‐to‐airgunnery,pilotswouldperformlow‐level,high‐speedpassestofireontargetsmoving200milesperhour,towedbycables.

Residentsreportedintensiveactivityduringthelatesummerofboth1957and1958withtheappearanceofoddvehicles,lightsandfiresoutinthedesert,andregularflightsofaircraftoverbothranges.Publicaccesswasfirmlyrestrictedwithbothminersandcattlemenforcedtoeitherfindotherroutesthroughtheareaortosimplyleavethearea.

In1958,theNavy'sexpandedrequestsweredenied.Thepermitsfortheusefortheexistingrangesranoutin1963,andboththeBlackRockRangeandtheSahwaveRangewereclosed.TheperiodofmilitaryoccupationofBlackRockCityandthesurroundingareawasconcluded.

Unexplained Observations

Documentaccidentallydiscoveredinunclassifiedsupplyrequisitionfiles

InvestigationsconductedbystateauthoritiesduringtheNavyoccupationuncoveredonlyminorinconsistenciesandirregularities.However,onceindependentcivilianinvestigatorsgaineddirectaccesstotheBlackRockDesertin1963,theyclaimedtodiscovercontradictionstotheofficialreportsofmilitarylandusage.Surprisinglylittleammunition,andfewmarksandsurfacedisturbancestypicalofbombing,werefound.Althoughafewdeterminedenthusiastscontinuetoinvestigate,mostpeopletodayattributethesereportstotheoveractiveimaginationofaneraatthedawnofspacerace.

TheofficialexplanationsofthemilitaryactivitiesdoesnotaccountforallthatwasobservedintheBlackRockDesertduringthistime.Rumorsofunusualaircraftandgroundvehiclesregularlycirculated.Localresidentsclaimedtohavebeentoldaboutodddiscoveriesbyoff‐dutymilitarypersonnel.Strangelightsandexplosionswereoccasionallyseenfarfromanyknownmilitaryencampments,andattimeswhentherewerenoscheduledexercises.Onlyoneknowndocument,apparentlymisfiled,addressesthistopic.

TracingHistoryMuchoftheoraltraditionofthePaiuteandothernativepeoplehasbeenlostasaresultoftheEuropeanconquest.Asaresult,thetrailfromthefirsttemporaryannualpresenceintheStoneAgetotheyearlyfestivalobservedbytheEuropeansinthe19thcenturyremainsmurky.

TwothemesthatclearlycontinuethroughthecurrentBurningManevent‐furandfire‐mayindeedhavetheirrootsinprehistory.Themodernrenaissanceofreplicapheauxfurgarmentsisbuiltontechnologicaladvancesthatallowinexpensivemassproduction.

Fireisstillusedforcooking,warmth,ritual,andentertainment.Itunderliesthetechnologicalinnovationofthesteam‐poweredmechanisms,andoftheexplosivesusedtocreatethefirstpyrotechnicspectacle.Fortwentyyears,explosiveswerethesoleuseoftheregion,butnowhumanpresenceinthelatesummerhasreturnedtotheBlackRockDesert.