Stop #6: First Residents

Rattlesnake Butte, which appears to your left, has been important to people since prehistoric times. Nearby, a rocky ledge extends across the river providing the only natural crossing for miles. This point of access, along with the availability of water and a butte from which to survey the surrounding land, made this an important place for bands of Northern Paiute people who first occupied the valley as early as 9,600 years ago. 

By 3,500 years ago, small villages were built around the marshes and along the river. Excavations show the people who lived here harvested waterfowl, rabbits, fish, and large game animals, as well as grass seeds and roots. They built wickiups of bent willow branches covered with brush, cattail mats, or animals skins. These people were known as the Wada’tika or Wada Eaters. Wada, today known as seepweed, was a highly valued plant that grows well in alkali soils. Because of their long connection to the region, modern-day descendants of these people continue to collect and use plant materials on the Refuge, and they occasionally assist with habitat management projects. 

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