Three men, from the Hole in the Wall Gang, entered the First National Bank and robbed it.The thieves then escaped on horseback, and were never apprehended. He told Nixon to open the safe and give them the gold coins. Legends were retold at a reunion of Old West outlaws’ descendants. The Boys Winnemucca 1900. And he was a … George Nixon went back into the bank and came out with a revolver as did bank stenographer Calhoun. Robert LeRoy Parker (April 13, 1866 – November 7, 1908), better known as Butch Cassidy, was an American train and bank robber and the leader of a gang of criminal outlaws known as the "Wild Bunch" in the Old West.. Parker engaged in criminal activity for more than a decade at the end of the 19th century, but the pressures of being pursued by law enforcement, notably the Pinkerton … It is the start of the “Winnemucca to the Sea Highway” – dedicated in 1962 to establish a route from northern Nevada to the California coast. Website by Nevada Central Media, LLC using the Genesis Framework by StudioPress. The estimated amount taken in the holdup was $32,640.00. In fact, the identity of the robbers was never confirmed beyond a reasonable doubt. But wait, the town's big claim to fame (which has recently been debunked) is the Winnemucca Bank Robbery which occurred on September 19, 1900. The site of a September 19, 1900 bank robbery by the Wild Bunch. On September 16, 1868, the Central Pacific Railroad reached Winnemucca, and was officially opened on October 1 of that year. History records that on Wednesday, September 19, 1900, the First National Bank of Winnemucca at the northwest corner of Fourth Street and Bridge Street in Winnemucca, Nevada. All Dennis’ books sold through this publication will be at a discount plus $3 for each shipment for postage and packaging. The city’s billboard along State Route 140 says, “Winnemucca to the Sea Highway,” but Winnemucca also likes to style itself as “The City of Paved Streets,” too. They still remember me and say I look the same, but I sure don't feel the same. was held up by three unmasked men. Having made no progress, they sent a copy of a photograph that appeared in Fort Worth Texas to Winnemucca Banker George Nixon to see if he could identify any of the people in the photo. Young Button had admired the horse while on his way to school. They were followed as far as Clover Valley, where they had another set of fresh mounts, then on to Tuscarora. Citizens in Winnemucca quickly organized a posse and even fired up a yard locomotive to follow along in an attempt to capture the group. A lot of kids hung around the stockyards whenever we shipped. Winnemucca celebrated “Butch Cassidy Days” every year for several years in remembrance of the now infamous men who they believed committed the Great Bank Robbery. The gang had hung around Winnemucca for a couple of days before the robbery. When the gold was secured, the robbers forced the four employees and the visitor out the back door into a fenced enclosure so no one from the front street could see what was happening. 1. In researching the bank robbery back in the 1980s, Berk even interviewed Vic Button, then a Winnemucca resident in his 90s, who as a 10-year-old boy had been given a white horse by the fleeing Wild Bunch. Bank is the one-story brick building on the corner, on the left, past the trees and wagon. Winnemucca's brothel district , while smaller now than in the 1980s, is known as "The Line" or "The Ring Circle", based on the layout of the street where the brothels are located. was held up by three unmasked men. A bank robbery that took place in Winnemucca on September 19, 1900 would go down in history as one of the town’s most well-known historic incidents. In 1868, Winnemucca became a major distribution point for the Central Pacific Railroad. Your email address will not be published. The robbers were able to stay ahead of the posse since they had staged fresh horses about every ten miles in order to make a speedy departure. The photo was of five members of the notorious “Wild Bunch” and included Robert Leroy Parker (Butch Cassidy) and Harry Longbaugh (Sundance Kid). was held up by three unmasked men. On September 19, 1900, the Sundance Kid and two other members of the Wild Bunch robbed the First National Bank, galloping away with about $32,000 in gold coin (see p.92). One of the robbers held a gun on part owner and cashier at the bank, George S. Nixon. Old legends never die. State History: Stagecoach Travel in Nevada. They are all grown now and have kids of their own. Winnemucca was the scene of one of the last Western style bank holdups back in 1900. The town also is home to one of the largest Basque populations in North America. It was an inside job, and Chet’s great grandfather played a role. Aired in May 2017 on KLAS TV in Las … But no matter who robbed the Winnemucca bank no-one who was there that day ever forgot it. History records that on Wednesday, September 19, 1900, the First National Bank of Winnemucca at the northwest corner of Fourth Street and Bridge Street in Winnemucca, Nevada. Every year lots of people roll through town on their way to Burning Man. There were three other employees and a visitor in the bank at the time but none of these people were harmed. The three men who committed the daring mid-day robbery were never apprehended and the money was never recovered. Butch and the boys got clean away, galloping out of town in the hail of bullets with $32,000 in gold. The Sundance Kid and perhaps two of the other members of the Wild Bunch may have participated in the robbery. Nixon complied with the demands of the bandit leader and turned over an estimated $32,640 in gold coins which the third robber placed in a canvas bag. In 1900 they purportedly celebrated their robbery of the First National Bank by sending the bank president a studio portrait of themselves. One of the robbers held a gun on part owner and cashier at the bank, George S. Nixon. I purchased in Goldfield NV in 2005 celebrating the 100 year anniversary of … The bandits continued on , making their way toward Golconda where they had fresh horses waiting. In researching the bank robbery in the 1980s, Berk even interviewed Vic Button, then a Winnemucca resident in his 90s, who as a 10-year-old boy had been given a white horse by the fleeing Wild Bunch. This documentation was used to confirm that Butch Cassidy could not have been one of the people who robbed the Winnemucca Bank on September 19, 1900. Months after the robbery was committed, the Pinkertons group was still conducting their investigation of the robbery for the American Bankers Association. There is still a bronze plaque by the utility pole at the old Winnemucca Bank that proclaims that Butch Cassidy robbed the bank on September 19, 1900. Winnemucca was also the site of a major bank robbery in 1900, when three men entered the First National Bank and robbed the owner at gunpoint. Required fields are marked *. It was part of the transcontinental line. On September 19, 1900, Butch Cassidy's gang robbed the First National Bank of Winnemucca of $32,640. Trappers and Basque sheepherders arrived in today’s Winnemucca, Nevada, in the 1830s, but a Wild Bunch robbery put it on the Old West map. The robbers made a clean getaway and no one even sustained a scratch in the robbery or the following shootout. Many of the Chinese laborers who had worked on the railroad later settled in the Winnemucca Chinatown. After the movie “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” came out in 1969, it became a cool thing to celebrate the notoriety of these bandits. On September 19 1900, the story goes, Butch Cassidy rode into Winnemucca and robbed the local bank. The infamous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid were said to have left their mark on Winnemucca. What the world doesn't know about the Winnemucca bank robbery of 1900 Maybe Butch Cassidy knew it was going to happen. The gang had hung around Winnemucca for a couple of days before the robbery. This was more of a tourist attraction than anything else. He may well have had a hand in making the arrangements, and it is likely that some of his larcenous friends in the Wild Bunch were involved. The bank robbers were identified as men who had been camping in the area for at least 10 days. On September 19, 1900, Butch Cassidy's gang robbed the First National Bank of Winnemucca of $32,640. Ira was upstanding and pretty straight-laced, Chet said. This also happened in Lovelock. Allen Pace – Dunbar Armored Robbery The robbery did take place, of course. Your email address will not be published. It is unclear, this many years on, how much of the robbery … Posted by Dennis Cassinelli | Mar 29, 2019 | History | 0 |. The great Winnemucca bank robbery of 1900 March 3, 2017 By Dennis Cassinelli Leave a Comment History records that on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 1900, the First National Bank of Winnemucca at the northwest corner of Fourth Street and Bridge Street in Winnemucca, Nevada. They then escaped over the fence and into the alley where they had horses waiting so they could make their getaway. Legend has it that the infamous Butch Cassidy along with his right-hand man the Sundance Kid were behind the robbery. Shots were exchanged, but there were no injuries on either side. On September 19, 1900, Butch Cassidy and his gang robbed the First National Bank of Winnemucca making out with $32,640. The Sundance Kid and perhaps two of the other members of the Wild Bunch may have participated in the robbery. The road they traveled veered away from the railroad track, so the locomotive proved useless to the chase. When Nixon refused, the robber produced a large knife and threatened to cut the cashier’s throat. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, For more in-depth coverage of the Silver State, visit, Nevada Democrats release plan for 2020 presidential caucuses. On September 19, 1900, Butch Cassidy's gang robbed the First National Bank of Winnemucca of $32,640. On Sept. 19, 1900, the first National Bank of Winnemucca was robbed of $32,640 in gold coins. Winnemucca celebrated “Butch Cassidy Days” every year for several years in remembrance of the now infamous men who they believed committed the Great Bank Robbery. Winnemucca's brothel district , while smaller now than in the 1980s, is known as "The Line" or "The Ring Circle", based on the layout of the street where the brothels are located. In honor of this heritage, Winnemucca hosts an annual Basque Festival. But a long-held story about a famous bank robbery in Winnemucca got a new twist. On September 19, 1900, Butch Cassidy's gang robbed the First National Bank of Winnemucca of $32,640. Whether they did it with elaborate planning or simply went in all guns blazing, the following bank robbers have earned enough notoriety and fame (as well as cold hard cash) to land themselves in the history books. Your email address will not be published. Winnemucca celebrated “Butch Cassidy Days” every year for several years in remembrance of the now infamous men who they believed committed the Great Bank Robbery… This was more of a tourist attraction than anything else. This article is by Dayton Author and Historian, Dennis Cassinelli, who can be contacted on his blog at denniscassinelli.com. Winnemucca, Nevada, approx. But Ira’s involvement in the Winnemucca bank robbery was a real surprise. It was always believed that Butch Cassidy’s Hole in the Wall Gang was responsible for the robbery of the Winnemucca State Bank on Sept. 19, 1900. Bank name, account number and transit or routing number if the funds are going to a specific bank account in the U.S. For international wire transfers, you’ll need to know the receiving bank’s SWIFT code and, if required, International Bank Account Number (IBAN). Butch Cassidy may or may not have robbed the bank in town back in 1900. George Nixon quickly sent out an alarm and contacted the Pinkerton group to help apprehend the persons who robbed the bank. The Great Winnemucca Bank Robbery happened in 1900. Bystanders at the Reception Saloon heard the shooting and fired a few shots at the escaping bandits but missed. Idaho ranchers Kim and Chet Brackett say it wasn’t Butch Cassidy who robbed the First National Bank in Winnemucca. Peter Skene Ogden, a leading trapper for the Hudson Bay Company, was the first of European descent to arrive in 1828. Butch Cassidy-Winnemucca, NV Bank robbery of 1900 The next picture (13.) The robbers circled around toward the east and when they crossed the White’s Creek Bridge, they dropped a sack of gold and lost some time retrieving it. The second member of the gang held a carbine on the bystanders. Courtesy | History records on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 1900, the First National Bank of Winnemucca at the northwest corner of Fourth Street and Bridge Street in Winnemucca, was held up by three unmasked men. For 100 years, the town enthusiastically embraced the story that it was Butch, Sundance, and other members of the wild bunch who staged the daring robbery of the First National Bank, making off with a fortune in gold coins. 1905. This is Winnemucca at the beginning of the 20th century, images preserved in old postcards. WINNEMUCCA BANK ROBBERY We used to ship horses from Winnemucca. Tap Duncan - Old West Death Bed Confessions. Young Button had admired the horse while on the way to school. History records that on Wednesday, September 19, 1900, the First National Bank of Winnemucca at the northwest corner of Fourth Street and Bridge Street in The great Winnemucca bank robbery of 1900 - News4Nevada Along the way, the citizen posse gave up the chase. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. He later was elected a United States Senator and kept a complete file of all the events surrounding the bank robbery. The men escaped on horseback, and were never apprehended. Winnemucca became a major distribution point for the Central Pacific Railroad, established itself as the center of commerce in north-central Nevada, and was the site of a major bank robbery that remains controversial to this day. Butch Cassidy may have even known about it, but he could not have been there, since he was was planning a train robbery in Tipton, Wyoming. A recreation of the ‘wanted poster’ for Butch Cassidy after his alleged robbery of the First National Bank in Winnemucca. On September 19, 1900, the First National Bank at the corner of Bridge and Fourth Streets in Winnemucca, Nevada, was robbed. Take a look below for our list of 10 of the most notorious bank robbers in history. If you’re unsure whether you’ll need an IBAN, your banker can assist you. Winnemucca became a major distribution point for the Central Pacific Railroad, established itself as the center of commerce in north-central Nevada. 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