It's not my fault! EarthCache
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The Genoa fault extends from the south end of Jobs Canyon to Jacks Valley in the Carson Valley. It is the principal fault within the northern Sierra Nevada fault zone in this area. Enjoy the scenery and geologic history venturing through historic Genoa!
HISTORY OF THE AREA:
Genoa became a camping spot for those traveling on the California Emigrant Trail in 1848 and 1849. In 1850, Brigham Young was appointed Territorial Governor when Congress designated this region of the Great Basin as part of Utah Territory. The Mormons began a trading station where immigrants were able to buy supplies. Emigrant travel continued to increase, and due to heavy travel in 1852, a permanent settlement emerged around the trading post.
As it was an outpost of the Mormon Church, the town was named Mormon Station. However, the name changed to Genoa in 1855, after the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. In 1857, Brigham Young ordered all Mormon settlers in the territory to return to Salt Lake City to help defend it against the anticipated government action due to a political dispute between the church and the U.S. government. The settlers were forced to abandon their new homes and prosperous businesses.
Genoa continued to prosper due to the development of the Comstock Mines. Genoa became the seat of the new Douglas County in 1861, and a courthouse was constructed in 1865. In 1910, a large fire burned half of the business district, including the courthouse and the original Mormon fort. In 1915, the county sear was moved to the nearby town of Minden.
In 1919, some citizens of the town conjured up the idea to hold a community dance to raise money for civic improvements instead of levying taxes. Ladies of the town made home-made candy to sell at the event, which consequently became known as the Candy Dance. The Candy Dance is still a highly anticipated event that many vendors and visitors come to visit each September.
GEOLOGIC HISTORY:
The Genoa fault is exposed in various locations. These locations indicate the rock types and where movements have occurred. The crushed, greenish rocks exposed are Mesozoic metamorphosed volcanic rocks. The step-like ridges in the alluvium at the foot of the mountain slope are fault scarps, which are evidence of recent movements of the Genoa fault. The faults cut and displace gravel that has washed from the canyon above.
The location of this earthcache is at the sight of a slickenside, which is a striated or highly polished surface on hard rocks abraded during movement along a fault. Slickensides that form a polished granite face marking the actual fault plane of the Genoa fault are exposed in this decomposed granite borrow pit.
Detailed evaluations of cross sections of the alluvial terraces nearby show that numerous seismic events (earthquakes) formed this fault. Geologic studies indicate that areas of the fault are less than several thousand years old. The most recent fault movements have created triangular facets on the range front, and a young-looking fault scarp.
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
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