September 2026
The Annual Labor Day Festival is the biggest event of the year in Pioche, Nevada, drawing locals and visitors from around the region for a nonstop lineup of events. This year, NVFCP hosted an outreach booth featuring a timeline that connected the history of candy to important dates in both Pioche and U.S. history.
Did you know that Necco Wafers date back to 1847 and the still-beloved Tootsie Roll was introduced in 1896? Between those two dates, the United States experienced the Civil War, Nevada became a state, and the Pioche silver boom brought more than 7,000 people to town. As Pioche grew into a bustling mining community, facilities were built to entertain and serve its residents.
For our presentation, guests got to snack on a variety of historic treats while we explored the stories of two of Pioche’s historic movie houses. NVFCP Executive Director Rayette Martin covered the history of Thompson’s Opera House as well as some of the history of the GEM Theater. She then welcomed guest speaker Daniel Roberts, who shared the story of the GEM’s renovation journey.
Ron Safran took things from there, adding fascinating information about silent-film stars Clara Bow and Rex Bell, who were associated with Walking Box Ranch (1931), a historic ranch in Searchlight, Nevada. The ranch has since been restored, and tours are provided by the Friends of Avi Kwa Ame. Ron also introduced us to the world of silent film through a feature film and several short clips of Clara Bow.
Fun fact: Rex Bell served as Lieutenant Governor of Nevada. Talk about some major Nevada history!
Pioche’s Historic Theaters
Brown Hall was built in 1873 and later became Thompson’s Opera House in 1891. The building was restored with grant funding and reopened for community use in 2009.
The GEM Theater was built in 1937 by neighboring Thompson’s. In 2002, a windstorm damaged the theater’s roof, and the building remained vacant until it was purchased by an individual and donated to the Friends of the Gem Theater, who are currently working to restore it. The organization hosted an open house on the day of our presentation, giving visitors an opportunity to learn more about the theater and its ongoing restoration.
All in all, it was a wonderful experience bringing historical context to both visitors at our outreach booth and those who attended the presentation. Connecting candy, local history, U.S. history, and Pioche’s historic theaters gave us a fun and memorable way to explore how the past continues to shape this unique Nevada community.
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