Lander County was created on December 19, 1862 and named in honor of General Fredrick W. Lander who was a prominent road builder for the Department of the Interior. Lander is the ninth largest of Nevada's seventeen counties, covering approximately 5,621 square miles (14,558 square kilometers) and accounting for nearly 5.1 percent of Nevada's total surface area of 110,540 square miles (286,297 square kilometers).

Before white settlers, Lander County was part of the territory of the Western Shoshone Indians who call themselves "Newe," or the "The People." Newe territory covered parts of Nevada, Utah, Idaho, and Southern California. To the North of Newe territory were the Northern Paiute and Bannock; to the East were the Northern Ute; to the West the Washo; and to the South the Southern Paiute tribes.

The Peaceful Newe lived off the land gathering food, and migrating, according to the different seasons. Native foods were deer, antelope, mountain sheep, rabbits, and many small animals. The Humboldt River, Little Humboldt River, Reese River, and their tributaries supplied water for many plants and wildlife. There were hundreds of birds, including ducks, geese, grouse, and sage hens available in this area. The Newe harvested the fruits, seeds, and roots of many plants at the proper time of the year. Some types of food included fresh watercress, morning glory roots, cattail roots, and young cattail stems.

Historical Society of Austin Nevada
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