In the mid- to late 19th century, nonnative populations first settled Fallon, Nevada, and the surrounding areas in Churchill County. Tracts of land were claimed from a desert floor, watered sporadically by the Carson River, which, in "good years," flows abundantly through the region. Fallon can be seen as a palimpsest, having once exclusively been home to Native Americans and then becoming an overland crossroads. In the mid-1890s, Jim Richards established a store at the crossing and Mike Fallon opened a small post office nearby. Now referred to as the "Oasis of Nevada," it is home to thousands. Lahontan Dam, completed in 1915, strengthened early agricultural roots and inspired rural dreams of verdant plenitude. Churchill County presently supports dairies and vineyards as well as farms and ranches. The city of Fallon has developed in significant ways, taking pride in its cultural life, schools, parks, businesses, and city-owned utility enterprises.