The Shepherd - Sparks, NV - Figurative Public Sculpture on Waymarking.com

Visitors and/or guests of the Nugget might notice this figurative sculpture tucked away at the SW corner of the hotel complex. The sculpture is of a shepherd holding a small lamb while his dutiful dog accompanies him. At the base of the sculpture is a plaque monumented at the base that reads:

THE SHEPHERD A TRIBUTE TO OUR PARENTS, WHO WERE AMONG THE MANY BASQUE IMMIGRANTS WHOSE COURAGE HELPED TO SHAPE THE AMERICAN WEST. THEIR OLD WORLD VALUES OF HARD WORK AND HONESTY SET THE STANDARD AND AMERICA PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY. JOHN AND ROSE ASCUAGA AUGUST 4, 1998

From the artist's professional website:

Doug grew up with the Basques in Nevada. He drank his first wine out of a tin can from a Basque shepherd’s large round glass jug enclosed in a rope webbing and tied to the side of his wagon. Doug and his father made many trips out into the mountains of Nevada where they encountered the Basque shepherds and found them very knowledgeable about the out-of-doors and great studies in character. This bronze sculpture is a maquette for the 11' monument sculptured for John Ascuaga’s Nugget in Sparks, Nevada, as a tribute to the Basque people who pioneered Nevada.

After viewing the casino website, I located a link to a page that announced the sale of the Nugget to a private investment group in December, 2013. The Ascuaga family was once owned and operated by John Ascuaga, his daughter Michonne Ascuaga, and son, Stephen Ascuaga. John Ascuaga was named Chairman Emeritus.

Dick Graves opened The Sparks Nugget on March 17, 1955 as a 60-seat coffee shop with a handful of slot machines. John Ascuaga, then general manager, purchased the Sparks Nugget in 1960 for $3.775 million on a handshake. Under John and two of his children, Michonne and Stephen's, leadership, the Nugget has grown into one of the largest Northern Nevada hotel casinos with over 1600 hotel rooms, 75,000 square feet of casino gaming, 110,000 square feet of convention space, nine restaurants, a sports book, bingo parlor, poker room, a unique indoor/outdoor swimming pool, wedding chapel, salon and spa, arcade, a cabaret, the legendary 700-seat Celebrity Showroom and more. ~source

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Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: The Shepherd Figure Type: Combination of two figure types Artist Name or use 'Unknown' if not known: Douglas Van Howd Date created or placed or use 'Unknown' if not known: Aug 4, 1998 Materials used: Bronze on a rock base Location: John Ascuana's Nugget

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Date Logged Log User Rating   05/03/2015 FolsomNatural visited it