Nevadans ask me about this story a lot, wondering what in the hell us up with these Owl Clubs all across Nevada. The history of the Nevada Owl Clubs not only didn’t trickle down through the history books but also didn’t successfully make it into the memories of anyone living in these ultra rural Nevada towns today, which is what drew me to it. Why are there so many Nevada Owl Clubs, both historic and modern, all across this state? Are they connected? And with such a strong bridge between Nevada and San Francisco histories, do they tie into the most infamous secret society in the West and maybe the world? 

To me, there’s a lot of satisfaction in not knowing something, or giving yourself a long runway to really think about it. Because the truth is, we live in a world where everything is on demand, or telling us how to think. Well, not in this story. Thinking, and imagination are prerequisites.

It’s the story of the Nevada Owl Clubs: where wisdom is curiosity, and curiosity is wisdom.

Sources

• “Bohemian Club”, Wikipedia, September 18, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_Club 
• Charles River Editors, 2024. The Bohemian Club: The History of one of America’s Most Secretive and Controversial Private Clubs. 
• Cindy Beutel, in discussion with the author, June 2026. 
• “Freemasonry”, Wikipedia, October 16, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry 
• “List of Bohemian Club Members”, Wikipedia, October 16, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bohemian_Club_members 
• Nadia Vivar, in discussion with the author, June 2026
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Austin, Lander County, Nevada, 1886 with key, October 2026, https://unr.dgicloud.com/49619
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Austin, Lander County, Nevada, 1917 with key, October 2026, https://unr.dgicloud.com/4254
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Battle Mountain, Lander County, 1886 with key. October 2026, https://unr.dgicloud.com/50633
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Eureka, Eureka County, Nevada, 1886, Sheet 02, October 2026, https://unr.dgicloud.com/2566
• “Sarah Jane Lippincott”, Wikipedia, October 19, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sara_Jane_Lippincott 
• “Shoumatoff, Alex”, “Bohemian Tragedy”, Vanity Fair, May 2009, https://archive.vanityfair.com/article/2009/5/bohemian-tragedy 
• Tyler Margason, in discussion with the author, June 2026. 
• “William Randolph Hearst”, Wikipedia, September 21, 2026, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Randolph_Hearst 
• Episode artwork by Paige Gomez of Gomez Signs. To see more of her work, click here.