Fred Dressler Records

Frederick (Fred) Hugh Dressler was born August 3, 1898 to William (Bill) Frederick Dressler (1871-1946) and Margaretta Ann Park Dressler (1873-19--). His paternal grandfather, August Frederick Dressler arrived in the Carson Valley of Nevada in 1860 from Muhlhausen, Germany. August homesteaded some land and accumulated other property throughout the Carson and Smith Valleys; eventually the family had upwards of 80,000 acres. Bill Dressler was the first president of the Nevada Livestock Production Credit Union and helped found the Federal Land Bank. He had a dairy herd, developed previously unused scrub land, built a dam at Mud Lake, drilled wells, built canals (the Plymouth Canal in Smith Valley and others), developed a creamery and flour mill, and served twenty-eight years in the Nevada state legislature. Bill and Margaretta donated part of their land to the Washoe Indians because the latter had no lands of their own; this gift became the community of Dresslerville.

Fred graduated from Douglas County High School in 1918, where he met his wife, Anna E. Neddenriep (died 1987). They married in 1920 and had two children: Frederick William Dressler and Luetta Dressler Bergevin.

Fred assumed his parents' business interests and assumed responsibility for the ranch at an early age. He served as secretary of the West Fork Water Association and West Fork Farmers' Union and as livestock loan inspector for the Carson, Mason and Smith Valleys. He served on the local school board from 1932-1957, was president of the National Cattlemen's Association, was a member of the Nevada State Board of Agriculture, and inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Among his many honors were: Nevada Cattleman of the Year, 1954; Distinguished Nevadan Award from the University of Nevada, 1960; Citizen of the Year for Carson Valley, 1969; National Golden Spur Award, 1980.

Dressler was very active in many organizations.

Fred Dressler died March 26, 1996 at the age of 97.

For additional information on Dressler, consult his oral history: An Interview with Fred Dressler, conducted by R.T. King of the University of Nevada System, Oral History Program, 1984.