For a Bit Of History from Carson City, Click Here. Or purchase a rare check from the Bullion and Exchange Bank of Carson City, NV dated 1895. Check it out here.
The early name for the area of Carson City was Eagle Valley. This was the name given the area by Mormon settlers by 1851. An enterprising man named Abe Curry, bought the better portion of the land for a sum of $500 and in 1858 plotted a townsite named after the famous scout for John C. Freemont, Kit Carson. Carson City became an overnight freight and transportation center after the discovery of the vast Comstock load in 1859. Curry built his Warm Springs Hotel a mile east of the townsite and leased it back to the new legislature as a meeting hall.
 |
The first commercial business in what would become the state capital. (Courtesy of the U.S. Library of Congress) |
The new legislature established Carson City as the seat for Ormsby county. They also made the Warm Springs Hotel the new Territorial prison and Abe Curry the first warden. Later, the legislature would build its first state prison next to the hotel.
| The Warm Springs Hotel with the new prison built just on the other side. |  |
Carson City boomed with the fortunes of the Virginia City and the Comstock. Timber from the Sierra Mountains to the west, was sent to the town via huge flumes. The logs poured down the flumes even becoming scorched along the way. They were collected in Carson City and milled there and then sent on to the mines. The mines required a tremendous quantity of timber to stabilize the tunnels. The use of "square set" timbering originated in the Comstock mines and was designed by a German mining engineer named Phillip Deidesheimer. The Virginia and Truckee railroad was completed between Carson City and Virginia city in 1869 and then connected with the transcontinental railroad at Reno in 1872. The railroad now connected the mines at Virginia City with the ore mills along the Carson river, the supply stations in Carson City, and the outside world via Reno. A quick note about the V&T engine house which was located northeast of the station in downtown Carson. The shop was torn down after years of neglect in 1950 and the sandstone bricks were hauled off to California to make fancy brick facades at wineries in Napa valley.
At the turn of the century, Carson City once again, became a transportation and supply town for the new mines at Tonopah and Goldfield. When new railroad connections were made via the Carson and Colorado railroad in the south, Carson City slowed its pace. For years it became a quiet town where the lifestyle was neither hurried nor abandoned. Highway 395 passes through the center of town now and the main street is busy with many shops and casinos. On the outskirts of town, large and small companies have located and brought more stability and jobs to the area. The town still boasts many of its original buildings from the 1800's and the V&T railroad station is still located in the center of town even though the trains are long gone. The Nevada state museum is located downtown as is the state archives. The state museum has many great exhibits including many on Nevada mining and geological features. It is housed in the old Carson City mint and there are many displays of coins minted there along with minting machines. The museum even has a replica of a mine tunnel that displays old mining techniques and equipment. A great railroad museum is located just south of the downtown area and is certainly worth a visit.
 |
State Museum located downtown. |
| An example of one of the many old homes that can be found in downtown Carson City. |  |
 |
The state capital building located on Hwy. 395 in downtown Carson City. Notice the silver dome of the building just to the left of the tall pine tree. |
References: The Complete Nevada Traveler by David W. Toll and Railroads of Nevada and Eastern California, Vol. 1 by David F. Myrick. A special note: The old photographs of life in early Carson City come from the U.S. Library of Congress collection by Lawrence and Houseworth, photographed in the mid-1800's.
For more information on Railroads of Nevada checkout the 2-book set by David Myrick. This set is considered to be the definitive historical narrative for railroads in this area. It definitely belongs in everyone's library that professes an interest in historical Nevada.