Carson City: History

Gold Leads the Way

For nearly 4,000 years before the coming of white settlers, the Washoe Indians occupied the land along the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range that borders Nevada and California. In 1851 a group of prospectors decided to look for gold in the area that is now Carson City. Unsuccessful in that attempt, they opened up a trading post called Eagle Station on the Overland Stagecoach route. It was used by wagon trains of people moving westward. The surrounding area came to be called Eagle Ranch, and the surrounding meadows as Eagle Valley. In time, a number of scattered settlements grew up in the area and the Eagle Ranch became its social center.

As a growing number of white settlers came to the area and began to develop the valleys and mountains of the Sierra Nevada, the Washoe people who for so long had occupied the area were overwhelmed. Although lands were allotted to individual Indians by the federal government starting in the 1880s, they did not offer sufficient water. As a result, the Washoe tended to set up camp at the edges of white settlements and ranches in order to work for food. It would not be until the twentieth century that parcels of reservation land were established for them.

Many of the earliest settlers in the Carson City area were Mormons led to Eagle Valley by Colonel John Reese. When the Mormons were summoned to Salt Lake City, Utah, by their leader, Brigham Young, many sold their land for a small amount to area resident John Mankin, who later laid claim to the entire Eagle Valley. In time he subdivided the land and sold tracts of it.

Birth of Carson City

In 1858, an ambitious New Yorker named Abraham Curry, along with three partners, bought most of Eagle Valley, including the ranch and trading post. Curry was correct in his prophecy that the western part of Utah Territory was soon to become a state, and he had the present-day site of Carson City surveyed. He promoted Eagle Valley, a fertile though rather deserted place, as the site of the future state capital.

Soon Major William M. Ormsby also became an enthusiastic promoter of a town that did not yet exist. He named it in honor of legendary mountain man Kit Carson, whose name was also borne by a nearby river. The town was laid out with wide streets and had a four-square city area that he named Capitol Square, but that later came to be called the Plaza.

In 1859 the rich (chiefly silver), was discovered mere miles from the site of Carson City, setting off a rush to the area. Curry sold his claim to the Comstock for a few thousand dollars, but those who bought it became millionaires. Still, Curry is remembered in the name of the mine, the Gould and Curry.

By 1860 the town's population stood at 500 people. Soon Abe Curry took steps to have Carson City named territorial capital. He argued that it was close to the main lines of travel in the region. On November 25, 1861, Carson City was named the permanent capital of Nevada Territory and the Ormsby County seat. A plaza was established at the site for future public buildings.

Carson Named Capital of New State

Just one year later, the population of the town had nearly doubled. The year 1862 saw Carson become a station on the Pony Express and the eastern end of a telegraph line from San Francisco. Soon the town became a freighting and supply point for many mining and ranching communities in the central and southern part of Nevada.

About this time, both Carson and the entire surrounding area were having problems with cattle rustlers, claim jumpers, and other outlaws. As a result, the legislature passed laws designed to establish order. When the new legislature could not find a site large enough to accommodate its numbers, Abe Curry offered it the use of his Warm Springs Hotel, a rather primitive building located near the Carson River. In the early days a canvas curtain was used to divide the Nevada senate from the state assembly.

In October 1864, Nevada became a state, and Carson City was chosen to serve as the state capital. By then, Curry owned a sandstone quarry, a brickyard, a saloon, and the Great Basin Hotel. When a courthouse was needed, Curry again came to the rescue. He sold his Great Basin Hotel to the State of Nevada and it was used as a courthouse and legislature building into the 1870s. Because it was two miles out of town, Curry transported the legislators in Carson's first horse-drawn streetcar.

The Early Years of a Capital City

A few years later the Warm Springs building was converted into a territorial prison and Curry became its first warden. Prison labor used local sandstone to construct many of Carson City's early buildings. In 1870, a branch of the U.S. Mint was built in Carson and Curry was appointed its first superintendent. The mint processed the rich ore found in nearby mines. In rapid succession, Curry resigned that position, lost a bid to become Nevada's lieutenant governor, and built the huge stone roundhouse and shops for the Virginia & Truckee Railroad. This became America's richest short-line railroad, connecting the Comstock mines with mills on the Carson River. In 1873 Curry died of a stroke.

During those early years, Nevada's legislative business was punctuated by fistfights, vote-buying, and other acts of political corruption. In 1872, a State Capitol building, a large square stone structure with rafters made of hewn logs, was completed. That same year saw the completion of a 52-mile railroad linking Carson City to Virginia City, and other lines were to follow. In 1880, the population stood at about 8,000 people.

As a New Century Dawned

During the last decades of the nineteenth century, Carson City experienced boom and bust cycles common to the area. With the decline of the nearby mines, the population too began to decline. Railroad traffic through Carson City came to a halt when the Southern Pacific Railroad built a branch rail line that bypassed the city. That, and the departure of the rootless, restless miners, resulted in Carson City's settling down into a quiet community. In the late 1800s Carson City became home to the Stewart Indian School, which educated thousands of native American children between 1890 and 1980, teaching them English and the ways of the white people.

In 1897, Carson City became the focus of worldwide attention when it became the site of a world heavyweight championship fight in which Britain Bob Fitzsimmons won over "Gentleman Jim" Corbett. A motion picture of the fight, the first of its kind, thrilled audiences, despite its bluish tint and flickering images. But soon after, between 1890 and 1900, the population of Carson City dropped from nearly 4,000 to just over 2,000 people.

Carson City in the Twentieth Century

Carson City's fortunes gradually declined through World War I and with the coming of the worldwide economic downturn known as the Great Depression. By 1930, the population had declined to only about 1,500 citizens, a quarter of what it had been 50 years earlier. Then in 1931 state legislation was enacted that permitted gambling in the area and provided for speedy divorce and simple marriage procedures. These moves brought more tourists into the area.

Soon the population began to grow again, reaching 2,478 in 1940, doubling to 5,163 by 1960, then tripling that figure by 1970, when the population stood at 15,468 people. In 1969, Ormsby County was merged with Carson City, and government services were consolidated. The population doubled again in 1980 to 32,022 then jumped by 20,000 more in 2000.

Today, as the site of a state prison, the Nevada Gaming Commission, and a variety of state department headquarters and federal agencies, the small city is economically thriving and serves as the power center of Nevada. The city's planners are set to complete a comprehensive 20-year "master plan" by the end of 2005 that will address a variety of needs—growth, housing, economic factors, and environmental issues among them—and propose action steps and long-range strategies for success. The business climate is diverse and expansive and is driven by a highly educated workforce and prime open land for future development. Pleasant weather conditions throughout the year draw visitors to outdoor activities in addition to the wide array of entertainment options. A new freeway scheduled to open in 2006 will support an increase in travel throughout the city and to nearby vacation destinations.

Historical Information: Nevada State Library and Archives, 100 N. Stewart St., Carson City, NV 89701-4285; telephone (775)684-3310 or (775)684-3360; fax (775)684-3330; email nslref@clan.lib.nv.us. State of Nevada, Department of Cultural Affairs, Division of Museums and History Office, 708 N. Curry St., Carson City, NV 89703; telephone (775)687-4340; fax (775)687-4333

Carson City: Economy

Major Industries and Commercial Activity

Carson City has a growing and diverse economy, with a population that increased by 64 percent between 1980 and 2000. It is the regional retail and commercial center for northwestern Nevada, which is devoted to irrigated farming, livestock raising, and mining of silver and other minerals. It draws from a trade area of about a quarter of a million people with 14 percent of the city's employees working in the manufacturing industry, making it the state's leading city in that category. The city's retail and commercial growth are also expected to continue at a healthy rate.

Since gambling was legalized in 1931, tourism has also been important to the Carson City economy, and the resort city is drawing increasingly more visitors. The service industry is by far the largest in the city representing 30 percent of the local workforce, which includes hotel, gaming, and tourism workers.

As the seat of state government, which meets in the city for two months every two years, and a center for federal government, the government sector employs about one out of four city residents and is the second largest industry.

Taxable sales totaled over $860 million in 2003 with nearly half of that from car and other retail sales. The cost of doing business is about 10 percent less than in Nevada's metropolitan areas, and land and labor costs are also lower. Carson City serves as one of the health care hubs for the region, providing hospitals and multispecialty clinics.

Items and goods produced: calculators and computers, refurbished aircraft turbines, retail display furniture, plastic moldings, plumbing supplies, fiberglass light poles, aerospace components, and welding accessories

Incentive Programs—New and Existing Companies

Local programs

Carson City is able to save employers time and money through the major project review process, and a local one-stop shop that issues building permits. According to the Northern Nevada Development Authority, Nevada does not offer short-term incentives to attract business. It relies instead on having no corporate taxes and no personal income taxes or inventory taxes to make its cities very competitive. In addition, accessible government, a thriving business climate, and sensible regulations also draw business.

State programs

The State of Nevada administers Small Business Administration loans. The Nevada Development Capital Corporation (NDCC) provides more than $3 million from Nevada banks, utilities, and mining companies and other firms to help finance growth opportunities for new and existing businesses. It provides flexible financing to small Nevada businesses that do not qualify for more conventional financing.

The Nevada Revolving Loan Fund (NRLF) offers loans of up to $100,000 to for-profit businesses in need of gap financing to complete business projects. The Nevada Industrial Development Revenue Bond Program makes loans available to qualified manufacturers who are buying land, building new facilities, and purchasing new equipment. The Micro Enterprise Loan Fund works with the Community Business Resource Center (CBRC) to help provide economic self-sufficiency for entrepreneurs through training, technical assistance, and access to credit.

Job training programs

Western Nevada Community College works closely with area businesses in providing specialized training courses for employees. Nevada's "Train Employees Now" program has customized industrial training programs to assist new and expanding businesses in training new or potential employees. Eligible businesses contribute 25 percent of the total training costs. Working to ensure that companies have an adequate workforce is the Job Opportunities in Nevada (JOIN) that offers training and educational opportunities for job seekers; Nevadaworks assists employers in developing employees' skills.

Development Projects

In 2003 the city held a groundbreaking for the new Carson City Freeway that will provide another north-south option for local travelers. The challenging and long-discussed project is estimated to cost nearly $70 million; the 4.8-mile northern half is scheduled to open in 2006. The Carson City Senior Center more than doubled in size to 33,000 square feet with its July 2004 expansion. In the summer of 2004 the Comstock Casino debuted its 9,500-square-foot 100-slot facility and 2002 saw the Ormsby House Hotel & Casino's revival with $20 million in renovations. With a growing population comes an increased need for medical facilities, which will be addressed with the opening of the $132 million Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center in late 2005.

Economic Development Information: Carson City Community Development Dept., 2621 Northgate Ln., Ste. 62, Carson City, NV 89706; telephone (775)887-2180; fax (775)887-2287

Commercial Shipping

With a strategic location on two major highway corridors, more than 60 local, regional, and national carriers provide trucking services in Reno. Shipments from Carson City are able to reach nine western states on a next-day basis. The Burlington Northern Santa Fe and Union Pacific Railroads provide regional freight service.

Labor Force and Employment Outlook

Nevada and Carson City's abundant availability of skilled workers and the area's moderate salaries have made the area attractive to new businesses. Training programs supported by the state and pro-business policies have helped make Nevada the fastest growing state in the nation with an anticipated 15 percent increase in the workforce by 2010. Local wages are reasonable because the cost of living remains reasonable in Carson City. Nineteen percent of the local residents hold college degrees, and 82 percent have earned high school diplomas.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Carson City area labor force, 2004 annual averages.

Size of nonagricultural labor force: 31,800

Number of workers employed in . . .

manufacturing: 3,100

trade, transportation, and utilities: 4,300

professional and business services: 2,300

leisure and hospitality: 3,900

government: 10,500

Average hourly earnings of production workers employed in manufacturing: $14.60 (Nevada average)

Unemployment rate: 5.8% (January 2005)

Cost of Living

The following is a summary of data regarding several key cost of living factors for the Carson City area.

2004 ACCRA (3rd Quarter) Average House Price: $329,876

2004 ACCRA (3rd Quarter) Cost of Living Index: 110.2 (U.S. average = 100.0)

State income tax rate: None; no corporate income tax

State sales tax rate: 6.5% (food and prescription drugs are exempt)

Local income tax rate: None

Local sales tax rate: None

Property tax rate: $2.63 per $100 assessed value

Economic Information: Carson City Area Chamber of Commerce, 1900 S. Carson St., Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)882-1565; fax (775)882-4179; email ccchamber@carsoncitychamber.com. Nevada Department of Business & Industry, Office of the Labor Commissioner, 675 Fairview Dr., Ste. 226, Carson City, NV, 89701; telephone (775)687-4850; fax (775)687-6409

Carson City: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

Carson High School is one of the top-rated schools in Nevada. Since 1999 it has shared in a $5 million joint-use project with Western Nevada Community College named the Jim Randolph High-Tech Center. Providing about 230 computers, it assists students in preparing for careers in electronics, automated technology, drafting, business, and allied health.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Carson City public school system as of the 2003–2004 school year.

Total enrollment: 8,798

Number of facilities

elementary schools: 6

junior high/middle schools: 2

senior high schools: 2

other: 1

Student/teacher ratio: K, 21:1; 1-2, 15:1; 3, 17:1; 4-5, 24:1; 6-8, 25:1

Teacher salaries (2000–2001)

minimum: $26,220

maximum: $51,242

Funding per pupil: $6,669

Five schools provide private, religion-based education in the city and enroll approximately 600 students.

Public Schools Information: Carson City Schools, 1402 W. King St., Carson City, NV 89703; telephone (775)283-2110; fax (775)283-2092

Colleges and Universities

Western Nevada Community College is a two-year public institution that offers about 50 associate degree programs, as well as basic education and job development skills programs. It enrolls more than 6,000 students at its campuses in Carson City, and in Fallon and Douglas counties. The college offers diverse degree and certificate programs, schedules evening and weekend as well as daytime classes, and provides small class sizes and one-on-one counseling opportunities for students.

Libraries and Research Centers

Carson City Library, built in 1966, offers over 116,000 volumes, 200 periodical subscriptions, and 3,200 audio tapes. The library has a collection on Nevada history and a large print section.

Western Nevada Community College opened the 34,000-square-foot New Library & Student Center on its Carson City campus in January 2004. Other libraries in the city include the Nevada State Library & Archives, the library of the Nevada State Museum, and the Nevada Supreme Court Library.

Public Library Information: Carson City Library, 900 N. Roop St., Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)887-2244

Carson City: Population Profile

Metropolitan Area Residents

Carson City is an independent municipality, thus not part of any county or Metropolitan Statistical Area.

City Residents

1980: 32,022

1990: 40,443

2000: 52,457 (of which, 27,102 were males and 25,355 were females)

2003 estimate: 55,311

Percent change, 1990–2000: 29.7%

U.S. rank in 2000: 680th (State rank: 9th)

Density: 365.9 people per square mile (2000)

Racial and ethnic characteristics (2000)

White: 44,744

Black or African American: 946

American Indian and Alaska Native: 1,259

Asian: 930

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 76

Hispanic or Latino (may be of any race): 7,466

Other: 3,391

Percent of residents born in state: 23.8% (2000)

Age characteristics (2000)

Population under 5 years old: 3,289

Population 5 to 9 years old: 3,495

Population 10 to 14 years old: 3,473

Population 15 to 19 years old: 3,196

Population 20 to 24 years old: 2,946

Population 25 to 34 years old: 6,766

Population 35 to 44 years old: 8,370

Population 45 to 54 years old: 7,724

Population 55 to 59 years old: 2,949

Population 60 to 64 years old: 2,412

Population 70 to 74 years old: 4,096

Population 75 to 84 years old: 2,950

Population 85 years and over: 791

Median age: 38.7 years

Births (2003)

Total number: 721

Deaths (2003)

Total number: 656 (of which, 1 was an infant under the age of 1 year)

Money income (1999)

Per capita income: $20,943

Median household income: $41,809

Total households: 20,237

Number of households with income of . . .

less than $10,000: 554

$10,000 to $14,999: 499

$15,000 to $24,999: 1,473

$25,000 to $34,999: 1,689

$35,000 to $49,999: 2,560

$50,000 to $74,999: 3,299

$75,000 to $99,999: 1,728

$100,000 to $149,999: 1,129

$150,000 to $199,999: 257

$200,000 or more: 245

Percent of families below poverty level: 6.9% (34.4% of which were female householder families with related children under 5 years)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported

Carson City: Communications

Newspapers and Magazines

The Nevada Appeal –Carson City Edition is the daily newspaper. Nevada Magazine, a bimonthly which carries feature stories on events and people in the state, is also published in Carson City. Other locally published magazines include The Wine Trader, and Range Magazine, a consumer magazine covering cowboys and people who work the land in the western United States.

Television and Radio

Carson City receives its television coverage from nearby Reno's network and public stations, but has its own cable company. The city has one AM and one FM radio stations broadcasting religious and oldies formats.

Media Information: Nevada Appeal, PO Box 2288, Carson City, NV 89702; telephone (775)882-2111 or (800)221-8013

Carson City Online

Carson City Area Chamber of Commerce. Available www.carsoncitychamber.com

Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau. Available www.carson-city.org or www.visitcarsoncity.com

Carson City Economic Development. Available www.carson cityecondev.com

Carson City Library. Available www.carson-city.nv.us/library

Carson City School District. Available www.carsoncity schools.com

City of Carson City home page. Available www.carson-city.nv.us

Nevada State Library and Archives. Available dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/NSLA

State of Nevada, Department of Cultural Affairs, Division of Museums and History. Available dmla.clan.lib.nv.us/docs/museums

Selected Bibliography

McLaughlin, Mark. Sierra Stories: True Tales of Tahoe. (Carnelian Bay, CA: Mic Mac Publishers, 1997)

Twain, Mark. Roughing It. (Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 1996)

Carson City

The City in Brief

Founded: 1858 (incorporated, 1875)

Head Official: Mayor Marv Teixeira (R) (since 2005)

City Population

1980: 32,022

1990: 40,443

2000: 52,457

2003 estimate: 55,311

Percent change, 1990–2000: 29.7%

U.S. rank in 2000: 680th (State rank: 9th)

Area: 155.66 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 4,600 feet above sea level

Average Annual Temperatures: January, 33.6° F; July, 69.9° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 11.8 inches of rain, 22 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Government, services, trade, manufacturing

Unemployment Rate: 5.8% (January 2005)

Per Capita Income: $20,943 (1999)

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: Not reported

Major Colleges and Universities: Western Nevada Community College

Daily Newspaper: The Nevada Appeal –Carson City Edition

Carson City: Geography and Climate

Carson City is located in northwestern Nevada in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range. It lies 30 miles south of Reno, Nevada in the Carson River Valley near Lake Tahoe, which is 14 miles to the west. Carson City includes an area that stretches across the Carson Range of the Sierra Mountains to Eagle Valley and the Pine Nut Mountains. It is bordered on the north by Washoe and Storey counties, and on the west by the state of California.

Carson City has a pleasant, semi-desert climate, and boasts an average of 265 sunny days annually. Summers are warm and dry with peak temperatures reaching into the 90° F range, while temperatures can drop into the 50° F range during the evenings. Winters are cold and dry with snow, but not in the amounts of nearby areas that are at a much higher elevation. The temperatures range from the high teens to the 40° F range. Annual snowfall in the city averages about 22 inches.

Area: 155.66 square miles (2000)

Elevation: 4,600 feet above sea level

Average Temperatures: January, 33.6° F; July, 69.9° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 11.8 inches of rain, 22 inches of snow

Carson City: Convention Facilities

Carson City has a variety of meeting and convention facilities. The 31,020-square-foot Pony Express Pavilion can accommodate up to 3,000 people and offers table, theater, or bleacher-style seating. The Carson City Community Center can seat 700 people theater-style, and the Carson City Nugget has facilities for about 500 people on 8,600 square feet. The Best Western Pinon Plaza Resort can handle groups of 30 to 250 people in its 3,000-square-foot facilities. The 120-seat meeting room at the Plaza Hotel offers an outstanding panoramic view of the city. Historic Brewery Arts Center offers their art gallery for smaller groups while its restored 2,200-square-foot meeting room has space for up to 200 guests.

Convention Information: Carson City Convention & Visitors Bureau, 1900 S. Carson St., Ste. 100, Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)687-7410; toll-free (800)NEVADA-1; fax (775)687-7416

Carson City: Introduction

Carson City, Nevada's state capital, is also a year-round vacation destination offering a wide variety of recreational activities. Long called the "hub of the Sierras," the city's distinct character was molded by the industries that dominated the area in the late 1800s—logging, mining, and the railroad. Carson City is now mainly a center of government, but entertainment, shopping, skiing, golf, and fishing keep the thriving capital alive with a sense of its own unique culture, charm, and Wild West adventure. In recent times, the city has seen a migration of people seeking an improved quality of life, many of them from California. Today, the city boasts a beautiful historic district amid an actively growing business environment that provides ample opportunities for companies and workers alike. Lively casinos continue to flourish and complement the small-town feel of the community.

Carson City: Health Care

The 128-bed Carson-Tahoe Hospital is the city's not-for-profit community hospital that employs over 185 physicians in 25 different specialties. The facility includes a Life Stress Center featuring in- and out-patient psychiatric and addiction services, a 24-hour emergency room that is northern Nevada's designated trauma center, state-of-the-art diagnostic facilities, nutritional counseling, wellness programs, and a cardiac care center along with a separate rehabilitation and physical therapy facility. In late 2005 the hospital anticipates the grand opening of its new Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center with 146 beds on 300,000 square feet with a construction cost of about $132 million.

Health Care Information: Carson City Government, Environmental Health Department, 3303 Butti Way, Bldg. #1, Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)887-2190; email cceh@ci.carson-city.nv.us

Carson City city (1990 pop. 40,443), state capital, W Nev., in the Eagle valley; inc. 1875. The city is a trade center for a mining and agricultural area. State government is the major employer, and tourism is economically important. The city was laid out in 1858 on the site of Eagle Station, a trading post established (1851) on the immigrant trail from Salt Lake City to California. A supply station for miners in the valley, it achieved importance with the discovery (1859) of the Comstock Lode and became the terminus of the railroad carrying ore. In 1861, when the Territory of Nevada was created, the city was made the capital, and in 1864 it became the state capital. Carson City and Ormsby co. were consolidated into one community in 1969. A U.S. mint, closed in 1893, is now the Nevada State Museum. Lake Tahoe and the Carson River are nearby.

Carson City: Municipal Government

The city and county of Carson, Nevada, have been coextensive since 1969, when the city merged with what was formerly Ormsby County to form a consolidated municipality. The city is governed by a mayor and a four-member board of supervisors, all elected to serve overlapping four-year terms. An appointed city manager performs administrative functions for the city's board of supervisors and oversees city staff and departments.

Head Official: Mayor Marv Teixeira (R) (since 2005; current term expires 2008)

Total Number of City Employees: 700–799 (2004)

City Information: City Hall, Carson City, 201 N. Carson St., Suite 1, Carson City, NV 89701; telephone (775)887-2100; fax (775)887-2286

Carson City, USA 1. Nevada: founded in 1858 as Eagle Station and then Eagle Ranch. It was later renamed after the frontiersman, trapper and Rocky Mountain guide, Kit Carson (1809–68).2. There is another Carson City in Michigan, eight cities called Carson and another called Fort Carson, all in the USA. Not all are named after Kit Carson.

Carson City State capital of Nevada, USA, 50km (30mi) s of Reno. The city grew rapidly after silver was discovered in the Comstock Lode in 1859. It was named after Kit Carson. Gambling is the main industry. Pop. (2000) 52,457.