Holiday Inn Express Suites Carson

Sierra Nevada

by zrim

The mountains of the Sierra Nevada dominate the landscape of northwestern Nevada. It is a beautiful setting and the Reno/Carson City area is growing fast. Not too hot in the summer and not too cold in the winter--it certainly has its appeal.

Nevada State Capitol

by Geoff_Wright

The Nevada State Capitol was designed by San Francisco architect Joseph Gosling for $250, and built by local building contractor Peter Cavanaugh between 1870 and 1871. The Sandstone for the building came from the State Prison quarry, just outside of the City, and therefore was free! (unlike the inmates, LOL!).

For more than 50 years, all three branches of the state government were housed in the Capitol. The Nevada Supreme Court met here until 1937, when it moved into an adjacent building and the state legislature met here until 1971, when it moved to its new Legislative Building just south of the Capitol. Every Nevada governor except the first has had his office in the capitol. Today, the Capitol is still in use by the Governor, and contains historical exhibits on the second floor.

The Nevada State Capitol is located at 101 North Carson St. in Carson City. The Capitol is open to the public for self-guided tours; hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm, seven days a week. Again, I had no time to even step inside, but I met a lady outside, who told me it was very worthwhile to do so.

Virginia City

by jasperdo

Virginia City should be on everyone's must see list when visiting Northern Nevada. Yes, it caters to tourists, and you'll find hordes of them strolling the boardwalk in the summer. But don't let that stop you. There's a reason it's overrun by tourists. Virginia City is one of the best preserved mining towns in the American West.

The Comstock, as the area is called, began in 1859 when gold was discovered in Six Mile Canyon. But it was silver that became the Mother Lode for Virginia City, and by the 1880's, it was one of the largest cities west of the Mississippi. Deep, underground mines criss crossed under the city, and millionaires built luxurious mansions. The boom eventually fizzled, and Virginia City dwindled to almost a ghost town. But not quite. It is still the County Seat of Storey County, and the tourist trade has revived the city.

Today, many of the historic buildings still exist in Virginia City. 'C 'Street is the main street through town. It's wooden sidewalk is lined with saloons, shops and restaurants. A tourist train carries passengers on the short run to Gold Hill. (The train, part of the famed Virginia and Truckee Railroad, has recently received funding to extend the line all the way to Carson City. It is due to open in 2009.)

The entire town climbs the slopes of Mt. Davidson, and there are great views to be had looking down Six Mile Canyon. Be sure and get off of 'C' Street and discover the rest of Virginia City. Piper's Opera House and St. Marys in the Mountains are 2 examples of places to visit that are not on 'C' Street.

Here is an excellent website showing Then and Now photos of Virginia City:
http://computer-vet.com/travel/vc/thenandnow/

Nevada's Most Famous Mining Town!

by Kiisu

Go spend at least a full day in Virginia City, which is full of history and tourist traps. There's plenty to do, from museums, saloons (the Bucket of Blood Saloon in my favorite), shops, restaurants, etc. If you want to see something unusual, go in early September for the annual Camel Races! This was the ultimate Nevada mining town, where the Comstock Lode was discovered. Although there are some tacky tourist traps, you can get a feel for what it must have been like when this town was booming in the 1860's. And, it's just a fun place!

Carson City

by Geoff_Wright

"Nevada's State Capital"

Carson City is the state capital, and is situated in Western Nevada, in the Carson valley. The population is about 54,000. It is a trade centre for a mining and agricultural area. The state government is a major employer, and tourism is important. The city was laid out in 1958 on the site of Eagle Station, a trading post established (in 1851) on the immigrant trail from Salt Lake City to California. It became important after the discovery (in 1859) of the Comstock Lode. In 1861, when the Territory of Nevada was created, the city was made the capital, and in 1864 it became the state capital.

Having gone into Nevada just so I could say: "I went there", I found Carson City on my map, and decided it sounded like an interesting place to visit, before going to lake Tahoe, which was my main reason for being in this area. I spent some while looking around, and actually went back for a second look! Read my story in the tips, LOL!