Carson City

The Consolidated Municipality of Carson City is the capital of the State of Nevada. A 2006 population estimate places its population at 57,701[1]. Carson City was formerly the county seat of Ormsby County, but since 1969 it has been a consolidated municipality. It is located in the Eagle Valley, on the eastern slope of the Carson Range in the west-central part of the state. It was named for the nearby Carson River, which in turn was named for outdoorsman and explorer Kit Carson.

For amusing Carson City Stories, some true, some fiction, some a mixture of both, go to the Carson City Stories page.

For a look at our historic homes and buildings, go to the Carson City Historic Homes and Carson City Historic Buildings pages.

Beginnings

For the full history, see History of Carson City.

The first settlement in the Eagle Valley was a trading post built in 1850 by Frank Hall and his associates. One day Hall shot an eagle, which he then stretched over the door of the station, leading the men to christen their new home Eagle Station.

By 1858 the station had changed hands several times, and was owned by John B. Mankin. Several other settlers had made their home in the Eagle Valley. A party of real estate developers, led by Abraham Curry, bought the Eagle Station and much of the valley for $1,000 in August 1858, after finding land in Genoa too expensive. The four men were Curry, John J. Musser, Frank M. Proctor, and Benjamin F. Green. They immediately started laying out a town in the vicinity of the Eagle Station, naming it Carson City.

Geography

File:Carsoncitymint.jpg

Former U.S. Mint in Carson City

The city limits of Carson City cover 155.7 square miles, making it one of largest cities in terms of area in the state. Downtown Carson City lies in Eagle Valley, which is surrounded by the Carson Range to the west and the Virginia Range to the east. Snow Valley Peak, which rises 9,214 feet in the Sierra Nevada, is the highest point in the city and is accessible along the Tahoe Rim Trail. The city limits border Lake Tahoe to the west and the Carson River runs through the city in the east.

Climate

Carson City is situated in high desert valley of approximately 4730 feet above sea level. There are four fairly distinct seasons, all of which are relatively mild compared to many parts of the country. Winters see typically light snowfall. Most precipitation occurs in winter and spring, with summer and fall being extremely dry, much like neighboring California. Mid-summer highs typically top out in the 90s, however temperatures of 100 degrees and above do occur on occasion. The low humidity and high elevation generally make even the hottest and coldest days quite bearable. July high and low temperatures average at 91 and 51, respectively, while in January this drops to 45 and 22.

Education

The Carson City School District operates 10 schools in Carson City.

Elementary Schools

• Bordewich Bray Elementary School
• Empire Elementary School
• Fremont Elementary School
• Fritsch Elementary School
• Mark Twain Elementary School
• Seeliger Elementary School

Middle Schools

• Carson Middle School
• Eagle Valley Middle School

High Schools

• Carson High School
• Silver State Charter High School

Higher Education

• Western Nevada College (WNC) is a regionally accredited, two year institution which is part of the Nevada System of Higher Education. The college has an enrollment of approximately 6,000. It has a prison education program, which offers classes to degree-seeking inmates in five correctional institutions throughout northern Nevada. Courses are conducted daytime and evening in the classroom, by cablecast, and on the Internet. WNC offers associate of arts, associate of science, associate of applied science or associate of general studies degrees, one-year certificates, or certificates of completion in more than 50 career fields, including architecture, auto/diesel mechanics, criminal justice, dental hygiene, graphic design, nursing, and welding. Recently, the college has added a four-year program.

External links

• City of Carson City - official site.
• Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau
• The Nevada Appeal - Carson City's daily newspaper
• Carson City Weather Conditions and Forecast
• Carson Valley Area Weather
• Carson City Business, Government and Entertainment Directory

Credits

Some text excerpted from Wikipedia's Carson City page.