Carson City Nevada History & Facts

Carson City, officially the Consolidated Municipality of Carson City, is an independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada, named after the mountain man Kit Carson. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the sixth largest city in Nevada. The majority of the city's population lives in Eagle Valley, on the eastern edge of the Carson Range, a branch of the Sierra Nevada, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Reno.

The town began as a stopover for California-bound immigrants, but developed into a city with the Comstock Lode, a silver strike in the mountains to the northeast. The city has served as Nevada's capital since statehood in 1864; for much of its history it was a hub for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, although the tracks were removed in 1950. Before 1969, Carson City was the county seat of Ormsby County. The county was abolished that year and its territory merged with Carson City. With the consolidation, the city limits extend west across the Sierra Nevada to the California state line in the middle of Lake Tahoe. Like other independent cities in the United States, it is treated as a county-equivalent for census purposes. Carson City is one of two state capitals that border another state, the other being Trenton, New Jersey.

The Washoe people have inhabited the valley and surrounding areas for about 6,000 years.

The first European Americans to arrive in what is now known as Eagle Valley were John C. Frémont and his exploration party in January 1843. Fremont named the river flowing through the valley Carson River in honor of Kit Carson, the mountain man and scout he had hired for his expedition. Later, settlers named the area Washoe, in reference to the indigenous people.

By 1851, the Eagle Station ranch along the Carson River was a trading post and stopover for travelers on the California Trail's Carson Branch, which ran through Eagle Valley. The valley and trading post received their name from a bald eagle that was hunted and killed by one of the early settlers and was featured on a wall inside the post.

Carson City features a cold semi-arid climate (Koppen: BSk) with cold winters and hot summers. The city is in a high desert river valley approximately 4,802 feet (1,464 m) above sea level. There are four fairly distinct seasons. Winters see typically light to moderate snowfall, with a median of 8.9 inches (23 cm). Most precipitation occurs in winter and spring, with summer and fall being fairly dry, drier than neighboring California. There are 37 days of 90 °F (32 °C)+ highs annually, with 100 °F (38 °C)+ temperatures occurring in some years.

The average temperature in Carson City increased by 4.1 °F (2.3 °C) between 1984 and 2014, a greater change than in any other city in the United States.

Famous Peoples From Carson City Nevada

James C. Needham

James Carson Needham (September 17, 1864 – July 11, 1942) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a seven-term U.S. Representative from California from 1899 to 1913.

Born in a covered wagon at Carson City, Nevada, James Needham arrived as a baby with his parents Charles and Olive at Mayfield, Santa Clara, California, October 1, 1864. He attended the Santa Clara County public schools. He was graduated from the California Wesleyan College at San Jose in 1886 and from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1889. He served as clerk in The Adjutant General's Office of the War Department in Washington, D.C., from September 1, 1887, until September 1, 1888, when he resigned to complete his law course. He was admitted to the bar in 1889 and commenced practice in Modesto, California. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the State senate in 1890.

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