Carson City, Nevada
Independent city
32-09700
Carson City is since 1861 the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. At the time of the census in 2010 it had 55 274 inhabitants.
History
The first Europeans in the area were the participants in the expedition of John C. Frémont in January 1843. Fremont named the river that flowed through the valley, after his Scout Mountain Man and Christopher " Kit" Carson. The valley and the surroundings were then inhabited by the Washoe. The trading post at the Carson River was first called Eagle Station, 1858, the now formed small settlement was renamed the river accordingly in Carson City.
The following year, the discovery of gold and silver in the Comstock Lode sparked nearby ( under today's Virginia City ) from a growth spurt. Due to the strong population growth was Nevada in 1861 separated from the Utah Territory. Carson City won against Virginia City and American Flat as the capital by, and remained so when the Nevada Territory in 1864 converted to a federal state. This dependence decreased from mining and trading activities played an increasing role. Between Virginia City and Carson City, the Virginia & Truckee Railroad was built in 1870-71 and the current capitol building.
The construction of the Southern Pacific Railroad on the Donner Pass, which is too far north, as that Carson City would benefit from it, the transport volume and the population of Carson City went back. A small boom the city experienced again by the mining activities in Tonopah and Goldfield. The 20th century through the city grew slightly, so that it 1960 Population 1880 reached again.
Carson City became famous especially by Mark Twain, who lived here in the 60s of the 19th century, along with his brother and his adventures resigned in the extensive travelogue through thick and thin ( Roughing it ) of 1872 in the German language area.
Economy
Main industry is tourism. Attractions are casinos, ghost towns of the Old West and disused silver and gold mines.
Sons and daughters of the town
- Maurice McLoughlin, tennis players