Carson City Century book chronicles the history of Nevada’s capital in the 20th century
Submitted by Kelsey Penrose on Sat, 06/25/2022 - 11:58am
Author and photographer Stephen H. Provost explores the growth of Nevada’s state capital during the 20th century in the latest entry in his Century Cities series, Carson City Century: Nevada’s Capital.
The book is the 10th in his series, which was created to celebrate and preserve the history of midsized and smaller American cities during the 20th century. Each book is presented in timeline form, drawing on major events and lesser-known stories — some amusing and others amazing — of them from 1900 to 1999. It’s also the second book spotlighting a town in Nevada, following Goldfield Century: Nevada Boomtown.
Carson City entered the 20th century as a small town with plenty of tradition to build upon. It had already been home to the inventor of the Ferris Wheel and Mark Twain's brother (and Twain himself for extended visits). Named for Kit Carson, it had hosted Nevada's first heavyweight championship fight. It was already the capital of the Silver State, but it was the smallest state capital in America.
The 20th century brought seismic changes to this town at the southeast corner of a tight geographic triangle that included Reno to the north and Lake Tahoe to the west. The Virginia & Truckee Railroad connected Carson to Virginia City and the Comstock lode. The famed Lincoln Highway linked Carson with the eastern United States and crossed the Sierra to San Francisco. Federal highways (U.S. 50 and 395) replaced dirt roads, and an interstate eventually bypassed Carson to the east.
The Stewart Indian School won state athletic championships as it evolved from an oppressive vehicle for forced assimilation into a place of pride for Native Americans.
Legislators in the state Capitol solved their financial woes during the Depression by making the state a destination for legal gambling and quickie divorces. Casinos sprang up, went bust, and were replaced by newer casinos. Nevada State Prison even had one. There were executions there, too, including one by firing squad.
From athletic champions to retail milestones, from city leaders to entertainers, this series provides a panoramic overview of vibrant, growing cities as they came into their own.
About the author
A former editor, reporter and columnist with more than 30 years of experience at daily newspapers, Stephen H. Provost is the author of more than 30 books.
His works of historical nonfiction include A Whole Different League, The Legend of Molly Bolin, Fresno Growing Up, The Great American Shopping Experience, a three-book series on America’s Historic Highways, his Century Cities series, and histories of Highway 99 and Highway 101 in California.
Fictional releases include Memortality and its sequel, Paralucidity; The Academy of the Lost Labyrinth; Identity Break; The Only Dragon; the novella Death’s Doorstep; and a collection of chilling short stories, Nightmare’s Eve.
