local history

Young Chautauquans of the Douglas County Historical Society will present “Home Means Nevada” at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Wednesday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m.

This is going to be an epic Fathers’ Day weekend. Carson City Off-Road sponsored by Epic Rides has taken over downtown with everything mountain bike and plays host to a free Music Festival in McFadden Plaza. Don’t miss Arts and Culture Day at the Nevada State Railroad Museum with unlimited rides on the Steam Train, special vendors, and more. Stewart Indian School will be a hotspot of activity with the annual Fathers’ Day PowWow underway. This is just the tip of the iceberg, read on for more fun than you’ll know what to do with.

SATURDAY:

Author Nancy Raven will speak on her book A Postal Journey: Discovering Nevada Through Its Post Offices at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Saturday, June 2, at 10 a.m.

Join Carson City Parks, Recreation & Open Space for a moderately difficult one-mile guided hike up Prison Hill to learn about local history and ecology. At the top, enjoy the view while Community Yogi leads beginner yoga! Please wear sturdy shoes for the hike, bring water, and bring a mat if possible. Meet us at 2600 E Clearview Drive.

Ever driven or walked by the small stone house in Mills Park opposite Carson High and wondered about it? It's the Wungnema House. Want a look inside? Come to the open house hosted by the Foundation for Carson City Parks and Recreation at the Wungnema House from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 20, 2018.

Join Muscle Powered on these leader-led walks, hikes or bike rides for January 2018! Explore the many walking paths and trails around Carson City as well as learn some local history associated with many of the places we go.

Carson City locals that frequent the downtown area may have noticed some silence on the hour instead of the bell chimes familiar ring at the Laxalt Building this past summer. The original Carillon — an electronic device that simulates tuned bell chimes — broke down after ringing on the hour since 1999.

The Carson City area is awash in entertainment, shopping, and family-friendly options this weekend. Santa Claus is popping up all over, including at Benson Feed for the annual CASI Pet Photos with St. Nick and aboard the train at our Railroad Museum’s Santa Train. The musical ‘Honk, Jr’ for the young ones and Love/Sick for the older crowd are on the stage at the Brewery Arts Center. Spend the day at the Silver Saddle Ranch: their annual Holiday Open House is the perfect time to explore their trails and learn more about the working ranch’s preservation.

The annual Silver Saddle Ranch Holiday Open House is the perfect time to explore this hidden gem of open space in east Carson City. The Silver Saddle Ranch (SSR) is a 703-acre working ranch located between the Pine Nut Mountains to the east and Prison Hill to the west. The Ranch and surrounding landscape is dominated by agricultural fields, sagebrush, and wetland and riparian habitats.

With December arriving we are counting the days until Christmas. So deck the halls, get some jingle bells and wassail away this holiday season. Here's what's happening now through Christmas around Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton and Virginia City areas.

Tis the season for visits with Santa, holiday twinkle lights, and craft fairs and festivals. In order to make your December planning a little easier, take a look at what is coming up in the Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton, and Virginia City area. Go deck the halls, get some jingle bells, and wassail away.

A bright blue sky and the clear, crisp fall air made for a perfect setting for a visit to Carson City by a group of Russian-speaking guests from the San Francisco Bay area.

Due to the positive response from local residents and visitors to the Carson City area, local history buff Debbie Lane will be leading another tour highlighting the homes of former Nevada governors on Tuesday, Oct. 10. The 9 a.m. tours are offered as part of the activities sponsored by the Friends of the Nevada State Museum.

Join us for a breath-taking guided hike up Prison Hill to watch a beautiful Carson City sunset. This one-mile hike will feature information about the local history, vegetation, wildlife, and more! People of all ages are welcome, however the trail is rated moderately difficult. Meet us at the Clearview Drive Trailhead at 2600 E. Clearview Drive at 6pm on Saturday, September 23rd. Remember to bring your flashlight!

Silver City, Nevada - Many groups and volunteers came together once again to make the annual summer program in Silver City a success. Each year since 2003, Healthy Communities Coalition of Lyon and Storey (HCC) has co-sponsored some of the free, public programming in STEAM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math - that the historic Comstock community offers annually in partnership with nearly a dozen groups and lots of community volunteers.

Silver City, Nevada – The historic Comstock town Silver City offers a wide range of public programming year round, but the community really goes "all out" during the summer months.

Several Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest individual and group volunteers were recently honored by the U.S. Forest Service Intermountain Regional Office. Region 4’s Volunteer and Service Program awards recognize volunteers in five categories: Cultural Diversity, Leadership, Citizen Stewardship and Partnerships, Restoration, and Enduring Service.

A tour highlighting the homes of former Nevada governors is conducted by local history buffs and includes a stop at the Governor’s Mansion on Mountain Street, where Brian Sandoval, the state’s 29th governor, and his family reside. Former Gov. Denver Dickerson (1909-1911) and his family were the first to live in the Governor’s Mansion.

The second tour highlighting the homes of former Nevada governors proved to be a "sell out." The 24 participants, who were from Dayton, Sparks, California, as well as Carson City, shared history and stories with tour guide Debbie Lane.

Author David C. Antonucci will speak on his book "Fairest Picture: Mark Twain at Lake Tahoe" at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Saturday, August 12, 10 a.m. In 1861, Samuel Clemens, the man who would become Mark Twain, hiked to Lake Tahoe to stake a claim for a timber ranch.

He spent many blissful days on the Lake but carelessly allowed his campfire to escape, creating a spectacular wildfire. He later wrote about his experiences in his 1872 memoir, Roughing It.

In a one man show, Chris Bayer will portray both Major William Ormsby and Lucky Bill Thorington in “The Major and the Gambler” at Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Wednesday, August 9, at 6:30 pm.

Major William Mathew Ormsby was born in 1814 in Mercer County, Pennsylvania. Ormsby was a teamster, failed horse dealer, citizen at large, visionary and one of the most important figures in the founding of Nevada and its capitol, Carson City. He was killed in 1860 during the Pyramid Lake Paiute uprising.

A Carson City walking tour highlighting the homes of former Nevada governors is being offered on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month by the Friends of the Nevada State Museum. The 9 a.m. tour, which begins in front of Museum, is scheduled for Tuesday, July 25, Aug. 8, Aug. 22, Sept. 12 and Sept. 26. Local history buffs Ron Roberts and Debbie Lane alternate as tour guides.

A Carson City walking tour highlighting the homes of former Nevada governors is being offered on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month by the Friends of the Nevada State Museum.

Silver City, Nevada- Silver City townsfolk are invited to show visiting cultural researchers their favorite local hiking spots on Tuesday, July 18 at 9:00 am.

The morning walk with “conversation artists” Sue Mark and Bruce Douglas of marksearch is sponsored by the Resident Artist Program in Silver City. Sue explained that she and Bruce "would like to walk with townspeople and see some of their favorite and/or important sites in town." She said they'd also like to learn about locals’ favorite hiking spots.

A free Western Heritage Celebration returns to the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Saturday, July 22, beginning at 11:00 am.

The event’s second year will include a heritage quilting presentation, a Victorian dressing presentation, songs about local history and cowboy poetry, as well as gold panning and other children’s activities.

Doug Watson will portray legendary humorist “Will Rogers”, at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Wednesday, July 12, at 6:30 pm.

Silver City residents are invited to a potluck dinner with the current guests at the Resident Artist Program in Silver City on Saturday, July 1.

Young Chautauquans will present “People Who United the States” at the Dangberg Home Ranch Historic Park on Wednesday, June 28, at 6:30 pm.

The Douglas County Historical Society's Young Chautauqua Program presenters are 15 year old Jahmila Santiago as “Sarah Winnemucca”, 15 year old Sandia Johnson as “Abigail Fillmore”, 6 year old Sam Johnson as “John Muir”, 10 year old Micaiah Maulis as “Thomas Edison” and 9 year old Mamre Maulis as “John Glen”.

The April 2017 and summer 2017 guests of the Resident Artist Program in Silver City will be Sue Mark and Bruce Douglas of Marksearch. A husband-wife artist team who describe themselves as “cultural researchers, creator of conversations, and locators of lost history,” they make interactive public projects that invite people to reflect upon their communities.

First known as the Ides of March, today is also ‘Veteran’s Day’ at the State Legislature. Brian Sandoval presides over a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial at 9 a.m., and even more is in store at the Legislature, including a BBQ. It’s also Nevada Moves Day, which means you’ll see a lot of school age walkers and bicyclists on the sidewalks. Reward your family with a movie at the Library tonight: The BFG is fun for all ages. Learn more about our little lake to the north with a presentation at the Washoe Lake State Park Ranger Office.

WEDNESDAY: