Candace Duncan
Executive Director
Carson City CVB
Carson City, Nev.
What are three great ways for groups to experience the history of Carson City?
- Kit Carson Trail: The Kit Carson Trail is a 2.5-mile path through Carson City’s famous historic homes district, the largest in the West. A painted blue line with inlaid bronze medallions along the sidewalk marks the route past more than 60 landmarks, including Victorian-style homes more than 100 years old, museums and original churches. “Talking Houses” tales, 90-second narratives describing frontier life and secrets of the homes, can be downloaded at www.visitcarsoncity.com or purchased on CD at the visitor’s center. Among the houses along the trail are the Governor’s Mansion; the Clemens’ Home, where Mark Twain frequently stayed; the Ferris Mansion, the Ferris wheel inventor’s childhood home; and the Krebs-Petersen Home, site of John Wayne’s last film. A few homes and buildings along the trail host groups for meetings.
- Nevada State Capitol Complex: The Nevada State Capitol, the second-oldest capitol building west of the Mississippi, and the Nevada State Library and Archives present changing historic exhibits to enhance cultural understanding. Inside the capitol, there is a number of options for meeting space: the Old Assembly Chambers can accommodate approximately 170 people, while the Supreme Court Chambers, complete with authentic 19th century furnishings, can accommodate small groups of up to 20 people.
- Nevada State Museum & Mint: At the Nevada State Museum & Mint, visitors can journey back more than 40 million years in the Earth and Science Gallery or visit the more recent past with a tour of a walk-through ghost town and underground mine. Originally a U.S. Mint from 1870 to 1895, the museum now features an impressive coin collection and the silver service from the battleship USS Nevada, as well as changing exhibits. The original Carson City coin press is on display and is used to mint collector’s edition coins on special dates throughout the year.