Carson City, NV, Number 30

All photos taken by “Molly” unless otherwise stated

 

Carson City, Nevada, Number 30 (October, 2013)

Carson City is located in western Nevada in a huge bowl or cauldron shaped plain surrounded by mountains.  Photos from the outside are difficult as the trees shown in early photos have grown very large and do not give a good vista of the exterior. 

Address/Phone/Email/website:

101 North Carson Street
775-687-5030

www.nv.gov

Name:  Spanish “snow covered”

Hours:  not posted, call

Senate:  21

House/General Assembly:  Referred to as Assembly, 42

Architect, Style and Year Built, Cost : Joseph Gosling of California, built by Carson City firm of Peter Cavanaugh & Son.  Small Italianate.  Completed 5/1/1871. Double the $84,000 bid for building with $20,000 for furnishing. Additions/changes 1913 (Frederick DeLongchamps extended north and south wings (the original structure was “pushed out” keeping the original outside walls), 1917, and major structural changes to make safe--1977.  Much of original saved and stored. Work Completed in 1981 at a cost of $6,000,000 (Debates over a period of time for possible demolition).  Dome restored 1969.  Supreme Court room restored in1989 with private funding.

 

Building features:  The original capitol building was almost torn down, but some wonderful historians preserved it.  Most of it is now museum and restored to much of its original state.  Legislature Building was built on the same grounds as a high tower office building (1971).  Some ceremonial occasions take place in the old building and the executive branch is still located therein.

 

The Legislature, State Library and Supreme Court are located in separate buildings on the grounds of the Park where the capitol is located.

 

Exterior:  Sandstone quarried at the Nevada State Prison on 5^th Street.  Outer wall--“dressed” or finely finished stone.  Original specs called for a fireproof red roof (three coats of Princess Red)

 

Interior:  “Undressed” course stone.  Spaces filled with rubble.  Staircase:  black walnut.  Wainscoting:  pine and faux-painted to look like oak.

 

Special Note:  The iron fence was added in 1875 to keep livestock out on a bid from H. Clapp, a savvy businessWOmen.  Added some folklore to the fence’s construction.

Getting there:  Easy.  Small city.  Very little traffic.  Drove from Sacramento.  Only about 120 miles.  Although going over the mountains made the ride longer than I thought.  Took Route 50 west.  Beautiful scenery, including southern tip of Lake Tahoe.  Well worth the drive.

 Lots of construction heading west.  

I got myself into some trouble as I could not figure out the cones and crossed the double line.  At this time, a lady with long braids (she was part of the construction party) stopped me and yelled at me.  I was really confused as I thought I had followed the Yellow Brick Road, so to speak.  She said if the Highway Patrol caught me, I would have had a huge fine as fines are double in construction areas.  I pleaded insanity (sort of).  By the time I left that particular construction area, she was patting my arm and saying, “Don’t get so upset, dearie!”  I guess I look older than I am.   

For my return trip I took Route 88 back to California as I was heading toward Fresno with an eventual goal of San Diego.  The return trip did not find the mountains quite as steep (and no construction).  But the scenery was, nonetheless, just as gorgeous.

Parking:  When not in session, parking is generally easily available and often free.  Most of the Capitols I/we have visited have not been in session (summer is a good time).  Meters and/or parking garages are available, but are usually expensive.  ($9.00 for 2 hours in Providence).

I found parking easy and free.  I did not, however, realize that I had parked in a lot owned by a Casino.  My car was undisturbed when I returned over two later, but the lot was almost empty.  Once I parked the car, I walked to the various things that I wanted to visit and see.

PLENTY OF FREE PARKING IN HISTORIC AREAS

Entered Union (Number and date):  October 31, 1864 (#36).  Star added to flag July 5, 1865

Nicknames: The Silver State, Sagebrush State, Battle Born State

Motto: "Volens et Potens," which means "Willing and Able," expressing the ideas of loyalty to the Union and the mineral wealth to sustain it.

Cornerstone:  The original cornerstone was laid by Grand Lodge of Masons.  Later construction and additions caused it to be hidden.  However, the cornerstone of the Legislature Building was also placed by the Grand Lodge using both the “Masonic year” and the modern year.  A portrait of Brother Washington, given by the Grand Lodge to commemorate the occasion, is prominently placed on the foyer wall.  

 

Dome/Rotunda/Dome topper:  An elliptic dome was built in the center of the second floor.  Originally it provided light and ventilation through a cupola. It housed bats and caused a noisy echo in the hallway below.  The 1977 renovation removed the ellipse.  The main dome and the two secondary domes which were added with the 1913 renovation can be seen from the outside only.  They are all painted silver.  A ceiling on the second floor has closed the dome from view inside. The rotunda is the first and second floor only, closed at the top.  The dome(s) are "silver."  The famous "silver dome," representing the Silver State was never the precious metal--silver.  It originally was tin covered steel painted silver (the color).  The current dome(s) are silver-colored fiberglass

Art:  Photos of state governors and a territory governor.  

A frieze (large mural) located at the top of the walls was part of the 1917 renovation.  They are three feet wide and 400 feet long and surround the first floor.  The upper and lower borders represent northern and southern parts of the State.  Images throughout include agriculture (wheat sheaves), ranching (a bull’s head) and mining (a jackass).  These were--at the time of the painting—the principal industries.  Also, within the mural are twenty-one of the state’s prominent minerals and the State Seal.

The hem of her skirt

A beautiful full length bronze of an Indian maiden is exhibited in the faux rotunda. 


The grounds have several larger than life size bonzes.  Kit Carson.  Nevada Fallen Heroes (a groundskeeper told me that the two men that were modeled in the fallen heroes both lived and were able to be at its dedication.  It was originally thought that the fallen policeman had received a fatal wound). 

 

Quarter:



Mustangs, mountains, rising sun, Sagebrush (state flower)
Banner with text: "The Silver State"



Tours:  Self Guided only

Liberty Bell:  Each state and most territories have been gifted at least one replica of the liberty bell.  Each bell is numbered.  Missouri seems to have two—one of which is located at the Harry S Truman Library (#54) in Independence, MO, given by the city of Annecy-le-Vieux to the city of Independence.  My guess would be that this choice was made as Truman was President at the time of the gifting.  The second one was given to the State of Missouri and resides on capitol grounds (#20).

http://www.libertybellmuseum.com/exhibits/statebells/index.htm

The fifty five full-sized replicas were cast in 1950 by the Paccard Foundry in Annecy-le-Vieux, France and shipped as gifts to states and territories to thank the United States for its part in France’s liberation.  They were funded by a savings bond drive.

The replica bells are often located outside on the grounds of the capitol complex; some states have placed them inside the capitol building; some states have located them in other prestigious places such as state historical societies; some states don’t seem to have a clue where it is. 

Each bell is numbered.  There does not seem to be rhyme or reason as to the numbering system.

Nevada’s bell is located in the courtyard of the National Museum (15)

 

Museum/Historical Society/Heritage:  Much of the capitol building is a museum.  Also, a few blocks north is the Visitors Center. 

A few steps diagonally is the State Museum which is the former US mint (over $49 million had been coined there).  There is an admission fee.

600 N. Carson Street

Hours:  Tuesday through Sunday 8:30 to 4:30.  Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day

This place was the funnest (spell check did not like this, but the place was a lot of fun).  The basement is “The Mine Exhibit,” a reproduction silver mine. So cooooool! 

There are sections on Natural and Nevada History, Geology and Native American Heritage.  All well done.  But, my favoritest (spell check burbed at this as well) part is the first floor of the Old Mint.  In this portion is a room of a great collection of firearms.  A really neat Ghost Town with people and horses.  (So cooool!)  Mint Theater with a short movie.  The Mint’s  History and a Coin Press.  And a fortune in silver, including a collection of silver dollars minted in that building.  And some other pieces of silver produced in the area.

 

Ships are often named for states (Battleships) and cities (Cruisers and Subs).  The USS Reno has a scale model on display. 

A very special display for me was the silver set from the USS Nevada.  In days of yore ships were oft supplied with silver as a gift from the native state (the state/city after which they were named).  The Nevada had been presented with one of the best.   A heavy sterling set included some 160 plus pieces:  punch bowl with a zillion cups, candelabras, trays and other serving pieces.  Gorgeous! Gorgeous! Gorgeous!  The Nevada was one of the ships in Battleship Row on that fateful day of December 7. 1941.  It was the only battleship to heave anchor and get under way.  Unfortunately, it was grounded before it made it out of the channel.  My friend, Carolann, was married to Harvey, one of the survivors of that day’s horrendous events on the Nevada.  He passed away in 2004 at 84, having told some stories of the events.  But, like many combat survivors could never tell all they saw.  The silver had been removed and stored throughout the war and eventually returned to the State of Nevada.  There is also a chunk of wood on display from her deck.  It made the hair stand up on the back of my neck,  My uncle, Francis “Sonny” was also at Pearl, but not on that ship.  He was on the light cruiser Helena.  There will be a small section on that in the Helena, Montana capitol visit (if I ever get it done). 

Photos were really bad.

What’s unique!:

1.       First state to ratify 15^th Constitutional Amendment.

2.        Pat Nixon only First Lady born in Nevada (Ely).

3.       Dome is painted silver—not real, but symbolic.

4.       Entire State Constitution telegraphed via Chicago, Philadelphia and US Military Telegraph (War Department, Washington, DC).   It was directed to President Lincoln, took two days, at a cost of $4,303.27 with 16,543 words.  Lincoln approved the Constitution.  Nevada became a state.

5.       The Kit Carson “Blue Line” Trail is a neat walking/bike/driving tour of the Capital city highlighting 24 great historic buildings.

6.       Former US Mint (with additions) great museum.

Information provided primarily from brochures and pamphlets provided at the various facilities and a booklet entitled “Carson City.”