by Cynthia Wall

Created on: February 18, 2009

Just 30 wind-blown miles south of Reno on Highway 395, the historic town of Carson City greets travelers who pass its way. There's a lot to see in this capitol city named for Kit Carson and made famous by the mint which turned out silver and gold coins from the Comstock Lode.

Originally named Eagle Valley, the area was first discovered by John C. Fremont and his exploration party in January 1843. Fremont's famous "mountain man" scout, Kit Carson guided the Fremont party into this lush valley inhabited by Washoe Indians. Washoe Lake between Reno and Carson City bears tribute to the Native Americans who were there long before the "white man." The Carson River gives further name homage to the man who brought gold and silver fame to the area.

By the 1850's, the Eagle Station ranch on the Carson River was a trading post and stopover for pioneers on the California Trail. Abraham Curry, one of the settlers, was responsible for actually naming Carson City and designating it to become the capitol of California. The area boomed after gold and silver were discovered in 1859 and prospectors swarmed in to stake their claims and get rich.

Nevada rushed to become a northern-support state in 1864 (the midst of the Civil War) and Carson City became its permanent capitol. Because of Carson City's close proximity to the Comstock Lode mining, it was determined that the city would make an ideal location for a U.S. Mint. One of seven sites that have served as U.S. mints, the Carson City mint was unique in that it proved the value of mining. The site was designated in 1863, but building did not begin until 1866 due to the Civil War. It opened in December of 1869 with Abraham Curry as its first superintendent.

As Carson City began minting its famous CC marked coins, the San Francisco Mint was also opening to turn gold flowing from the Gold Rush into gold coins. It was a time when gold and silver were part of everyone's dreams and coins were being turned out in record numbers. One of the most collectible coins in history, the Morgan Silver Dollar, was first minted in 1878 in Carson City and continued at that location until 1893. More than $49,000 of gold and silver was coined there in Double Eagles ($20), Gold Eagles ($10) Half Eagles ($5), silver dollars, half-dollars, quarters, 20-cent pieces, and dimes. The Carson City Mint had its mint status withdrawn in 1899 due to decline in Comstock mining. The building served as an assay office until it was remodeled as the Nevada State Museum

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