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.

Events such as these dot Carson City’s rich history. The city continues to celebrate its 19th century frontier heritage and is growing and thriving today in the 2000s. Carson City Century, illustrated with 130 historical and contemporary images, tells the story of what happened in between.