Washoe City, Nevada
Washoe Valley, Nevada | |
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Ghost town | |
![]() ![]() Washoe Valley Location within the state of Nevada ![]() ![]() Washoe Valley Washoe Valley (the US) | |
Coordinates: 39°19′13″N 119°46′48″W / 39.32028°N 119.78000°WCoordinates: 39°19′13″N 119°46′48″W / 39.32028°N 119.78000°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Nevada |
County | Washoe |
Population (2010) | |
• Total | 0 |
Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
Washoe City is a ghost town in Washoe County, Nevada, in the United States. Nearby there is a new community called New Washoe City.
History
Washoe City was founded in 1860 as a lumbering camp for Virginia City. With unlimited water available from Washoe Lake, mills were built for reducing ore. Dozens of trips were made daily by mule-driven ore wagons to Virginia City, hauling timber and farm produce. The return trips brought Comstock ore for milling.[1]
Washoe City became the county seat of Washoe County when it was created in 1861. The new county seat attracted lawyers, doctors, and dentists, among others. The streets were lined with restaurants, stores, saloons, livery stables, drugstores, a post office, bath houses and shaving emporiums. In October 1862, the Washoe Times printed its first newspaper. Later, a school, churches, a hospital, and a courthouse and jail were built.[1]
By 1865, Washoe City had a fluctuating permanent and transient population that may have reached 6000. Washoe City started to decline after the completion of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad to the Carson River in 1869. Within a few years, the population was reduced to 2,500 residents.[1] In 1871, the county seat of Washoe County was moved to Reno, and in 1880, only 200 people lived in Washoe City. By the early 20th century, Washoe City was empty. Nowadays, there are just the remains of many of the original buildings.[2]
In popular culture
In Hell On Wheels season 5, episode 12 ("Any Sum Within Reason"), much of the critical action takes place in and around Washoe City.
References
- 1 2 3 Paher, Stanley W. (1970). Nevada Ghost towns and Mining camps. Howell North. p. 43.
- ↑ "Washoe City". Ghost Towns. Retrieved June 18, 2013.