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- Historical Society
of Dayton Valley
(Nevada)
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Next HSDV General Meeting
Wed., May 15, 12:30 p.m.
Dayton Community Center
(Pike Street at Logan, Old Town Dayton)
Come share our excitement about historic preservation
and Old Town Dayton!
We meet the third Wednesday of every month.
Newcomers and non-members are always welcome!
C&C Depot Working Group
Wed., May 1, 1 p.m.
Dayton Museum (Shady Lane at Logan Alley)
We meet the first Wednesday of each month. We would LOVE to have you join us to work on RR projects.
Interested parties of all ages welcome. No experience necessary!
Annual May Lecture Series
Thursday evenings, 7 p.m.
Dayton Valley Community Center
170 Pike St., Old Town Dayton
Once again we are celebrating the Nevada State Historic Preservation Office's (SHPO) Historic Preservation
and Archaeological Awareness Month. Our theme will be
History of Historic Landmark Buildings in Old Town Dayton.
May 2: Dayton Community Center
May 9: Bluestone Building/Justice Court
May 16: Carson & Colorado Depot
For more information contact Historian or
Presenter or call 775-246-3256 or 775-246-0505.
During this special month our museum will also be open every day, M-F 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Sa 10 to 4, Su 1 to 4.
Dayton Railroad Days
in conjunction with
25th Annual Dayton Valley Days
"Silver Tales, Trails, and Rails"
Sat. & Sun., Sept. 21 & 22
For more information please click on the C&C RR tab.
Restoration of Dayton's Historic 1881 Carson & Colorado Railroad Depot
Our ongoing depot restoration project will return our historic 1881 depot to its original appearance
and make it Dayton's "Gateway to the Comstock." Our depot is one of only three remaining original 1880s C&C passenger depots and the
only one in Nevada. After restoration it will be the only C&C depot returned to original 1880s appearance.
We are also researching and restoring our "new" 1888 narrow-gauge boxcar, SP 84.
We would love to have you in our C&C Working Group! If you want to join us, help research or plan either restoration, and/or help with clean-up,
donations, or any other aspects of the project---or just want more information---please attend a monthly meeting (see above),
email C&C Working Group Head or Working Group Member,
call 775-246-9419 or 775-246-0505, email Curator of History or call
775-246-3256.
Request for Dayton history
Do you have documents or artifacts that are part of Dayton's history? If your items would welcome
a new home we can assure you that we will appreciate, care for, and preserve them. We also understand that you may want to keep your
historic items, but you can still help us. If you would scan or photocopy your documents or take a photo of your historic artifact, you
can send us the KNOWLEDGE these items preserve. We also want histories---if your family has Dayton roots please send us your stories or
contact us to set up an interview. Contact Curator of History or Webmaster
or call 775-246-3256 or 775-246-0505. Your contribution may provide exactly what we need to understand one more piece of Dayton history!
Welcome to Historic Dayton, Nevada!
- Nestled in a fertile valley east of Carson City,
Dayton is an oasis in western Nevada's high-desert country. Dayton is the earliest settlement in the state, originating with prospectors
and settlers attracted by gold and by the Carson River that runs through the valley.
- We hope you enjoy this website, made possible by
the Historical Society of Dayton Valley. We hope that these pages will help you understand why we love the
Dayton area and its rich history.
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- click map for detail view
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A quaint reflection of our historic past, Old Town
Dayton preserves its origins as the first Nevada settlement in spite of the bustling growth in the Dayton Valley around it.
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In January 1999, a supermarket opened in Dayton Valley
and has now become the nucleus of one of several Valley shopping complexes. Dayton Valley now boasts two medical complexes, two veterinary
clinics, numerous eateries, several casinos, gas stations, mechanics, and the other amenities of a modern community. New subdivisions,
five schools, a public library, a senior center, museums, churches, fire departments, an airstrip, industrial facilities, and business
areas reflect rapid change.
In the summer of 1999, Dayton celebrated the 150th
year since the first discovery of gold in Nevada, which occurred at the mouth of Gold Cañon in today's Old Town Dayton. Then, in May 2001,
Dayton celebrated the 150th anniversary of its settlement -- the oldest permanent settlement in the state of Nevada.
Old Town Dayton's Pike Street was once the Overland
Trail, which brought many thousands of immigrants westward in the 1840s and 1850s. Today Old Town retains its board sidewalks and homes,
shops, and eateries housed in buildings with origins in Dayton's historic past.
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At the historic Dayton Museum in Old Town on
Shady Lane at Logan, young and old gather to review the town's unique history. The Museum was established by volunteers in the early
1980s in an 1865 school house. It contains memorabilia, quilts, and photographs from Dayton's history, including pioneers, prospectors
and miners, woodcutters, Native Americans, Chinese, Italians, ranching, railroading, the Sutro Tunnel and early Lyon County history.
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The museum is open Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and
Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm. We are closed in December, January, and February, depending on weather. The museum is also open by appointment. In May,
to celebrate Nevada Archaelogical Awareness and Historic Preservation month, the museum is open every day of the week.
For information or appointments, or to volunteer, call 775-246-3527 or 775-246-8765, or, email
Curator of History or Secretary.
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The Carson River - named for mountain man Kit Carson -
flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains through Dayton and Dayton Valley, across the Lyon County desert, and sinks into the desert at the
Carson Sink. The river provides recreation, including canoeing, rafting, fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing along with swimming and
boating at Lahontan Reservoir. |
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This old compressor is an example of the mining reminders
that dot the landscape in the Dayton area.
Dayton enjoys four beautiful seasons, giving the area
a new look with each. Nonetheless, the typical weather is pleasant and moderate year around.
Around
Dayton
12 miles from the State Capitol - Carson City 40 miles from Reno and Reno/Tahoe Int'l Airport 45 miles from US Interstate 80 25 miles from Lake Tahoe 7 miles from historic Virginia City Part of the Comstock National District, one of the nation's largest Historic Districts Access to the mining and milling sites of the Comstock On US Hwy 50, "the loneliest road in America"
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