Nevada Favorite Tips by Ken_Weaver Top 5 Page for this destination

Genoa- A Home Station for the Pony Express, 1860

Favorite thing: For several years in the early history of the area, mail was carried 2000 miles between Sacramento , California and St. Joseph, Missouri by riders on ponys who rode through the wilderness with reckless abandon and transferred the mail to a fresh rider and pony at the next station on the route which covered some of the most rugged and dangerous terrain in America. Riders typically rode for 7-100 miles and changed horses every 10-15 miles

The westward route in this area began in Genoa on April 13, 1860 and went over the rugged Sierra Nevada range at Echo Summit...in a few months the route was changed to go over the Kingsbury Grade and Dagget Pass(7350 ft. above sea level).

Once the telegraph lines were completed in Oct 24, 1861, the need for the Pony Express ended.

For more information on this fascinating era of American History see : http://www.americanwest.com/trails/pages/ponyexp1.htm

State Capitol Building

Favorite thing: The State Capitol Building is located in Carson City. The building is nice but doesn't have the architectual splender of other capitol buildings on the West Coast such as the Dome in Olympia, Washington.

Like everything in Nevada, there is a tale to be told! Supposedly when the Capital Building was completed in 1871, no building was allowed to be built taller. The Capitol with it's silver cupola stood tall above all other buildings in Carson City for over 100 years. It was discovered , however, that there was no official ordinance preventing a taller building until 1991....the Carson City Master Plan established a rule that "no building taller than the capitol could be built....within in 500 feet!

Road to the top of the Sierras

Favorite thing: To get a perspective on the landscape take a short road trip on the Kingsbury Grade, which rises out of the Carson Valley and ascending the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The valley is at about 4700 ft above sea level. The road climbs at a 9% grade for 8 miles and the summit, at 7350 ft, is called Dagget Pass.You then descent into the resort area surrounding Lake Tahoe.

Take Highway 395 to the Junction with hiway 88. Proceed throught the farming area until you see the highway sign pointing to the grade.

Genoa Courthouse Museum

Favorite thing: Genoa, listed as the first permanent settlement in Nevada and founded in 1851, is located south of Carson City about 14 miles on the Jacks Valley Road just off of highway 395. This beautiful little museum tells the tale of this interesting community. The museum is located in the old courthouse. Genoa is the home of "Snowshoe Thompson(1827-1876), a legendary pioneer who carried the mail on skis from Genoa in the Carson Valley, over the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Placerville, California for 20 years. The museum has a whole room dedicated to his interesting life.

Genoa also holds it place in American History as the first permanent station of the legendary Pony Express.

The museum also features the Genoa jail and the first Courtroom, which is beautifully restored.

Open May-October:
Daily 10am-4:30pm

2304 Main Street
Genoa, Nevada 89411
702.782.4325

Adults $3 Children under 6 $2
No charge on 1st Saturday of the month