Carson City, Nevada
Carson City is an independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,639, making it the 6th most populous city in the state. The majority of the city's population lives in Eagle Valley, on the eastern edge of the Carson Range, a branch of the Sierra Nevada, about 30 miles (50 km) south of Reno. The city is named after the mountain man Kit Carson. The town began as a stopover for California-bound immigrants, but developed into a city with the Comstock Lode, a silver strike in the mountains to the northeast. The city has served as Nevada's capital since statehood in 1864; for much of its history it was a hub for the Virginia and Truckee Railroad, although the tracks were removed in 1950.
Carson City | |
|---|---|
State capital and independent city | |
| Consolidated Municipality of Carson City | |
Downtown Carson City Nevada State Capitol Nevada State Railroad Museum Stewart Indian School | |
|
Flag Seal | |
| Nicknames: Carson, CC, The Capitol | |
| Motto: Proud of its Past...Confident of its Future | |
Location within Nevada | |
Carson City Location in Nevada Carson City Location within the United States | |
| Coordinates: 39°9′52″N 119°46′1″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Nevada |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Named for | Kit Carson |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Lori Bagwell |
| Area | |
| • Total | 157.12 sq mi (406.94 km2) |
| • Land | 144.53 sq mi (374.34 km2) |
| • Water | 12.59 sq mi (32.59 km2) 8.0% |
| Elevation | 4,682 ft (1,427 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 58,639 |
| • Density | 405.71/sq mi (156.65/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−8 (Pacific) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−7 (Pacific) |
| ZIP code | 89701–89706, 89711–89714, 89721 |
| Area code | 775 |
| GNIS feature ID | 863976 |
| Website | carson.org |
Nevada Historical Marker | |
| Reference no. | 44 |
Before 1969, Carson City was the county seat of Ormsby County. That year, after a referendum approved merging the city and the county, the state legislature issued a revised city charter that merged them into the Consolidated Municipality of Carson City. With the consolidation, the city limits extend west across the Sierra Nevada to the California state line in the middle of Lake Tahoe. Like other independent cities in the United States, it is treated as a county-equivalent for census purposes.