Queen City of the Northern Hills
Nevada City was originally called Deer Creek Dry Diggins when it was just a mining camp. In the fall of 1849 Dr. A.B. Caldwell opened a general store and the mining camp started resembling a town. The town became Caldwell’s Upper Store. In 1850, the town was looking more like a city, with a cities’ problems. The citizens, under Mexican law, elected a mayor, or “Alcalde,” to establish and keep order.
The new city needed an official name, so, in a canvas hotel at Main and Commercial streets, ballots were taken. The choice of “Nevada” which is Spanish for “Snow Covered” seemed appropriate to the crowd. On September 9, 1850 California was the 31st state to join the Union. In 1851, Nevada City became the County Seat when Nevada County was formed from a section of Yuba County. By 1856, 2081 votes were cast in the City of Nevada, only Sacramento and San Francisco polled more. In 1859, Silver was discovered in the Utah Territory. The first samples were assayed (weighed and assessed for value) at Ott’s Assay Office in Nevada (City). Many of Nevada’s residents headed over the Sierra to search for silver in what became known as the Comstock Silver Rush. Later, in 1864, that part of the Utah Territory was formed into the State of Nevada. In that year, the word “City” was added to Nevada, to distinguish the two for the benifit of all (particularly the Postal Service.)
After the initial gold rush, merchants, bankers and the like came to Nevada City and built homes in the style of the day. This was during the reign of Queen Victoria, and that style of architecture became known as “Victorian”. Colonial, Greek Revival, and “California Gothic” styles of architecture are well represented here as well.
Most of Nevada City burned to the ground on several occasions. Two of the most interesting buildings in the downtown area are fire houses that were built with more than utilitarian style. This also accounts for the prevalance of brick buildings featuring iron shutters.
What accounts for the preservation of Nevada City is the economic downturn it faced when the gold started petering out. By World War II, when the mines in Grass Valley closed, there was not much reason for building or refurbishing of old buildings, and the architecture of the period was spared urban renewal.
WPA projects in the post-war period gave Nevada City the art deco facades of the city hall and court house. In the late 1960s the residents and visitors of the area started recognizing the remarkable charm of the town. City ordinances were revised to disallow the historically inaccurate and downright tacky new storefronts and signage, and the city buried all the power lines littering the downtown area. Gas lights made from original 1800s molds were placed along Broad Street, and the Nevada Theatre was restored. Private restorations followed, and the result is the beautiful little city of Nevada City.
Nevada City is not a museum, it is a hub of activity. Business, arts, sports, and entertainment of every variety occur on and around the streets of the town. There are lots of places to stay, first rate restaurants, and events that draw visitors from far and near. Whether it is for a weekend getaway or a two week vacation, Nevada City is a destination of choice.
Planning to Nevada
- Decide when you want to go on your trip and how long you’ll stay in Nevada. According to Nevada Tourism, the summers are dry and hot, with temperatures reaching the 90s, and the winters bring average temps of around 30 with lots of sunny days. If you’re interested in skiing, snowboarding or other winter sports, plan to stay at least a few days in Reno or Lake Tahoe in the winter months. If hiking and water sports are more your style, the same areas are great during the summer. Las Vegas shows and tours are always climate-controlled, making the city perfect for any time of the year.
What To Do
- Pick some activities that you want to do on your Nevada vacation. History buffs will want to visit Carson City’s Chinese Workers Museum of America; Las Vegas’ Atomic Testing Museum; and King Tut’s Tomb and Museum, an exact replica of the Egyptian tomb of the famous pharaoh, also in Las Vegas. Art lovers can take in great works at the Las Vegas Art Museum and the city’s large Chinatown, with galleries and museums featuring Asian art. If you’re looking for gaming, live music and over-the-top entertainment extravaganzas, Las Vegas is the place to be; remember, though, that you have to be 18 or older to enter a casino. For families, there are plenty of kid-friendly shows in Las Vegas, including the pirate show at Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum and the Adventuredome Theme Park inside Circus Circus, but there’s also the Ultimate Rush Speed andThrill Park, and the Great Basin Adventure in Reno. Hikers and golfers will find beautiful places for hiking and playing all over the state. Nevada’s board of tourism especially recommends hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail, which circles Lake Tahoe; the Mount Rose Wilderness Area; Great Basin National Park, near Baker; and Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, near Las Vegas. Golfers are encouraged to check out the courses at Edgewood at Lake Tahoe; Rosewood Lakes in Reno; Empire Ranch in Carson City; Painted Desert Golf Club in Las Vegas; and Boulder City’s Cascata Golf Club, dubbed by “Sports Illustrated” as “golf’s hidden treasure.”
Create a Budget
- Draw up a budget. If you’re going to Las Vegas and want to do some gaming at the casinos, set a limit for yourself and pick a time to stop playing. Seeing more than one city in Nevada will require a car, so factor in a rental and gas costs. There are great places to shop all over the state, so if you like souvenirs or are looking to add a unique piece of art from a Nevada gallery to your collection, establish a budget for that. Finally, take a look online for seasonal hotel deals, and budget your hotel
and airfare according to the best deal.
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