Historic Carson on display for Nevada Day

Bernie Allen, of the Carson City Preservation Coalition, remembers when Mills Park was nothing but forest and the house at 708 Walsh St. was a simple railroad car.

He lived in the house from 1949-1950 with his parents and two brothers while his father served as the final roadmaster on the Virginia & Truckee Railroad.

"It was quite interesting living here," he said. "It did not have indoor plumbing at the time."

Allen, with other members of the Preservation Coalition, guided a tour Friday afternoon featuring 26 historic sites on Carson City's east side.

The Charles W. Friend Tour, which begins at the capitol, attracted 15 people -some natives of Carson City, some newcomers to the area and others from out of state.

Pat Johnson moved to Carson City two years ago and wanted to learn more about the history.

"I've been doing everything available so I can learn about the town," she said. "There's so much to do here, it's just unbelievable."

Phyllis White is from Southern California, but she and her husband own a condo in Carson City. They also went on the tour.

"Every time they have one of these things, we always go on it," she said. "You never see it all."

Allen told the group of a time when two men knocked on the family's door, asking for a handout.

He said they assumed the men were vagabonds and gave them some food. Later, they found out that the two were escapees from the state penitentiary.

The 26-site tour was named after Friend, who came to Carson City in 1867, built a weather observatory and became the first state weather director in 1887. He also owned a jewelry shop across from the capitol where he sold diamonds and watches as well as cigars and pianos.

The tour began last year as a complement to the city's better-known tours of historic homes on the west side of Carson Street.