Sometimes lost in the discussion over Nevada’s open spaces is the fact that the federal government owns 80+ percent of the Silver State and much of the remainder is land for mining, transportation (highways and trains), and ranching/farming. The ranching part has a rich history in Carson City with homesteads owned by the Parkers, Lompas and others. The old range still exists in Carson but is shrinking from development and Californication. Here’s some pix from the old Lompa Ranch area and purists will note that the new freeway extension is to my back as I took this pictures. Even so, these shots show why this space should be preserved for as long as possible.

Since this blog seems to be on a Nevada kick, how about The Killers doing our state song (link courtesy of the LVRJ):

(Just so you can impress friends and loved ones, The Killers started their path to fame and fortune by playing the drag clubs in Las Vegas. We all gotta start somewhere.)

Nevada Day was yesterday and it celebrates the Silver State’s admission to the Union back in 1864. It’s traditionally marked with numerous events in Carson City and includes a balloon liftoff, beard judging contest (by state supreme court justices, no less), a carnival, and the monstrous Nevada Day Parade down Carson Street. This alone takes more than three hours and includes a wide range of floats and exhibits ranging from politicians to cute kids in costumes to all sorts of animals. I’ve participated in more than a few of them and can tell you that the folks walking the route are more interested in dodging elephant dung than they are waving to the crowd.

Here’s some photographs of the 1963 Nevada Day Parade found in the Nevada State Library and Archives, probably from the John Nulty Collection. While things were much different in Carson City 46 years ago, you can see that people were just as fascinated by parades back in the day as they are today.

Edit: Scott from Around Carson makes these important observations: “I doubt all of these photos are from 1963. In the second one we should be looking right at the Carson Theatre, but it’s not there yet. And in the last one we’re looking at the Carson Nugget block, but there’s still a garage there, not a casino.” Always appreciate the corrections. Thanks, Scott!

Re-edit: Scott dug deeper and fixed this entire post (somebody had to do it). Here are his corrections: Looking at the official Nevada Day website, I think all these photos except the first one are from 1939, the second Nevada Day parade ever. http://nevadaday.com/pages/history.html

The running joke in this part of Nevada is Reno is so close to Hell, you can see Sparks. That’s the name of the town directly east of the Biggest Little City in the World, and like many western bumps in the road, Sparks owes its initial existence to the Southern Pacific Railroad. They built a yard and maintenance facility in what was then Harriman, Nevada, but it was renamed after the governor of the state, John Sparks, in a political move to avoid tariffs and such (it didn’t work).

During February of 1944 (World War II) the railroad yard opened a major engine repair shop and the photographs from that time were eventually donated to the Nevada State Library and Archives. There is no accompanying text but I believe this building belongs to a private company now that is no longer associated with railroads. Today, the yard is just east of John Ascuaga’s Nugget, a casino that is probably town’s biggest employer outside of the government. These photographs remind us of another era when hard manual labor built the town of Sparks and the western United States of America.

(Sparks is one of five Nevada towns where I spent my misbegotten youth, and I remember when there was space between the two Washoe County municipalities, but no more. Both towns eventual grew outwards and towards each other.)

The John Nulty Collection at the Nevada State Library and Archives is an old friend to this blog. Pictures from his works have appeared in five other posts (list below) because I am an admirer of his photography and craftmanship.

These pictures look at the faded glory that was once the V&T Railroad in Carson City or, more specifically, the buildings and properties of the V&T after the line shut down, the engines left town, and rails been pulled up. No narrative is needed nor could it better capture these lasting images of an era gone by and a way of life forever locked in the past.

As always, please credit the Nevada State Library and Archives if you choose to use these or any photos from the John Nulty Collection.

More John Nulty Photographs:
Veterans Housing in Carson City
View on High
A Plaza is Born
Bird’s Eye View
Old Nevada