Carson district named to National Register of Historic Places

Mike Drews has always known what a treasure Carson City held within the borders of its westside historic district, but now it's official.

The district has been named to the National Register of Historic Places, a designation that distinguishes the city as, among other things, a place worth visiting.

"It was really neat to learn our (application) had been accepted. Sometimes they send it back, but ours rolled right through," Drews said.

"As you drive around the United States, you'll see signs directing people to historic districts, and this elevates Carson City to that level," he said.

The Carson City Board of Supervisors created the historic district in 1982, and Drews has served on its guiding body since 1988.

The newly designated West Side Historic District is bounded roughly by Curry, Mountain, Fifth and John streets. It encompasses about 70 acres with 337 buildings, most of which contribute to its character within a period of 1858-1946.

"You talk about the history, the architecture, the people involved and historic events. In our case, there are a lot," Drews said. "A number of our properties are already listed, so this just ties it all together."

Among the dozens of historic properties that helped Carson City earn its designation:

• The Ferris Mansion, home of George Ferris Jr., inventor of the Ferris wheel for the Chicago World Columbian Exposition in 1893.

• The Orion Clemens House, built in 1863, home of Mark Twain's older brother, who served as secretary to Territorial Gov. William Nye.

• The Stewart-Nye house, built about 1860 for William Morris Stewart, who sold it to James W. Nye, a territorial governor of Nevada who later became a U.S. senator.

"The architecture is also different on each of them," Drews said of the historic mansions.

The National Register provides a number of protections and tax incentives for property owners - without any additional regulations.

"This is a feather in the cap of the city - it elevates us to national prominence," Drews said.

Candy Duncan, executive director of the Carson City Convention and Visitors Bureau, says the designation is significant in terms of tourism, and she said it will be heavily marketed.

"This is a huge benefit. It means a lot of people who care about history will want to see the district," Duncan said.

"We're redesigning our website right now, and will definitely feature it. We've always said we have one of the largest historic districts in the West, so this gives a real sense of legitimacy."

Mayor Bob Crowell said that in addition to increased tourism and more grant opportunities, property values generally go up within historic districts, as well.