The East Tour
Prev
Next
|
Day 14: June 22, 2011 The East Tour |
Prev Next |
|
|
|
Today's bus tour headed east with the first stop at the
Nevada State Museum in Carson City. The museum
incorporates the old mint building but I failed to walk out far enough to
get a picture of its front. Even so, the old stone and new glass make
quite a contrast. The museum's many well done exhibits show Nevada's
history both before and after the Europeans arrived. In addition to our
group of 100+, several groups of school children were at the museum today
and a little crowding sometimes occurred. This was most apparent in the
narrow twisting tunnels of the authentic looking silver mine exhibit in
the basement. Maybe I'd have a picture of that if it hadn't been filled
with bodies; Maybe not. Seeing a museum filled with curious kids always
makes me happy.
A big part of Nevada's history involves the gambling industry and a big part of that involves the machines of Charles Fey. The museum has a room full of those that includes what is generally recognized as the first successful slot machine, the "Liberty Bell". |
|
|
Because of its small size, visits to the room holding the mint's original
Coin Press #1 were made in timed groups of twenty. The
press is still in operation and adding to its already impressive
history. A medallion bearing the 2011 LHA conference
logo was designed to be struck by this press. Some of us naively thought
the actual pressing would be done as we watched but all 140 (That's all
there is, there ain't no more.) were struck, examined, and packaged in
advance. It's a beauty.
A display in the same room contains examples of all but two (I forget which) of the coins ever produced by the Carson City Mint and there are many other displays in the mint area. One is a set of medallions made for a governors conference in the 1970s and I found Ohio's. |
|
|
Lunch would be served at Dayton, Nevada, but on the way we drove by the
Bunny Ranch where friendly employees waved at the passing busses.
|
|
|
Tasty box lunches and cold drinks were waiting for us at Dayton, Nevada, then there
was plenty of free time to explore the historic town. I had been through
here on Monday with Geno's tour but we didn't stop and my attempt to
photograph the Union Hotel turned out badly. I did better today.
Though originally called Chinatown, Dayton lays
(apparently not totally undisputed) claim to being the
first town in Nevada and was a stop on the Pony Express.
Ulysses Grant was among the people who spoke from the balcony in the fourth
picture. The 1865 stone school house is now a museum chock full of local
history. Outside, a large collection of "interesting" items can
be viewed through barbed wire fence.
|
|
|
A photographer met us at Cave Rock for a group photo. Here's
how it looked to me. Lake Tahoe sure looks good from there.
|
|
|
| [Prev] [Site Home] [Trip Home] [Contact] [Next] |
