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    Genoa Courthouse Museum

    4.8 (9 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Genoa Courthouse Museum Photos

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    Craig B.

    The Courthouse Museum is an early 1900s small town style building. It was originally designed as a courthouse and jail and later used as a school after everything burned except for the jail cell. It makes you wonder why they continued to include the jail cell in the building if they were mainly going to use the building as a school. Did they use the jail cells as storage lockers for books and brooms? It would be scary for a young kid to rummage through a jail cell looking for a book and see the demonic sketches scraped into the cell walls by previous inmates. There is also a blacksmith's setup in the jail area. Did the building burn down because it housed the blacksmith? The wide array of blacksmith tools illustrates how specialized and knowledgeable a blacksmith had to be in the 1800's and early 1900's. The best blacksmiths were more than tradesmen; they were artists. The Washo basket exhibit was interesting because it showed how integral baskets were to the Washo society. Compared with many Native American cultures in the southwest who used pottery for storage and transport, the Washo used baskets. The baskets were used for more than storing nuts and grains; they were used for holding liquid and cooking food. I doubt that anyone today could weave a waterproof wicker basket. I was most intrigued by the fact that they cooked food in the baskets because I had never seen this elsewhere in my study of Native American cultures. Uncooked food was placed in the baskets along with scalding hot rocks that were warming in the fire. Then, it was continually stirred to help the food cook evenly and prevent the rocks from burning the baskets.

    Outside Shot of Genoa Courthouse
    Eric B.

    The Genoa Courthouse Museum was built in 1865 and is now a cool little historical museum that is worth at least several minutes of your time. It's an easy wander from the Genoa Bar and other "Center City" points of interest. Gayle also has fond childhood memories of spending many joyful hours, playing on a big swing set here. The courthouse was constructed by when Genoa was the county seat of Douglas County. In 1916, the county seat was moved to Minden, and the building then served as a school until 1956. In 1969, it was opened as a museum by the Carson Valley Historical Society. Exhibits include the old courtroom, a county office, the blacksmith shop and jail, Washo Indian life and artifacts, schoolroom, school kitchen and a room dedicated to John "Snowshoe" Thompson, "Mailman of the Sierra".

    This was one of the most enjoyable museums I have visited. Such a cute town overall - with wonderfully charming people. It feels like a town you might see in a movie or TV show. Everything is kept so clean and neat. From the moment we walked in, it was like a transport back in time. The lady at the front desk (I'm sorry I didn't get her name), was so warm and inviting. She had so much information she willingly shared. She made sure our children had a very neat experience. I would highly recommend checking it out if you are in the area.

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    Nevada State Museum - 2/10/26 FYI. Cool

    Nevada State Museum

    4.4(88 reviews)
    12.0 mi

    My daughter's elementary school went for a field trip so I went as a chaperone. I had never been…read morebefore and was pleasantly surprised. There are different areas to see with different exhibits. They have one of the original minted coin presses and the man that was giving the information was dressed the part, entertaining, and knowledgeable. All the staff was engaging in each area and you could tell that they genuinely were interested in the history and teaching others about it. The kids favorite area was the "ghost town" since there is a mine that you go through. I definitely learned things I didn't know about Nevada (not originally from the area though).

    Quality/Quantity - My ski buddies came to visit from CA, but the snow was so bad, we decided to…read moreskip skiing today and visit Carson City instead. They are museum buffs, so it was natural to come here today. We have visited most of the Reno Museums together already. We spent 3 hours here. Also very kid and teacher friendly. 3 school tours today. Lastly, a small gift shop. Ambiance - So many exhibits, and ever changing exhibits. Featured exhibits and of course permanent exhibits. See pictures and their website. Online exhibits are available also. Also, it was cool that this used to be the US mint. And on Saturday, you can still see the mint press in action. Programs and events; see their website. 3 floors, the bottom floor being a mine. So a decent size location. Small parking lot, but always plenty of street parking. Open 6 days a week 8:30am to 4:30pm from Tuesday to Sunday. Closed Mondays. Service - Good. Self service mostly. Price - $10, affordable. Member discounts available; see their website. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1939. So much history.

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    Nevada State Museum - 2/10/26 FYI. Cool

    2/10/26 FYI. Cool

    Nevada State Museum - 2/10/26 FYI.

    2/10/26 FYI.

    Nevada State Museum

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    Carson Valley Historical Society - Tuesday, May 21, 2019: main entrance to museum.

    Carson Valley Historical Society

    4.7(3 reviews)
    6.6 mi

    This was my second museum in one day so I didn't look super close at everything. The staff was…read morefriendly and helpful and there are 2 floors of exhibits. The first floor had displays about the wild mustangs, early ranches and the Washoe Tribe. The Chamber of Commerce is also located inside and has an assortment of brochures and a friendly, helpful staff member. There is also a small bookstore on the first floor with all sorts of fun and interesting books about Nevada and western history. The downstairs is divided into exhibits about various businesses. For example: The telephone company, a dress shop, mens fashion, and a saloon. Outside there are agriculture exhibits featuring machinery, a carriage and other ranching implements. There are bathrooms located on the lower floor. It is not open on the weekends.

    This is a fantastic museum that my husband and I found while staying at the Carson Valley Inn. The…read moremurals and displays are beautiful. I especially loved the room dedicated to the local Washoe and Paiute people. There are gorgeous baskets, arrowheads, and beadwork on display along with historical pictures, bows and arrows, and other unique pieces. This room was put together by the Native American people themselves. The people who work there are friendly and informative. It costs just five dollars to check this place out and it is well worth it. Besides the Washoe room, there are displays related to the wild mustangs of Nevada including local legend, "Wild Horse Annie," wagon trails, mining, pioneer life with recreations of a mercantile, a barber shop, a beauty parlor, and typical early domestic items. You will learn about the first female doctor in Nevada, an early veterinarian, and another local legend, Snowshoe Thompson. He delivered mail from Placerville, Ca to Carson City, Nv. On wooden skis!! I recommend this awesome place to anyone passing through the area.

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    Carson Valley Historical Society
    Carson Valley Historical Society
    Carson Valley Historical Society

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    City of South Lake Tahoe

    City of South Lake Tahoe

    4.1(32 reviews)
    11.3 mi

    1/18-19/2025: Have you experienced driving the entire circumference of Lake Tahoe? It's quite…read moremassive and takes at least, a couple hours drivetime from South Lake Tahoe to North Lake Tahoe. In addition, there are so many different residential subdivisions comprising of log cabins, mansions, villas, gargantuan estates to typical stucco homes. IMHO--It's best exploring ALL of Lake Tahoe, i.e., please don't consume all of your time just visiting the casinos . . . Visit the State Park, go kayaking--GO OUTSIDE!

    So good to be back in the old neighborhood. With our good…read morefriends back in the area also, we plan to come back here more and more frequently, off season of course. :) Quality/Quantity - I see that you are still trying to get this place to be more upscale...? Still see construction. Casino brands continue to change (Bally), etc. And more importantly, I see more and more craft breweries pop up, thank you, lol. Approximately 16.5 sq miles. 21k+ population. Atmosphere - Huge tourist attraction, so we try to ONLY come during off peak seasons. More and more nicer restaurants are popping up, thank you. But they are typically too small and the waits are typically too long, hence the off season visits. Service - Tourist attraction, so the service reflects that. Price - Slightly above average, but again that is the price for tourists. Owner Comments - Congrats on your success since 1965 incorporation. 1944 - First gaming, Harvey's Wagon Wheel Saloon and Gaming. 1960 - Winter Olympics. 2021 - Caldor Fire forced the entire city to evacuate.

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    City of South Lake Tahoe
    City of South Lake Tahoe - Lake Tahoe sunset

    Lake Tahoe sunset

    City of South Lake Tahoe - Awkward.

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    Awkward.

    Chollar Mine Tours - Candle inside the mine to demonstrate the darkness without it

    Chollar Mine Tours

    4.5(163 reviews)
    23.0 mi

    Chollar Mine Tour - A Glimpse into the Golden Age of Virginia City…read more Recommended by locals, I made my way to the Chollar Mine, once the 5th largest mine during the 19th-century Gold Rush era. In its prime, it yielded an overwhelming amount of gold--worth millions of dollars then and easily billions in today's value. Scattered across the grounds are authentic mining tools, giving visitors a sense of the equipment used back in the day. One highlight was the rock smasher, which the staff explained in detail. From the start, John and Gary gave me a warm welcome and patiently answered all my questions. Before we entered the mine, Gary provided a fascinating introduction to its history and operations--explaining how miners worked in 8-hour shifts, the intense conditions they faced underground, and how they coped with the heat from the geothermal groundwater. Equipped with a helmet, I followed the narrow tunnels where the ceiling is low enough to give you a bump if you're not careful. Along the old rail tracks used for transporting minerals, Gary demonstrated the rope-and-pulley system, drilling tools, and even how miners once relied on rats and candles to test air quality inside the mine. He also pointed out the split line in the rock that marked different mining outputs, giving a vivid sense of how geologists identified the veins. To make the experience more tactile, he even handed me some clay samples from the mine, so I could literally feel the earth that once hid so much gold. Unfortunately, visitors cannot go as deep into the mine as I had hoped--I wanted to experience the underground heat myself--but for safety reasons, the tour is limited. The cave can be slippery, and you'll often need to bend down to avoid injury. After the tour, Gary enthusiastically offered to take photos for guests, adding a personal touch to the visit. Beyond the tour itself, I learned that John now owns the mine, while Gary has written a novel that brings Virginia City's Golden Age to life. --- Final Thoughts The Chollar Mine Tour is more than just a history lesson--it's an immersive journey into the life of 19th-century miners. Thanks to the passion and effort of John and Gary, visitors can better appreciate the challenges, ingenuity, and culture of Virginia City's mining heritage. ---

    Had a great time!' Gary was the best tour ever and had so much helpful information. Best part of…read moreour visit to Virginia city!! Thank you from Tommy!!!

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    Chollar Mine Tours - Inside

    Inside

    Chollar Mine Tours - The structure within the mine

    The structure within the mine

    Chollar Mine Tours

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    Genoa Courthouse Museum - museums - Updated May 2026

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