Four blocks north of the Nevada State Capitol Building is the Nevada State Museum. The museum occupies the old United States Mint building on the corner of North Carson Street and West Robinson Street. The mint was established in 1870 because the mint in San Francisco(that still operates to this day),was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of gold and silver coming out of the western Nevada mines that needed to be coined. Since Carson City was booming as a result of the mining frenzy, it was decided to build a mint in Carson City. Having a mint in western Nevada also helped to reduce the high cost of shipping to San Francisco.
This former U.S. Mint is a two-story, sandstone edifice with a central cupola. Sound familiar? This building also follows the architectural theme that was established by the Nevada State Capitol Building. This architectural theme gives Carson City a "brown look" in its central business district. It does not have the old Spanish village look that Santa Fe does, however. Santa Fe has adobe buildings with wooden vigas lining narrow, crooked streets and an old, Spanish-style plaza. Carson City may have a "brown look" to it, but it also has a few downtown casinos that give it a "Nevada look."
The Carson City Mint was in operation from 1870 to 1893. It only minted coins. Dollar bills are minted in Washington, D.C. This mint was kept afloat by the high output of the nearby Comstock mines. The mint's "Coin Press #1" is on display in the state museum today and so are many of the coins that were once made there.
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